You have probably been a victim to telling yourself or someone else telling you about the fashion faux pas you should or shouldn't do and I am here to tell you to forget all that!

Now there are some good do's and don'ts out there that can help people look sharp and sophisticated, but some of them are outdated and restrictive.

Life is short and you should be doing and wearing exactly what you want and what makes you feel good.

Now, by no means am I saying you should be lazy and wear sweatpants and your tweety bird shirt from 1992 out of the house everyday...or ever. Ya..never do that!

What I am saying is that you should let your clothes be a creative outlet for yourself.

Your clothing tells you and the people around you a lot about yourself and it should reflect how you feel! Your clothes can control a lot about your day and your confidence so don't get held up on fake rules that can be done in clever/creative ways.

Here is a handful of myths that are soooo outdated and overrated:

#1:

Never wear black and navy together!

Um, can I get an eye roll here, please? This is such a myth.

You can totally wear blue and black together if it is done intentionally. Now, it won’t be so chic if it looks like you thought you were going for an all black look but your top just happens to be navy in the natural light. Wearing black and blue can easily feel drabby if not done correctly; use accessories to get your point across.  

You want it to be super intentional so you feel confident about it. Think about trying to create contrast as well. Pick blacks and blues that are different fabrics or textures from each other so you can tell there is a difference in the color. Keep the color of the outfit’s focus on the black and blue combo. Try to keep it simple and don’t add tons of other colors to complicate things.

An example would be black boots with black textured leggings, a navy blue tunic with a cognac brown leather waist belt, plus a red lip as the pop of color. This simple, yet intentional combo is elegant and playful and not drabby at all!

#2:

You shouldn’t mix patterns!

Yes, this can be a challenge to get right, but you should SO mix patterns! Ya just gotta mix them together like a boss.

This can be a unique, chic way to show off your personal style and have fun with your clothes. It also will make your outfits stand out in all the right ways, so expect tons of compliments.

The way to do this successfully is to color coordinate. When pairing patterns, look at the color combinations and how they work together.

Don’t overthink it - if it immediately feels good just try it. A trick to pairing prints is to choose one dominant print to be your outfit's foundation. Then pick the smaller print that mixes well based on its colors. Have the prints feel different enough from each other that they contrast and compliment one another.

Fun patterns to experiment with are stripes and paisleys or florals with plaids. You'll see the magic that can be created once they are together.

Color ideas to start with are black and white prints mixed with something colorful and bold or brown plaids with jewel-toned organic shaped prints can create a sharp and unique look.

Have fun with it and figure out how to make it look and feel intentional according to your style!

#3:

Accessories should be matchy matchy

Your shoes should match your bag and your belt and everything else under the sun.

This was once a thing...but in 2019, it is not always necessary!

This is your grandma's faux pas...yes, your grandma's faux pas. SO let it gooo!

Now, with that being said, I do think you can get a lot of style inspo from your grandma’s life, but that doesn’t mean we should have to follow all those uptight rules that once ruled women's closets!

The concept of being matchy-matchy is way too fussy for today. The combination of these accessories should feel cohesive, but not too matchy. You want to try and avoid feeling outdated and focus on looking timeless.

Sometimes your accessories can be THE outfit, so let them be. If you have a red pair of shoes that MAKE your outfit, let them and you’ll look as chic as can be.

Try to either pair items that intentionally contrast from one another or are in the same hue. Try to keep one item as a pop of texture or color and the rest of the accessories as neutrals. 

Now, one exception to this not so matchy matchy rule is with formal attire. It does make you look more put together and polished when accessories match well for fancy/formal events.

#4:

Never wear white after Labor Day

Ummm...give me another big, exaggerated eye roll.

What! This is such a silly rule and makes NO sense in this day and age! We are too busy nowadays to be worrying about avoiding white at all costs just cus it is cold out.

You may certainly feel free to wear white after labor day.

Now, if you are trying to sport a white bikini at your Thanksgiving dinner, uh yeah I’d say that seems a little odd, but wearing winter whites is actually super chic and also gives you a lot of wardrobe freedom because you aren't making your wardrobe completely constricted by the seasons. 

It is ideal to have as many pieces as you can that are seasonless so you can have the most versatile wardrobe all year long.

If you love white pants, keep wearing them in the colder months. Now, it is important to make them feel intentional though. It isn't going to make you look sophisticated if it looks like you are on your way to a beach party in January. So you gotta mix your whites with super cozy/wintery pieces. Pair your white capris with just over the ankle leather booties and a cozy oversized neutral or contrasting black sweater. This makes you look like you are dressed for the appropriate season while gracefully pulling off wearing white after Labor Day and a gives you a more flexible wardrobe.

#5: I am too old to wear that

OMG. WHAT? UGH, YOU’RE ONLY OLD BECAUSE YOU ARE MAKING YOURSELF FEEL OLD. Give me the biggest eye roll money can buy right here!

I saw a woman in her 70s recently that made me beyond envious of her style. She was dressed simple, elegant, and chic. She didn’t care what the age on her license said, and I’m sure she was getting head turns from all generations that night cus she sure as hell made me look. She didn’t dress young by any means, she dressed chic and timeless.

That is the trick.

Her outfit could have been worn by literally any adult age and it would have felt polished and sophisticated. She wore black patterned tights, sleek black ankle boots, a suede asymmetrical high-waisted skirt, a tucked in lightweight sweater, a light over-coat, simple gold hoops with minimal face make-up, a strong bang, and an elegant red lip. She was as timelessly dressed as you can get, and you looked at her for being HER, and not her age.

Now, of course, you can look like a ridiculous person if you’re trying to pull off Abercrombie & Fitch booty shorts and crop tops in your 70s because it looks like you are trying too hard, which makes it feel forced and unnatural to you and your life. That usually isn’t the case when I hear people say the cringe-worthy statement “I am too old to wear that” though.

You don’t have to look younger to look stylish or well dressed. Dressing well for your body and still caring for how you look is what will keep your age from defining you. People tend to “give up” and dress frumpy, but no matter what age or size you are there are always ways to flatter your body so you feel good in your own skin.

And again, this doesn’t mean trying to look as skinny as possible or still look young. Dressing in a flattering way just means picking color tones that work well with your skin, fabrics that feel good on your skin and make you feel sleek and finding well-fitting clothes so you can move, breathe and live for your lifestyle. Dressing well isn’t about impressing anyone either; it is just a perk to have other people think you look great.

How you dress can give you so much power when it comes to how others treat you, see you, and think of you (no matter what your age is). Clothing really helps create your narrative. SO don’t give up on your personal style or buy “old lady” clothes just because you feel like you are supposed to.

Strive for being timeless.

When you look at something and you love it and it makes you feel good and flatters you, then wear it. Just cus you hit a certain age doesn’t mean you should give up on your clothes or style. Your clothes tell you how you think and feel about yourself, and this symbolically gestures how others should think and feel about you too.

Don't let your clothes define you in the wrong way. Let them elevate you!

So stay updated on your style and what keeps you feeling good.

XOXO

GC // RR