The cardinal sin of footwear? The cute accessory that turned cringey craze? Drop the scissors and tie-dye — that look isn't as good as you think it is.
Category
✨
PeopleTranscript
00:00Plaid miniskirts and graphic tees? As if! Here are the latest fashion don'ts.
00:06It's an arm sock. It's a glove, you know?
00:09Where does this go?
00:10Then where does this go?
00:14Thanks to Stranger Things, we're seeing some of the old 80s looks coming back onto the scene.
00:18And while we can hear millennials screaming into the void, Y2K fashion of the early 2000s,
00:24including low-rise jeans, has even made a comeback.
00:27These decades-old trends are really fun to incorporate into your wardrobe,
00:31but here's a tried-and-true tip you need to hear.
00:34Never wear retro pieces without first giving them a modern edge. Otherwise,
00:39you'll look like a jazzerciser ready to break a sweat with Jane Fonda rather than a trendy
00:43young person who's paying homage to the 1980s with an eclectic print or chunky earrings.
00:48As Vogue noted, we've witnessed retro looks re-emerge onto the fashion scene.
00:52However, The Fashion Magazine explained that it's incredibly important to modernize the
00:57old-school silhouettes, as no one needs earlobe-high shoulder pads and ill-fitting hippie
01:02vests. Those belong in the past. Fashion is always about individual expression, and if paying homage
01:08to a decade gone by is a part of your style, there's a fashionable and unfashionable way to do it.
01:14Is there anything as versatile as the ankle boot? The perfect shoe for that in-between
01:19summer and fall weather, the ankle boot is a tried-and-true classic
01:22that never really seems to go out of style. But when it comes to things you should never wear,
01:27you must be aware of one ankle boot caveat. Michelle Skenga, the managing editor for Who
01:32What Wear, shared that wearing socks of a particular color with ankle boots
01:36is the worst fashion faux pas of all. She shared,
01:40Oh, this is so bad to me. Wearing white socks with ankle boots,
01:43and the socks kind of peek out from the boots. I only consider this a mistake when it's obvious
01:48that wasn't the wearer's intention. If you're going for a cool sock and boot moment, be my
01:52guest, but there's definitely a difference in my book. My suggestion is to buy a pair of thin
01:57black socks and wear those with all your ankle boots.
02:00Perhaps nothing is more beloved than a high-waisted jean, and there's a good reason for
02:05the style's success. It's flattering on a lot of different body types, it keeps everything in,
02:09and can be styled in a way that's both trendy and classic. What's not to love, right?
02:14Well, we're here to tell you that there is a fashion mistake you might be making when it
02:18comes to your beloved jeans, and you need to stop ASAP. If you're pairing your high-waisted
02:23jeans with a shapeless top or oversized layer that falls well below your waist,
02:27this is your sign to change. The whole point of the high-waisted jean is to flatter those curves
02:32and highlight different parts of your silhouette, so pair your shirts accordingly.
02:36Girl Goop fashion director Allie Pugh gave some great suggestions,
02:40writing that opposites attract when it comes to styling these jeans. Opt for a great classic
02:45t-shirt that can be tucked at the waist — a French tuck for all you tan France fans out there.
02:50Or better yet, choose a flattering blouse or tank top with great detailing,
02:54bringing attention to your killer style and personality.
02:57I don't know why Dion's going out with a high school boy. They're like dogs."
03:02We all went through a phase in which we pretended to be Cher from Clueless,
03:06but that's just not the reality. And we hate to break it to you,
03:09but if you're old enough to drink or have renter's insurance,
03:11you need to put that plaid pleated miniskirt back on the rack.
03:15The schoolgirl style a la Britney Spears and Baby One More Time was groundbreaking,
03:19but by the time you're an adult, a plaid miniskirt has no place in your closet.
03:23We're not saying that all miniskirts are out of the question. Just avoid combining plaid,
03:28pleated detailing, and the mini silhouette all at the same time.
03:31In order to rock a mini these days, stylist Elizabeth Sulker advises striking a balance.
03:36She told Harper's Bazaar,
03:38"[Showing skin on the bottom and being more covered on top could be a
03:41chic and still youthful way to embrace the trend."
03:45Here's yet another fashion tip for you. It's time to replace your old bag and work that
03:50all-important accessory into your outfit. Insider noted that accessories and purses
03:54can be the finishing touches on otherwise excellently put-together ensembles.
03:58Make the wrong choice, though, and your whole look could suffer. But don't think that you
04:02have to max out your credit card on a new purse just to keep things stylish. Affordable
04:07and high-quality dupes are totally accessible nowadays. Once your bag is determined,
04:11don't forget to round out the look with some tried-and-true accessories.
04:14Pair a classic leather watch with gold hoop earrings,
04:17and your outfit will look polished and put together.
04:20The days of childhood, marked by fairies, make-believe, and butterflies,
04:24are just as sweet to look back on now as they were when we were engaging in such joyful times.
