On The Street: Fashion Don'ts

Went out bar hopping in San Francisco last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. Of course I brought a camera to capture the fun times, but I also found myself taking some pictures of a couple fashion don'ts. I wish I could have taken more pictures, but these were the only ones I was able to capture without being obvious!

I was sitting at a table, and asked my friend, "Is that girl barefoot?!" Upon further inspection, we realized that she had major feet overhang. Ladies, if your feet are sliding so far forward where your toes are touching the ground, you may want to invest in some shoe inserts. I discovered this brand called Foot Petals at Nordstrom. They have a vast array of foot cushions for everyone.

No one should ever were anything that shows off this much skin. This top wasn't flattering at all, and the belt was just a big no no...not to mention that her stomach was showing. No thank you!

Top 5 Fashion DON'TS: Men's Edition

The only thing that I love about commuting to work is the opportunity to people watch everyday. I have a habit of assessing what people wear, and I really question some people's fashion choices. Although I usually stick to women's apparel, I decided to branch out a little and talk about Mens fashion don'ts.

1. Suits + Tennis Shoes
I can't even count the number of times I've seen both men and women in suits and tennis shoes. It looks just plain wrong, and just plain sloppy. Are men's dress shoes (which are flat, mind you!) that uncomfortable? Even if they are, find more comfortable shoes, and please spare all of us the eyesore of the tennis shoes and suit "look."

2. Birkenstocks
Nothing screams more hippie than Birkenstock sandals. I don't care how comfortable they are, they don't work for anyone. If you must wear flip flops/sandals, how about Rainbow sandals? Those are so comfortable and much better looking than those buckled sandals.

3. Men's Fashion Week-Denim Tube Tops (what?!)
Fortunately, I didn't witness a man wearing this in public. However, it's Men's Fashion Week, and this is a definitely an instance of "what was the designer (specifically Jean Paul Gaultier) thinking?" A denim tube top is not chic for any man, even if it hails from Paris.

4. White Socks and Black Dress Shoes

No, you are not Michael Jackson. He is the only person that can pull this look off because he is the King of Pop. When wearing dress shoes, wear black socks. It looks more polished and professional, and not like you just rolled out of bed and replaced your slippers for shoes.

5. Jean Shorts

I don't know about you, but I was never into the whole jean short thing on men, especially the ones with embroidery. In fact, I don't like any elaborate embellishment of that nature on any jeans. It's just plain tacky. I've noticed that some men that wear these jean shorts like to wear them with socks rolled all the way up. I'm sure men don't care much about their body shape, but baggy jean shorts just makes them look larger and wider.

Fashion Don'ts: An Observer's Perspective

Since I have been walking all over the city this past week, I have been doing a lot of people watching, and have noticed what people have been wearing on the streets. I must say that I am appalled that people are still wearing some of these awful "trends" and I had to write about the top 10 things that I have observed! Don't get me wrong, I have admittedly fallen victim to some fashion don'ts, so please do not take offense. I am simply writing what I see and wanted to share them with you!

1. Denim on Denim (or as Glamour Magazine calls it--the Denim Tuxedo)

I used to wear denim on denim when I was a little kid, and that's because I didn't know any better! This is just plain horrific. Unless you want to herd cattle or take place in a rodeo, never ever wear this out in public...in fact, don't ever wear it period. Even celebs like Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears have worn this ensemble, and as attractive as they are, does it look good on them? Absolutely not! Keep the denim to one thing, whether it be a jean jacket or jeans, but do not wear them together!

2. Leggings/Tights With a Really Short Top

As much as people are over leggings/tights, I find nothing wrong with them. However, no matter how skinny you are, even if you have a rockin' body with long legs, leggings/tights with a short top is not appropriate for public! Not only are you prone to camel toe, but your bottom is exposed! Case in point: Paris Hilton. You can see her underwear!

3. Animal Print Overkill

I was at a store, and saw a woman in leopard print knee-high boots with a furry overcoat. Since when did that become ok? Frankly, she looked like Chewbacca. I know animal print is a trend and always will be a trend, but please keep it to a minimum. If you must wear animal print, wear it in accessories, such as a clutch purse or flats or heels. But please do not wear it in boots--you will look like fashion roadkill. Wearing too much animal print will make you look trashy. Use your best judgment!

4. Chipped Nail Polish

The biggest pet peeve I have is seeing people with chipped nail polish. If you can't maintain your nails, then don't put any color on them at all. It looks better with no color than with chipped nail polish! Maybe bring a spare bottle in your purse so you can make quick touch ups on your fingernails. In the case of your toes, don't wear open toed shoes if you don't have time to make touch-ups--it's as simple as that!

5. Over Accessorizing

So I know I have written about how much I am in love with big chunky jewelry, but don't wear them all at once. If you're going to wear the huge necklace, leave the chandelier earrings or the stacked bracelets at home. Over accessorizing makes it look like you're trying to put too many trends on your body, and it just doesn't work. When in doubt, take the advice of Coco Chanel: "When you're done dressing, you should look in the mirror and take one thing off before you leave the house." Paula Abdul fails with the chandelier earrings and oversized necklace, while Eva Mendes does it right by keeping it simple, while making a statement at the same time.

6. Cropped Tops

Again, it doesn't matter how flat or toned your stomach is. No one wants to see you wearing a crop top at the club or in public! It's not sexy nor is it attractive. In fact, it's just plain trashy. Leave the stomach exposure for the beach when you're in a bathing suit.

7. Sequin Prom Dresses

I was at a department store yesterday and this girl was excitedly showing her friend this prom dress that she was in love with. Sadly, it was one of those rayon-type fabric dresses thrown up with glitter, sparkle, and sequins all over. I really wish retailers stopped making those type of dresses because they look cheap and BAD. What's worse is that I went to a college formal last year and these girls in their 20s were wearing the same dresses! I understand we make fashion mistakes, and high school is a place to experiment with different trends, but to still think they're "fashion forward" in college is a big no no!

8. Muffin Tops

I can not stand looking at muffin tops. For those of you that don't know, people that wear really tight jeans, and their back sides and stomachs are spilling out of their jeans, are called people with muffin tops. Please please please wear jeans that fit your body size. If you're a size 6 but really think you can fit into a 2, don't force it. Tights pants make you appear bigger than you really are, and you want to wear fitted clothing, not something that's way too tight. Buy what fits your body!

9. Socks with Sandals

YES, I saw a girl wearing red socks with black Nike sandals. I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought I was completely imagining it, but I saw correctly. If your feet are cold, why not wear boots? Why wear sandals and socks? It really doesn't make any sense! I don't even know what else to write because I feel like it's an obvious thing NOT to wear. Even when I'm wearing socks in the house and need to go out to my driveway to get the paper, I won't even wear socks and sandals out, so I can't even fathom why people would wear that combination out in public!