I had an idea to create a series of fashion faux pas and each series would include 10 fashion-related faux pas, tips if you will, to help you look good and feel great in every day life. These are random, and will range in topics to whatever comes to my mind. I hope you enjoy!
So here we go, in no particular order, 10 random fashion faux pas:
| Faux pas | Why it’s a faux pas |
| 1. Loose, flowy top with loose, flowy pant or skirt | If you are wearing a flowy top, wear something form fitting on the bottom. Conversely, if your skirt or pant is loose-fitting and flowy, your top should be more form fitting. This will give you a more slender look. Otherwise, it will look like you are swimming in your clothes and the outfit will be wearing you. |
| 2. Wrinkled clothes | If you do not clean the item, at minimum, you need to iron/steam between wears. Specifically: pant or skirt creases, shirt creases on the arms or bottom portion, suit jacket or blazer creases on the elbow area or at the back. They should look steamed and fresh like a first-time wear from the dry cleaner. |
| 3. Shoes that are not on par | Shoes that are scuffed, torn, dirty, loose threads or stretched, worn out and past their prime will downgrade any outfit guaranteed and is very noticeable. Refer to my post ‘When To Say Buy-Bye To Your Shoes’ for info when it’s time for a new purchase. Btw, always replace the rubber on heels and replace lifts, no noisy nails please (not elegant). |
| 4. Mixing in items that are too casual | Certain fabrics or styles just have a casual look and will not integrate well with work clothing or with more upscale looks. For example, shorts that are too casual (light fabric or something that you would wear to the beach) paired with a golf shirt and a belt in attempt to make it look more dressy. Or a boxy, thick cotton t-shirt with dress pants or skirts. You can wear a t-shirt with dress pants or skirts but nice fabric is vital, so it has to be a thin, more sophisticated fabric. |
| 5. Pants that are too short | I am referring to pant styles that are supposed to be long (not capri’s or cigarette pants etc). A hem should sit just above the bottom of your shoe (or if you’re wearing heels, below your ankle bone. If the pant length is too short, it looks like you shrank your clothes in the wash or you grew out of your clothes. It will also make your legs look shorter. You want your pant length to be long, then your legs look long, you will appear taller and will look like your clothes fit you properly. |
| 6. Clothes that do not fit | Wearing clothes that are either too small or too big is not doing you, your look, your body or your confidence justice, you won’t feel good in what you are wearing and it will appear like you don’t care. It is important your clothes fit properly to give you your best look possible. Even if you are in the process of weight gain or loss, you need items that fit for where you are currently at. |
| 7. Visible cleaning instruction tags | Visible cleaning instruction tags (some of them are huge) either showing through the fabric or in the jacket lining will affect the look of your outfit. It is much cleaner, elegant and nicer looking to remove them. If you really need to keep cleaning instructions, what I do is cut them out, write on the tag what the item is and keep them all in a ziplock bag (or envelop or whatever you want) so you have it to refer to if need be. |
| 8. Denim jeans with a denim shirt or jacket | The 80’s are calling 🙂 Not the best look. It would be ok if one of the pieces were black or white denim, however, blue denim on blue denim regardless of the wash or hue is too much and not on point. |
| 9. Heels you cannot walk in | Unfortunately, it is difficult to pretend you can walk in a certain height of heel if you cannot. Be honest with yourself or bring a friend who can give you an honest opinion. |
| 10. Price tags on the bottom of shoes | You can see the price tags when you walk or take off your shoes. This looks careless, unkempt and will downgrade your look. When I see this, I always think that person must have just bought those shoes that day. Remove the price tag and if there are remnants of the tag or glue, I find Goo Gone works well. |
Final Thoughts
With all forms of fashion and how you present yourself, it is important to feel good in what you are wearing. The goal of my blog is to help you look and feel your absolute best. So, I want you to move past the mindset of “it’s good enough”. Why is “good enough” good enough?? If you hear your inner voice saying that when you get dressed or when you buy something, that is a sure sign that you will not feel good in what you are wearing, you will not feel confident and you deserve better. Better is possible on any budget.
All the best and until next time…
