12 Fashion Rules That You Should Break
Haven’t you heard? Some rules and old-age myths were meant to be broken. With street-style MVPs like Leandra Medine and Jenna Lyons paving the way — AKA, dressing however the eff they please — it’s up to you to be the change in the sartorial landscape. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not too late to embrace your inner style chameleon and make good on any abandoned fashion resolutions. Ahead, we’re sharing 12 Instababes who just shattered all of our misconceptions about what is totes appropes for warm-weather dressing. Scroll down for all the ways to turn all your fashion no-no’s into a unanimous YES.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Color Me Courtney 🎈 (@colormecourtney) on
1. Don’t match your handbag to your shoes. What’s old is new again, and this blogger proves it. Bring back that old-school mantra and keep things coordinated. When blogger babe Courtney Quinn matches her banana yellow handbag to her banana yellow heels, the result is Fabulous (with a capital F).
View this post on InstagramA cobalt blue colorstory with @haerfest 🔵🌀🔷 #COLORINDEX #dcstyle #bythings #acreativedc #igdc
A post shared by Monling Lee (@monlinglee) on
2. Steer clear of monochromatic dressing. Intimidating, yes, but you can’t deny the whoa-factor that Monling Lee’s very cobalt blue ensemble achieves. You need not be a color maven to master monochromatic dressing like a Pantone expert. Go bold or go home — that’s all we’re saying.
View this post on InstagramTrying to get it together 😴 #jetlagged
A post shared by S O R A Y A (@sorayabakhtiar) on
3. Take one trend off before leaving the house. No disrespect to Coco Chanel, but we’re advocates of adding ONE potentially outfit-elevating accessory before leaving the house. A teddy-bear-soft jacket (do we spy hints of leopard print?), frayed hem jeans, and of-the-moment fur-lined backless mules totally work in this style influencer’s favor. Just a friendly reminder that more = more.
4. You can’t mix red and pink. Once you know the rules, it’s your sartorial privilege to break ‘em. Yup, we said it. Nobody — we mean nobody — does it like Blair Eadie. We’re more than just a tad obsessed with her flouncy bubblegum pink blouse and red cha-cha-cha-ready frilly hem trousers.
5. Don’t wear white after Labor Day. Even if you are a self-proclaimed prepster, there’s something to be said about embracing winter whites in the dead of winter (and throughout cherry blossom season, for that matter). This Instababe achieves the perfect balance of neutrals a la her white jeans, gray coat, and stark white sweater.
View this post on InstagramHappy #NationalStripesDay ✨ @jcrew
A post shared by Danielle Sarkissian (@thecolorfulprep) on
6. Avoid mixing clashing prints. Screw the fashion police. The fun only begins once you venture outside your comfort zone and attempt to mix zigzags with polka dots, or in this Instababe’s case, stripes with gingham.
View this post on InstagramIt's all in the details 💖 | liketk.it/2qwy4 📸 @nikkiknown
A post shared by Austen Tosone | NYC (@austentosone) on
7. Showing your bra is fashion suicide. And we’re not just talking about your bra straps. You officially have festival season to thank for the recent parade of sheer tops and pretty lace bralets. This It-girl’s alternative #OOTD — consisting of an intricate lace crop top, a black bra, and fuzzy topper — is straight-up fire.
8. You can’t rock certain trends beyond a certain age. We’re SO dang tired of hearing that you can’t pull off fill-in-the-blank wardrobe essential beyond a certain age. If anything, it’s the 40-and-over blogging crowd that’s keeping us on our toes. You best believe Carmen Gimeno is ahead of the fashion pack with her scene-stealing Euro-cool style.
View this post on InstagramOrange you glad it's happy hour time? 😜 #ootn
A post shared by Jacey Duprie (@jaceyduprie) on
9. Pajamas should be confined to the bedroom. Wearing your PJs IRL isn’t a sign of defeat — it just goes to show you’re in the fashion-know. Jacey Duprie makes pajama-esque dressing a “thing” by teaming her orange silk top with pared-down denim for a casual outing in Cali.
10. Socks with heels cannot be done. Once you’ve successfully mastered the socks-with-heels lewk, you can officially consider yourself schooled in WTF-worthy fashion. This babe is FROW-ready with her sporty tube socks and Tiffany blue cherry-topped steppers.
View this post on InstagramSo happy to have spent the morning working with this rare bird @sara_moschini. #grateful
A post shared by All The Pretty Birds (@tamumcpherson) on
11. No track pants beyond the gym. As athleisure continues to gain traction among the street-savvy set, we can’t imagine NOT running our errands in striped track pants. Tamu McPherson shows you how it’s done with her surplus army jacket, retro red sunnies, and Gucci loafers. We’re majorly impressed.
View this post on InstagramYesterday was 60 degrees hahahahaha
A post shared by Man Repeller (@manrepeller) on
12. Sequins are only for the nighttime. As exhibited by the Man Repeller herself, a shimmery sequined skirt is quite the piece de resistance when styled for the streets alongside a slouchy sweatshirt, chunky ribbed socks, and heels. Make ‘em stop and stare, we say!
Which of these sartorial “rules” will you be breaking this summer? Follow us on Pinterest for style tips and hacks!