Style experts always say that, in the constantly changing world of fashion, there are still some classic do’s and don’ts to abide by. Over the years, however, with the blurring and overlapping of races, cultures, traditions and even genders, even fashion’s most uncompromised dictates have slowly broken down. Men wear heels, women don’t shave, Lady Gaga jumps out of an egg instead of a cake. In fashion, rules are especially made to be broken. And if the fashion jury indicts you this season, chances are you’ll be off the hook and glorified the next.
1. Wearing too many colors in one outfit. Due to designers’ resolve to upgrade the sorely-wanting reputation of ‘80s fashion, what was once called confusion or clashing is now the color blocking trend. Wearing cataract-inducing shades together is today’s biggest trend, possibly due to become the norm. Blues with greens, yellows with tangerines, pinks with purples — it’s legit as long as it’s in the color wheel.
2. Pairing denim with denim. Kate Hudson does it. More importantly, Alexa Chung, the British presenter who makes an effort to look as if she tries not to make too much of an effort, is one of its biggest supporters. Constantly slouching about in faded chambray boyfriend shirts paired with stonewashed denim cutoffs, Chung has certainly improved the jeans pull.
3. Showing your roots. It isn’t just laziness that prompts women to leave off salon visits and let hair roots grow out. A showing of your original color speaks of some free-spirited je ne sais quois attitude (just check out Drew Barrymore and Sienna Miller’s grown-out roots). As long as you’re rocker enough (and your hair doesn’t look like it hasn’t been washed since Pepe Smith still had his wits about him), then just roll with it.
4. Shorts in the office. Maybe the banks and government offices have yet to issue a memo, but in other parts of the nine-to-five world, shorts, if they’re tailored, calf-length or of they type my mother used to call “culottes” are now acceptable in the dress code. Most of these office-friendly shorts are made of dressy fabric such as satin, silk or shiny polyester, all the better to pair with tailored coats and smart tops.
5. Getting high and waisted. As long as 1) they’re not made of stretchy material and worn over (and under) jiggly handles or permanent baby bumps; 2) they’re not noticeably pleated; and 3) you’re not Joan Collins or Linda Evans, high-waisted bottoms are now not as revolting as they used to be. Best worn wide-legged or tailored around the hips with a fitted tank or a sleeveless, jewel-toned top, waisted bottoms help in gaining the long, lean silhouette.
6. Wearing minis in your 30s. As long as they’re not ripped, leather or balloon out like a cheerleader’s uniform, you’re still eligible for skirts or dresses that hike up your thigh. Legs are many a woman’s best asset and best displayed while able. Sharon Stone still bares her gams in her 50s, so a 32-year-old in a petite Hervé Leger number is still, essentially, just starting out.
7. Wearing black under sheer white. Whether it’s just a black bra underneath a chiffon boho-style top or a camisole underneath a lace shift, purposely wearing black innerwear for show is more swank now than it is slutty. Just make sure you leave off the hooker boots.
8. Men wearing pastel. Three words: Hot Korean men. Wait. Make that four words: Hot, straight Korean men.
9. Wearing two sizes two big. We used to call them unacceptably too big. Now they’re called slouchy. Or voluminous. In an age where the likes of Stella McCartney and Alexander Wang are producing tops and dresses that intentionally drape from the body rather than swathe it, upsizing from a 2 to a 6 isn’t as unthinkable as it used to be. Plus, with all the bared shoulders and clavicles bound to be shown, these oversized pieces aim at just the right amount of unaffected sexiness.
10. Silver and gold at the same time. It’s not right to say that too many metallics ruin the look when, in fact, combining a bit of silver jewelry with gold tampers down all that yellow shine. And really, just like wearing brown with black, what’s the big deal?
11. Rhinestones or sparklies in the daytime. If it helps to better make an impression, or if it just makes your outfit look better, then there shouldn’t be any reason why you should shy away from sparkle before cocktail hour. It’s a different matter altogether, however, if you’re dripping in it.
12. High heels with jeans. Once considered too plebian or “too third world” (as an agent told me back in ’96), wearing pumps or gladiators with jeans now has prompted likes, particularly when skinny jeans came in and became a staple in our wardrobes. Still a big no, however: evening sandals with denim. That’s just plain tacky.
