NaNoWriNO Day 12
Subject: Bad fashions
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I don’t know that it’s entirely fair for me to be writing about others’ poor fashion choices. Don’t get me wrong, I love sitting on my high horse up here on Mount Critical, but am I qualified to be giving out advice on what people should or shouldn’t be wearing? My daily uniform consists of Converse shoes, jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. I look like I shop in the lost and found box at an all-boys high school.
Still, my brain sometimes tells me stuff like, “Hey, this is probably going to make your eyes bleed if you stare at it for too long at it.” This typically happens with the sun, or when looking at Donatella Versace’s tan. Once every couple of years, a fashion trend comes along that makes my soul bleed.
Skinny Jeans
They need to rename these “You’ll Look Anything But Skinny Jeans” because that’s exactly what they are. How the fashion world convinced women that it’s cool to make their asses look flatter, and hips look wider is beyond me. Not only have women purchased skinny jeans in droves, but now men are embracing the testicle-suffocating pants as well. Look, if your balls want a hug, just ask. You know what would be helpful? If designers created jeans that actually made us look skinny.
Nothing is sexier than highlighting all of your flaws in overpriced pants
Gladiator Sandals
Gladiator sandals are the skinny jeans of footwear. With all of the open toed options out there, I’m not sure why anyone would pick this shoe. I always imagine a woman saying, “I’ve worked really hard to get my legs into shape, and now I’d like to make them look as stumpy as possible. If only there were a shoe that gave me cankles…” Unless you’re about to slay lions in a Roman Colosseum, please just put on a pair of flip flops.
Russell Crowe in “Gladiator” or misguided fashionista?
Butts as billboards
I blame Juicy Couture for this hot mess. They slapped words across the butts of overpriced sweatpants, and celebrities and desperate housewives everywhere went bananas. Finally, a way to look expensive and lazy at the same time! Pretty soon every manufacturer was coming out with pants that had “Cutie” “Sexy” or “Sweet” emblazoned across their backsides. I saw a post-menopausal woman with the word “Tasty” on her sweatpants, and it looked like the word was melting as time had been unkind to her derriere. If you want to advertise something, take out an ad in your local newspaper.
New pants from the Spring 2013 Juicy Couture collection
Harem Pants
There are only three reasons you’d wear these fugtastic pants: (1) You were MC Hammer in a previous lifetime or (2) You lost a bet or (3) Your boyfriend has a serious genie fetish. If none of these things applies to you, then there is NO REASON to wear them. Ever. Did someone offer you a pair when you ran out of your home in nothing but your underwear after a fire alarm went off? You look them dead in the eye and say, “I may have lost my garage in the blaze, but I didn’t lose my pride.”
Because guys love it when a woman has a 2-foot-long crotch
Crocs
It’s…I can’t even…just…NO.
Even the crocodile wants to eradicate this foot malady
There were definitely other contenders which almost made the list: ponchos, high-waisted shorts, shoulder pads, leggings worn as pants, and anything Ed Hardy. Then I looked in my closet, and found another ten or so that could have been added.
Which fashion trends are on your no-no lists?
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Thanks to Bad Fads for encouraging me to write about this topic. Definitely check out her blog as this is really her area of expertise.
Love the phrasing of “nothing is sexier than highlighting all your flaws in overpriced pants.” Great caption!
Renee
It’s good because it’s TRUE.
HA!
I will never ever ever in the history of ever wear high-waisted pants. NOBODY looks good in them. I’ve never been a fan of the boyfriend jeans either. xoxo
I could not agree with you more. I don’t care if you’re the sexiest super model out there–please, no mom jeans.
Speaking of mom jeans, have you seen this photoshopped picture of Mitt Romney? I don’t know why, but I find it so amusing. http://mittromneyisatool.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Mom-Jeans-Mitt-Romney-Photoshop.jpg
Oh my God, I laughed so hard when I clicked that open. Thank you. I needed that.
Right?! Of all the pictures I saw during election season, that was my favorite. Glad it came to you at the right moment.
I remember when everyone went nuts last year because Katie Holmes started wearing the boyfriend jean. I just kept thinking, “I’ve smelled the butt part of men’s jeans, I don’t want that.”
