# 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:** 6
**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, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/101 "2002-05-29T19:39:08Z")
Ooopsss… ---
**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, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/102 "2002-05-29T20:12:10Z")
quote: ``` 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. ``` Sounds comfy! My left boob is a little bigger than the right, so I always have to carefully arrange the girls to get symmetrical nipplage. It’s tough when all they want to do is give way to gravity. Maybe that bra could help me out. ---
**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, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/103 "2002-05-29T20:14:13Z")
Could that coding suck more? I guess it’s really almost time to go home. ---
**Author:** ![Nacho4Sara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Nacho4Sara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nacho4Sara)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/104 "2002-05-30T00:06:40Z")
**Lezlers** - I don’t know if your comment was directed toward me or not, but believe me, I could care less if people think my style is ugly or unflattering. Honestly, my clothes are quite flattering on me and I think I look fabulous nearly every morning I walk out of my home. At least it’s my style, and no one else looks like me. I work now in a place where the dress code is business casual, and while I fit in, no one else looks remotely like me. (My style is mostly well-cut, perfect fitting, fabulously-patterned or colored pants with simple black shoes and shirt. I have about twenty pairs of wild pants). > [@](#): > > 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!!! I have had this problem for two years with these fucking low-cut jeans. I look horrible in low-cut jeans, because I wear a size 14 and I have a belly. The low-cut jeans cut my pudgy tummy in half and created a roll. Now, in normal-waisted pants, I do not have a roll at all, but low-cut pants gave me one. To my horror, the waist lines kept getting lower and lower and lower (thank you very much, Britney Spears), until I could not find inexpensive jeans anywhere that fit properly. I’m sorry, but just how many people in this world does Old Nazy believe can be comfortable in a pair of pants with a two inch zipper? I finally gave up and bought GAP jeans. They were out of my price range, but they fit perfectly and had a normal waistline. The other problem I have is that I am 5’5, and regular-length pants are usually too long, while petite pants are too short. Thank the fashion gods my mom hems them for me, or I would be in debt to a tailor. ---
**Author:** ![lezlers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/258eb7/32.png) [@lezlers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lezlers)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/105 "2002-05-30T00:14:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nacho4Sara \* > \*\ ***Lezlers** - I don’t know if your comment was directed toward me or not, but believe me, I could care less if people think my style is ugly or unflattering. Honestly, my clothes are quite flattering on me and I think I look fabulous nearly every morning I walk out of my home. \*\* That’s awesome Sara, I wish I had your self esteem. The comment was directed at you, not because of your fashion choices or that you couldn’t care less what people think, but at your “scolding” of others on this board for stating their opinions, in the IMHO forum. Didn’t make sense to me is all. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/106 "2002-05-30T00:34:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cagiva650 \* > \*\*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. \*\* Amen! There are other options in hot weather besides tank tops and other skimpy clothing. I have, shall we say, a generous figure, and I would look just awful in a tank top and shorts (although that’s what I lived in during my skinny college days). These days I love gauze and thin rayon for my summer clothes. It covers me up, and yet the fabric is thin enough to let air through. I have a few things that I reserve for super-hot days because they feel like I’m wearing nothing at all. And yet my arms and legs are covered, and the fabric is pretty. I even started making my favorite loose tops out of sarongs and selling them next to my jewelry at _cough_ folk and bluegrass festivals. ---
**Author:** ![shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/107 "2002-05-30T00:42:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by flodnak \* > 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: We had a student teacher this year who was HORRIBLE about this. She constantly wore clothing that was completely inappropriate for school. And on top of being inappropriate, she had neither the body nor the fashion sense to carry her look well. She would wear ridiculous micro minis with kneehigh boots or SKINTIGHT capri pants that were so see-through I could see her thong (her intent I’m sure). I asked her mentor teacher about it, but he was far too nice of a guy to say anything to her…so finally several of us teachers reported her to the principal. The last straw was a micro mini with a split up to her ass. It was so tight that the split was always