Shallow fashion rant

[e_juliana]

1. As stated before, spring is the WORST time for me to get new clothes. Nothing is slinky or structured or just clean-cut or red or black. It's all ruffly and pink and green. Hrmph.

2. I am very VERY tired of the current skirt lengths. Tell me who, precisely, does the mid-calf length flatter? No woman I know looks better in a mid-calf than an at-the-knee length. It's all about lines and proportions, and most of us have legs that look like we use them. Also, when the mid-calf is combined with the high-waisted, I look like the dowdiest dowd this side of Dowdonia. It ain't good. I've taken to shopping in the Petites section, because at least I know the waist will hit at the right spot. Sheesh.

3. I am having to shop for new clothes at this, the worst time for it, because all of my old clothes are starting to look worn, and the worn that can't be repaired or redyed. Bother.

4. Men? If you are going to dye your hair (which I am all for, believing as I do that hair is a fashion accessory), pleasepleaseplease spend the extra $5 or so and plonk down for Feria or Herbal Essences, because the Just For Men colors Do Not Cut It. They look flat and fake-R. It's not good. Believe me. Either that, or go to Aveda. They know what to do.

5. What happened to the tall, sexy, yet still sensible-making wide or flared heels? Why is everything all about the stiletto heels now? I'm not liking it. It feels like the fashion designers are trying to make us all helpless and girly and unable to walk for more than a block. And the wedges aren't much better.

6. For the love of all that's holy, do NOT let spandex bike shorts come back into fashion acceptance. Please, let us just bury that horrific time and move on. Please.

Okay. That's it, for now.

Comments

[serenada.livejournal.com]

::raises hand as a liker of mid-calf length skirts::

I don't think there's a length of skirt I don't like, though, from edge of ass to skimming the ground. Mid calf makes me feel retro or faux-frumpy, and I like it with mary janes, either conventional or high-heeled.

[e-juliana.livejournal.com]

:) Okay, that I can see. But are your mid-calfs tight (like 40s skirts) or rockabilly-esque? Because that would work. It's this floaty & too-long A-line thing I don't like. I think it reminds me too much of the 70s/80s style of "power dressing" for women.

I dunno. I want minis back, dammit!

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

Thrift stores and consignment boutiques are your best bet for finding things you like right now. I know you know that, but it still bears repeating.

I keep seeing cute knee-length ruffly black skirts with pink ribbons, and wishing that that they were *ankle* length. But I'm crazy and I know it.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

I look good in mid-calf. I think it may be having narrow ankles? Trumpet skirts look wonderful at mid-calf, silly at the knee.

I just bought a brilliant red outfit in slinky knit yesterday at Chino's. Half-off because it's a winter color.

[e-juliana.livejournal.com]

True, yes. Trumpet skirts are perfect for mid-calf. I should have said the A-line mid-calfs, because that's what I'm seeing. Not the big fun poofy 50s-esque skirts....

Oh, bother. You know what I mean, though. Right?

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

Oh. My theory is that A-lines look good on nobody. Stamp out the A-line!

[serenada.livejournal.com]

Don't take away my A line! They are the core of my frumpy chic -- plaids with mary janes and a clean lined top?

Love.

[mearagrrl.livejournal.com]

I have a few mid-calf skirts, I admit. I like how they look with heels. My black skirt I wore with the pretty white embroidery, when I was out there? That's that long...

[kelsyn.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on mid calf spring skirts. As people have pointed out the trumpet skirt and the 40s skirts are great in that length. However, most of what's out right now is flowerly and chiffony. Before I left Nordstrom we were selling a ton of those in my department, and they didn't look good on most people. They shorten the legs and cling to the hips.

For the heels, I'd suggest Nine West. Their "career" shoes have flared or eliptical shaped heels and are decently priced.

[debg.livejournal.com]

I'm ok in certain mid-calf things, very very few, but an a-line on me, with my linebacker shoulders, is a bad joke at my expense. My favourite length is right at the top of the knee, or just to the middle of the knee. But I have overly long legs and a tiny torso and things that are advertised as "ankle-length" are, on me, just below mid-calf. On me, a beastly length, because it looks like exactly what it is: too short.

Shoes? Well, I hate flared heels. Sorry. I spent ten years without seeing a single pair of heels I liked; they all seemed to be those graceless clunky chunky faux-Victorian "please, sir, can I have some more?" workhouse heels that fucking Manolo Blahnik made popular. I like my heels, but I have no trouble walking in them, so I'm kind of a freak. I'd be perfectly happy with a sleek, not-high wedge, or flats, but I just hate chunky clunky boy-shoes. On this, there is no budging me; they make me tooth-grindy and leave me wanting to beat the designer over the head with them.

Of course, I may be the only one out there that thinks kitten heels are dopey-looking, so I am clearly not a trustworthy fashion barometer.

But I'm with you 100% on spring colours. When your best colours are deep primaries - emerald, copper, sapphire - spring is the Season of Perpetual Dreck.

[fiorituranotte.livejournal.com]

I am with you on not liking the mid calf length skirts. They tend to hit near the top of my braces, drawing more attention to them which I do not like at all. In general I am not liking the spring clothes this year. Everything seems to be cut wrong for my figure.

[dcjensen.livejournal.com]

I hate "Just for men" not only for that ugly color crap, but that they assume we have only five hair colors, at most.

Sorry JFM, I have brown and auburn hair, and I'm greying at the temples. I *don't* want to use your brown, and I * don't* want to use your auburn, if it indeed exists it looks like dark barn paint.

I had better color integration hair with spray hair paint in theater.

I have a box of Feria deep auburn that I'm debating for my first real dye application.

Mr. procrastination, really. I've had the box two years. heh.

Ummm...

[bigpenguin.livejournal.com]

So I can't wear the spandex bike shorts anymore?

Re: Ummm...

[redwright.livejournal.com]

Day-um .... I was counting on seeing those at the party tonight. :)