Fashion Mistakes I’ve Made (And How I Fixed Them)
Mistakes. We all make them whether it’s in life, love, or fashion. And I’m not too proud to admit that even as a fashionista, fashion mistakes happen.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who looks back at some outfits and thinks they could have been better. And since I’ve been blogging for quite some time now, I thought I’d share 10 fashion mistakes that I found when looking back at older photos.
Quote of the day: “You have to fail in order to practice being brave.” Mary Tyler Moore
Just like the quote above, you don’t learn if you don’t try. And I’ve always said that I learn more from my mistakes than my successes.
Really it’s kind of sad that fashion mistakes (or mistakes in general) have such a bad connotation. They are really a part of life for each and every one of us. I consider mistakes a way to learn and grow which is much better than staying stagnant.
So instead of being embarrassed by some looks that aren’t my favorite, I thought I’d share them with you and explain how I would and did fix them.
Insider tip: This is exactly why I suggest taking selfies of your outfits after putting them on. There are many times that I look at the photo and “see” it differently than I did in the mirror.
I tried to categorize the “issues” in each of the mistake photos, but remember, style is personal so you may see it a different way.
While I called these my fashion mistakes, they are just daily outfits that we can evaluate. because what I like and dislike may be different from your likes and dislikes.
Insider tip: Don’t be afraid of making fashion mistakes. The best part about these kinds of mistakes is you can’t get sued, put in jail, or any such thing for them. I always say you get a mulligan every day.
1-Scarf is Too Long
While I like the idea of draping a scarf around my neck without any other rigamarole, there are times the scarf can be too long and overwhelm the look.
Originally I thought it would be cool to have the scarf ends longer than the jacket, but when I looked back on these photos, it seemed too long.
Solution: There are a couple of solutions. One is to do what I did above, and just tie knots in the end of the scarf to shorten it.
Another option would be to wrap it around your neck once to shorten those ends.
2-Thickness of Scarf
Some of the pashminas or thicker scarves can swallow up your neck and be overwhelming that way. While we want warmth from our scarves, we also don’t want them to suffocate us.
All I did in the example above on the right is make sure the scarf was flatter and then pulled it away from my chin so it didn’t overwhelm my neck.
Solution: With wider scarves, you can either fold them flat into an accordion or twist them to make them thinner.
Insider tip: If you are trying to keep a scarf twisted or flat, one trick is to use a clear elastic to hold it.
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3-Too Tight Silhouette
There’s too tight and there’s too tight. I don’t think the fashion mistake outfit on the left is the kind of tight you think of when you read too tight, but it’s definitely very fitted.
What I think happens with this kind of look is you have no movement or flow. With tighter pants, it’s nice to have something with more volume on the top half.
I wore the same vest with another outfit which I liked better.
Solution: Instead of belting the vest and scarf, I think it would be better to have the vest open and the scarf loose.
Or if you wanted the scarf belted, then try both the scarf and belt under the vest.
4-Too Loose
The opposite of too tight would be too loose. This is what I see on older women the most because it seems safe to cover up instead of showing off a body we aren’t always feeling good about.
However, there are ways to cover up and still look fashionable and stylish.
When you have a fit and flare dress, you can see that a voluminous scarf makes it look frumpy. Whereas the long, flowy tunic isn’t as overwhelming with the wide culottes because it’s straight and asymmetrical.
Solution: You always hear the rule that if one item has volume, make the other item fitted. Yet there are ways to wear two non-fitted items. If I had tied up the scarf around the back of my waist-the look would have been a success.
5-Proportion
The concept of proportion was new to me when I started blogging. Yet in dentistry, we learned about the ideal widths of the 6 front teeth for a beautiful smile. It’s no different in outfits.
A half-and-half proportion (meaning the length of the top half is similar to the length of the lower half) is not usually as eye-catching. The ideal is to have one piece be 2/3 the overall look and the other piece 1/3.
Yet I will show an example where half and half can still look wonderful below.
Solution: To change the half-and-half proportion in the outfit above, I added the asymmetrical snap-on piece that came with it.
Another way to do this would be to wear a scarf in the same manner.
Insider tip: I don’t try to focus entirely on proportion when putting my outfit together, but if I think something doesn’t look right, then I will evaluate that aspect and see if changing something about it helps.
6-Proportion 2
As discussed in #5, half and half proportion with the top and bottom half of the look can be considered one of the fashion mistakes.
That being said, I would take it over a sloppy look where the proportions are “correct”.
By tucking in my lilac blouse to the camo shorts, you can see the proportions are 50/50. I still liked the outfit, but it really doesn’t stand out.
The red and yellow look has the same proportions as the camo and lilac outfit, yet the red top has more interest with the elasticized waistband. This elasticized waist then creates a peplum hemline that adds more volume.
And before you say “But I don’t want more volume”, trust me that it can be a good thing.
Solution: Finding clothing items that have an interesting detail or fun print can camouflage the fact that the proportions aren’t ideal.
7-Matchy-Matchy
Even I have succumbed to matching everything in an outfit. It’s how we were raised and can be one of those fashion ruts we get into. While I don’t think the all-pink look is awful, I do think it could be even better with a contrasting top.
That’s why with the yellow skirt and top, I included a totally different color with the shoes and accessories. It breaks up the matchy-matchy and makes the outfit look modern.
Solution: When wearing matching pieces, it’s good to add contrast somehow.
8-Unintentional Color
The opposite of #7 is too much color (and you never thought I would say that I bet?). I still like the purple top outfit but I would style it differently now.
Like I did with the rust top and jeans. I wore green shoes and even had green earrings, but the rest of the accessories were neutrals.
Solution: Adding a unique color to the look can be more cohesive when it either stands out or has a couple of other items of the same color.
9-Cohesiveness
Sometimes incorporating different colors, styles, and accessories end up being more mishmash than you realize. I look back on this skirt over a pair of jeans look, and realize that it isn’t my favorite.
It’s never bad to use many colors and styles in an outfit, but our eyes appreciate it when there is cohesiveness with all of the elements.
Solution: I have just as many accessories and different colors in the beret look, but it’s more cohesive with the silver boots, silver necklace & silver studs on the purse pulling it all together.
10-Something Off
Sometimes you put items together and something seems off. As I said in #5, the first thing I check is proportion. In the blue and pink outfit on the left, the proportions are good, but the outfit still doesn’t tickle my fancy.
Solution: I wore the same pants another time and really liked the result better. I think the contrast of colors is better suited for my personality.
Putting outfits together should be fun and not stressful. Yet too often we worry about fashion mistakes and stick with the “safe” outfits we have worn in the past. There’s nothing more freeing than to use your imagination and create something even better from your closet.
I hope you go and make a ton of fashion mistakes while playing in your closet while enjoying the process.
Insider tip: I just read a quote that really hit home. “His ordinariness rendered him invisible.” So don’t be ordinary or invisible.
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The post Fashion Mistakes I’ve Made (And How I Fixed Them) first appeared on Jodie’s Touch of Style.
The post Fashion Mistakes I’ve Made (And How I Fixed Them) appeared first on Jodie’s Touch of Style.
