# Fashion that is NOT flattering **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 25, 2002, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852 "2002-05-25T23:26:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/81 "2002-05-28T22:52:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mauvaise \* > \*\* > Blue Eye Shadow! > > It was hideous when it was “in fashion” last time around, and it’s STILL hideous … blue is not a colour one should wear on one’s eyes. \*\* Oh YES, how I agree. Especially LOL (little old ladies) who wore blue back in the 60’s and 70’s and STILL smudge the stuff on their eyelids (with failing eyesight and wobbly hands, it often ends up on MORE than their eyes…:eek: ) And you’ve gotta add rouge to the list as well. ---
**Author:** ![shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/82 "2002-05-28T23:30:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brainychick \* > Where I come from, they are called “do-rags,” as in, a rag for your 'do (short for hairdo). They work by causing kinky hair to lie down, which makes the kinks look like waves. I’ve never do-rags on white guys, though one might argue that a mullet hairstyle is a version of it. 😛 'Round here, a do-rag is simply a bandana worn as a head covering, like you would see on Britney Spears if she were on her way to a Phish concert. You say tomato, I say tomahto. ---
**Author:** ![shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/83 "2002-05-28T23:33:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brainychick \* > Here, here. My MOM loves thigh-high boots, and she was actually in the market for leopard-print ones! She never found them. Thank God! Exactly! My friend constantly brags about how she doesn’t “dress like a teacher.” And all I can ever say back is, “You got that right.” Avoiding the “teacher look” or the “Mom look” does not mean diving headfirst into Wet Seal, Body Shop, or some other store for young hookers. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/84 "2002-05-28T23:47:23Z")
Most young teachers I know wear cute sweater sets and boot cut pants. ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2002, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/85 "2002-05-28T23:55:54Z")
The hideous fashion trend in Japan at the moment is jeans with a frilly skirt. Ugh. It looks like the girls don’t know how to dress themselves without Mummy’s help. ---
**Author:** ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/86 "2002-05-29T00:14:55Z")
I have a “D” chest, and I wear tank tops with a wide enough strap so that the bra doesn’t show. If the top has spaghetti straps, I wear a sheer sweater over it, or a strapless bra. So yes, it is possible. Whatever you want to do is cool, but as a general rule, I still think that it looks neater and more appropriate to leave the underwear on the inside. Just an opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/87 "2002-05-29T00:37:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by shrew \* > \*\* > > I love cropped pants. And I wear them with sandals. > > Oh well, can’t please everyone. \*\* Looking back on my original post, I _did_ come off sounding really bitchy about it. Not at all my intent. I simply don’t care for that fashion. Even if I looked great in something like that, I wouldn’t wear it! 🙂 There are many fashions mentioned in this thread that I really like (bell bottoms, knee-high boots, sixties-colored clothing) but I know that they look odd to some people. Hell, I’m pretty sure I look ridiculous in them…considering I wore them when they were popular the first time. 😉 I never meant to slam anyone that does wear the cropped pants (and thank you for telling me what they are called; I really had no idea) and hon, if you like it, by all means wear it! Oh, and by the by, tank tops with or without bras? _When_ I wear them, I definitely have a bra on. I don’t much care if the straps show or not. Peek-a-boo bra straps are **much** more flattering than having my boobs bouncing off my knees in public. ---
**Author:** ![shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/88 "2002-05-29T01:26:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > Most young teachers I know wear cute sweater sets and boot cut pants. Well, I don’t own a single sweater set, but all of my pants are boot cut or flare, and I wear a lot of corduroys in the winter. My tops are either simple pull over V-neck cotton deals or simple button down quarter length sleeve deals. I also wear long skirts (cargo type) with funky colored tights (red, blue, gray, etc.). I only have one short skirt that I USED to wear to school (actually it’s a corduroy tee dress), but even though it’s only knee-length, the kids called it my hoochie mama skirt, and when one of my boys asked when I would wear it again, I retired it to the back of my closet. ::shudder:: ---
**Author:** ![shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/89 "2002-05-29T01:27:31Z")
Oh, and no worries **SilkyThreat**! ---
**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/90 "2002-05-29T01:59:53Z")
> [@](#): > > Far be it from me to criticize anyone’s taste in clothing, no matter how appalling it may be. The way I figure it, the worse they look, the better I’ll look, in comparison! Amen. Gee golly, I hope none of you ever peek in my closet or some to a Baltimore Dopefest. You might vomit on me. -Sarah, who occasionally wears the coolest red flood pants, bowling-style sneakers, a variety of 60s/70s vintage stuff, crazy belts, bootcut pants, blue eye shadow, and a number of other things listed in this thread. P.S. You know what, though? I always look good. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/91 "2002-05-29T07:03:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by shrew \* > **Exactly! My friend constantly brags about how she doesn’t “dress like a teacher.” And all I can ever say back is, "You got that right."** Ack. Our local newsrag carried a story recently about a high school where the principal had made himself some enemies by asking for a “common sense dress code”. Not all of this was against the pupils - some of the worst offenders were the _teachers!_ Imagine a twenty-something young woman in her first teaching job, standing in front of a bunch of teenage boys wearing hip-hugger jeans and a tight little top that leaves her navel exposed. But the teacher interviewed for the article argued that the boys were so used to it, it wasn’t distracting to them at all! