Trends are fun, but not for everyone.

Hello fashion lovebugs! It's been a while and I apologize. 

The other day I was at the grocery store and saw a lady wearing leggings.  Let me be more specific: TIGHT, WHITE, CHEAPLY MADE leggings. Her bum and thighs looked like two tightly rolled pigs in a blanket and when she walked, it looked like they were trying to fight their way out for air.  I'm not trying to be hateful or ugly, but this was at the grocery store where people are purchasing food.  Walking behind this lady will make you rethink that brownie mix or gallon of ice cream with the quickness!  Not only were they unflattering, they were also inappropriate.  Just because something is comfortable, doesn't always mean you should wear it.  Because the leggings were being tested beyond their strength, you could see through the material straight to where her unmentionables SHOULD have been, but alas, they were not. 

I don't think you have to dress to the nines for a grocery store trip, but at least have the decency to take a quick look in the mirror before you step out in public wearing glorified cheese cloth. 

This isn't the actual fashion perpetrator, but it's close to what I witnessed.

My grocery-store-fashion-nightmare siting had me thinking about trends and the pressure people feel to run out and buy the newest fad when they should really stop and think "should I add this to my fashion repertoire or take a pass and wait for the next trend to come around?"

I will gladly admit I can't saunter out of the house with leggings and a t-shirt.  I don't have the height or legs for it.  Instead, I opt for skinny jeans, a more appropriate option for my body.  Trends come and go so quickly there is no use in spending all your time and money on items that may not even be fashionable in the first place.  Do I have to remind you of the grunge look?

When trying out the newest trend, I suggest really being honest with yourself.  I know when you have your mind set on something it's very hard to pull out the honesty card, but if you want to save yourself some heartache and money, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is this truely flattering?
• Some people may think if it fits, it's flattering. Wrong. Dead Wrong.  Flattering is not only a great fit, but a good feel. An outfit needs to show off your assets in a tasteful way.  Trust the mirrors.  They are in dressing rooms for a reason.  If you look lumpy and bumpy or stuffed and puffed, what was the point of walking out of the house? You do know we can see you, right?
2. Does this style fit your personality?
• Excuse my vulgarity, but some people are fashion whores.  (and some are just whores. haha!)  If the celebrities are wearing it, so are they! This is not only obnoxious, it's ridiculous! Everyone has their own personal style and when you push that envelope too far, it shows.  Don't try and fit a square peg into a round hole.  Wear the clothes that express who you really are.
3. Do I feel comfortable, or am I going to be self-concsious the whole day?
• This is HUGE for me.  We may throw around the saying "Anything for Beauty" but is picking your pants out of your butt or adjusting your boobs in a top really beauty? No! If you aren't comfortable you won't exude confidence or even a whisper of a smile thus, the whole look is lost due to a wedgie.  How sad.
4. Is this trendy chic or a fashion statement gone wrong?
• We all remember some of Carrie Bradshaw's looks from Sex and the City.  Some were amazing while others were busting out of most people's fashion boundaries.  It was for show. It was for fashion.  Carrie can get away with this because, hello, she's fictional.  Celebrities can get away with this because they apparently live by different rules than the rest of us.  As for the common, yet fashion-forward people, we have to be careful with the trends we choose.  If you even have a question on wether or not a neon lycra mini skirt is too much, chances are, it is. 
5. Would I let my best friend walk out of the house looking like this?
• I know some girls might throw each other under the bus so they will be the one to shine, but hopefully these girls only exist on The Bachelor and your true friends are one in a million!

If you are a lover of fashion it's hard to watch those fun trends pass you by without taking a little dip into the pond. My advice: choose wisely and stay within budget.  Just look at all those people who spent hundreds of dollars on Ed Hardy gear when they could have gone to Harwin and bought 10 knock-off shirts for $20. Heck, I even fell for this terrible fad. Luckily, I only have one knock-off hat to show for it and that will be going out with the next charity donation.  Just as his hats and shirts boast, love hurts, but so does spending $150 on a dumb, douche bag graphic tee.

When it comes to trends, pick the ones that truely fit you, your body, and your style.  Be nice to yourself and your body.  If you pile on trend after trend you are going to end up looking like the surplus bin at an Outlet mall.  If you are pear shaped, stay away from the flowy, waistless, bohemian dresses.  Instead, look for a bohemian print that has a more structured cut.  If you are busty, ruffles and frills will only make you look larger.  Try something with a v or scoop neck that has understated accents.  Don't feel pressured to wear something just because the magazines say it's 'hot'.  They aren't always right. 

If something isn't working, go back to your vault and work from there.  Remember the 10 Necessary Necessities?  In my opinion, it's better to be unique and timeless rather than a one-hit wonder.

Love and shoes,
Kim