| I cross my heart, next week I will give you my pick for the personal style icon of June. Just so you know, I was born in June so please believe I had to find a phenomenal PSI (Personal Style Icon) for this month. I will leave you guessing about who it could be until next week. This week I have been looking over what many experts worldwide have to say about what will be hot in fashion this year. Honestly, I think half of these so-called experts are lunatics locked away somewhere in a mental facility, and whose only access to the outside world is a blog or fashion Web page – which they then use to spew random psychotic thoughts that some people follow religiously. That’s just my opinion, and I am more than certain there is someone out there who thinks the same of me. So I guess I should really say that everyone has a right to an opinion, therefore I have the right to tell you all why they are wrong. So, for your reading pleasure this week, I will give you a quick view of some of these so-called hottest trends, and tell you why I hate them.
First, I will start with the technical ones. For instance, many experts claim the new worldwide craze this year will be a return of fur – fur trimmed jackets, fur trimmed boots, faux fur, real fur, fur hats and skirts, fur shawls, and full fur coats. Ok, I don’t think I need to spell out my issue with this claim of a global hot trend, because in parts of the world this craze will truly be the hottest thing you can put on, heat-stroke inducing even. I personally think its all good and well for European and North American stylistas to decide this is what they are wearing this year, but if I see one person in the Caribbean rocking this fad, count on me to stand next to them laughing and pointing. That is if I’m not helping to rush them to the hospital suffering from dehydration.
While I am on the topic of fashion-induced over-heating, which genius decided to proclaim boot-leggings to be the biggest fashion craze of late in ladies footwear? For those of you I have lost, I am talking about these super high-heeled boots that pull up too high on the thigh, usually sitting so far up on the leg that a skirt covers the top of them, giving the appearance of leggings. I know we all see superstars like Rihanna strutting around Europe or the USA wearing them with a sexy little skirt. But I also know for a fact that she trades those super high legging boots in for a pair of sandals when she gets on a plane to go home, because no one in there right mind would wear these things in the Caribbean. I know there is no denying the sexiness of these boots, but we all must remember most foreign designers do not create styles for us here in the tropics.
These boots are also borderline S&M, which if you ask me is another so-called great trend for 2010 that I could do without. Yeah, a chunky leather belt with a few buckles and a pair of strappy shoes are okay, but I take issue with a trend that releases a bunch a whip wielding, leather-clad vixens out to a club. I understand this is a look considered super sexy by many – even I can admit to a hidden streak of a domineering personality. Does that mean I feel it necessary to broadcast this fact by dressing as if I just returned from a shooting of Underworld 4: Vampires of the Caribbean? I doubt it! I find most of the new bondage inspired shoes a little scary, invented by a sadist I am sure. All good and well if all of that is your personal preference, but there are some things that should really just stay in the bedroom. Plus, as with the fur and the super high boot, certain clothing styles should never make it to our shores.
Before I move off of the issue of keeping private things private, I wonder who the mastermind was behind the whole underwear as outerwear craze. When I first heard people harping on this one, I honestly thought they were just referring to a corset over a dress, or something of the sort, but alas I was wrong. No, in fact they mean exactly what the name implies. Bras, panties, pantyhose, slips, and sheer negligees are now considered respectable outerwear. I am shaking my head in disgust by the way, as I am sure many of you are too. Fashion can’t seriously expect me to bathe, throw on a bra-like top and panty-like shorts and leave the house, intent on going to a party. Can you see why I think we are hearing the rantings of a madman? I am all for showing some skin and I own really short pants by the droves, but this is ridiculous. Not to keep harping on poor Rihanna, but she is often in the public eye and so is an easy target. I once saw her as a guest on a talk show, where she was dressed in a pair of ‘pants’ (I use that term loosely) that could only be described as panties. I am sorry to whom I offend, but this trend has the distinct look of a hurried dresser forgetting to completely put on their clothes.
Apparently, DIY has reached the fashion world. That, along with the latest trend of post-apocalyptic looking clothes, has flooded the market with items shredded beyond recognition. I can’t even say what I have a bigger issue with: someone spending money on clothes that look like they need to be thrown away, or spending money on clothes and demolishing them to the point where they really should be thrown away. Put it this way, in either case I hope we in the Caribbean avoid this fad. I personally am working hard everyday so that my daughter will never have to wear rags, though I have no doubt she will end up wearing them as ‘style’ just to bother me.
Another supposed hot trend for 2010 is unisex designed clothes. In other words, pieces intentionally made to be worn by either a man or a woman. I am not talking plain shirts or straight-legged slacks; no, we are discussing tops with slight frills and tapering. If you ask me, all of the so-claimed unisex items lean heavily to the female side of fashion. I know history will show men’s clothes always mimicked female styles, but you know what, they hardly bathed and wore a perfumed bag to stop body odor back then too – do we intend of bring that back as well?
Realistically, I know my opinion is one of many and I do not expect my thoughts to be followed strictly as a rule. But lets all agree to use a little common sense when we decide which new tends we will incorporate into our wardrobe. Just because someone somewhere said it is hot, and you saw your favourite famous person wearing it last week, doesn’t mean you should throw it on.
Please suggest weekly topics or make comments good or bad! Let me know what’s on your mind by emailing fashion2thestreet@gmail.com or find me on Facebook. |
