Fads, done right

With a new fall upon us, it’s only natural to expect to see some fresh trends.  But what about the ones we haven’t moved on from yet?  How about the fads that have perhaps found their way to more permanent places in fashion and our closets?

When trends do become a more everyday and versatile style, I feel we start to take that look for granted. We get lazy about it and might start to wear it how we want and forget what it was about the look that made us want to try it in the first place.

A trend sticks because it’s a look that’s liked by many and one that seems fairly simple to pull off….but can also turn into a fad that we wish many would forget.

The legging resurgence either turned people on or it turned them off.  Maybe it’s because they were popular in the eighties and that decade holds a certain stigma for a lot people – it’s a time in fashion that many would rather forget. But this time around, leggings have established themselves in a more mature, sophisticated way.

Now the whole idea behind leggings is to get the same silhouette as a tight with the option of wearing something lighter on top but so you still feel covered enough on the bottom. These days leggings are so versatile, you seen them worn by tweens to baby boomers.

How you wear the look depends a lot on your age, but there is one rule that should be minded by legging lovers of all ages: Please remember that leggings are not pants!

If you find yourself asking “How does my butt look in these leggings?” then you need to find a longer top. And if you choose to wear a shorter top, pair it with a longer layer, like a swingy cardigan. A good rule of thumb: If you have a top that you love and wonder just maybe if it could pass as a dress, chances are you have the perfect thing to wear with leggings.

Another look that I absolutely love when done right is a wide-legged trouser. If I happened to be a high-powered business professional,  I’d wear ’em all the time.

The whole idea of this style of pant is to elongate your legs. Unless you are genetically blessed and attached to a pair of incredibly long legs, this pant should always be worn with a heel.  If you wear a flat you’ll come off as looking short and stumpy. I don’t know about anyone else, but I don’t need any help when it comes to looking shorter and more stumpy.

Shoes are an important factor in pulling this look off successfully. Stay away from pumps and head more in the direction of a stiletto or stacked platform.  Also keep in mind length – you definitely don’t want the leg of your pant to be too short but you don’t want it to drag either.  You don’t want the hem anymore than a half inch to an inch from the ground.

A wide-legged trouser looks great with a blouse, or dressy t-shirt tucked in. Then throw on a shrunken cardigan, leather bomber, fitted blazer … there are many options, but it looks best if the top is fitted.

And finally, denim is still looking pretty rough in the upcoming months. Like a lot of people I love the look of distressed denim and I’m happy to see it sticking around. Just keep in mind that the extreme faded washes and hip-to-knee tears are seasonal. You can probably do the look through September,but once the temperature starts to drop, that’s when it’s time to go with a lighter wash and more coverage.

Besides distress on just the bottom, I’ve been seeing a lot of distressed vests and jackets as well. Remember that this is not a head-to-toe look. In spring, magazines did show more all denim outfits, but it’s hard to pull off. And if you wear nothing but distressed denim you might end up looking like a groupie from a metal band, but not in a good way.

Keep this in mind — if you’re going to be shredded on the bottom, put on something a little more tidy  on top. The same goes if you wear a distressed jacket or vest — don’t pair them with jeans that are held together by threads.  Wear the jacket over a summer dress to transition into fall, or even for a more casual take on the wide-legged trouser.

So next time you want to pull on one of these  looks, think twice when you put the whole outfit together. All three are great pieces that will take your wardrobe a long way…if they’re done right.