Writer's Block: Out of fashion

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While there are certain things I will never wear (and some things I plan to continue to wear even when they are no longer "in fashion"), I don't hold my standards to other people; if they like it, they're entitled to carry on with it. However, there are a few things I think are generally bad ideas and would definitely advise against for just about everyone:

1) Super low-rise jeans. It's really no wonder I never had pants that fit in middle and high school, which was during the height of these jeans' popularity; I got cameltoe just trying to get my waistband to rise higher than my hip bones. While certain figures benefit from a lower rise, no one needs a rise so low that you can see the top of your pubic hair. (Or your butt crack when you sit down). Plus, super low-rise rise jeans just encourage other awful trends like thongs sticking out above pants and muffin-tops when your shirt fails to meet the top of your jeans.

2) Speaking of muffin tops, crop tops or otherwise midriff-revealing shirts. There are so, so few people in the world that can pull this off-- and even those who can tend to look trashy with this look. I would recommend keeping the midriff-bearing looks at the pool or in bellydancing class.

3) Leggings as pants. Now, I like leggings as their own garment; they are a good way to winterize a skirt (but are warmer and more durable than tights), and I will wear leggings *as pants* with a tunic if it's long enough to be dress-length. However, leggings are not completely interchangeable with pants and never should be. They leave nothing to the imagination; you can see pantyline and cameltoe and every unflattering curve of the body, including in some cases ripples of cellulite. Even if you've got intense body confidence, you're not doing yourself any favors, and even if you've got a rockin' body-- trust me, you'd look just as good better in skinny jeans. Even skinny jeans look bad with a short, fitted t-shirt (you get the ice-cream cone look going on with your legs), but with leggings I think the principle of balance is even more important: if it's skin-tight on bottom, the outfit should leave something to the imagination on top by being long and loose or baggy. (And it goes without saying that tights as pants is totally unacceptable as well. I have sadly seen people try to wear opaque tights as pants before O.o).

4) Thongs and g-string panties. Thankfully we've moved on from considering them sexy to finding them skanky, because I find those suckers totally uncomfortable and not worth it. If you're worried about a pantyline, buy really thin panties. They make them specifically for that purpose so you don't have to give yourself a perpetual wedgie.

5) Not really a fashion look, but more of a principle: real fur used in clothing. I'm not some crazy PETA person who's going to throw paint on people who wear fur coats (honestly, I find that way more offensive because now that animal gave its life for nothing!), but if you like the fur look it's so easy (and cheaper) to just get it in a synthetic material. I don't really care if people want to wear vintage fur coats, because the deed is already done and we might as well not make waste, but I'd be in favor of ceasing to make new fur garments.

There's probably more, but this is what I could think of for now.

Oh, and I imagine 99% of the people who respond to this will put Uggs and/or Crocs, but I can't in good conscience include them since I've worn both. (Well, $15 Kmart fake Uggs and present-from-my-mom Target fake Crocs). And you know what? The fake Uggs were warm, comfortable, and waterproof with treaded soles that cost about 1/3rd of what I would have paid for the winter boots I would otherwise would have worn during snowy, slushy winter commutes in college. (While the price of real Uggs is majorly inflated, a pair of good insulated waterproof snowboots is typically way more than $15). And the fake Crocs? When it's rainy but too warm for rain boots and flip-flops just feel too exposed, they're pretty darn practical. (No, I don't still wear them, but I refuse to be ashamed! :-P).

Writer's Block: Out of fashion

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While there are certain things I will never wear (and some things I plan to continue to wear even when they are no longer "in fashion"), I don't hold my standards to other people; if they like it, they're entitled to carry on with it. However, there are a few things I think are generally bad ideas and would definitely advise against for just about everyone:

1) Super low-rise jeans. It's really no wonder I never had pants that fit in middle and high school, which was during the height of these jeans' popularity; I got cameltoe just trying to get my waistband to rise higher than my hip bones. While certain figures benefit from a lower rise, no one needs a rise so low that you can see the top of your pubic hair. (Or your butt crack when you sit down). Plus, super low-rise rise jeans just encourage other awful trends like thongs sticking out above pants and muffin-tops when your shirt fails to meet the top of your jeans.

2) Speaking of muffin tops, crop tops or otherwise midriff-revealing shirts. There are so, so few people in the world that can pull this off-- and even those who can tend to look trashy with this look. I would recommend keeping the midriff-bearing looks at the pool or in bellydancing class.

3) Leggings as pants. Now, I like leggings as their own garment; they are a good way to winterize a skirt (but are warmer and more durable than tights), and I will wear leggings *as pants* with a tunic if it's long enough to be dress-length. However, leggings are not completely interchangeable with pants and never should be. They leave nothing to the imagination; you can see pantyline and cameltoe and every unflattering curve of the body, including in some cases ripples of cellulite. Even if you've got intense body confidence, you're not doing yourself any favors, and even if you've got a rockin' body-- trust me, you'd look just as good better in skinny jeans. Even skinny jeans look bad with a short, fitted t-shirt (you get the ice-cream cone look going on with your legs), but with leggings I think the principle of balance is even more important: if it's skin-tight on bottom, the outfit should leave something to the imagination on top by being long and loose or baggy. (And it goes without saying that tights as pants is totally unacceptable as well. I have sadly seen people try to wear opaque tights as pants before O.o).

4) Thongs and g-string panties. Thankfully we've moved on from considering them sexy to finding them skanky, because I find those suckers totally uncomfortable and not worth it. If you're worried about a pantyline, buy really thin panties. They make them specifically for that purpose so you don't have to give yourself a perpetual wedgie.

5) Not really a fashion look, but more of a principle: real fur used in clothing. I'm not some crazy PETA person who's going to throw paint on people who wear fur coats (honestly, I find that way more offensive because now that animal gave its life for nothing!), but if you like the fur look it's so easy (and cheaper) to just get it in a synthetic material. I don't really care if people want to wear vintage fur coats, because the deed is already done and we might as well not make waste, but I'd be in favor of ceasing to make new fur garments.

There's probably more, but this is what I could think of for now.

Oh, and I imagine 99% of the people who respond to this will put Uggs and/or Crocs, but I can't in good conscience include them since I've worn both. (Well, $15 Kmart fake Uggs and present-from-my-mom Target fake Crocs). And you know what? The fake Uggs were warm, comfortable, and waterproof with treaded soles that cost about 1/3rd of what I would have paid for the winter boots I would otherwise would have worn during snowy, slushy winter commutes in college. (While the price of real Uggs is majorly inflated, a pair of good insulated waterproof snowboots is typically way more than $15). And the fake Crocs? When it's rainy but too warm for rain boots and flip-flops just feel too exposed, they're pretty darn practical. (No, I don't still wear them, but I refuse to be ashamed! :-P).