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Underground > Art, Fashion & Design >

Ongoing fashion help and advice (or virtual 'does my bum look big in this-ness'?)

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22:21 / 18.04.03

Inspired by Praying Mantis' thread on the bag/coat problem, I have started this thread for ongoing fashion help/advice. A kind of virtual 'get all your mates round to help you decide what to wear' arena.

So I'll go first. What the HELL do I wear on my feet now it's warm? My trainers get too hot, and I can't be doing with this flip-flop gag because apart from anything else, in London you'd get dirty feet, *really* quickly.

Now I know there are some fashion gurus out there, you must have a plan....

Tryphena Absent

00:35 / 19.04.03

Wedges- they have bigger soles/heels so your feet don't pick up so much dirt from the floor, they're open toed so your feet don't get too hot and they're usually pretty comfortable.

I have these weird wedge heeled espadril's that I wear because I absolutely hate all open toed shoes because they're sick and wrong.

pointless and uncalled for

11:10 / 19.04.03

There are some thinner canvas DC style deck shoes going about that could fit the bill.

15:17 / 21.04.03

here's a question quite relevant to my life: what do you feel is business casual? or, more to the point, notbusiness casual. i work in a 'business casual' environment, and also this is my first 'real' job. from what i can tell, it varies depending on where you work. i do work in the non-profit sector, so i think that makes it a little more casual. i don't think i'd wear cargo pants or corduroys, although i have worn a corduroy skirt. i have worn skirts w/no tights (i abhor pantyhose, can't do it, well, prob'ly for a role in a play) on warmer days, being nervous the whole time, but no one's said anything. i have some sandals that i plan to wear for summer; they're not birkenstocks or flip-flops or anything, they're nicer, so i hope they're ok. i wear plain t-shirts if they're fitted and sort of nice looking, with decent slacks. that seems fine. i dunno. it all makes me a little nervous. and how short is a short skirt? i usually go by my high school code: nothing that goes above yr fingertips when yr arms are at yr sides. my arms aren't too short so i dunno. ok, can i wear this: a knee-length waistless polo-shirt (i.e. w/3 buttons and a collar) dress, with no tights, with nice sandals, in the summer. too casual? what do you think? i guess i could ask the woman in human resources but i'd rather not know for sure if the answer's no, cos then i can just see how long i get away w/it.
thanks in advance for yr help, fellow fashionistas!

18:02 / 21.04.03

Olulabelle, I reckon the chief problem one has with one's feet getting hot is that they expand and if one's shoes are too tight it 'urts. So what you need is something which lets your feet breathe and has a bit of room for expansion but isn't going to flap around and pick up dirt... I'd say with Anna that wedges and/or espadrilles are a good plan, or you could try ballet flats or other sorts if you don't like heels. Or pointy flats, but I hate those, the toes look evil.

praying mantis, I always assumed that business casual means 'smart casual but not too directional'... I'd be wary of the dress, if only because waistless to me implies properly casual or holiday dress, but why not just go by what everyone else in the office is doing?

19:30 / 21.04.03

I have a favourite t-shirt, no emotional attatchment just an aesthetic one, but it has become pretty ripped up holes in the armpits and along the torso, so I'm thinking safetypins?

19:59 / 21.04.03

I wouldnt go for what everyone else is wearing, but I'd use it as a guideline.
As for the tshirt, its evil isnt it. Safety-pins sound cunning, and you can probably get away with them being "accessories", as such, rather than repairs. Wise. In much the same situ myself: the armpits of my fav tshirt have been sewn so many times that theyre just big balls or thread. Very sad. Mine was my sisters, but i just found out that my other sister has one the same, and she says she will send me it. HURRAH!

Does a turquise top go with or clash with purple hotpants? I say they go, but my mother disagrees. But shes a grumpy old woman.

20:40 / 21.04.03

But what *is* "smart casual"?

Tryphena Absent

22:38 / 21.04.03

praying mantis
Business casual- generally dark colours on the bottom half of your body unless you're going for something like a beige, summery thing with matching top and skirt/trousers. Muted colours on top and as tailored as, say, a skinny fit T-shirt would get. So, sounds like you've got it right really- what colour is the polo- shirt dress and do the buttons match?

Matter
I'm all for safety pins but you need to be careful with the size of them.

Gingerbop
Really depends on how electric the purple is! I'm inclined to say that hotpants= no one looking at the clashing colours.