13. Overaccessorizing. As long as it’s centered on just one body part (a ring on almost every finger or bangles from wrist to elbow), then it’s absolutely acceptable. Otherwise, bling and baubles hanging from every limb and hole is just a poor imitation of an Italian trade show.
14. Wearing black to weddings. Black is less associated with funerals now more than it is considered a universally-flattering shade acceptable in all formal occasions. These days, it’s sometimes even required in dress codes, with brides probably realizing that wearing white in a sea of blacks lets her better stand out in photos.
15. Denim in the workplace. As long as it’s not overly-faded, too baggy or ripped up like a trite, overused Halloween costume, then wearing jeans outside of casual Fridays doesn’t make much of a difference. Dark washes, though, are always better for a sleeker, dressier look.
16. White the whole-year round. The ban against “wearing white after Labor Day” never made much sense to us Pinoys anyway so why should it matter if we wear white 365 days a year? Though not a fashion sin, it’s just a bit impractical when we’re battling tropical depressions even in the middle of summer.
17. Two colors on your face. We’re talking two complementary colors, not the entire rainbow spectrum. This time, however, the color is centered on the eyes and lips (we don’t want to make the blue shadow-pink blush mistake rampant during the ‘80s). It’s not too burlesque to combine green shadow with purple liner or a tangerine eye tint with blue mascara. Makeup artists for MAC are even pushing for the blue shadow-red lips tandem.
18. Putting together black and blue. Once considered too dismal, too solid, too blah, it would have been a double whammy to put black and navy blue together in one outfit. Now, both shades have taken on a better rep and pairing black or blue in one piece (alternate stripes on a skirt) or in one single ensemble won’t have you reaching for the happy pills. Works better if you pair a metallic dark or royal blue with black.
19. Thick brows. Bushy caterpillar brows will always be definite don’ts but well-defined arches, as long as they’re neatly trimmed, don’t scare as much anymore. Just look at Natalie Portman, Jennifer Connelly and Camilla Belle, who all have naturally thick face framers and do not claim attachment to their tweezers. If you still find too-dark brows a bit too masculine, you can always opt to lighten them up with a nice slate or gray-brown shade.
20. Red lips during the day. I was 16 when I was told that a slash of red instantly brightens up your face and chases bad hair days away. I’ve never looked back since. Red lips also nearly eliminate the need for other makeup, save for foundation or powder to even up the skin tone and remove shine and a sweep of mascara. Further proof: Parisian women, and they’ve never been considered slouches when it came to style.
21. Hairless men. In the Philippines, we never really liked carpets on our men. But to have every part below the chin (yes, even those that would require a Brazilian treatment) relatively hair-free, why not? Apparently hair freedom is not just restricted to gay men and man whores.
22. White lace outside of the church. It used to be that, unless you were getting married or taking Communion, you didn’t really wear too much white lace. But since designers in the early part of last year gave a clubber feel to the feminine and fragile material by pairing it with studs and patent pumps, white lace has become as trendy as Olivia Wilde.
23. Hawaiian prints beyond the beach. Maybe not on loose button-down shirts or Mama Klump-mumus, but definitely on tailored dresses, flirty frocks and long skirts. Paired with the deadliest stilettos and pristine makeup, these floral prints have graduated to the city scene.
24. Chunky heels with dresses. With the proliferation of the hefty platform shoe, it wasn’t long until the bold and the beautiful were wearing thick inch-wide heels with flowy, feminine styles and even cocktail wear, to the point that, for a while, typical dainty slip-ons were no longer seen on the red carpet. Diane Kruger and Emma Watson were a few A-listers leading the movement.
25. Socks and slacks of the same color. Every style guide for men would tell you that the color of your socks should match your pants, especially for dress wear. Now, however, it’s not unheard of to wear the same color as your shirt, or even your tie. Take cues from Ryan Gosling, who took his All Good Things character’s style off-cam by wearing socks as red as the carpet with a gray suit to the Los Angeles Film Festival.