Fashion Rules You Should Break
January 21st, 2012
Everyone has heard at least one old fashion rule. Have you ever been told not to wear white after labor day, or that your jewelry metals must match?
If you’re like me, you grew up hearing these from your mom or grandma whenever you wore something they didn’t like. You thought your outfit was fine, but one of the rules probably made you rethink it. Many of you may still believe one or two of them, because you’ve heard them so many times.
Believe it or not, most of those fashion rules are completely outdated and false!
As someone who loves fashion but doesn’t believe in old-fashioned rules, I say it’s time to put some of these style myths to rest once and for all. It’s 2008, and grandma’s fashion rules just don’t apply anymore.
Here’s the CF list of fashion rules you’re allowed (and encouraged) to break:
1. Never wear white after labor day.
This fashion rule is probably the most pervasive of them all. Everyone’s heard it, and surprisingly, lots of people still believe it’s true.
Newsflash: you can absolutely wear white after labor day! White clothing, coats, bags, and even shoes are 100% allowed during the winter months, and don’t let anyone tell you differently. Unless you have an extremely conservative workplace, you should embrace the idea of wearing a ‘winter white.’ It’s a fresh, fun break from the dark shades we usually wear in winter.
InStyle magazine did a great feature on fashion rules the stars love to break. In it, Rachel Bilson sounded off on the white after labor day rule, saying ‘Forget the old rules. I love white all year round. It’s cooler to wear it when you aren’t supposed to.’
For another star example, check out the picture of Victoria Beckham above. She’s a world-renowned fashionista who’s known for her impeccable style! She doesn’t follow the white after labor day rule and neither should you.
2. Shoes and bags must always match.
Ugh, this rule is sooo 1950′s. I’m honestly wondering if anyone out there still believes this one.
In case you did think this myth was true, let me reassure you.. it’s not! You don’t have to match your shoes to your bag ‘ that’s so boring. You shoes and bag need to go with your outfit, but there’s no reason they need to match each other. So long as they work with your outfit, they can be any colors you want.
Let’s be realistic ‘ can you imagine what a pain it would be to match all of your bags to all of your shoes? You’d probably have only one or two combos you could make, and even then, it probably wouldn’t all match perfectly. There are so many shades of each color!
Really, it’s all way too much of a hassle. Forget about matching and start thinking about what goes together and what goes with your outfit.
3. Never wear black with brown or navy.
This rule is one of the most pervasive old fashion rules out there, and it’s just not true at all!
Here’s the deal: black, brown, and navy are all neutrals. This means that you can wear them with pretty much anything, including each other!
I love the look of a navy blue dress with black shoes, or a black dress with light brown or nude shoes. Anything goes with these colors, and you should feel free to mix ‘em however you want.
Recently, Rihanna made a public statement about this rule:
‘The idea of not wearing brown and black together seems so dated. The other day I wore a black T-shirt, black Nobody jeans, a brown leopard-print belt by Dolce & Gabbana, and brown Giuseppe Zanotti shoes, and it looked awesome. And I also love to mix prints.’
For another example of a celebrity breaking this rule, see the photo of Rachel Bilson above, mixing navy, black, AND brown. Her outfit looks adorable and fashion-forward, proving that this rule is really just a dumb myth.