04:29And while so many of us want to capture that innocence and hold onto it for as long as possible,
04:34butterflies in particular should never make it into your wardrobe.
04:38In a roundup of adult closet no-nos, Cosmopolitan noted that butterfly t-shirts — and,
04:43really, t-shirts with any sort of animal decal — have a tendency to look a little juvenile.
04:48While it's adorable to see your nephew in a dinosaur t-shirt or your niece wearing a shirt
04:52with a tiger printed on it, you wouldn't want to take fashion inspo from a toddler.
04:57If bringing a whimsical and animal-inspired look into your closet is particularly important to you,
05:02there are ways of doing it that are far more chic and on an adult level.
05:06Who What Wear recommends pairing a sleek leopard-print slip dress with a cropped
05:10leather jacket and heels? The juxtaposition of the delicate
05:13dress against the cool leather will create a seriously sharp look.
05:17We are keeping it tight. It is tight. This is very tight. Here, give me a kiss.
05:23Here's a doozy for you. Don't wear items of clothing that don't fit you properly, period.
05:31There's a lot more that goes into this, and we're going to break down the reality that is
05:35size-trapping and what it can do to someone's mentality and self-love.
05:39Every person who shops in the women's section can tell you that the sizing goes up and down
05:43like a yo-yo. A size 6 in one pair of jeans from one store fits like a glove,
05:47while a size 6 from another may not get up past your knees.
05:51How could the same size have completely different results?
05:54It has nothing to do with you or your body, but rather the size differentiation between brands.
05:59For many women, it can be really difficult not to tie our sense of self-worth to the size we
06:03see on the label. Any young girl who grew up reading fashion magazines can tell you that.
06:08But it's truly a losing game. Instead of buying the same size over and over again
06:12and accepting a poor fit, choose whichever size fits well.
06:16If you're especially keen on well-fitting clothes, Nicole Oktarzad, the market editor for
06:21Who What Wear, suggests going a step further and taking your clothes to a tailor to get that perfect
06:26item. As someone who obsessively tailors everything, I cringe when I see people wearing things that are
06:31in need of some seamstress love. Whether it's a hem that's too long or a dress that needs to
06:35be taken in at the waist, it's all about the fit for me. If you love a graphic tee, you're not
06:41alone. From band t-shirts to cool art deco designs, the simple graphic tee has gotten a
06:46lot of love over the years. And while we're all here for the tastefully done Nirvana shirt or the
06:50adorable oversized tee that features a tiny little embroidered smiley face in the center, there are
06:55some graphic tee rules that you absolutely should follow. Namely, never wear a shirt that takes too
07:01long to read. These shirts often come off as childish, and when we use garments such as these
07:06to do the talking for us, we may be presenting a version of ourselves to the world that we don't
07:11intend to. So put your funny sayings on your reusable water bottle in sticker form, or cover
07:16your laptop case in your favorite meme culture material, but keep it off your shirt. Personal
07:21stylist Peter Nguyen and founder of The Essential Man recommends opting for one-word graphic tees
07:26instead of overly wordy styles. Single words feel a bit more sophisticated than a phrase t-shirt,
07:32which often comes off as cheesy.
07:34A bow is more than just a hair accessory. It is a sign of, a symbol of power, confidence."
07:43There was a time when bows on your shoes or bold bow detailing on shoulders and cuffs of
07:48sweaters was a thing. But that time has since passed. If you find yourself at the department
07:53store and you're inching toward the metallic shirt with outlandish bows along the sleeves
07:56in a very JoJo Siwa-like fashion, we're begging you to put it back. As Cosmopolitan noted,
08:02it's incredibly difficult to incorporate bows into your wardrobe without looking like a child
08:06or cheerleader. Rule of thumb, put the bow back. Or, if you're really dying to wear the look,
08:11opt for a very subtle bow. Think about adding a bow around your ponytail and make sure that
08:16the strings of the bow are significantly longer than the actual bow itself. This will make for
08:21a subdued, adult look. While there's something incredibly nostalgic about the days at summer
08:26camp where tie-dye t-shirts were all the rage, we have some news that may not bode well for some.
08:32If you're still cutting up your old t-shirts to fashion into new designs, you need to stop.
08:36We know what you might be thinking. What's wrong with upcycling a t-shirt and making
08:40it into a fringe tank or halter top? And while we're with you on that logic,
08:44chances are your newly designed at-home wear is going to last a couple of washes at best.
08:49From a style perspective, the upcycled t-shirt was very mid-2010s when cartoon mustaches were
08:54plastered on literally everything, and Pinterest boards were awash with gingham,
08:58wide diagonal stripes, long cardigans, and the chunkiest heels we've ever seen.
09:03Those days are long behind us, and your DIY shirts need to stay there, too.
09:08If you're looking for some affordable and comfortable alternatives, like a t-shirt but
09:11more fashion-forward, opt for a tank top or halter. Chances are you'll find a style that
09:16fits your needs. Bonus, you can donate your old tees instead of hacking them to shreds.