I am also one who should likely not critique fashion. I have one pair of jeans that I would wear every day if I could, but I completely concur with your choices. The gladiator sandals in particular. I find unlacing sneakers difficult enough, I couldn’t imagine having to diddle with 400 snaps.
I am in favor of the world adopting a uniform. I’ll even let the pants be your favorite jeans.
I am no fashionista….not even close. I wear jeans and t-shirts nearly everyday so I have little room to talk here. But I must mention about footwear. Seriously, when did hooker heals, as I call them, become the most beloved accessory with women? Yes, I am talking about the 5″ heals that everyone seems to be wearing. I witness these monstrosities all the time. The majority of woman CAN’T walk in them. AND who wants to wear shoes that hurt your feet after wearing them for 30 seconds? I DON’T GET IT.
Now being on the shorter side of average, I do love to stand a bit taller than I actually am but comfort outweighs my need to obtain a nosebleed or visit to the podiatrist’s office.
On the flip-side…haha..not a fan of flip-flops….not so much for exposing stranger’s toes for massive viewing…I live in Florida. It’s inevitable (and necessary) to have little amount of foot covering. But I HATE them! Mainly because I can’t stand the thing between my toes. It drives me nuts….
Okay, that’s enough about footwear….:-)
PS…sorry for all my grammatical and spelling errors…must drink more coffee…:-)
Heels!
I hate those things too. I don’t wear any kind of heels. The only pair I have were last worn in my wedding 13 years ago. But the spike ones really get me – especially when worn by people who work on their feet. Never trust a nurse in spike heels. Something is wrong with her.
Also, there are actually people who get their toes trimmed to fit into certain designer shoes. I saw it on Nightline or something. It’s like Cinderella’s stepsisters!
People trim their toes? Wow. I’ve seen some people who don’t even bother to trim their nails.
The strangest part about people wearing hooker heels is it’s obvious they can’t walk in them. They’re always teetering around, and if a stiff wind blew in their direction they’d be screwed. And yeah, not functional at all.
I hate flip flops, but I hate gladiator sandals more. It’s a lesser of the two evils sort of thing.
I didn’t know harem pants were a thing again… They should have died with MC Hammer’s career.
I think once he started doing those Cash 4 Gold commercials people thought it was time to resurrect his pants.
Buttons – anything with buttons…
When you buy jeans with buttons do you just leave the flap open? Because that’s kind of genius.
I don’t really wear jeans – but metal ones are ok – I would never buy 501 button fly jeans.
Maybe I’d get the zipper easy access kind
I HATE the pants with words on the butt. Even worse is when they make them for EIGHT YEAR OLDS. I’m sorry, I’m not into actively encouraging pedophiles when I take my young daughters out. Ditto for the panties that say “eye candy” (I swear I am not making this up.)
But the vagina pants up above – I want those.
We could wear them to a Senate hearing. That would be GREAT.
Christmas is just around the corner!
There is a girl who lives in my complex who is about 10 or 11. She has a pair of pants that say “Hot Stuff” across the butt. I kept wondering where her parents were; why would they let her wear that? I saw the mom not too long ago with a shirt that said “Squeeze Me” across the breasts. Explains it all.
Hahahaha. Yes it does.
I was going to say the same thing! I teach elementary school and little girls (kindergarten!!) come to school with things like “juicy” on their butts and their moms can’t understand when we call home and say they need ot change
Yikes. My mother was an elementary librarian, and she was asking kindergarten kids what their parents did for a living one day. One little girl said “My mommy takes her clothes off!” My mother was like, uh, okay, moving on . . .
“a post-menopausal woman with the word ‘Tasty’ on her sweatpants”—That is almost as disturbing as the picture I saw recently of an octogenarian woman in a thong bikini…
If it looks like your skin has been sitting in front of a heater too long, it’s time to find more flattering clothes.
Hehehehe! Fashion trends on my ‘no-no’ list — I’m generally oblivious to fashion. But being 100 years old, I think I should stay away from thigh high boots
.
There is something very dominatrix about thigh high boots. I’ve seen a couple of people who pulled it off, but I’d say for the most part we should leave them to people posting in the sex ads area of Craigslist.
