What.. It’s almost March?
The first quarter of the year means wanting to get rid of the old and make a whole lot of room for the new and exciting. This year, we don’t only want to suggest which items in your closet to get rid of and what to keep. We’ve laid out a handful of tips to make sure you don’t fall into the same fashion faux pas patterns and habits in 2016, and for the next years to come – for good!
When your closet starts to look a safari-themed optical illusion, it’s time to do something about it.
1) Excessive Animal Print
Animal prints are one of the most versatile patterns out there. They’re great for days when you’re feeling edgy and an easy way to give a basic outfit the oomph it needs. No longer restricted to more adventurous settings, animal print is now an acceptable sight in the workplace as well. Picking the right pieces will make sure they look great in any situation.
Tips:
- Own any pink cheetah tops? Or maybe a mishmash dress of zebra stripes and leopard spots? The more unrealistic looking the prints are, the less wearable they become. Leave these pieces to rockstars.
- Animal prints are busy as is, so veer away from items that add a lot more detail like big buttons, studs, chains or zippers. Items like those most likely look good in only one or two outfits.
If the little voice in your head starts to sound a lot like Joan Rivers when you’re trying on a quirky dress, don’t push through with it.
2) Kooky Dresses
Statement dresses are great, undeniably! Whether it’s a different take on the little black dress or repurposing your prom dress, it’s true that we all love to be armed and ready with a favorite piece no one else has and that we can totally rock. But careful not to overdo it; there’s a reason why Halloween and themed parties were invented.
Tips:
- Subtle is the way to go, even when your goal is to look different. Allow others to see and appreciate the details on their own. The point is to be noticed, not to overwhelm.
- Let your statement piece stand by itself. Maintain balance by pairing it with more basic pieces that don’t take away the attention from your dress.
When your friends have memorized what your legs look like from overexposure from strategically positioned holes, you could be overdoing the distressed denim trend.
3) Distressed Denim Shorts
Front rip, back rip, pocket rip, one rip, two rips, ripped all over. “They’re all different!” Admit it, that’s what you told yourself the last time you you purchased your nth pair. Ripped shorts are a favorite, we get it. Unfortunately, going to the extremes with this trend might make people think your clothes really are tattered, and that it isn’t just a style favorite of yours.
Tips:
- Rips can be sexy, but leave something to the imagination. If people can see what’s going on underneath your shorts, that pair must be turned into a doormat. Immediately.
- Balance out distressed shorts by choosing denim that has medium to darker washes. Deeply bleached denim is more flimsy, which means rips will get larger over time more easily.
We’re great fans of rugged, vintage and lived-in looks, but that’s all they should be: just looks!
4.) Shabby Pieces
Peeled, threadbare, chipped, and stained are words we can do without in our 2016 fashion vocabulary. You don’t need a trained eye to see if something was purposely made to look old, or if something is, in fact, truly long past its shelf life. We understand that everyone has beloved items they can’t live without. But if they make an outfit look frumpy instead of pull it together like they used to, it’s definitely time to look for replacements.
Tips:
- Let go of shoes and bags that are obviously worn with age, where “obviously” means peeling lining, toe marks, rusty metal details, garter that is no longer stretchy, missing details, and other things you can’t remedy on your own.
- Stuff that looks good with everything tends to take a beating, like your one white tank top, or your favorite beige blouse. We suggest that if you find something you know will be using quite often, it’s one of the few times it’s worth to buy two of each.
- Extra tip: Many women fail to consider that undergarments also need to be in good shape! Just because no one else sees them doesn’t mean they need less attention. Bands that looks like raw bacon, broken clasps, and loose thread are just some signs that a trip to the intimate section might be needed.
“Omg did you get a new tattoo?” No? That’s right, that’s just a metal stain from one of those 3 for P100 rings you bought in a bazaar.
5) Budget Buy Accessories
We doubt shoppers like us have resisted classic baits like “get one, get the second half off” and other variations of it. It gets even more tempting when we’re faced with smaller, less expensive things like accessories. The problem there is we don’t realize we’ve overindulged, until our jewelry boxes are filled with tangles of metal, plastic, beads and God forbid, rhinestone.
Tips:
- Budget buy necklaces all tend to lend the same effect on an outfit. They can all have different pendants, but very rarely does it make a difference if you wear one instead of the other. Keep necklaces like this to a minimum.
- The best budget buys are those that allow you to mix and match your purchase. For instance, if you can pick a ring, a bracelet, and a necklace to make a set, that’ll be an awesome find!
- Consider health reasons too. Cheap accessories are cheap for a reason. The materials they’re made from may or may not be harmful. Get rid of metal pieces once they’ve discolored.
Come on everyone, don’t be scared. Our closets can get scary too at the end of every year, but you got this! Brave through those hangers, racks and drawers. It’ll be worth it, we guarantee it.
(Words by Sara Delos Reyes)