Should your nailpolish match your bag? (And other lessons in fashion etiquette)
Once you have a sense of the kinds of clothes you like, the things that look good on you, the colors that suit you, know what to wear for what occasion, you still can't just throw on something and walk out the door. Are you appropriately dressed?? Have you made a fashion faux pas? Beware!
The truly devil-may-care fashion-forward trendsetters break rules. They do whatever they want. But they do it deliberately - you have to know the rules to break them well. So learn first, then wear what you love.
Rule #1. Matching. The old adage that shoes and bag, nails and lips, clothes and makeup have to match is a myth. If you're unsure, of course, you can't go wrong by matching lip and nailcolors. But the rules are that things should go together in similar shades or coordinate with your outfit. Wear navy with black or brown. Wear red pants with white or black or navy tshirts. Wear dark pink blouses with chocolate brown skirts and light pink dresses with tan pumps. Wear white shirts with black pants. Balance bright with neutral. Don't wear a bright black-and-red dress with blue shoes, unless you pull it together with another blue item or two. (Rule breakers: wear an outrageously different bag to call attention to it)
Rule #2. Monochromatic. When wearing all one color, match exactly. Exact means not even a tiny shade different. With black and navy, they can be shades different, unless they are suits. (Rule breakers: wear a pale pink top with a bright pink skirt)
Rule #2. Prints and fabric. Mixed drinks, ok. Mixing prints? Ugh. You remember the teacher who wore a plaid shirt with a polka dot tie and striped pants. No-no. If you must mix prints, make one small and the other large. Like a tiny check pant with a larger floral print blouse. When a print is bright and bold, balance it out with solids. (Rule breakers beware: there are gorgeously daring combinations of patchwork jackets with floral skirts)
Rule #3. Colors. Wearing white after labor day? It's technically against the old rules. In general, however, white, pastels and brights are reserved for spring and summer. You know, floral pastel summer dresses with ruffles, white sandals, orange flip flops with flower-girl capris. Fall and winter take on warm, jewel tones, deeper colors, metallics, faux furs. But don't overload on colors - no more than 4 different ones in an outfit. Wearing a summery dress in the dead of winter would be horrible. Summer faux fur? Faux pas. (Rule breakers: try a light shimmery dress in summer, a feathery pastel boa in spring, or wear all winter white in winter)
Rule #4. Hosiery. Black socks with brown shoes is a no. Also, no white shoes and black hose. (Rule breakers: wear bright, printed hose with any color shoe, or black tights with white boots)
Rule #5. Shoes. You shoes should not necessarily match your bag. But they shouldn't be lighter than your last hem. In the same area of darkness is ok like navy and deep red. Rules hold that white shoes should not be worn before Memorial Day. (Rule breakers: wear camel-colored or even better, chartreuse shoes with those navy pants)
Ok, now you know the rules. Go out and break them. Find fashionable, fun outfits you create knowingly that break apart all the rules. Rules were meant to be broken!