Posts with tag styles that stick

Remember 2001?

The world sure was a different place back then, wasn't it? Different problems, different music, different international diplomatic strategies, different minimum wage -- I could go on and on, but I won't.

What I'm here to talk about is what hasn't changed since 2001: the baffling popularity of the Canadian Tuxedo. (See exhibit a)

Also known as the denim suit and the JOJO (Jean-on-Jean-Offense), the Canadian Tuxedo crops up every year, usually in the fall, when the temperatures are ideal for jeans paired with jean jackets.

I once had a former boss-lady editor who rocked the Canadian Tuxedo with some regularity, so I've given some thought to both the pros and the cons of wearing head-to-toe denim. Here's what I've come up with:

Pros: lots of cotton; lots of pockets; moderately wind resistant; denim hides dirt; denim matches everything.

Cons: uh, you look stupid.

I know It sounds reductive, but let's consider the case of Justin Timberlake.

Back in 2001, Justin was B-list celebrity. He was in the boy band NSYNC; he looked like a overgrown eight-year-old with creepy facial hair; he dated Britney Spears. Most importantly, he wore the Canadian Tuxedo to the 2001 American Music Awards. (See exhibit b)

These days JT is one of the best-dressed celebrities. He's also an awarding winning musician and performer. He's dating Jessica Biel. He even has his own clothing company; but most importantly -- he wouldn't be caught dead wearing Canadian Tuxedo. (See exhibit c)

A simple coincidence? I think not.

The ever-practical sweatshirt known as the hoody long ago broke with its music-geek origins only to become a fashionable staple that has stood the test of time. (Or at least the test of the last decade...)

Originally made from flocked cotton with a simple drawstring hood, modern designers have taken the basic idea of the zip-up and converted it into a luxury idea that comes in a wide array of fabrics, ranging from cashmere to velour.

And what is it about the hoody that keeps us infatuated? Some would says it's the hood, but I'm inclined to say it's the zipper. As Jonathon recently pointed out in a post, zippers are by far the most compelling of the notions (buttons, clasps, etc).

From greasy-haired Elliott Smith wannabes to Sid Vicious tributants and celebrities emulator star-struck with Paris Hilton, the easy-on, easy-off handling of the hoody makes it a natural choice for an infinite number of occasions.

Are you feeling sporty? Try a Juicy Couture hoody (but not the pants, mind you. What do you think this is -- 2002?).
Are you feeling bohemian? Throw on a cashmere hoody with a cute dress that almost passed its season.
Are you feeling casual? Hoodies and jeans couldn't find better companions.

This fall, as you transition from the long, warm days of summer to the brisk air of autumn, keep yourself feeling rakish and toasty with a hoody in hand.

Every time, it's the same routine. Getting ready to go out for lunch with the girls, cocktails, dinner -- whatever requires my getting dressed beyond the standard blogger attire of pajamas --I change my outfit at least three times. And with each change, I do the deed of accessorizing. Though accessorizing is one of my favorite parts of getting dressed, it requires time and energy a focus on detail to perfectly match jewelry to an outfit. Do I go boho with wooden hoops? How about something trendy with dangling semi-precious gems? Or should I rewind to Mod with some giant white plastic loops?

When I can't take it anymore (which isn't all that often - some days/nights, I wouldn't mind just scrapping the whole idea of going out altogether and staying home playing in my closet), I turn to a classic - diamond studs. You can never go wrong by wearing a pair of diamond studs, a timeless look that's simple, classy, and elegant. Sure, each diamond might not be 3 carats, but the little bit of authentic bling that even 1/4 ct on your ears brightens the face physically with sparkle, as well as emotionally. Come one, they're dianonds.

Shiny metallic pink.

Creamy powder blue.

Oh, and then that awful Chanel black.

Trends in manicures come and go, but there is one look on fingernails (and sometimes toes!) that will stand the test of time and trend: the French manicure. Something about the white-tipped, sheer colored look is timeless. Perhaps it is that the French manicure can be at once natural with its pale pink to almost clear nail color, and yet glamorously polished, for it a more expensive job at the salon. (The girls at my nail salon are always trying to upsell me on a French manicure when I go in.) Perhaps it is simply that, unlike any other color, it seems to go with just about anything you're wearing.

Sure, there are strange variations of the French manicure, with odd shapes at the tips, grotesquely long nails, or even reversing the colors, but that traditional, semi-natural, semi-polished look makes the French manicure a style that definitely sticks.

If there's a style from the movies that is recognizable the world over, it's that from Breakfast at Tiffany's. More than 40 years later, the upswept hair, the black sheath dress, and a strand of pearls is a classic "look" that can never be bad. Don a pair of oversized sunglasses with your evening ensemble, and you're ready to go, Holly.

A cigarette holder and long black gloves might be overdoing it a little, though.

If you've got nothing else in your closet beside a little black dress, then the only thing you need to have in your jewelry box is a strand of pearls. Whether they're an heirloom from your great grandmother, an anniversary gift from your significant other, or something you bought for yourself just last week, you've got to have them. In other words, if you don't have a set, it's time to dip into your savings and invest in a fabulous set of pearls. There really isn't an occasion where you can't wear pearls and look fabulous.

