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Avoid looking like fashion victim: what to do when your clothes
wear you down
Dear Sharon: I
wear the latest trends every time I go out, but I feel tacky. I'm not sure why this is. I have nice clothes and accessories but I just
feel tacky in them, and they're not tacky clothes. How can I overcome this?
-- (Un)Becoming Chic (Sydney, Australia)
Dear (Un)Becoming Chic: Rriiinnnnggg, attention all
dedicated followers of
fashion, I am holding an absolutely adorable snippet of a white mini-mini-miniest sliver of a skirt just like a similar one that walked down the Oscar de la Renta spring runway with the human assistance of an almost 6 ft. twig of a gorgeous glamazon model. The outfit, the model, the
everything was to die for.
Now style mavens, here's the 64 trillion dollar question: How many of you out there will look equally as to die for in the very same little skirt????????
Hmm, let's see, a small percentage?!?! Bingo, you've got the common sense to get that fashion is
not overwhelmingly
egalitarian- your figure does matter. Wear what's right for your body type and don't be a slave to fashion (funny, that's the title of a manuscript I have, any publishers around???).
The essence of personal style is wearing
what is right for you and knowing when to quit. No matter how hoochie koochi you get with Gucci, no matter how breathless you become in a Prada dressing room, no matter how cute a pair of Chanel eyelet hotpants are, if a particular style is unflattering on you, you can look, well, tacky!!!
Your wardrobe should
show your personality, not the personality of a store's really good salesperson. Clothes say more about you than you can imagine.
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George Lamond works it
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I asked Latin
pop star George Lamond
what
makes a woman beautiful at the
Prestigo Records party for the launch of his self-titled album,
GL
. In a sea of bodacious Latina hotties, you'd think his answer would involve a body part
only Jennifer Lopez could have. But, no.
George quipped, "Shoes
tell everything
about the woman. If her shoes aren't right, you just know".
Oooh, George's runner-up for what makes his
salsa sizzle, "a sense of humor". I wonder what he thinks about Marc Jacob's resurrection of the high-heeled sneaker???
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If for some inexplicable
herd instinct, you feel a total obligation to look like a every one from Column A and every one from Column B spread of this season's hottest looks, I suggest some serious rethinking to combat a bad case of fashion victimitous.
Just the other day, my art director and I were having lunch when this "trendy girl" sat down next to us. Ms. Trendy Girl 's hair had the right edgy shag, her beret was tilted, her eyes were lined, her vintage rock t-shirt was asymmetrically ripped, her studded belt hung just so off-kilter, her jeans were by Earl, her bag was a designer clutch, and her sneakers were of a mushroom color emblazoned with a designer logo.
Ms. Trendy Girl was wearing almost every new style and just about every other fad from five minutes ago. She
didn't miss a trick or a
trend.
But, did she look cool? Did she look chic? No, Ms. Trendy Girl looked exhaustingly dopey. My friend and I looked at each other and echoed, "edit is a good word". Moral: You may want to buy the store, just don't wear it all at once.
Style is all about being comfortable and
looking great, and not letting your clothes wear you- that is being a fashion victim. Although all your clothes and accessories may be "nice," they just may not be nice for you. Try not trying as hard to wear the latest trend and choose pieces that you really feel at ease wearing rather than just
possessing... that is true fashion genius.
Fashion should be
inspirational. You should be able to see a new style that excites you and know how to seamlessly maneuver it into your wardrobe in a way that makes the most sense for your body type, lifestyle, and budget. Then, occasionally
go buy something completely wiggy, just because it rocks.
You may also be outgrowing your old look and evolving into a more sophisticated style of dress. Sometimes, as our friends, surroundings, or career paths change, we adapt or grow in a direction that we cannot even believe we looked a certain way merely months ago.
Laugh off fashion faux pas' as part of a learning experience and move on
hopefully to chicer pastures.
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