I'll bet your mother told you a lot of things when she was teaching you how to dress: Don't wear white after Labor Day, match your shoes to your purse, wear everything in moderation. But did it ever occur to you that maybe your mom was wrong? Well, not wrong so much as dated. Mom grew up in another time period all together. And grandma? Doubly true. So I think it's time to go back, reanalyze those cardinal fashion sins and decide which ones need to be cast aside.
One: Never wear white after Labor Day - false. In Florida, it's doubly false. Down here, white is pretty much OK year-round, but if you look at the latest fashion shows, white is popping up all over. To bend the rule, go ahead and wear white, but if you're up north, try wearing a fabric that isn't light like linen or cotton. A nice white wool or cashmere sweater will look chic. You can branch out into different shades of white too, like off-white and cream, because they aren't as blinding, and you won't blend in with the snow.
Two: Always match your shoes to your purse - false. It looks chic, and you're not going to lose fashion points for matching, but why not try to branch out a bit? If you've got an exciting pair of shoes, don't stress and hide them away until you can find the matching purse. Just make sure the two accessories match the outfit you're wearing. If they complement each other, you'll be fine.
Three: Wear everything in moderation - false. I love something gaudy every once in a while, and if you've got a huge obnoxious piece of jewelry, go ahead and wear it. No one is going to stop you or even poorly judge. The key is to let that be the only gaudy accessory. Too much is a hot mess, but one awesome piece is perfection. Trendsetters for this year love audacious accessories, and you should too.
Next week, I'll be talking about how to bend certain rules: blacks and browns, blacks and navies, so keep up with the rule series to make sure that you're always a fashion-do.
Regina Stuzin is a senior majoring in finance.
