“The three biggest fashion mistakes are cheap suits, shoes and shirts. Spend your money on something good.” -Donatella Versace
“One person’s fashion is another person’s disaster” -Hillary Clinton
Without a doubt, fashion is a complicated and fickle thing. Some sartorial items are considered trendy and fashionable, while some are tacky and garish. From the myriad of style and fashion items we can choose from, it can be rather hard to discern which items go together and which do not. However, let us make one thing clear, this article does not mean to define which erroneous fashion habits you have which could land you it the worst-dressed list, but rather this article aims to tell you which mistakes are often overlooked, neglected and often accepted while in reality, they are the farthest thing from fashionable. As we usher in another year, let us make new style resolutions and break those long-held flawed fashion habits that we have adopted and accepted as correct over the years. This year, learn to distinguish the fashion wins from the fashion flubs and form habits that will enable you to develop a better fashion sense. As fashion forward individuals, you deserve to be better dressed and it is imperative to be on the lookout for fashion mistakes that fall under the radar. Nip them in the bud while you can before they get out of hand for the sake of a more stylish and fashionable you. Below is a list of some of the most overlooked fashion mistakes which you can finally correct this year.
1.) Showing a little too much skin
Where do you draw the line between sexy and sultry? Well, that seems to be the question on every woman’s mind when it comes to baring a bit of skin. While you do not want to be all covered up, you would not want to look like you are auditioning for your first Playboy Magazine cover either. You want to add a little mystery and intrigue to your ensembles and not show everything in just one outfit. A good rule of thumb for this is that if you are baring skin in one area of your body, then needless to say the rest should be covered up. An example would be if you are donning a revealing top that exposes a generous cleavage, then leave your stomach and your legs covered and if possible, your arms as well. Take note: There is a fine line between sexy and trashy, make sure that the way you dress is veering towards the former than the latter. In lieu of a daringly low-cut dress, opt for a body-hugging dress that accentuates and shows off your curves. It shows minimal skin, but the effect it achieves is stunning and elegant.
2.) Wearing pants that are not tailored correctly for you
Though not exactly haute couture, the advent of boyfriend jeans and track pants has still been widely considered as du jour not only by fashion enthusiasts and pundits but by regular women as well. There is just something so comfortable about slipping into a non-traditional pair of jeans that does not constrict the blood vessels of your legs. It makes you appear relaxed and stylish while being comfortable. However, while a good and well-fitting pair of boyfriend jeans would look excellent on you, the same cannot be said for a pair of jeans that were meant to snugly fit you. Wearing pants several sizes too loose when they were meant to hug your legs would make you appear frumpy and disheveled. Do not let this style affliction become a habit of yours and instead, go for a pair of trousers that would enhance your legs in all the right places. Do not settle for inferior alternatives—especially if they were meant to be worn by someone of a different size.
3.) Confusing oversized with ill-fitting
Oversized clothes have recently become trendy and more and more women are buying into the style by sporting clothing that are several sizes too big for them. However, while oversize looks excellent, ill-fitting is another thing entirely. There is nothing attractive about a woman who is dwarfed by her clothes which would be the likely mistake most women make in substituting oversized clothes for ill-fitting ones. Wearing oversized clothing can be a bit tricky, if you end up doing it wrong, you could look sloppy and lose your shape. Before deciding on a final ensemble, take a look at the mirror and make sure you have blended elements well and not look like your outfit has eaten you up.
4.) Choosing heels that are too high or are not high enough
A choice pair of heels would make any ensemble instantly look ten times more stylish. This is why every woman needs her own go-to pair for whenever the occasion calls it. From wholesale Steve Madden heels to Christian Louboutin pumps, women do not have a shortage when it comes to a wide selection of heels. However, wearing heels can be a tricky ground to navigate (literally and figuratively). If you wear them too high, you run the risk of looking trashy and cheap, wear them too low and you might as well just be wearing flats. Find the perfect height for you which is appropriate for the occasion as well as your ensemble—that one pair that hits the in-between spot. Invest in a good pair of pumps with a mid-height heel that would make your outfit look gorgeous and give you that erect posture without compromising your balance as well as your comfort.
5.) Wearing too many accessories
Accessorizing with jewelry and other different fashion knick-knacks is one way to amplify and augment your sense of style. They have a way of making your ensemble look more put-together and in effect, make you look more polished and elegant. However, you need to strike a balance between appearing sophisticated and looking like you are an overadored Christmas tree which would likely be the case if you decked yourself out in too many diamonds and pearls. When it comes to accessories, always remember Coco Chanel’s sagely advice: Always remove once accessory before you leave. Instead of decking on a lot of bling, try rings and bracelets which may have less sparkle, but whose glimmer are less ostentatious and more elegant.
Now that you have read and understood what fashion errors and cliches you have been possibly been doing in the past, it is high time to correct it. Take matters into your own hands and ditch these style flubs and leave them in the past where they rightly belong.
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