GAZELLE MAGAZINE Volume 2, Issue 1 | Page 45

FASHION & STYLE FORGET WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT FASHION By Kristy Lee At some point this last December, I complimented a friend on her white pants. They were darling, with a skinny jean silhouette and a really light beige all-over print. To my surprise, her gratitude was immediately followed by telling me her coworkers had been giving her trouble about wearing white in the winter. I wondered why such an old-fashioned rule still existed when we live in such an “anything goes” fashion world. The old rules we’ve all heard, like no white after Labor Day, or making sure your shoes and belt match, were probably developed in past decades when there was one main look to which everyone aspired. There was the military-inspired skirt suit-style of the 1940s, and the “New Look” of the 1950s, and you followed the rules or you weren’t fashionable. But fashion today is about rule breaking, fitting in while standing out, and expressing yourself regardless of what people think. Here are some rules you should consider completely disregarding. Put on all your jewelry, and then take one thing off Don’t wear black and brown together More is more, at least when it comes to accessorizing. Wear multiple necklaces or bracelets, and it’s even OK, nay, encouraged, to mix metals. Coco Chanel was a wise lady, but this old adage didn’t stand the test of time. Black and brown together can be just as chic as wearing all black. While you’re at it, throw in some navy. Don’t mix prints This rule is hard for people to break, most likely because they’re not sure how. As long as the colors in the prints are the same or complement each other, it’s probably going to work. Red lipstick is only for evening You can definitely rock red lips during the day without people questioning your occupation. Keep several different shades on hand to really