“Look, if your balls want a hug, just ask.” This made my day.
All of the fashion crimes you cited should be grounds for death, but for me the most grievous of all sartorial sins is still low-rider jeans. Especially when they started getting low enough that you could practically see vaginal cleavage. Not cool.
‘Vaginal cleavage’ — ahahaha! Thanks for this Mme. W — I’d like to use this phrase sometime if you don’t mind — citing you as the source of course.
Be my guest, no citation required!
I used to sit behind a GUY at work who loved low-rider jeans. Through the day they’d shift down, and I’d see little tufts of butt hair poking out.
I wish I could find some word pants with the word, BUTT on them.
You can make your own pair on Zazzle or CafePress. I say do it. Your butt needs to be highlighted.
Seriously, trying to take off skinny jeans after a night out is probably one of the funniest things I hope no one ever has to watch me do.
Especially after you’ve been drinking. Forget it.
Jen, you have crushed me! I am shot through the heart…
How could you put my beloved Crocs on your NO list. I agree with the rest of the list though. I would also like to add low rise jeans and pants… unless you are a stick figure…no one looks good in them. it is so difficult these days to find not only jeans but work pants with a normal waistline. I also agree with Katy regarding the (fuck me pumps) as I call them. Fun post
(non-story-related micro comment)
Dani Heart said “fuck”? The world is coming to an end.
First TJ, now Dani. I blame myself. And you.
I can shoulder all the blame. My shoulders are big enough… plus, they enhance my sexy curves.
Oh, so now I’ve got tiny shoulders? I’ve done P90X 5 times in the last 7 years. How dare you!
You are sexy Bill.
omg!
My poor Dani, you know I support your right to wear Crocs! I promise that if we hung out I’d let you wear them in front of me without fear of persecution.
Also, I’m with Bill. You said “fuck” and my whole world turned upside down!
Yeah, that was like a unicorn pooping… poop… instead of rainbows.
I cuss … I really do…. like a sailor (at home anyway). I even cussed in one of my articles. Sometimes…and you must admit this is true? it is the most fitting word. I mean it can be a verb, adjective, noun, all bases covered sort of word.
Sorry guys…did not mean to disappoint. sighs… anyway… Jen I will take you up on that (no fear of persecution) and one day, we will undoubtedly hang out.
omgosh!! I hate crocs with so much passion. I mean I shouldn’t really. Its just an ugly shoe. But they are everywhere in Colorado. They make them here. I defy ever wearing them. I don’t care if they start deporting people who won’t wear them. I will swim to China. Anyhoo…and GLADIATOR sandals???? Mo power to you girl. Even if certain things are on Sex and the City, (which these may or may not have been, they should not be in the real world ladies.) Good call on all this shiz Jen!!
They make them where you live? Dear god, I’m sorry.
The Republic of Boulder dude.
I’ve been teaching this to my niece “Say no to Crocs!”
Little kids love crocs! My nephew has one pair that he wears all the time. I should have taken preventative measures like you did.
Fucking hilarious post! I have ALWAYS wondered why the hell anyone would wear skinny jeans. The only way they look half way decent is if you wear them with boots. That’s it, and even that is pushing it. You would have to have the right body as well.
I would agree with you on the harem pants as well, but I wear men’s long johns. I have no room to talk about 2 foot long crotches.
Yeah, you do need skinny jeans to wear boots so you don’t get that weird bunch thing at the knee. Do you JUST wear long johns, or do you wear something over them? How did you get them added to the work dress code?
I only wear them outside of the office, but I am working on a dress code addendum.
Let me know how it works out. I’ve got a big tradeshow coming up.
Agree with all of these, especially Skinny Jeans. That said, the picture reminds me how much I find jeans and stiletto heels to be so blah. It’s like a guy wearing a nice pair of black and white spectators with a shitty pair of Dockers.
You make a good point. Stilettos are the “fancy bitch” of the heel kingdom. You must honor her properly or incur the wrath of Calahan.
I have wrath to spare.
