AP Photo/Charlie NeibergallIn spite of fashion being an abstract world where people's personal opinions, styles, and fantasies come into play, there are still a few basic rules that must be followed.
The infamous statement "But rules are meant to be broken!" can be used as an argument against this — but it must be known that only those who want to look like fashion victims will say this.
In our country, many people are guilty of committing fashion crimes. If only there was such a thing as "fashion police," faux pax will lessen in number and the top five fashion crimes won't be on anyone's record anymore. Unfortunately, these fashion no-nos can still be spotted all over the metro.
1. Wearing clothes that are too tight and too short. It's not a mystery why people, especially women, love miniscule pieces of clothing. Wearing thigh-high skirts and shorts, ultra-cropped tops and body-hugging dresses generate a lot of attention and that's something women want. Sure, men will turn their heads but if you actually hear what they say to each other, you will want to throw these clothes away. I don't want to sound all preachy here but if you respect yourself, you will stay away from skin-revealing clothes. Believe me, there are other fashionable —and uncontroversial - ways to attract attention. Real fashion is never trashy. (And please, enough with the shorts with pockets sticking out of the bottom.)
2. Pairing short tops with leggings. You might have heard this before but leggings are not pants. I repeat: leggings are NOT pants. More often than not, I see people wearing leggings with tops that only go up to the waist — a very disproportional look. Leggings also naturally take the shape of your body so you allow other people to see some of your parts in high-definition. Leggings can only look good with oversized shirts or baby-doll dresses — nothing higher than your thighs. And while we're on the topic of leggings, please avoid wearing them in colors other than black and please get rid of those that are laced at the hemline.
3. Crocs. (Enough said.) Are you a baby, a toddler, or a chef? Do you own a pair of Crocs? If your answers are no and yes, respectively, then what are you doing with those pairs of Crocs Classic clogs? You have to throw them out because this pair of clogs is absolutely unflattering. They overpower your feet and house them in such unfashionable rubber material. To make matters even worse, some people wear socks with their Crocs — talk about a double whammy! If you do not want to be laughed at, I advise you to spend your money on something else. Besides, your feet do a lot of work throughout the day so they deserve something better.
4. Wearing t-shirts with explicit and suggestive statements. I've seen it too many times: t-shirts that say "Your boyfriend thinks I'm hot!" and "My pen is huge" or t-shirts that have pictures of the different sex positions and the big bad finger. Why do people wear these kinds of things? Do they really think they're funny? People who wear t-shirts with explicit and suggestive statements become a walking advertisement for vices. Also, if you really think about it, it's very disrespectful. Do you think that while shopping in the mall or having lunch in a restaurant, people want these crude images — as suggested by your t-shirt — in their heads? These t-shirts should never be worn — unless you want to be described as attention-seeking or crass. Keep these jokes to yourself and use fashion to spread statements that can change the world.
5. Clashing prints. In recent fashion collections, designers have tastefully mismatched prints or patterns that have spurred on this kind of trend. But since it has only been done recently by the most creative of people, mismatching prints is an art form. The execution of this trend is risky especially since there is a very thin line between fashionable mismatched prints and one big printed mess. Unfortunately, many people commit the mistake of doing the latter. On the streets of the metro, I have spotted leopard-and-plaid, floral-and-polka dots, or zebra stripes-and-stars. Sadly, they look like they're trying too hard. Remember that not all prints and patterns go well together.
Fashion is synonymous to authenticity — dressing according to who you are, what you like, and what makes you feel beautiful. Remember though that it shouldn't be at the expense of your dignity. You don't want to become everyone's laughing stock! You can have all the fun you want with clothes and accessories. Just make sure that you won't commit any fashion crimes or else you'll have to pay the time!
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