I'm pretty sure it's my duty as your favorite weekly fashion columnist to do a little research on the subject of style. I tried to get my editor at The Post to reimburse me for buying fashion magazines (research, you know), but for some reason, she didn't go for it.
Left to my own devices this summer, I discovered some thought-provoking books about fashion, which I basically devoured.
One author admitted that high fashion (or haute couture
if you will) is often regarded as ridiculous. She implied that the more outrageous an outfit, the more fashionable the wearer.
For instance, Carrie Bradshaw is my style heroine, but it baffles me that stripes and polka dots magically match when she wears them together.
Don't get me wrong; I think one of the most important things a fashion-savvy individual can do is to take chances with his or her wardrobe. What I don't understand is the concept of dressing in a silly costume (ahem... outfit) just to get fashion accolades.
I think those cheesy middle-school posters probably said it best: What is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular. The same is definitely true of fashion.
One example that comes to mind is a style touted in the September issue of InStyle. The magazine claimed that egg-shaped skirts (which go in at the waist, flare, and then go in at the knees) are popular this fall, gracing celebrities like Julia Stiles.
It doesn't take a fashionista to see that this latest trend is a bad, bad idea. I can't think of a single person who would look good in a skirt that makes one's lower half look like an egg.
Let's use a little common sense here. Sometimes being attractive and fashionable is an unrealistic goal. Being a little bit ridiculous is always fun, but looking attractive and professional definitely outweighs this alternative.
And while I'm raging about trends that should never have caught on, let's talk a little bit about tube tops. Yes, I own some tube tops. I was sucked in by the allure of their popularity. However, I still don't quite understand their power over me.
I mean, they're little squares of fabric sewn together. They have no support system, they're uncomfortable, and they seem to have a conspiracy to fall down at the absolute worst moments. Why wrap yourself in a cylinder of fabric while perfectly lovely spaghetti-strap tops are readily available?
Being fashionable doesn't mean dressing in some ridiculous getup. Fashion lesson: know what you can wear and what looks good on you. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure it's not an egg-shaped skirt.
So next time you're flipping through your monthly Vogue, stop and think about how a silly outfit (which the models somehow manage to pull off) would look on you, on the Athens campus, in the real world. Ridiculous? You bet. Attractive? Realistic? I think not.
-Erin Smith is a junior journalism major. Send her an e-mail ates155503@ohiou.edu.
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Erin Smith
