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Community Corner

Fashion Faux Pas

You can wear it. But wear it well.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with embracing and loving yourselves, whether you are a size 2 or 22. And how you dress is a direct reflection of your personality.

I am an artist and express myself everyday through what I wear. But even I have to be cognizant of what I put on my body. Seeking attention is normal and to a certain extent, a subconscious act. But being mindful of the type of attention one attracts is the challenging part of it all.

During the 1950s and early 60s, a shapely woman was considered sexy: Betty Paige, Marilyn Monroe, Dorothy Dandridge and other starlets were at least a size twelve, and weren’t afraid to flaunt it. Yes, they wore bikinis and fitted clothing—and looked good in them.

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I am 5’ 11, a size 10 or 12 and I like fitted clothing. However, it is important that we are honest with ourselves as far as knowing what works for our body shape, as well as acknowledging what’s appropriate.

Beauty certainly comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. It resonates from within, and what we do to our bodies on the outside is an expression of it. But even that has limitations. Ladies, you can have the most beautiful face in the world, but if your attire is ill fitting or inappropriate, no amount of makeup can cover up a fashion mishap.

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Some of you know that deep down, you want to scream if you see another woman wearing sheer, black leggings as stretch pants. Transparent tights with bright underwear showing underneath are not attractive nor fashionable.

Leggings of any kind are not meant to be worn as pants; you are supposed to wear them with either a top that falls just below your bottom or maybe a short dress. Same thing goes for clothing designed for smaller-sized women. Just because it looks good on a size 4 mannequin with no waist, stomach or buttocks doesn’t always mean it was meant for you.

Not sure what you should wear? Then consider talking to a sales person in the department store or a wardrobe consultant. These are trained professionals who make it their business to follow trends and make people look and feel good regardless of shape or size.

The guys have a couple fashion “glitches” as well in the pants category. If I were to pass out a citation for every pair of saggy pants I come across, I would be filthy rich by now. I understand most men are not favorable of wearing fitted jeans and require a little room.

Going up a size or two is completely acceptable with a belt, of course. I just don’t understand why they have to drag on the ground and WHY the underwear has to be completely exposed. If this trend was to go away for good, I seriously doubt that anyone would miss it.

Again, everyone should love themselves, whether you are short, tall, a size 1 or a size 16. But we should aim to make wise and appropriate choices when choosing our apparel.

At the end of the day, real men and real women want other women and other men who respect themselves and their bodies.

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