Tuesday, April 12, 2011

My 5 Fashion "Rules"

Sorry for the delay in posting, but I was having too much fun enjoying yesterday's 80-degree weather! Us New Yorkers & New Englanders have been subject to unusually cruel weather conditions for the past 6 months, so a bit of sunshine was much-needed.

Today was not as warm and pretty dreary, and I've spent most of the day in class. Looking around, I noticed a good majority of the girls were wearing sweatshirts, sweatpants with flip-flops or tucked into Uggs, and their hair in a messy bun. 

 
This seems like the college uniform, doesn't it? Dressing nicely for class is a risk for being told, "wow, you look dressed up!" or "why are you dressed up? It's just class." Well I spend a good amount of time in class, why look like a slob? I feel good when I dress presentably. And dressing presentably doesn't mean dressing "fancy." For me, it means following a few simple rules:

1.) The only places for sweatshirts and sweatpants are at home and the gym.
Yes, these are comfy clothes, but wearing sweats is like telling the world: "I'm lazy, unmotivated, and don't care." If I'm feeling lazy and want to be comfortable, I'll wear a nice tee/camisole with a cozy cardigan, paired with jeans and either boots or sandals. Barely any effort involved, but still looks presentable. I'll keep my sweats for when I'm lounging at home on the couch or walking to the gym in cold weather.

2.) Don't wear white shoes after Labor Day.
The whole "don't wear white after Labor Day" thing is pretty outdated, and doesn't make much sense. Why would they make white sweaters and jackets if you shouldn't wear them in cold weather? However, I do believe this rule should apply to shoes. Generally, once Fall hits I switch to blacks and browns.

3.) Wear at least one structured item with most outfits.
This is a petite rule: structured items give us shape, and make us look older (for those of us that could pass for 15-yr-olds). Blazers are great for this, and often I'll wear a blazer as a jacket over a casual outfit. Belts are another structure-adding item of mine, and I belt almost everything I can- skirts, pants, shorts, skinny ones over long cardigans, etc.

4.) Match gold with gold and silver with silver.
Simple: either wear gold jewelry, or silver. Gold looks good with warm-toned clothes, and silver looks good with cool-toned clothes (I wear lots of silver, since I have a lot of blue in my wardrobe!).

5.) Dress well, feel great.
What I wear tends to affect my mood. I have been guilty of breaking the no-sweats rule, but whenever I do, I feel frumpy and don't want anyone to look at me. When I'm wearing a nice outfit, I feel confident and ready to take on the day! 


Do you follow any of these? What are your "fashion rules"?

*ShortBlonde*

9 comments:

ShortieK said...

Definitely agree with the "sweatshirts and sweatpants stay at home rule." I've rocked a sweatshirt and jeans or sweater and leggings when I needed to leave my apartment for a quick run, like to pick up a package or drop off a library book right before the desk closes, but I would never wear sweatpants or both together to CLASS! It's just so unflattering.
I like the structured item rule, but I don't follow it.

kSm said...

Love it! Couldn't agree with you more

Cat said...

I totally agree with #1…don’t get me wrong, I love my sweats but there is a time and place and that time and place is at home :)

WhatMissLoves said...

I just posted my OOTD and posted about how I love cardigans so much more than sweatshirts! Awesome post :)

btw thanks for your awesome advice on the dress! I hope you take part in the t-shirt challenge: Click Here

Carley said...

I agree with all your rules! I hate when girls wear shorts/sweats and a T every day! I personally love getting up and putting on a cute outfit, it starts my day off better!

Ski Petite said...

Haha. I love your photos with the blurred faces. Definitely agree with all your rules. I do have a bracelet that is silver and gold (actually I think it's white gold, but still) but that's the only time i will mix it.

Claire said...

Oh my Lord thank you for pointing this out! I hate that darned college uniform haha. It drives me nuts to see sweatpants and Uggs everywhere. And I definetly agree with the rest of the rules! Especially the one about petite women!

Andrew said...

Wow. I am an instant fan of your blog after reading this. Thank god for girls like you. I'm sending this to every female I know.

Andrew said...

by the way I think you might like this post on my blog, among others:

http://therulesrevisited.blogspot.com/2011/09/feminine-beauty-is-highly-controllable.html