Pearls come in different sizes (diameters) and the strands come in different lengths, but the most basic, versatile is 5-7 mm diameter length (for me) is 18", which falls slightly below the space between my collar bones. It's a length that works for most necklines on dresses, as well as under a shirt or blouse worn with a suit. Oh girls, if a strand of pearls whispers "class' with a little black dress, they definitely scream "sexy power" when worn with a sleek black pantsuit!

I have a few strands. My grandmother gave me my first necklace sometime back when I was in college. Over the years, I've been gifted a few more strands in different colors and different lengths, but I always go back to the ones from my grandmother!

We've been talking about styles that stick here at Styledash, and have covered a range of styles that have endured (sometimes longer than necessary) for whatever reason. However, when I think of classic styles, one thing is so salient that it's hard to believe we haven't mentioned it yet.

The little black dress.

There's a whole history surrounding the little black dress, with differing opinions about when and where it began its status as a style icon. In my mind, however, the little black dress, or LBD, started with Holly Golightly in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.' The simple sleeveless black shift is the one that started a timeless trend of dresses that eventually enveloped a whole wardrobe of different styles and shapes, but in the end, are all little, and all black.

Clearly, the reason that the little black dress is a classic piece in any woman's wardrobe is two-fold. On the one hand, the LBD is the ultimate in versatility. A woman can get pretty far with a fairly basic LBD. My favorite is a black tank minidress that can take on all sort of accessories to go from work to cocktails to dinner to the club.

On the other hand, you can never have too many LBDs!

Can I get an "Amen!"

We've come a long way from the boring days of yore, when women had universally long hair, and men kept their coiffures short and neat -- no exceptions. However, even though it's occasionally trendy for women to go short and spiky -- or even bald -- nothing says elegance like a long, shiny locks.

The reasons behind our long-hair lust may go beyond the resurgence of vintage chic or our infatuation with Herbal Essence advertisements. Some anthropologists think that it's based on an innate human desire to select healthy sexual partners -- meaning that, because long hair is an indicator of good health, we find it attractive.

Maybe this is why men are so quick to adopt the fashion whenever it becomes popular -- from the hippies of the 1960s, to grunge fans of the 90s, to today's 90s-inspired hipster types, whose shaggy styles will only get longer as they become more infatuated with Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder.

That said -- it's possible that the woman pictured above is taking the idea just a little too far. Her hair measures 2 meters and 42 centimeters (almost 8 feet), and she hasn't had it cut in over 15 years. If you think you're up for the challenge, keep in mind that it's a serious investment -- to grow your hair down to your waist will take about 7 years.

On the other hand, there's always extensions.

Styledashers, when we talk about styles that stick, right away we think about clothes or accessories, but let's not forget that there are a lot of elements of style that aren't necessarily wearable things we put on and take off. A deep dark tan was one of them -- although I do realize that if you tan the way I do, spray on, you actually can put it on and take it off pretty easily.

Another style that sticks is the Colgate smile, i.e. a bright, white smile with almost perfectly aligned teeth. I say "almost perfectly aligned" because if your teeth are perfect perfect, we know that isn't natural. Granted, a bright white smile isn't always natural either (and honey, have I seen some nuclear powered, unnatural smiles), but without asking the person, we'll just have to assume that the person brushes and flosses in the morning, after every meal, and before bed.

A beautiful smile is the best accessory a man or woman (or even kid) could have. Even if you're wearing the grungiest clothes, have on no makeup, and still haven't brushed your hair, a sparkling smile is just as good as a string of pearls.

So consider this a reminder to take good care of your teeth. Brush. Floss. If you have to (and unfortunately, I have to because of years of very bad, stain-causing things), use a simple whitener like Crest Whitestrips (which would make it a Crest Smile, not a Colgate Smile).

One of the most unfortunate styles to stick is the dreadful mullet. It's right up there with mom jeans, I believe. Unfortunately, this blasted hairstyle has managed to sneakily elude extinction because of its super-morphing abilities. That is the most dangerous aspect of the mullet and one of the main reasons why so many have fallen victim to it.

In the '70s, the look was popularized by David Bowie, who wore it totally glammed up as Ziggy Stardust, and in the '80s, the likes of MacGyver wore the cut big and loose. These days, it's popular with pretentious teen hipsters, who often wear the mullet straightened, spiky, and poorly bleached. They call it the "fashion mullet," but we all know that the addition of "fashion" in the term is doing nothing for it, don't we? These chameleon-like qualities of the hairstyle have allowed the mullet to coast freely through the decades, poisoning the heads of those who are too weak to resist it ... or those who have accidentally taken a little too much off the bangs.

Even worse, there are those who feel the need to get a little, uh, creative with the mullet. That's where the skullet, frullet, and ever-terrible Jheri Curl mullet come in. Click here and witness this horror, if you dare.

Instant preppiness can be achieved by simply donning a polo shirt (or tennis shirt or golf shirt, whatever term tickles your fancy). My favorite way to wear a polo is with grungy jeans and messy accessories, because I guess I'm into that weird juxtaposed look.