Oh man… harem pants. I kind of all of a sudden want some. And I want balls, too. because if I had some balls and some harem pants I can only imagine the good times.
When you think about, harem pants are kind of the perfect pant. It pretty much camouflages weight gain, a pregnancy, period bloat, drugs you’re smuggling into the country, or your new testicles.
I can’t STOP thinking about them.
I dare you to make a picture of yourself wearing a combo of EVERYTHING you mentioned in your post.
So that’s crocs OVER gladiator sandles and skinny jeans OVER harem pants (because the other way around would be to easy).
Looking forward to your next post!
Oh, and I’m digging your style: my daily outfit consists of sneakers, jeans and hoodies.
I personally think it’s an AWESOME-only style. Agreed?
That dare makes me wish I did own everything in the list! A trip to the thrift shop might be in order. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve done a photo shoot in their dressing room.
And yes! Hoodies, jeans and sneakers UNITE!
I love this post! Aside from the skinny jeans I agree with you on every one. I am a really tiny girl so for me skinny jeans highlights the subtle assets I do have where as all other jeans are too bulky and cant find my tiny little curves. I have to say though for me the crocs was the most baffling. People would walk around with those on in all sorts of neon colors and I really just wonder if they actually knew what they looked like. I dont care how comfortable they are- JUST SAY NO!
If you are the 1% of Americans (cue Occupy Wall Street music!) who can pull these off, then go for it. I really take issue with the 99% who are trying to wear them. I know I couldn’t. *shudder*
The only truly abhorrent trend I think you missed is the jumpsuit. I HATE jumpsuits. I see more and more of them in otherwise normal stores and it makes me sad.
Also, skinny jeans are contributing to a higher rate of bladder infections and yeast infections. DNW.
How could I forget the jumpsuit? Seriously, it was everywhere last summer, and now it has continued into this year with the shorts now being pants. Are people really too lazy to buy two pieces?
Uggs with skirts. Uggs is short for ugly.
You MUST live in California. When I lived there, people loved walking around like they were confused about what season it was.
Did you live in Northern or Southern?
Oh, Jen… It’s good to be back to reading your zaniness! I missed it while in hiding. (Btw, I am back and incognito.)
I’m glad to have you back, even if you’re doing it from behind a curtain
I prefer the term “cloak” as in “cloak and dagger.” Mostly because of the dangers implied by the suggestion that I wield a dagger. That makes me mysterious and dangerous.
Wait- so my harem pants and gladiator sandals combo is an issue now? Wish you’d said before you wrote this :/
If your life dream is to be a genie who fights animals to the death while people watch, I think you can work the look!
As I was reading your list of hated clothes I realized we are like brain twins. Those are the clothes I have big problems with too! Also if we can add them to the list those t-shirts that look used from Urban Outfitters. I can use my own shirt like a boss.
Preach it! The thing that kills me about the destroyed look is that it’s more expensive. I keep wanting to tell people, “There is a goodwill down the street. I know for a fact they sell jeans with holes in them for, like, 5 bucks.”
Yeah! Also they have a plethora of “vintage” members only jackets… why are people buying those things new again?!!?!?!?
I think you and I need to buy cheap stuff from Goodwill and then sell it in an overpriced boutique to hipsters.
I can’t even get skinny jeans to go over my calves. Sad day! So I’m a skinny jean hater as well! And I definitely agree with everything else on your list.
Luckily I recently donated 4 bags of clothes from my closet, so I think anything I would have had to add to the list is gone ^.^
I hear you. I went through my closet a few months ago and I just wondered why nobody told me that two-tone neon shirts weren’t a good look for me.
But with your hair color – the two-tone looks great! THAT’s why no one mentioned it! ^.^
I have a real aversion to those “bike racing suits” that people wear who AREN’T biking racing. Oh yeah, and I hate gladiator sandals. And wet and salt-stained UGGS.
I work from my home, and occasionally I head to a local coffee shop to get some human interaction. There is a group of 5 guys, all 50+ who come in their biking uniforms and sit there in full gear for a couple of hours twice a week. They don’t care that their wangs are bulging out while the rest of us are trying to work.
