I wrote a few days ago about fashion rules you should break, and today I’m going to go in the opposite direction, with a list of the top 8 fashion rules that everyone should follow.
While most of those old fashion rules are outdated and stupid, there are a few that have stood the test of time. Those are the ones I’m going to focus on in this article.
Also, just for fun, I’ve included a few new rules of my own in this list. My rules may not be time-tested, but I think you’ll agree that they are definitely worth following too.
Table of Contents
1. Never wear white to someone else’s wedding.
Yup, this is one old-fashioned fashion rule that definitely still applies today. While most of us college girls won’t be attending our friend’s weddings for many years, this rule is still important to know for the future.
When you wear white to someone else’s wedding, you’re basically upstaging the bride on her special day.
Even if you look fabulous in white or if the bride isn’t wearing white, you still shouldn’t wear a white outfit to a wedding that isn’t yours. It’s just about respect and being a good guest. Remember this rule and don’t break it.
2. Pajamas should never be seen in public.
I’m a big believer in this rule, and I even wrote an article about it last year.
Basically, I think PJ’s in public is a trend that way too many college girls and even older women follow, and that needs to change! It’s such a bad choice as far as clothing goes, and really shows that you don’t care at all about how you look.
I won’t go into too much detail on this – you can read my rant about pj’s in public if you want, but let’s just say that pajamas are great for lounging and sleeping, and not appropriate for anything else.
3. Never wear “double denim.”
A nice pair of jeans can go with almost anything. The one thing they don’t go with? A denim jacket. (Or denim top, or denim hat.)
Yup, denim on denim is never a good idea (see the picture of Britney and Justin on the left for proof of this fashion crime in action.)
Why exactly is this combo so horrible?
Assuming you aren’t a cowgirl and don’t work at a rodeo, there’s just no reason to wear an all-jean, matching outfit in public. It looks tacky and costume-y, and isn’t modern in the least. That’s just the way it goes – matching denim on the top and bottom is too much and looks bad.
The exception to this rule is wearing mismatched denim pieces together. A white denim jacket paired with dark wash jeans, for example, can look fresh and modern. But matching denim on the top and bottom is always a no-go in my book.
Jeans are fabulous, and so are denim jackets. They just don’t work when you match them together. You have to pick: either the jeans or the jean jacket, but not both.
4. Don’t wear flip flops if there’s snow on the ground.
Okay, this isn’t an actual time-tested fashion rule, but it’s one of my personal rules that I think everyone should follow too. Think it’s obvious? It isn’t. I’ve seen this done on college campuses.
Let me just start by saying that flip flops are great – they’re comfortable, come in zillions of colors, and don’t cost a lot of money. They’re fabulous in spring and summer, and are ideal for a day at the beach.
But. Flip flops are NOT winter footwear. They don’t even cover 1/6th of your foot! Wearing them in the snow is ridiculous and looks really painful. Please do your feet a favor and keep them covered up until it’s warm out.
5. At work, it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.
I mentioned this rule earlier this year in my article about what to wear to a job interview, and thought I’d repeat it here. When it comes to your career, it’s always a good idea to dress too well, as opposed to not dressing well enough.
Okay, it might be a little embarrassing to be over-dressed for work. But it always makes a better impression than looking like a slob. When you think about it, it’s really a no-brainer. No one ever got ahead looking way too sloppy.
The next time you’re not sure what to wear to a job interview, or what to wear to an internship, just remember this rule and overdress instead of underdressing. Worst case scenario? You’d look too good. That’s not bad at all.
6. Running shoes don’t go with jeans.
This is another one of my personal fashion rules, but I think most fashionistas would agree with me that running shoes and jeans are a don’t!
I love her to death, but my mom wears this combo a lot, and I am always on her case about it! Some people still don’t get that athletic shoes – like, those specifically made for athletic wear – aren’t a substitute for all-purpose casual shoes.
With cute shoes like boots, ballet flats, and even casual converse sneakers at your disposal, there’s just no excuse to rock athletic shoes with jeans.
Running shoes are only appropriate at two times: when you’re at the gym and when you’re going for a run. Wearing them at any other time just looks awful and inappropriate. Add in some jeans, and it’s a true fashion disaster. Don’t let this happen to you!
7. You shouldn’t be able to see your underwear through your clothes.
Yes, panty lines and see-through shirts are still fashion don’ts, and I don’t see this changing any time soon.
Panty lines are one of the worst fashion crimes out there, and it’s shocking to see women who still have them. What woman today doesn’t own a thong? If your pants are tight or light-colored at all, you need to be wearing a thong to avoid ugly panty lines. If you don’t like thongs, either get different pants, find seamless boy shorts, or get over your fear! They’re way more comfy than they look, if you buy the right brand.
See-through shirts with brightly colored bras are just as bad. While the combo might look great on the runways, it usually doesn’t work for everyday life. If you’re wearing a white shirt, make sure to wear a nude bra underneath. Not leopard, and not neon purple. There are some things a woman just needs to keep to herself!
8. If you don’t feel comfortable in it, don’t wear it.
I saved the most important rule for last. If you don’t follow any of the other rules, please follow this one. No matter the occasion, if you aren’t feeling an outfit or piece of clothing, don’t wear it.
The purpose of fashion is to make you look and feel great. If you’re wearing something you hate, it’s going to show all over your face. Your confidence will be lower than normal, and you’ll be constantly focused on your outfit instead of having a great time.
