New York Fashion No-no's!

New York is supposed to be one of the fashion capitals with models on every corner, and trendy people everywhere.. right? Guess again. While, New York may be one of the fashion capitals in the world I can surely tell you that most “normal” New Yorkers aren’t that different from you and I after all. In fact, this was one of the things that really threw me off about the city. You mean everyone doesn’t dress like they do in Sex and the City? Negative ghost rider. In fact, my friends here are less concerned about the latest designer jeans and more about catching a great bargain at H&M or Forever 21. This also might partly be because of our ages and the fact that our rent is probably 3 times the average amount of anyone else our age in the country, but this has been my experience. 

Instead of picking up great fashion tips while walking along the streets every day, I’ve actually picked up more fashion no-no’s! I’m not sure if New Yorkers just have no shame, or if some of them put these outfits on and head outside thinking they are being trendy, but whatever the issue may be someone needs to let these people in on a little secret.

So what exactly are people walking around on the streets of New York? It all started with fall and winter and leggings. Personally, I love leggings! They’re warmer than tights and you can wear them with just about anything. What they aren’t are though is pants! You can’t even believe how many girls I saw walking around virtually with no pants on! It wasn’t even like they were wearing dresses on the shorter side, or long shirts with the leggings either! That was my first tip to the fashionally distressed of the city.

Since then, I’ve seen it all. Mixed prints, head to toe animal prints, head to toe furs (different kinds even), girls wearing shirts (that were clearly shirts) as dresses, and even leather head to toe! We all have our strengths, and sometimes fashion just isn’t it and New York is no exception. 

I wouldn’t call myself a fashion expert. I buy most of my clothes at Forever 21 or H&M and would rather rock my pair of skinny jeans I bought for $12.90 than a pair costing ten times that. I’m simple, and love a good bargain. While I am no expert, I do know when a look is just not working.

Which brings me to two girls I saw on my bus ride home from work. Two girls dressed up, what looked like, to get a head start on the weekend by going out for the evening. I’m not sure about you, but if I were to buy a completely sheer blouse I would plan on wearing a camisole underneath. Maybe this girl forgot to put her shirt on? Or, fingers crossed she doesn’t have a mirror? Because she walked onto the bus in a completely sheer shirt with nothing but her underwear underneath. Yikes! I thought that was bad until I turned to her friend hobbling next to her. I’m the first to say I love shoes, and I love heels at that. While I don’t wear them as often in the city, I can still appreciate a good pair of shoes. What I couldn’t appreciate was the friend’s 8 inch platform heels, no joke. Neon green and orange at that! I’m sorry girls, but if you cannot walk in 4 inch heels to start with, adding another 2 inch platform to the bottom isn’t probably the best of ideas. Each shoe must have weighed a couple of pounds each they were so clunky and high. I’ve truly never seen anything like it! The Alexander McQueen avant garde shoes that Lady Gaga frequently wears didn’t even have anything on this pair of shoes. It was a painful combination. 

So to the women of New York, you can be quite trendy and well-dressed, but please remember these 3 tips from me before leaving your apartment!

1.) Leggings are not pants. If you could not wear your dress (or long shirt) without anything underneath than leggings should not be worn either! Invest in jeggings or skinny jeans. They will still give you a tight fit, but actually be appropriate to wear in public.

2.) Don’t forget to put on your shirt. It doesn’t matter what month it is, if your shirt is completely shear, then you need to wear something with a little coverage underneath. You are most likely not a Victoria’s Secret model getting ready to work the runway and therefore need to wear at least a little something underneath!

3.) If you can’t walk in shoes, then you shouldn’t wear them. There’s a difference between your feet being sore after a night out wearing heels and being sore after 10 steps because your shoes belong in an art show and not on your feet. Ladies, I’m not sure who you are trying to impress, but men would probably still be interested in you in normal heels. Besides, no one wants to hear you complain all night about your feet hurting or have to carry you home after you twist your ankle walking on a flat surface!

Please, and thank you women!