Myth #3: Don't mix patterns and stripes. Whoever made this up obviously didn't go to fashion school. Mixing patterns and stripes makes for an absolutely fantastic look. Just keep proportions in mind, so if one pattern or stripe is bold, make the other more subdued. The contrast is quite fashionable.
The only true rule in fashion design, then, is that rules were made to be broken. You'll find that debunking the myths may be the best thing you ever did to your wardrobe.
Here are some rules you can finally start breaking!
Myth #6: Black looks good on everyone. Not necessarily. Color experts argue that only one in five people have the cool, pale skin tone that looks good with black. People with warmer skin tones look washed out in black, as the color takes away all the golden tones from their skin.
Out
CR High Top, I say! One; two, why then 'tis time to do't. My skin is murky. Okay, probably not exactly how the Bard would have written it, but I would bet it's exactly what Lady Macbeth was trying to say. Men always misinterpret women, why is that?Of course her skin was murky! After 35, even with the best of home care, you have to know when to call in the professionals. Being a diva, I've been taking care of mine since my teens. Years of acne taught me that early! Sadly I spent much of my wasted youth tanning and sun bedding. Remember when those first beds came out? Year round bronze beauty.That's why so many of us look like handbags today. In my case a badly mottled one.
Myth #4: Your shoes should match your bag. Let's face it: if you match your shoes with your handbag, you will look like the Queen dressed you. She probably wants you to wear matching gloves, too. If you have to match your bag with something, it should be your clothes, but even that is not necessary.
Somewhere in your developmental fashion years, a parent, schoolteacher, nun, or another member of the fashion police drilled certain rules into your head about what you should or shouldn't wear. And you believed them. But according to fashion design experts, most of these rules are just myths. Not only are they untrue, they can be detrimental to your wardrobe.
Myth #2: Horizontal stripes make you look fat. Although people have blindly believed this myth for decades, it's scientifically proven to be wrong. A psychologist at York University recently showed that horizontal lines do not make you look fatter; and if anything, can make you look thinner. He was confirming the findings from a 19th century physicist who first investigated the optical illusion that horizontal lines look taller and narrower than vertical lines.
Myth #5: Baggy clothes hide the fat. People are not fooled by that muumuu. While baggy clothes may hide the figure, the result is a shapeless silhouette that can actually make you appear larger. Form-fitting clothes that show off the curves without being too tight are actually more flattering.
Melasma. Say it loud, say it proud. My face by mid-thirties looked like a shaded relief map of Asia. I won't go into a scientific definition of melasma
Boss Bags, but it's a horrid condition of blotchy, brown areas all over your skin. It looks like Guerlain's Terracotta Summer Stones, except not blended or pretty. Melasma apparently loves all things Asian, African, Mediterranean, or Hispanic. Since I am a mixture of two of these groups, I get lots of love from Melasma. Not to say it discriminates
Nike Jordan Retro X, it likes white girls too. But you know us brown girls love to show how tan we get, and I could roast and toast with the best of them. Well bully for me because all I have to show for it is my multicolored face.
Myth #7: Men's shoes should match their belts. This one's a toughie, as many men may face resistance from those who swear by this rule. But shoes do not need to match - they should coordinate with the belt. Imagine if you had shoes that were tan or white. It would be difficult finding a tan or white belt that was an exact match. But you would find brown or black belts that coordinated with them.
Myth #1: Don't wear white after Labor Day. All right, let's put this one to bed right away. White is not only acceptable, it's actually quite stunning in the fall and winter. Remember that white comes in many shades, some warm and some cool. The warmer whites add drama to a post-Labor Day wardrobe, and when the white comes in a cozy fabric like cashmere, it's definitely a "fashion do."