wide open to expose half her thigh. I knew he hadn’t seen the young woman’s garb, and as soon as he did, he sent her home. He sent her home!!! An adult! And well he should have. Did she not have a mirror? Or any sense of what is appropriate when? I don’t begrudge her the clothing. I begrudge her reasoning for wearing them. Why the hell would you wear clothing like that, when in a position of authority over teenage boys, unless you wanted the attention the boys would give? If gaining sexual attention is even a fraction of why you teach, you need to leave the profession post haste. ---
**Author:** ![Squish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Squish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squish)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/108 "2002-05-30T01:54:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Scarlett67 \* > \*\*These days I love gauze and thin rayon for my summer clothes. It covers me up, and yet the fabric is thin enough to let air through. I have a few things that I reserve for super-hot days because they feel like I’m wearing nothing at all. And yet my arms and legs are covered, and the fabric is pretty. > > I even started making my favorite loose tops out of sarongs and selling them next to my jewelry at _cough_ folk and bluegrass festivals. \*\* Gauze is wonderful in hot weather: not only does it let the air through, but it blots up the sweat. And the wonderous sarong! Oh, man, I could practically live in them. The ones I have are the Thai style, which are sewn up the side so that they’re a cylinder. Wrap it, tie it, wear it as a skirt or a dress. At 66" around, they adapt to most people’s sizes, too. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/109 "2002-05-30T02:08:06Z")
You can also get “plus size” sarongs that are even longer, so they go around a larger body. One of my sarong suppliers has them ~80 inches; I can wrap it double around myself, whereas with a regular sarong I need to wear something underneath to cover the gap. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/110 "2002-05-30T11:02:27Z")
Why does it seem like i am the only one who wears a strapless bra with her skimpy tops?!? I have a silver halter top, and a white camisole that i wear the strapless bra with–that was $30, and i promptly threw the staps away. I am having the damnedest time with shoes right now, since not much fits my wide flat foot!! Who are all of these women with Cinderella’s feet, and where do they come from?!? 😕 :eek: ☹ I have two v-neck tops, but my bras do not cut deep enough to not show in the V. Now do I pin the bra to the shirt or should i just let it alone? 😛 ☹ And I want to know when I am going to be able to find a boring pair of jeans anymore, i refuse to buy or wear, glitter, weird bleach stripes, or flares, nor bellbottoms! And what is up with thse weird, heavily padded bras that look like there are breasts in them already? Who the fuck decided this was a good idea? ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/111 "2002-05-30T11:36:31Z")
I have tried several styles of strapless bras, but to be honest, not one has given any real support or certainly created a flattering shape. Most seem to squash and press _downwards_ I have found. Plus they are often quite hot and sticky feeling, due to those plastic/rubber strips that supposedly “grip” to your skin (but never work very well). Here - where it’s so humid - I imagine they would just slide off. I also do NOT understand the amount of padded bras on offer to D+ size women. Some have removable pads, but even then they’re often still padded to some degree. I think it shows an inferior bra or bra design - ie, because engineering-wise it isn’t doing its job (lift, support, make into nice round shape) the padding attempts to compensate. More and more I am learning that it is often the most expensive bras that are the best - particularly if you want something v v subtle, light and filmy that still lifts them to the stars. I also find that balconette-style - although they don’t always look so great off the body (often a bit barmaid/corsetty on the rack/shop dummy) - actually provide by far the best uplift and the nicest shape to larger breasts. The downside is that unless it is extremely well fitting you can fall over the top(!) but even when that happens they’re still nice and “raised up”. On another note: a friend of mine used to wear a spaghetti-strap little-black-dress with a black bra with wider satin straps. She would actually tuck the dress straps UNDER the bra straps, and the bra straps then looked like part of the dress. It looked good, and in a nightclub was totally undetectable. ---
**Author:** ![tiggeril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tiggeril/32/7234_2.png) [@tiggeril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiggeril)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/112 "2002-05-30T14:03:39Z")
One trend I’ve noticed in Chicago is pants cropped to about mid-shin… and worn with \*knee-high boots. \* Words fail me. ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/113 "2002-05-31T01:31:31Z")
