Saturday, May 14, 2016

Are You a Style and Beauty Contrairista?

You can wear that mini even when they say a midi is must-have!


You are remembered for the rules you break
     --Douglas MacArthur

If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have gotten anywhere.
     --Marilyn Monroe

Every season, the fashion experts tell us exactly why everything we've been wearing for the last few months is now hopelessly wrong, outdated and unwearable.  Nobody cares to admit that a few months earlier, the very same items were deemed must-haves.  Forget them now, they say, it's time to move on to the next trend.  It's not surprising that designers and manufacturers are inclined to suggest we purchase new things.  What shocks me, however, is how many reasonable, independent women actually play along.  I went shopping with a very stylish friend recently who said she was disappointed that skinny jeans were going out of style.

"But you love skinnies."  I said.

"Well they're out now," she said.

"But they look good on you,"  I said.

"I just don't want to be out of style," she said.

These are the conversations that spark up my radical heart.  Rise up, women!  Free yourself from the constraints of unnecessary fashion rules!  Don't go buy a new pair of trendy boyfriend straight leg jeans unless you really, really love them!  And while we're at it, wear white after Labor Day -- and all day every day if that's what looks great on you.  Oh, and don't let anyone tell you the beach waves look for hair is now out, and the latest look requires a half hour of daily flat ironing.  Wear those beach waves, girl.  Especially if you live near a beach.

Now, before you accuse me of being a fashion buzzkill, hear me out.  Clothes are fun, and wearing them sure beats having to walk around naked.  I love great design and style of all kinds.  But I think it's idiotic to go along with trends just because someone tells me to do it.  With the exception of a little naughty roll playing, I hate to be told what to do!  I'm contrary.  Thus, I created this blog Chic Contraire.  It's a place to talk about style and beauty for those of us who refuse to be hemmed in by fashion rules.  (See what I did there? ;-) )

As the mom of an 11 year old daughter,  I want all of our girls to grow up to a world where women embrace their own style (and weight, and hair color...)  instead of worrying about somehow fitting into an artificial beauty standard and/or a seasonally-changing set of rules that are created for the sole purpose of making someone else rich.  At this age, my daughter wears what she loves, whether it matches or not, and thinks clothes are fun.  I'd like to see a world where we all embrace that sort of joyful fashion independence.

Pointed toe or round? Mini or Midi? Low-rise or High-waisted? In my opinion it's not either/or but all of the above.  Fashion anarchy, I say.  Who's with me?

Want to leave a comment? Head on over to the Chic Contraire Community Forum and start a conversation!