This rule also applies to trends. No matter how much you loved a top you saw on Gossip Girl, if you try it on and hate it on you, don’t get it. All trends aren’t right for all people, and you should never feel bad skipping out on the latest fad if it doesn’t flatter you.
No matter what anyone says, always follow this one rule.
Your Thoughts?
How do you feel about these fashion rules – would you ever break them, or do you agree that they are fashion basics? Let me know what you think & discuss these fashion rules by leaving a comment below.
I think there are some athletic shoes that can work well with jeans (Puma, like mentioned above, seem like a good brand for the jean/sneakers combo), but I have to agree with this rule. In fact, I was just thinking about it earlier.
I usually wear Converse sneakers, because I walk around so much and my campus isn’t very even, so flats only work on one class days. I can never find athletic shoes that fit well with my jeans anyway (I usually wear boot cut). My sister wears them with jeans, though, and I think they look fine (boot cut). I guess it depends on the size jeans that you wear, and shoes, but it seems like I’m just out of luck with finding athletic shoes in the first place.
For number 6, I feel like it means if you wear the sneakers to the gym, don’t wear them out when you are not working out.
They are cute sneakers and flats that have arch support. or if they don’t try inserts, or gel pads
Jennifer – I don’t know what it’s like to have high arches and need foot support, so obviously I’m not suggesting that people ignore what their doctor says and wear whatever shoes I tell them to! If sneakers are all you can wear, then that’s that. But I don’t know if it’s about social norms for female beauty. This applies to guys too, it’s just about fashion and shoes looking good with an outfit and not looking inappropriate. Hopefully one day they will make shoes that fit everyone right and look great.
Anita -I totally agree about undies showing.. no one wants to see that!
Lisa – Good point about denim. There are some exceptions to that rule. I was mostly talking about matching denim when I wrote the above, but I should add in that if the denim doesn’t match and you break it up, it can look cute.
Jes – I totally agree! There have to be cute orthapedic shoes out there that aren’t running shoes! It makes me sad to hear that some people are stuck wearing athletic sneakers all day.
Justine – I like casual sneakers, just not ones that are supposed to be worn for athletics. They don’t make sense unless you’re wearing them for athletics.
Rachel – Love love love Converse shoes. I wear mine all the time too!
Hannah – Couldn’t have said it better myself!
Mo – Yeah, it’s definitely a combo that people who aren’t fashion-minded are more likely to wear. But I just think there should be a middle-ground.. a cute shoe that works with your outfit & isn’t uncomfortable & isn’t going to destruct. It’s too bad that running shoes seem to be the only option for so many people.
Celeste – I can’t believe there are so many people who are against that rule! I had no clue it would be so controversial.
Shame – You’re missing out! There are so many cute shoes out there that are comfortable too, I promise! Shoes are so much fun and I think every woman deserves to have cute ones. They make such a huge difference in your outfit.
Demi – Love your blog- so cute! The title is great also 🙂
Shoe Blog – All good points!
I thought rule were made to be broken,but in this case I will tow the line
Thanks looze
oh, man, this is perfect.
i think it’s incredibly disgusting when people wear a denim jacket and jeans together.
and the athletic shoes with jeans… i’m so happy i found other people that agree,
no one i know does it, though they don’t notice it.
but yeah, i think this is one of the main things that get me annoyed, after people who wear trends that aren’t right for them.
(especially the athletic sneakers with skinny jeans.)
but i disagree with them being ugly OVERALL, because most of the time they are, but i’ve seen them on girls working out, or playing sports and they look really good.
i recently found this site, & totally love it.
and i’m not really that girl-y, brand-concious or anything anymore.
this was hillarious-
mainly because i know plenty of people guilty of this
(including me on the PJ’s one, but it was a DARE!)
The final rule however, i swear by
the best thing to feel good in is your own skin so you can do your own thing, it makes my style personal
I definitely think wearing sweats on a Saturday morning to grab breakfast at the cafeteria is okay. PJs with funny bright colors is a little silly. But college is not just a place of academia. It’s our home. We don’t have to make a fashion statement 24/7. Even famous people like to unwind on the weekends. Aside from that, I agree withe everything here!
I agree with this whole article. My mom does the whole running shoe with jeans thing too and I’m always telling her to cut it out, its so tacky! Great post 🙂
ok so if double denim doesn’t work wat should bottoms do u wear if u were to wear a denim jacket.
ok so if double denim doesn’t work wat should bottoms do u wear if u were to wear a denim jacket.
great post btw =)
Absolutely! No running shoes with jeans NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!!! I see this mistake sooo much! If you feel like you might have to run for some reason, wear a cute, comfy pair of flats instead.
P.S. Awesome site; keep up the good work!
What about white sneakers with everything?
Are no rules in fashion 🙂
www.anafashion.ro
I totally agree with all the rules here. This exactly shows the class and style of a person and that he doesn’t ignore how he looks. And to add up , I hat people who wear sports shoes with jeans. It looks so terrible. Jeans con go well with flat shoes/sneakers. You are a moron if u think sports shoes goes well with jeans. U can do all whatever is done in the movies or by the celebrities. Create your own style and maintain the class! 🙂
I think that was really great advice but you left out a few things I needed but that’s ok. I really love the advice about don’t wear double denim I like it don’t forget keep on blogging AND HAVE A PASSION FOR FASHION!!!!!