18 Pieces of Fashion Advice That Have to Be Ditched

There are many magazines, TV shows, and blogs with recommendations for people that want to look trendy. You can always find out what goes well with what, and what’s trendy or outdated this season. Unfortunately, among such tips, there are some that don’t work for every situation. It’s pretty clear that a wide belt can’t create a waistline for anyone, and in winter, we should wear warm clothes and not just pieces that look good.

• There’s a lot of talk around here about high vs low-rise jeans and which is trendy... I feel like I see an equal mix of all rises depending on comfort and body type. I will never wear high-rise jeans because they cut into my stomach in a painful way. I always look for the lowest rise possible, and I don’t have much trouble finding them. © ***inga*** / Reddit

• You’re too old for funky colors when you think you are. There are no rules to this thing. If you’re 60 and you want purple hair, by all means do it. If you’re 60 and want purple hair, you could probably pull it off. © unknown author / Reddit
• The notion that once you hit a certain age, your clothes, shoes, bags, etc. should be expensive. Someone judges older people who wear fast fashion because “you should be able to afford something better.” What if you don’t want to drop 3 to 4 figures on an article of clothing? Those certainly are not my values, regardless if I can afford it or not. It was just such a snotty and clueless reply. © unknown author / Reddit

• Cinching your waist with a thick belt makes it look smaller. Defining your waist (or the smallest point of your body) is generally a great tip, but thick belts make me bulge out the sides. I always use a belt or sash around 1 inch thick, and that’s the best option for me! © myshangrila / Reddit

• “If you have wide hips, wear an A-line skirt.” Nope. They just make me look short by drawing the eye down even lower. I don’t want to hide my hips in even more fabric! Or hide them at all, thanks. © apolliana / Reddit
• Guys, I love ankle boots, but I hate the way they look with short pants. Why? Because this is doable for approximately one week per year where I live. A week where it’s cool enough to wear boots and not look like a crazy person, and warm enough to not wear 85 pairs of socks or have exposed skin because of the snow. © babyblanka / Reddit
• “A pencil skirt is a wardrobe staple.” Not in mine, it isn’t. I have a Kim Kardashian butt and thick thighs, and I look like a too-tightly-wrapped sausage in a pencil skirt. What works for me are more flowy skirts that skim over and cover what I want covered. Even better if they’re below the knee and I wear them with boots! © orangecookiez / Reddit

• “Accentuate your assets.” I’m small-chested with no hips or butt or anything this usually refers to. But I have very broad shoulders. I like how they look naturally, but wear anything that accentuates them and I look like a linebacker. © lozzsome / Reddit
• “V-necks are a universally flattering cut.” I have narrow shoulders and V-neck tees always look so sloppy on me, if I size up to try to do the loose casual tuck they start to slide off my shoulders and leave a weird empty space on my chest. It’s so annoying because it’s tough finding basic tees that are crew neck and plus size. © ayyitswonderwall / Reddit
• Capsule wardrobes full of “basics.” I’m not sure if it’s because I’m on the younger side, or if it’s because I’ve just always enjoyed playing dress-up. But these videos about “basic items every woman should own” just kind of make it seem as if all women want to have essentially that same “classic look.” I’d rather have fun with what I wear and stand out, not just fit someone else’s idea of “fashionable.” © foxofthestorybooks / Reddit

• It took me way too many years of being told that I must present a bland, boring appearance to realize that the “too old for [certain style or look]” mindset is utter nonsense! I’m not supposed to have long, glittery nails? I’m not supposed to wear sparkly jewelry or colorful clothes? I’m not supposed to have long hair or dye it a fun color? © DmKrispin / Reddit
• “Take off one accessory before leaving the house.” As someone who has a hard time accessorizing, this made me fearful to even wear a delicate pair of earrings and necklace at the same time. I got into historic costuming, and wow, the women of the past accessorized. Hats and caps and purses and all the jewelry and put jewelry on your dress and add some extra lace, and why not throw some jewelry on your hair too and more lace and more hats and don’t forget gloves and an umbrella and a chatelaine, and why not carry a pin cushion just because? So now I don’t care and add one thing before I leave the house just to spite the rule. © lecreusetbae / Reddit

• I’m 5’2″ on the chubbier side, and everybody is telling me to wear high heels. I don’t think it makes me look better, my legs don’t seem slimmer at all, and I look like an idiot because I can’t walk properly. Also, I have flat feet, and it’s extremely uncomfortable to wear anything other than flats, I get calluses all the time. Also, do not wear horizontal stripes because they make you look fat. I recently bought a tight, striped dress and I look fabulous in it. © SadAppearance1 / Reddit

• Short women get so much bad advice: don’t wear a wide-cut pant, don’t wear a skirt below the knees, you’ll drown in loud patterns, no maxi dresses, no chunky shoes, no knee-high boots, the list goes on forever. I’m short. My legs are short. I’m fooling no one! © poshill / Reddit

• “Wear the same solid color on top and bottom, and you’ll look taller!” My mom and grandma paired this with “black is slimming” and wore black from head to toe, every day. Everyone just knew them as the weird short ladies who only wore black. © Ekyou / Reddit

• All these “winter” outfits that have high heels, no hats, leather jackets, no gloves, ripped jeans, and bare legs. I mean, I live in Canada, and I’m always wearing gloves below freezing. A heavy wool coat or parka is obligatory. Like, I need winter styling advice where the only exposed skin is my face. © intrepidcaribou / Reddit

• “Girls with thick thighs and hips shouldn’t wear tight pants. You should wear wide-leg pants.” No, thanks. One of the few things I like about my body is that I have curvy thighs and hips, and wide-leg pants just make me look like I’m so much heavier than I am. So I’ll keep wearing my skinny pants. © JrCrazyCatLady / Reddit
• The recent trend for layering shocks me. Where I live, a long sleeve shirt under a tee is only doable maybe 4 weeks out of the year. Even an open button down over a tank is pushing it most days. I recently went to a summer music festival where the heat index reached 103 degrees Fahrenheit. All the musicians kept insisting on wearing their trendy, layered outfits, and they all looked like they were going to die. © gggggrrrrrrrrr / Reddit

Bonus: fixing problems with simple solutions

In the world of fashion, stars like Chrissy Teigen tackle tough style problems with clever tricks. Once, when her dress wasn’t quite working, she didn’t panic. Instead, she reached for a basic pin and fixed it in a snap. This shows that celebrities deal with fashion hiccups just like us, using simple solutions that anyone can try.

We can easily relate to people who are irritated by one-sided recommendations on different aspects of our lives. And some of these “helpful suggestions” are not only needless, but also harmful.