By Jennifer Bakken
Fashion Never-Dos
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
On a flight back from a business trip to a city that shall remain nameless, I felt motivated to write an article about some of the fashion "never-dos", (yes, that's a technical term), that I witnessed there, as they're truly rules that should be applied no matter what city you live in.
Never-do #1: Pleated pants. Whether you're a woman or a man wearing a pant with pleats is never a good idea*. Let's put it this way, if you have a bit of a stomach these pants will make it appear like it's at least 2X bigger than it actually is. And if you don't have a belly, well you will if you're sporting a of pair bottoms of this design. I have two words to live by for everyone: Flat Front. They're a tried and true alternative and in my opinion should replace pleated plants altogether.
(*I wanted to be clear that there is one situation when wearing a pant with a pleat is OK and that would be when that pant is part of a well-made tailored suit. That's it, so unless you've got one of these suits, the rest of the pleats need to go)
Never-do #2: Casual sandals worn for business. While I was on my trip I noticed several women dressed quite smartly in their workday best, then only to ruin the look by finishing off their ensemble with a pair of too casual sandals, (often open-toed which is even worse). I think a simple rule of thumb would be don't pair shoes that you would wear to a picnic with attire that you would wear to a meeting. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for mixing together casual and dressy pieces; but please make sure the elements you're combining would all appropriately be worn "to the same party".
Never-do #3: Matchy-Matchy (ala Garanimal-style). Never perfectly match that colorful pink and purple plaid jacket with corresponding pink slacks and then similarly-toned shoes. Mix it up, strive to have at least one item within your ensemble that doesn't "match" but perfectly compliments or enhances your look. For example, because this rule is tricky, if you're wearing the look described above how about adding in a caramel colored belt and/or shoes; or instead of wearing the pants that match the jacket, pair the blazer with a pair of stone colored chinos or white denim.
Never-do #4: Boxy-cut blazers. There are not many "real" women that can pull off a boxy blazer because most real women aren't a size where the square cut won't appear to add another 10 pds to their figure; or even worse cause them to look like they have no "shape" whatsoever. If you're going to wear these jackets you must follow the rules of proportion: always pair a blazer like this with something that is slim cut underneath, like a form-fitting pencil skirt and/or a slim-fitting Capri.
Never-do #5: Ill-fitting denim. Many women have a tendency to wear jeans that are actually too big on them. A rule of thumb for when purchasing a pair of denim is that they should feel tight when you're trying them on, (not can't-breath-tight, but hug-every-curve, tight). Because if you choose a pair that are "roomy" or too comfortable to begin with, they will get even roomier throughout the day giving you the appearance of a droopy butt – and nobody wants a droopy butt. I suggest that every woman buy slimmer cuts of denim. If a pencil or skinny jean is not your thing, and for most women it's not; go with a "regular" fit, or a "boot-cut". Both of these will still hug your seat and skim your legs so that you have a shape from the beginning to end of the day.
Jennifer Bakken is a San Francisco based wardrobe consultant.
For more information: cabinetdenvie.com.
Never-do #1: Pleated pants. Whether you're a woman or a man wearing a pant with pleats is never a good idea*. Let's put it this way, if you have a bit of a stomach these pants will make it appear like it's at least 2X bigger than it actually is. And if you don't have a belly, well you will if you're sporting a of pair bottoms of this design. I have two words to live by for everyone: Flat Front. They're a tried and true alternative and in my opinion should replace pleated plants altogether.
(*I wanted to be clear that there is one situation when wearing a pant with a pleat is OK and that would be when that pant is part of a well-made tailored suit. That's it, so unless you've got one of these suits, the rest of the pleats need to go)
Never-do #2: Casual sandals worn for business. While I was on my trip I noticed several women dressed quite smartly in their workday best, then only to ruin the look by finishing off their ensemble with a pair of too casual sandals, (often open-toed which is even worse). I think a simple rule of thumb would be don't pair shoes that you would wear to a picnic with attire that you would wear to a meeting. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for mixing together casual and dressy pieces; but please make sure the elements you're combining would all appropriately be worn "to the same party".
Never-do #3: Matchy-Matchy (ala Garanimal-style). Never perfectly match that colorful pink and purple plaid jacket with corresponding pink slacks and then similarly-toned shoes. Mix it up, strive to have at least one item within your ensemble that doesn't "match" but perfectly compliments or enhances your look. For example, because this rule is tricky, if you're wearing the look described above how about adding in a caramel colored belt and/or shoes; or instead of wearing the pants that match the jacket, pair the blazer with a pair of stone colored chinos or white denim.
Never-do #4: Boxy-cut blazers. There are not many "real" women that can pull off a boxy blazer because most real women aren't a size where the square cut won't appear to add another 10 pds to their figure; or even worse cause them to look like they have no "shape" whatsoever. If you're going to wear these jackets you must follow the rules of proportion: always pair a blazer like this with something that is slim cut underneath, like a form-fitting pencil skirt and/or a slim-fitting Capri.
Never-do #5: Ill-fitting denim. Many women have a tendency to wear jeans that are actually too big on them. A rule of thumb for when purchasing a pair of denim is that they should feel tight when you're trying them on, (not can't-breath-tight, but hug-every-curve, tight). Because if you choose a pair that are "roomy" or too comfortable to begin with, they will get even roomier throughout the day giving you the appearance of a droopy butt – and nobody wants a droopy butt. I suggest that every woman buy slimmer cuts of denim. If a pencil or skinny jean is not your thing, and for most women it's not; go with a "regular" fit, or a "boot-cut". Both of these will still hug your seat and skim your legs so that you have a shape from the beginning to end of the day.
Jennifer Bakken is a San Francisco based wardrobe consultant.
For more information: cabinetdenvie.com.