16:58 / 22.04.03

hotpants=no one looking at the clashing colors... LOL

thanks, kit-kat, i think yr right about the dress. waistless = too cas. the polo dress is red, w/three red buttons, anna. what if i wore a tie w/it, would that dress it up?

matter, i'd only do the safety pins if it works w/the shirt and that's yr steez, like punky-looking. otherwise, just sew it up. s'easy.
ginger-depending on the shade, i'd say it could work. there's a thing that my roomies (for whom i advise and receive advice from) and i say a lot: 'it doesn't match, but it goes.' sounds like this could be a good example.

i can't really follow other people too much, cos i'm a lowly receptionist and the other, higher-up ladies often wear jackets and things i really wouldn't except sometimes for fun, and there's one guy who wears cargo pants and shirts w/ logos and i know, as a receptionist, the "face" of the organization, i'd never get away w/any of that. >:C

Tryphena Absent

08:03 / 23.04.03

Well I think that if the polo dress had been navy you might have gotten away with wearing it but red's probably too obvious!

18:21 / 23.04.03

i never thought of it that way, as in color-wise, but i think you may be on to something, anna!

19:14 / 23.04.03

Query: what should I do about my legs in hot weather? They aren't a problem when wearing long skirts or trousers, obviously, but if I want to wear a shorter skirt what should I do? I am very pale and burn easily, don't tan, and don't fancy showing a pair of rather, err... stocky, bright white legs. It makes me feel dumpy and irritable. I don't think fake tan is an option as I just don't tan and it would look ridiculous; so is it still all right to wear pale fishnets, or what?

20:38 / 23.04.03

Of course I defer to Anna's fashion wisdom, but do you think perhaps that a polo dress can be sufficiently dressed up with a nice cardigan? Plus this is practical because it's so freezing in most offices in the summer, but you have on a nice light dress underneath for going out in the heat.

Tryphena Absent

20:41 / 23.04.03

Pale fishnets would certainly bring you some extra colour. I think they're okay on people with lighter skin but not so good on someone with a very yellow base, the lighter Middle Eastern skin tones for example look awful with anything 'skin coloured'. Tights rock at the moment... Zara, John Lewis, some branches of Topshop are turning out pale, patterned colours that could contrast nicely with your colouring and won't be too hot in summer. To be honest I'd just let the skin show- not everyone has to be sun bronzed, let's have some good, old fashioned English paleness.

Tryphena Absent

20:43 / 23.04.03

Persephone I defer to you! I never even thought about layers!

21:32 / 23.04.03

Kit-Kat, i think we have cloned legs.
I do patterned tights, which is especially easy coz im short (5'2") and can still get in2 kids striped tights

Heehee, I love them! (with short skirts and Doc martens).But not really gr8 for hot weather.
So possibly 3/4 lenth trousers, or just show off those lovely white legs! If u wear a bright or patterned top, nobody will notice ur legs. Perhaps. xx

10:23 / 27.04.03

Kit-Cat, buy the ruby slippers because then of course you will *have* to wear black and white stripy tights at all times with them, thereby solving your leg problem.

19:22 / 29.04.03

*gasps in amazement at the imagined beauty of ruby slippers AND striped tights* What more could a girl need? (ok,ok,maybe something for the top half wouldnt go a miss).

14:01 / 30.04.03

kit-kat: pale=pretty, & don't you forget it.

have you guys seen the ruby shoes?

18:52 / 30.04.03

Oh, red carpet shoes... and with naff ribbon ankle straps as well... think I'll give them a miss.

(I might have felt differently had they been T-bar shoes - I need some new ones...)

21:45 / 30.04.03

Seriously though, who'd spend £1 million on those? Anyone agree with me that the ruby shoes are um......vile. As for the sweaty feet dilemma i suggest getting yourself a pair of trainers that have like air-vents in them. I have a pair of converse trainers and they have a mesh on the side that lets air in, without socks they keep your feet cool and they don't wind up stinking like you've smeared your toes in a bit of red leicester either. Most shoes that fit properly should be alright without socks, you shouldn't get too hot in the foot rgion as long as your shoes are cheap and nasty, plasticy trainers make your feet sweat like hell.

22:45 / 30.04.03

Eugh, those shoes are a bit yukky.
What dya reakon, re

ale legs- I have a theory that because they are so bright-white, they reflect the light. But then it doesnt make sense that we burn. Goddamnit, why cant i be of normal complexion!

23:11 / 30.04.03

I think perhaps there's some absorption of light rays involved in the reflecting process.

But yes - bright, white, gleaming, fat legs, oh God, must buy trousers.

Tryphena Absent

23:33 / 30.04.03

I'm not particularly impressed by the ruby slippers- though obviously I'd buy them anyway, I'm not that discerning.

