Whenever I think of, or worse see a pair of split flutter sleeves –those horrible embiggening bias-cut creations that make my arms look like something between a deranged flapper and a holiday ham– I want to murder the person responsible for inventing them, likewise their friends and all their relations and then when all is said, done, and buried I would take great joy in singing a variety of comic songs on their collective freshly turned graves.
That’s healthy, right?
What sartorial staple –the handkerchief hem, puff sleeves, whathaveyou– would YOU like to see die a quick, painful death?
I need to see an end to excessive embroidery on dresses. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a decent-looking sheath or shift dress, and it’s embroidered up. Not a good professional look.
While we’re at it, do pants in a variety of lengths. Too many mass-market plus chains are loaded with capris or more accurately, crops ((side-eyes Avenue and Lane Bryant)). When I think of capris, I think of tailored, flattering pants, not things that just, err, hang there.
Comment by OCCaliAKA — October 18, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
I’m tired of animal prints (especially leopard), metallic shoes and purses for daytime, bare legs that would look a lot better in good quality sheer hosiery, French manicured toenails, navy, black and burgundy nail polish (nicely manicured bare nails preferable), low-cut knit tops in cold weather, eyebrow piercings, sweaty feet in closed shoes, and throw away clothes in general.
Comment by Kristin — October 18, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
I love Crocs! However, I wave my ‘disability’ pass at you all and say that I can get them on and they don’t make me fall down, so they can stay for the few of us who need them. They’re sure as hell not pretty or stylish, but neither am I. I’m happy to require people to get a Crocs license before wearing them. And for heaven’s sake, people, stop using them as an excuse not to teach your child to tie his shoes.
No puffed sleeves, no ‘mom jeans’, no acid-wash, no tie-dye, no sugar sack pants, nothing from the 80s, please, no leggings instead of pants (I hate that), no socks with heels, no high-necked t-shirts, no short hoodies, no unitards, no ballet flats (I really find these universally unattractive), and no bubble skirts, please.
Comment by Anpan — October 18, 2007 @ 9:14 pm
I agree with most of the posts, especially about the very skinny, extra low-rise jeans. I work in a high school and if the neophytes can’t pull off the look, then it is time for the rest of the world to graciously admit defeat.
I was just at the stores today and much to my horror, there were loads of legwarmers in a wide variety of colors and ribs. I guess they had to do something to make the skinny jean look more proportioned to the rest of the body.
I will defend 3/4 sleeve tops, as I like to wear bracelets and these tops show off my superfantastc jewelry.
Comment by Miss Louisa — October 19, 2007 @ 12:45 am
I am laughing at all of these postings- How funny that there is a huge debate about 3/4 length sleeves and low rise pants. Basically I hate the look of anything that doesn’t rock the wearer. If yout breasts dont fit above the empire waist cut- don’t wear the top or dress, if you can’t breathe in an outfit, don’t wear it, if you need to write across your bum or chest that you are Sexy or Hot, then you probably aren’t. Clothes need to fit you, your style, your personality and the environment you are in, and unless you are working a pole I don’t want to see you underwear in public.
Ohh– and please manufacturers, please stop trying to dress outr teenage girls like slutty little whores- Please- Please Please.
Comment by Kimks — October 19, 2007 @ 6:38 am
Formal. Shorts.
FORMAL SHORTS!! What on earth?? It’s been THREE YEARS of the formal short! Leave us in peace, formal short-driving designers and corporations and skinny girls with no sense wearing FORMAL SHORTS aggghhh. hate.
Comment by Tk — October 19, 2007 @ 9:58 am
Anything that was designed with a toddler in mind, but intented to be sold to a grown-up woman (baby-doll dresses, ruching, washed-out pastels…). Ballet flats: they’re everywhere, they don’t offer proper arch support, and they look bad on everyone who is not tall and very thin (stumps for legs…). Also, where is the 2inch heel height gone? Oh, and dresses/skirts that are too short. I’m tall, so on me, they’re barely decent. Please bring the hemline down to under or just above the knee! It looks better on everyone!
I am a size 0, in my 20s, and I find it pretty offensive to hear things like ‘clothes for the real woman’. Am I made of plastic? I’m sure many so-called ‘stick-thin’ (yeah, that too is offensive) friends will agree. I, too, am curvy. I’ve got an hourglass-shaped, with a very defined waist, hips and bust.
Comment by E — October 19, 2007 @ 12:03 pm
I agree with Miss Louisa’s love of the 3/4 sleeve- I too love to wear the superfantastic bracelets and bangles. I’m also a fan of the low-rise pants, but ONLY if they fit, and do not create the unsightly muffin top, or show “butt cleavage.” Who came up with that term?!? What I do hate is the skinny jeans- it’s almost impossible to find nice bootcut jeans at the moment. Most of the trends people have mentioned work on some people, but not on others, so I have to say, I wish people took their shape into account when dressing!! Oh and yes, another vote for outlawing crocs (although I do like uggs- but they are SLIPPERS to be worn with pajamas, not in public!) And no, it’s not cool to dress your 12 year old like they belong in playboy magazine!
Comment by singerangel — October 19, 2007 @ 9:48 pm
I haven’t been able to find jeans in my size (14-16) without stretch since about 2004, and I HATE STRETCH JEANS. HAAAAAAATE.
1% spandex is the kiss of death for pants. Seriously. If stretch jeans fit when I try them on in the store, they will be like elephant skin after I wear them for more than an hour or so. Because they change shape so much after wearing, I have to wash them every time I wear them. Who has that kind of time?
For awhile, I could still find pants with a jeans cut (like khakis and cords) without stretch, but now they’ve all got the taint of spandex too. Stop the madness already!
Comment by Sharn — October 20, 2007 @ 10:53 pm
I forgot to sequins for daytime and nose piercings.
Comment by Kristin — October 21, 2007 @ 10:01 pm
Empire waists. No matter how good you think you look in them, you don’t. You look pregnant.
Comment by Virginia Postrel — October 22, 2007 @ 2:05 am
I’m going to agree with Rebecca on the bias-cut–it can be wonderful, if it’s *truly* bias-cut. The problem is that most ready-to-wear isn’t truly on the bias, it’s just not quite on the straight of the grain. That gives you the worst qualities of both–the garment hangs crookedly but doesn’t drape like a true bias-cut garment does.
And I’ll defend the 3/4 sleeve as well; like several of the other commenters, I often wind up pushing sweater sleeves up or rolling my shirt sleeves up to about 2 inches below my elbow. But again, to me, the problem isn’t with the design, it’s with the execution; most tops sold as 3/4 sleeves aren’t — they’re elbow length, and that’s a whole different breed of cat: one that needs to be humanely put to sleep.
So my peeve: the fashion mavens who keep insisting that drop waists or empire tops universally look good on Big Girls. Some do, some don’t. Actually, my peeve is the fashion mavens who insist that any trend of the month will “look good on everybody.”
Comment by Barb — October 22, 2007 @ 2:28 pm