What do fashion and the American lexicon have in common? We’ll get to that shortly. But, first, know this: There is nothing wrong with you. Most recent trends do not serve or enhance the average person. They have only newness going for them. They draw the eye to the wrong places and are very difficult to wear successfully. It is usually the domain of the young. Thankfully they burn out quickly. Let’s look at a few from modern history:
Consider the low-rise jean phenomena of the early 2000s. Some jeans had a 3-inch zipper. These jeans hit the body at its widest point, your hips, and lower the visual waist, cutting the body lengthwise much lower than the natural waist. In doing so, the legs are shortened, the torso is lengthened, and you look closer to the ground. Exactly opposite of the conventional ideal of long legs and a small waist -- which makes everybody and every body look good. These jeans brought forth a new term to our lexicon: Muffin Top. These words were not used outside of the baking world prior to this proud moment. There is nothing wrong with you. These jeans are impossible to wear. And don’t get me started on matchstick jeans.
Knits of today are thinner and tighter than ever before
Let’s look at the prevalence of knits in casual wear. Jersey knits compromise the lion’s share of most women’s wardrobes. The knits of today are tighter and thinner than ever before. A knit is made with looped thread, exactly as you do with knitting needles. T-shirts are a cotton jersey knit. This trend brought forth the T-shirt bra, the smoothest bra possible so as to not have seams, bumps, or edges showing. It also brought another phenomenon – Back fat. Another word added to our lexicon driven by a trend.
Back fat is a shirt issue, not a bra issue. Let me say that again: Back fat is a shirt issue, not a bra issue. More on that here. There is nothing wrong with you. Super thin knits are hard to wear. Another option is woven fabrics.
"I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity."
-- Diana Vreeland
Ladies, you are not alone in this quagmire. Look at the shrunken, skinny suit for men. There can be no doubt that the fit models for these suits are prepubescent boys. Ass-baring jackets, high water pants, skinny silhouette. These suits are not built for men. And, I, for one, can not wait for this to trend pass.
The difficulty with fashion trends is that anything but what’s current looks dated. It can be a slippery slope to partake in such. Some trends burn white hot, but faster than you can say ‘fashion victim’, they become a punch line. Just look at Von Dutch trucker caps, Ed Hardy, Juicy Couture velvet track suits, True Religion jeans. There is a big difference between fashion and style. Classic style is called that for a reason. Have a few basics in your wardrobe. The best approach is to know your best features and bring focus to them. And, remember, there is nothing wrong with you.