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10 spring fashion trends I wouldn’t be caught dead in

You certainly don’t have to be a fashionista to be an accomplished woman.

You do need to be comfortable in your own skin, and know how to dress yourself accordingly. There are many looks I love for the upcoming season:  I love all the bright whites, and the nautical stripes, the dewy natural makeup and the happy prints.  These trends all suit my style:  they’re simple, classic, and work well with my current wardrobe.  (Actually most are already in my current wardrobe.  That’s a good sign!)

But when it comes to fashion, half the battle is knowing what doesn’t work for you.  Here’s what doesn’t work for me this season.

  1. Orange lipstick. I like an understated makeup look, not one that screams “Look at my orange lipstick!”  And I don’t want to look like a clown, either.
  2. Day-glo eyes. Again, florescent green eye shadow does not fit into my required makeup-that-looks-like-you’re-not-wearing-makeup category.  And it’s kind of creepy.

    Hermes
  3. Braids. When I was 16 I wore cute little-Dutch-girl braids to some emotional event that had all the teenage girls in tears at the end of the evening.  And a sweet adult said to me, “You look like a little Dutch girl whose windmill just burned down, you poor thing!”  I have pictures, and they’re actually pretty cute, but I haven’t worn braids since.
  4. Python. I love animal prints.  Crocodile bags.  Alligator shoes.  But I draw the line at snake.  I don’t want anything resembling a snake anywhere on or near my body.  Even if it is made of plastic.
  5. Asian influence. I think the Asian florals, wraps and keyhole collars look lovely on many women.  I am not one of them.  I think it’s a body type clash.  There are many lovely looks besides Asian, and I’ll choose one more flattering to my own figure.
  6. Sheer. No matter how discreet or delicate, I can never get sheer to pass the “Would-I-be-comfortable-if-my-grandmother-saw-me-wearing-this?” test.  If Grandma would be scandalized, I’m not buying.
  7. Culottes. Enough said.
  8. Bell Bottoms. I like a flared pant, but I draw the line at anything that could appear on That 70’s Show.
  9. Mixed Prints. I love all the beautiful florals out this season.  But I’m going to stick to wearing one print at a time.
  10. Seafoam Green. Do you remember the old Mastercard commercial?  It goes something like this:  Seafoam green bridesmaid dress:  $150.  Seafoam green shoes dyed to match:  $60.  Manicure in seafoam green: $12.  Having a friend worth wearing seafoam green for?  Priceless.

But here’s the thing:  I just bought a dress that is dangerously close to seafoam green. It’s a lovely sarong style, and I’m wearing it to a wedding this weekend.  My 5-year-old says it’s the color of the ocean.  Ann Taylor calls it “marlin.”  Which is not seafoam green.  (Huge sigh of relief.)

What doesn’t work for you this season?

 Thanks to ohamanda.com for hosting Top Ten Tuesday!

photo credit

14 comments

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  1. Jenilee says:

    I’m having a really hard time with all the super tight skinny jeans! way to hard for this body after having babies! lol I haven’t even attempted it. 🙂

    • Anne says:

      If you find yourself some bell bottoms, I vote for seeing them on What I Wore Wednesday 🙂

      Glad you had a fun trip!

  2. Heather says:

    Pulling off mixed prints requires triple-black belt level skills. I can’t do it. But when I see it done well, I like to give that person a compliment!

  3. Well, I still love braids, I admit. But otherwise I think I could agree with your entire list. That whole pattern mixing thing mystifies me – cute on little girls maybe but makes adults look like they got dressed in the dark.

    • Culottes are a “modest” version of a skirt for active women. They are usually below the knee in length, have legs like a pant, but are full and skirt-like so many conservative families favor them as a compromize for both modesty and femininity. Sometimes those of us who have been raised wearing them reject them as adults (in my case my husband has banned them from my closet! wink).

  4. I definitely agree with most of your top ten. I am not enamored of a lot of the stripes this season. There are a lot of people who shouldn’t wear horizontal stripes (myself included). And I’m seeing them everywhere.

    Your dress sounds lovely. 🙂

    • Anne says:

      I’m laughing at your comment–the other dress I bought has horizontal stripes! Maybe the first striped dress I’ve ever bought!

  5. Mariposa says:

    Great list! It made me laugh a little… I have to admit, I would probably wear bell bottoms. I’m kinda a hippie at heart in some ways. lol Although, I do like the flare leg better. 🙂

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