What Not To Wear this Summer

Standing on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, I had a revelation. Well, it was more like an epiphany. Too many people wear monotone outfits. Pink pants, pink top, pink shoes, pink bag, pink headband, and pink dog. Yes, people even color their dogs to match their outfits.

This eye-opener didn’t just come to me out of the blue—I had been seeing people on the streets everywhere…from Connecticut to Armenia…wearing single color outfits, like they woke up that morning and were too stressed to put a neutral with a bold color. Like they didn’t know that you can put a jean jacket over almost anything and you will look fifty percent better than you did without it.

Not only should monotone colors be avoided everywhere but editorials, but there should be particular rules within communities; rules that will shun those who dare to look like a box of single color Crayolas. Take note that monotone looks cheap and messy, not collected and classy.

 I realized that everyone doesn’t know or realize how bad they look because people automatically assume red goes with red and blue goes with blue. Sometimes blue goes with yellow and yellow goes with a metal tan belt. Your shoes don’t HAVE to match your bag—the world will not end, and the fashion police won’t show up in the middle of the night to scare you and give you nightmares. Actually, I hope they do so that you will never wear an orange belt with orange shoes and an orange bag alongside a tacky orange flower plastered on your shoulder.

In fact, you should NEVER match colors directly. One shade darker or lighter is okay, and unless you’re color blocking with a trendy outfit, then it’s really not okay. Take a risk and pair a statement piece with a plain pair of jeans. Wear neutrals and throw in a pop of color or three. Fashion is about taking risks, and making the right choices sometimes starts with making the wrong choices.  Learn from your mistakes, and if you realize people are looking at you weird on the subway or at work, then don’t wear that outfit again.

I know in central Connecticut towns like Berlin and Meriden there are people who don’t care about what they are wearing. Clothes make a statement and are the first impression when someone meets you. Unless your job consists of you sitting in your room painting dark portraits and never seeing the light of day, then do us all a favor and look presentable when you are out in public.

 Many Thanks,

 Sincerely,

 A hypocrite on occasion