I love crocs. I bring them backpacking as camp shoes. I could care less if someone else doesn’t like my outdoor wear. And I always think it is silly when people wear things intended for something you know they will never do… Are you a skate-boarder? Then maybe Vans are for you. Are you a rock-climber– then of course you are wearing flip flops to dinner. Are you a skier? Well then those Uggs with tights are expected after having your feet in cold plastic all day… and on and on and on and on…
So you’re saying I shouldn’t be wearing flippers to work?
I don’t even think long-distance swimmers wear their flippers after they get out of the water… so, yeah… why don’t you just go ahead and rock those things all day. Do it for me… or the children… or for me as an overgrown child.
Do I dear say it? I love skinny jeans. I agree, they require the rest of the attire to kinda work, but I find that when I have skinny jeans on, I can have an oversized sweater on and still feel and look sexy. And nothing adds to it more than heels.
Also, I do not own, but don’t mind harem pants. Difficult to pull off, but certainly possible IMHO. Gladiator sandals… got a couple of pairs that are not standard gladiators, but I suppose I have to also say I like them. They look fantastic with a longer, high-waisted summer dress.
What I hate is sweatpants of any sort in public. Especially in conjunction with Ugg boots (seems to be the standard attire of a large group of girls in the UK…). Crocs – absolutely detest them. I wouldn’t even wear them at home. Low-cut jeans – same. I do not want to see that. I don’t.
Perhaps skinny jeans are just temperamental, and need someone to give them the proper TLC they need to look good. I am the laziest dresser ever so it certainly isn’t me.
Believing myself to be older than anyone else in this fine comment thread (and having been raised by old people), let me say that I think I have seen every bad fashion fad, dating back to the Roosevelt Administration. Having said that, my personal high(low)lights would be…
Levi’s 501 Jeans. I wore them around the time Dave Grohl played drums for a little band called Nirvana. I would buy them used from the Army/Navy store for nine bucks a pair, and they always fit like a perfect glove. Now, no matter what size it says on the label, they always fit like an undersized denim jockstrap with legs.
Now I choose jeans based on more than just the waist and the inseam. Because no one should ever have to adjust their jeans like a batter at home plate adjusting the body armor covering his “crotchal region”.
Yeah, the classic 501 jeans don’t fit like they used to. I had a pair way back when that I loved, but the material they use now is too stiff in my opinion. The women’s jeans have come a long way, but I doubt you want bootcut pants that enhance your sexy curves.
Note to Self: Acquire “sexy curves”.
You’ve already got sexy legs. Don’t be a sexy hog.
Crocs and harem pants were high on my list Jen, as well as muscle shirts on men with no muscle, jeans/pants worn down low enough to show 2/3 of your underwear tight jeans worn by women with too much excess belly fat, creating a LARGE muffin top. Ew.
It makes me sad when I see people who have a good body, but have chosen to wear unflattering pants. I just want to yell at them, “You don’t have to put down the cake to look good. Just buy a new pair of pants you fool.”
lol…yeah. When I was working at the local mall here, there were 2 sisters, BOTH had too much “middle” and both insisted on wearing tight, low waisted jeans which looked ridiculous. I guess they figured that because they were young, they were entitled to the fashion, regardless of what shape their bodies were in. It grossed me out and always made me shake my head.
Indeed – skinny jeans & jeggings were meant to be worn with boots and boots only. Otherwise, they are the most unflattering things. And thank you… I’ve hated gladiator sandals for years! I also loathe belts that are worn around the mid-section (they aren’t holding anything up), anything PINK by Victoria’s Secret and shirts with elastic bands at the bottom. Seriously… if you have boobs, the elastic band at the bottom of a shirt turns your mid-section into a huge bubble. Why do clothes designers aim to make us look like shit?
I HATE those shirts with bands at the mid-section. I always feel like I’m pregnant (or at least really bloated) when I wear them. They aren’t flattering for anyone other than undeveloped 10-year-old girls.
I’ll be the first to admit (after everyone who knows me) that I have zero fashion sense, but most of your photo selections were pretty heinous. However, I think the gladiatrix shoes were pretty cool.
I think you could pull off gladiator sandals. You’ve got the personality and the sexy, sexy calves to.