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![brainychick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@brainychick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainychick)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/92 "2002-05-29T14:17:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by herownself \* > \*\* > **brainychick** where do you get your racer-back bras? > > (sorry for the hijack, but this is seriously important) \*\* Hmmmm…trying to remember…(brain gears whirring) Racer-back bras are a bit hard to find. I most recently got a couple of them on sale at Marshall’s. You also might want to try JCPenney, especially during the bra and panty sales they have in late December and in June. They get in all kinds of styles, and it’s a good occasion to stock up. And yes, this is very important. We must save the world from bra-straps peeking out of tank tops! ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/93 "2002-05-29T16:57:05Z")
Victoria’s secret has good racerback bra’s, as well as bras with see-through straps. As for everyone who’s getting their panties in a twist over the opinions stated here, hellooo, this is IMHO! They are opinions! And you know what they say about opinions, they’re like a\*\*\*\*\*\*s, everybodies got one! ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/94 "2002-05-29T17:49:09Z")
I wear a strapless bra (Victorias Secret) and it works okay, except its ben sliding down a bit (I am different cup sizes) so its annoying but no straps showing. It looks okay if your young, but I am old.😉 The other day i saw a girl looked to be about 15 wearing a red net off shoulder top, and over it, a ripped black top. It looked good, but…if she were really punk, she would’ve ripped a block top herself, instead of catering to the people who sell this stuff for inflated prices. ---
**Author:** ![cagiva650](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cagiva650](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cagiva650)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/95 "2002-05-29T18:14:10Z")
I like to go to folk and bluegrass festivals and lots of the girls and some boys like to wear flowing skirts, they’re comfy, and are fun to dance in. However, the patterns that some of these people come up with are hideous, and some of the tie dye’s are also atrocious. I almost gagged when a friend showed off her new skirt, it was garishly colored with competing patterns. She said look at all the colors it will go with everything. Yeah like grass stains and puke! ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/96 "2002-05-29T19:12:42Z")
Clothes on other people rarely bothers me…let 'em wear whatever they want. But it does bug me when the only clothes that are availible are ones that look really really bad on me. I. Cannot. Wear. Flares. I have short legs and a long torso. Flares don’t only look bad on me- they actually make me look freakish. If I went out in public in them, I’d get recruited for the circus. I know you don’t believe me- I’m a pretty normal shaped girl- but it really is that bad, And yet flares are literally all I can find in stores…well technically I could wear matronly jeans with elastic waists that reach well in yo my armpits…What pocesses these people to sell only one style of jeans? Why!!! And yes, I wear blue eyeshadow (usually laced with glitter) and plenty of shirts that expose my not-freakishly-flat belly. But I have purple hair so I figure that kind of gets me out of some of these restrictive fashion requirements. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/97 "2002-05-29T19:19:28Z")
With all the talk of bras and bra straps, I wanted to chime in and say that I hate seeing visible nipples, on both men and women (women more so than men). I mean deliberately visible nipples, like in wearing a white undershirt with no bra. _shudder_ I’m also with whoever mentioned the glitter jeans. Gak. ---
**Author:** ![brainychick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b38774/32.png) [@brainychick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainychick)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/98 "2002-05-29T19:31:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by brondicon \* > \*\*With all the talk of bras and bra straps, I wanted to chime in and say that I hate seeing visible nipples, on both men and women (women more so than men). I mean deliberately visible nipples, like in wearing a white undershirt with no bra. _shudder_ > \*\* If ya think that’s bad, did you know that there are bras designed with holes in the cups? They’re designed to simulate a perky-breasted, braless look. I don’t dare wear the things, but I have a friend who wears them, usually with a low-cut blouse. Depending on the personality of the wearers, the look is either sexy or desperate. ---
**Author:** ![Squish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Squish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squish)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/99 "2002-05-29T19:34:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > \*\*It looked good, but…if she were really punk, she would’ve ripped a block top herself, instead of catering to the people who sell this stuff for inflated prices. \*\* Yup! I remember when it was de rigeur to customize your own clothes–if you wore it as you bought it, you were just a mall rat. 😛 Sometimes I have purple hair, sometimes green. Now I have blond and blue mixed, as b/f’s fav color is blue, but I’m doing a bright yellow-orange mix next… ---
**Author:** ![Squish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Squish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squish)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/100 "2002-05-29T19:35:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > \*\*I wear a strapless bra (Victorias Secret) and it works okay, except its ben sliding down a bit (I am different cup sizes) so its annoying but no straps showing. > It looks okay if your young, but I am old.😉 > > The other day i saw a girl looked to be about 15 wearing a red net off shoulder top, and over it, a ripped black top. > It looked good, but…if she were really punk, she would’ve ripped a block top herself, instead of catering to the people who sell this stuff for inflated prices. \*\* [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852.md?page=6)