Extra-long fingernails that can double as talons. _shudders_ If you’re going for an over-the-top look on purpose, that’s one thing. But for every day stuff? How in earth do they do anything with those? Also, bright colored/loud print bras that show under lightweight tops. Best case, it can actually look fairly decent depending on the bra and top: just like wearing a sheer blouse over a tank top or the like. Usually it just looks wrong: like there’s a stain on the blouse, the bra looks ‘dirty’ through the top, etc., etc. Uggg. * * * \<\< Foo! \>\> ---
**Author:** ![Squish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Squish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squish)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/114 "2002-05-31T05:44:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nightsong \* > **Extra-long fingernails that can double as talons. _shudders_ If you’re going for an over-the-top look on purpose, that’s one thing. But for every day stuff? How in earth do they do anything with those?** Carefully, very carefully. 😉 I wear sculptured nails because my own are very fragile and look atrocious; so I figure I might as well go for broke and get 'em long (and loud! no French manicure for me). As long as I can open a car door with them, they’re not too long. Still wondering about bras with tube tops… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rotten\_Candy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@Rotten\_Candy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rotten_Candy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2002, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/115 "2002-05-31T20:46:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by anya marie \* > (snip) > > And what is up with thse weird, heavily padded bras that look like there are breasts in them already? Who the fuck decided this was a good idea? Small busted and flat-chested gals like me. 😉 Long fingernails don’t really bother me, but long toenails are absolutely disgusting. I do not understand what is so attractive about them. They look almost reptilian. ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/116 "2002-06-01T03:35:25Z")
(re: **Squish** ) ``` Ahh, now that's a reasonable responce. (Wanna borrow my nails? They're so tough, I can slam them into a counter top and not break 'em... but get the wrong angle, and *snap*! Clean break.) One of these days I should take pictures of the checkout-gals at Wal-Mart who are attempting to use the register with nails long enough to be fingers in their own right... ``` (re: **Rotten Candy** ) ``` You've seen those also? Urrrg. A bit of length to the nail is fine, as long as it's well kept (avoiding ingrown nails is a good thing!), but if you're talking about the ones that are about an inch or so long (inch from end of toe to end of nail, not from bed of nail to end of nail)... EEEEEW. ``` * * * \<\< Um. \>\> ---
**Author:** ![\_ceQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b9bd4f/32.png) [@\_ceQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_ceQueen)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/117 "2002-06-01T05:53:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nightsong \* > the ones that are about an inch or so long (inch from end of toe to end of nail, not from bed of nail to end of nail)… EEEEEW. Eww! Those _happen_??? I’ve never seen those… how would they wear shoes? And if they wear exclusively sandals, wouldn’t the toenails keep scraping the asphalt? ---
**Author:** ![Squish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Squish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squish)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2002, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/118 "2002-06-01T07:23:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nightsong \* > \*\*(re: **Squish** ) > > ``` > Ahh, now that's a reasonable responce. (Wanna borrow my nails? They're so tough, I can slam them into a counter top and not break 'em... but get the wrong angle, and *snap*! Clean break.)** > > ``` I wish I had your nails! My mother’s were so strong that she actually used them for screwdrivers in a pinch. :eek: ---
**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:** [June 1, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/119 "2002-06-01T19:02:07Z")
Men with long nails. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![Rotten\_Candy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@Rotten\_Candy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rotten_Candy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2002, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852/120 "2002-06-02T03:30:07Z")
_nods to Nightsong_ Yep, the end of toe on. I even saw some with those white French tips. !ceQueen: Unfortunately, yes. Observe these atrocities: [http://www.angelfire.com/va2/toenailpics](http://www.angelfire.com/va2/toenailpics) [http://www.angelfire.com/va2/toenailqueen/](http://www.angelfire.com/va2/toenailqueen/) [http://www.angelfire.com/va3/queenvirginia/](http://www.angelfire.com/va3/queenvirginia/) [http://www.angelfire.com/va2/mytoenails/016.jpg](http://www.angelfire.com/va2/mytoenails/016.jpg) [http://www.angelfire.com/va2/mytoenails/006Va.jpg](http://www.angelfire.com/va2/mytoenails/006Va.jpg) [http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/5113/longnail.html](http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/5113/longnail.html) All I can say is, EWW, EWW, EWW, EWW, EWWW! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fashion-that-is-not-flattering/110852.md?page=7)