Lacoste is probably the most popular brand for this shirt, and rightfully so. René Lacoste was a French tennis player, working when the sport's players still had to compete while wearing suits and ties. Looking for a creative alternative to their traditional stuffy attire, Lacoste created what we now know as the polo shirt -- he used it as a tennis shirt, obviously -- and started his own line of clothing: Gucci.

No, I'm just kidding, it was Lacoste. I was just testing you, see?

Other popular polo shirts come from Ralph Lauren's Polo line and just about any other place on the face of this earth that sells Western clothing. Seriously, polo shirts are everywhere. Also, it's tough to go wrong with a polo shirt, as long as it's not too baggy and fits close to the body. Honestly, it's just a glorified knit shirt, darlings.

Fun fact: Before annoying rich kids in high school made it look obnoxious, flipping the collar up on a polo shirt was not for fashion, but for function. Wearing the collar up would protect the wearer's neck from the sun during outdoor games.

That's right, I said it: Black nail polish. To most people, the trend may bring about thoughts of wannabe-punk thirteen year-olds and surly teen goths that hang out by the local 7-11 dumpster, but I assure you, black nail polish will stick around for a very long time. Just take a look at the popularity of Chanel's "Black Satin" and New York Magazine's brief -- but fascinating -- history of black nail polish.

I started wearing black nail polish a few years ago because of my nail-biting habits. It started getting out of control when I realized that I loathed shaking peoples' hands, in fear of them seeing my horrible, gnawed up fingernails. Since I knew I couldn't possibly resort to the bitter nail-biting cream (I have a tendency to forget I have stuff on my hands and proceed to rub my eyes), I decided I would try wearing bold nail polish all the time. So, I bought some nice black nail polish -- black being the only color that goes with everything I own -- and started wearing it all the time. Having nice-looking nails turned out to be incentive enough to keep my hands away from my mouth. Thanks to black nail polish, I haven't bitten my nails in over two years!

End testimonial. Ahem...

Ahh, the trench coat. One of the most beautifully classic pieces of outerwear. Just think of the rain-soaked kiss of Audrey Hepburn's Breakfast at Tiffany's, or the typical super-mistress of espionage, and you can get the full effect of this lovely coat. Although the trench is not necessarily a wardrobe staple, it has managed to stand the test of time, so having one on-hand in the closet is never going to be a bad thing.

When shopping for a trench coat, it is impossible to go wrong with Burberry, since the company was the first to come up with the coat, originally intending it as a raincoat for army officers. However, when I say it's "impossible to go wrong with Burberry", I'm assuming that everyone has at least $1500 to spend per coat. For those that don't have that sort of pocket change, the trench is popular enough to be available in stores everywhere... Well, it will be available everywhere once the sweltering hot Summer is over. As with any coat, the fit of a trench coat is very important. The structured lines can be very flattering, as long as the size is perfect against the body. One size too big, and the coat can look like a lumpy coat, emphasizing all the wrong parts.

And for those of you who are daring enough to stray from the traditional beige and black, many designers have come up with brighter colors to liven up the rainiest of days. Burberry even has a stunning tweed trench with their famous check pattern, but, again, don't bother unless you have at least $1500 to spare.

Last week, Deidre told us about a brewing lawsuit between designer Ralph Lauren and the Levi's Strauss corporation over Lauren's illegal use of the Levi's trademarked "arcuate" pocket stitching.

Well, Levi's and Lauren can duke it out over "arcuates" all they want because the rest of us know that the real brand power of Levi's jeans is in its number: 501.

Believe it or not, the 501 style goes all the way back to 1873 in the earliest days of the Levi's Strauss company when they served as the unofficial uniform of prospectors headed out to California with Gold Rush fever.

For the next 50 years -- after the gold had disappeared -- 501s were worn by the proverbial salt of the year -- cowboys, farmhands, ranchers and lawmen. Function was the name of the game back then, and it was the durable fabric and the hearty construction that made 501s so popular.

Despite being notoriously tough to walk in, the pencil skirt has been a wardrobe staple to many ladies since the 1950s. The skirt instantly creates a classically shapely silhouette, but, unfortunately, it seems to only flatter people who already have a small waist, curvy hips, and long legs, and it doesn't do much for the rest of us. In fact, everyone else is most likely better off in an A-line skirt.

There are few looks that can exist in the fetish world and be work-appropriate at the same time, but, for some reason, the pencil skirt manages to function either way. Online pin-up girls and Pulp songs glorify the restricting skirt, but Plain Jane from Accounting also likes to wear it with her cardigans. So, girls who invest in a pencil skirt have something suitable for the daytime and the nighttime with a quick swap of the top.

And as if that isn't enough to envy the lucky ladies who look good in the ultra-flattering pencil skirts, the piece is ridiculously easy to find. The tough part is getting one that feels good and fits your stride. Really, they're a pain to walk in if you buy anything even remotely too tight, so be sure to strut around about in the dressing room before making a purchase, all right? However, Victoria's Secret sells stretchy pencil skirts and, from the looks of the picture on their website, Giselle is able to move her legs quite comfortably. Hmm.