What NOT to wear in 2011

It’s a new year, and with it comes a whole slew of personal goals and aspirations. Along with your personal resolutions for 2011, let’s also resolve not to make the following  fashion mistakes this year. Really, it’s for the best.

(As seen on Conan on TBS.)

Jeggings on Men — Let’s be honest. Extremely tight jeans on men are not attractive. It can almost be downright scary. Unless you have a 28” waist and are under the age of  23, just say no.

Dan and Corina Lecca at Berline Fashion Week 2011. At least this model has it right. Photo: Image.net

Leggings as Pants — Leggings are not pants. They’re like thick tights. Would you wear a pair of tights with nothing on top of them? Hopefully the answer is no. If it’s yes, well…we need to talk. Leggings are meant to be worn with a long (covering your butt and hips) sweater, tunic or top over them. For a modest yet cute look, you can also wear them under a mini skirt. When you wear them as pants, everyone can see every bump, bulge and dimple which is what you try so hard to hide. Even if you’re a size zero and don’t have any bumps or bulges, spare us the “too much information” issue.

High Water Pants — Whether you’re male or female, short or tall,  high water pants look equally bad on everyone. Pants should hit mid heel of whatever height of shoe you’re wearing. If you’re wearing flat shoes, they should hit mid heel. If you’re wearing stilettos, they should hit mid heel which means if you’re a woman you’ll have different pants for different heel heights. Tall people should buy pants with an inseam that matches their own; not one that’s shorter just because the pants are nice looking on the hanger. Short people, there are pants that will still be too short on you. Don’t buy them. If you have pants that have shrunk, get rid of them, or if you’re crafty cut them into capris or summer shorts.

Pajamas in Public — Man, woman, or child (basically, everyone except babies): pajamas and velour/fleece garments are very comfortable and perfect for at-home wear, workouts at the gym, etc. In just about every public setting, though, wearing pajamas or “lounge wear” is totally inappropriate — even if you’re just running errands. Leave them at home where they belong and put on real pants. Of all the fashion mistakes listed here, pajamas in public is possibly the most obnoxious. Let’s put it to bed (pun intended) in 2011.

Baggy Pants That Show Underwear on Men —  Save for teenagers and young boys, this “trend” seems to be losing momentum. But for all the guys out there that still do this, stop. It’s sloppy,  and no one wants to see your underwear or butt crack. Pull them up, and invest in belts.

Going Slipless — Unless you’re wearing denim, corduroy or thick wool skirts or dresses, you need to wear a slip. You look in the mirror quickly and don’t even notice that everyone can see your skin and underwear. Just because it has a lining or is a dark color, doesn’t mean people can’t see everything you’ve got. There are many kinds of slips for every length of hemline, a lot under $20. Buy several in the different lengths you wear. Flesh color works best. The same goes for camisoles — you can even find some with built-in bras, and they go a long way to keep your unmentionables safe from view.