19:02 / 03.05.03

KKC, bright, white, gleaming, fat legs are soooo fashionable: we're just ahead of our time, thats all.

17:21 / 05.05.03

You'd be buggered if you fell over in a pissed state and broke the strap though, local cobblers not going in much for platinum thread as a handy and useful stock item to have around.

ONLY NICE THINGS

19:57 / 05.05.03

Todd asks elsewhere:

I would love to hear "Haus rules" on the dreaded category of "Business Casual." Or do you not have that over there?

Any thoughts, kids?

Well, first up, from my humble corner, I would suggest that if you are invited to dress "business casual" - end your life. If possible, do so in a way that might take out whoever suggested it.

Assuming that your attempt at self-destruction fails, business casual, as far as I can tell, runs something lke this from the feet up:

Shoes - still need to be leather or similar - patent leather slipons are probably acceptable, although the more casual businessman (and any businessman mired in the mid-70s) would see these as suitable for business. Not trainers (sneakers, as the US would have it). Oxfords, loafers or brogues, brown, black or oxblood.

Trousers - Normal suit trousers, of course - a good suit should be wearable as two or three discrete items as well as a unity. Otherwise, slacks (i.e. trousers designed to be worn with a belt, without a matching jacket cut form the same material), linen, cotton, flannel or wool trousers all seem to be acceptable, depending on climate. Flat or pleated fronts and creases seem to be encouraged.

Torso - are collarless shirts or sweaters allowed? Seems to vary from place to place, but if I was wearing a round collar of any sort (collarless shirt or poloneck/turtleneck/round neck) with a suit I'd probably think of it as casual wear. YMMV. The most popular option seems to be the button-down Oxford, in white or another reasonably neutral colour.

Finally, the jacket - this seems to be simple enough. Sports jacket or blazer, altohugh the possibility for hideous trouser/shirt/jacket mismatching seems incalculable. Are there other options?

22:54 / 05.05.03

Please. Please.

Someone talk me through WTF is a 'sports jacket'? It sounds appalling.

ONLY NICE THINGS

01:02 / 06.05.03

You'll be glad to know that the sports in question are sports such as healthy strolls in the country and grouse shooting, and as such it is not notmally a confection of neoprene and webbing.

A sports jacket is made traditionally of tweed or herringbone, although there are about 30 acceptable fabrics or weaves. It has the approximate dimensions of a suit jacket, coming to the bottom of the hips or slightly lower, I think. Some sports jackets are belted across the back, and some even across the front, although anyone caught wearing a sports jacket belted in anything but the most inclement weather should probably be shot. Most sports jackets these days seem to follow about the same cut as a blazer, but do not have brass buttons.

In theory, a sports jacket could be almost any jacket worn without matching trousers - dior came out with some truly hideous abominations, IIRC, and what are in effect glorified tracksuit tops are often described as "sports jackets", but the genuine article generally looks something like this:

01:27 / 06.05.03

Oh God, I see. We're talking old-fashioned huntin', shootin', fishin' type sports apparel, are we not? Haus please tell me you don't possess one, or if you do that you only wear it in an 'ironic' sort of way...

(BTW congrats on the fabulously descriptive picture, inclusive of smashing huntin', shootin', fishin', type hanger stand.)

ONLY NICE THINGS

02:43 / 06.05.03

In general, I'd rather be filled with Cresta Pop and squeezed vigorously for three hours than hunt, shoot or fish, so, no, I've never felt the need for any such thing as a sports jacket. But they woudl be business casual, at least. Well, theoretically - I'd be a little startled if someone turned up in one at NobCo's AGM...

No star here laces

08:39 / 06.05.03

Business casual = wear what the fuck you want, but claim to be "creative" and hence unimpeded by convention.

Your boss will decide you are a valuable maverick and allow you to wear frankly ridiculous clothing to work, so long as your colleagues are sycophantic enough to laugh at his crap jokes about your scruffiness...

Always worked for me.

12:44 / 06.05.03

Heehee, as for awful sports jacket/trouser combos, my brothers best man wore a navy jacket, grey trousers, a green tie and a white shirt at the wedding. I think my parents were glad it was a very low key event.

14:15 / 06.05.03

trying to decide just what is apropos for business casual and what is not is highly maddening; the only thing that makes up for it is *not* being forced to wear suits everyday to work.

i think most places that insist on business cas, at least in the states, don't require a sport coat or any jacket.

being that i work for a non-profit organization, i think things are a bit more lenient cos we're not so corporate.

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