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Just Say No... to Denim Shorts on Men

Thursday, November 01, 2007


Sometimes, there are fashion faux pas that are so ingrained in your mind that you can't possibly let them go. For my father, it is sneakers with dark socks. Every time I pull on a pair of black socks with my Chucks and jeans, he immediately questions my fashion taste. To him, dark socks with sneakers convey immediate, undeniable fashion victim status.

I've managed to let go of many of my previously held fashion don't beliefs in recent years. The formerly taboo combination of black and navy is now readily embraced (my friend Ally, however, still can't stand it). There was a time in my life where I would only wear black shoes with a black belt and bag, and brown shoes with the same, but now I happily mix them up. Fanny packs? I think the cute ones seem tolerable, even covetable. Stripes and florals? Yes, please!

Of course, for every acceptance of a previously shunned style, another "don't" steps in to take its place. There is my current, inexplicable revulsion of khaki pants. I will also never approve of denim shorts on men (except Tobias Funke, of course). But the one that seems to be most unshakable is the mixing of metallics. I just cannot combine metals, no matter how fashionably accepted it may be getting. My silvery flip-flops and gold-framed aviators are just never part of the same ensemble. At times, I do admit, it seems rather rigid and old-fashioned (not to mention impractical and kind of a pain). But I think it's just one of those things I decided early on in my fashion life and I haven't gotten past it.

What about you? Do you have any fashion taboos that you just won't touch, no matter how experimental your style gets?

26 comments :

Ms. Spinach said...

hmmm... rather than update the post, i think i'll start. because now that i sit here thinking about it, i realize i really also don't like heeled mules, in particular the pointy-toed ones.

plus, they're just so uncomfortable. double whammy.

Ellen Wong said...

round toed mules with ribbons / fur balls

calf length tights under denim skirt OR shorts

fur boots with fur balls hanging from them

bomber jackets and shorts

Unknown said...

I have to ask if there is any way to email you? I have to know your secret for shopping in asia. Please, any email account I can reach you by, Ms. Spinach?

laurahirshy said...

I agree with the dislike of mules and khakis... I don't know what it is about khakis, but I really can't bring myself to wear them. I think my view of them is tainted by those ugly carpenter-style khakis that badly-dressed guys wear with dirty sneakers. Ewww, I shudder just thinking about it. I also can't accept the mixing of black and brown clothes.

Anonymous said...

I totally agree! I have huge issues mixing metals. I have found recently though that if I wear a two-tone piece of jewellery I can mix metals. But only just.

Anonymous said...

Rayban Wayfarers!!! Why oh Why?

Ms. Spinach said...

ha! i've also found that if i have one piece of jewelry that hhas multiple metals, then mixing is okay. it's like that one piece dictates the outfit. the fashionable mind works in mysterious ways...

also: uggs = yuck. though i did find myself looking at a fuzzy boot substitute on the sartorialist recently and calling it cute. but they weren't uggs. so it was ok.

ps) my e-mail is at the right under the "Ms. Spinach" link in the "about" section... betsy *at* fashionisspinach *dot* com.

Rebecca, A Clothes Horse said...

I wish my father thought dark socks and sneakers was a fashion faux paus, instead he believes you can extend your birkenstock use long in winter by donning socks--often white ones! For me crocs may burn in hell along with juicy track suits. But I suppose those are a bit obvious...

Christina said...

I'm not into big tennis shoes in crazy colors (hello purple and orange Nike Air Force Ones that cost over a hundred dollars) matched perfectly with a top in the same crazy colors. On guys and girls.

Anonymous said...

I'm with you on the kahki pants, and i used to be big on not mixing navy and black, but that has grown on me over the years.
However the biggest fashion taboo for me are flip flops in the city... i can not stand seeing flip flops worn in the city, paired with a nice outfit, be it dresses or jeans. I find everything about flip flops repulsive... they should be limited to beach use only!

Nisa Risa Perisacooper said...

Kitten heels paired with mini skirts. I cringe whenever I see this combination.

indigo16 said...

I dont like metallic thread woven through tweed or other winter farics for that matter. Lumberjack check is a no no tooand finally Uggs. I too now love navy and black so maybe I should never say never.

Elizabeth said...

i can't think of any rules to abide. for me? anything goes if i feel it works at the moment.

is that bad? i even love khakis... but i can understand your hatred. they do have a certain "soccer mom" feel... :-)

Anonymous said...

white sneakers with jeans eww

lianna said...

I have to say that I also hate kitten heels, I feel like you should either commit to wearing high heels or wear flats...especially on bigger people as it give them cankles...
And I just don't see what everyone has against UGGs... I realize they aren't very good looking, but I must say if anyone who doesn't like them were to have a pair they would see the are easy to become attached to as they are the easiest things to slip on in the winter, and u can wear them with everything... but that leads to my dislike of girls who wear them with shorts or skirts...ew?

Anonymous said...

uggs + pink sweat pants + a northface jacket.
it's the winter uniform for many girls on campus and it drives me crazy.

who wants to look that fat. all day?

Anonymous said...

i love kitten heels. there's no way you're getting me into a 3+ inch heel, and i certainly don't feel like being resigned to flats for the rest of my life. kitten heels are a great compromise, especially for those of us who live in cities where high heels are just plain impractical. i don't know what else you can wear with mini skirts, other than flats. high heels with miniskirts looks trashy unless you're on a catwalk somewhere.

i utterly agree with audrey. i have seen the soles of people's feet who wear flipflops in the city and it's unspeakably repulsive. do you really want that much of your foot exposed while hanging out on the subway platform, with nothing protecting it but a flimsy piece of rubber strapped between your toes? flipflops aren't even comfortable, unless you like feeling every bump in the road underneath your foot, and having your heels spanked every time you take a step...oh and having your toes chaffed by the "thong." uggs are just winter flip flops. rather than saying you can wear them with everything, i'd say you CAN'T wear them with anything! get a pair of waterproof riding boots by la canadienne or aquatalia. just as comfy and a million times more chic.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad someone agrees with me about the men and denim short thing!

I saw a man wearing capri-length pants yesterday and had to stop and wonder, "WHY?"

Also, people who wear flat sandals with suits. I saw so many women in my office wearing Birkenstocks and pantsuits this summer -- it drove me crazy!

Hid said...

you're not catching me in a pair of crocs, EVER.

Tamar said...

i've only just now gotten okay with mixing metals in JEWELRY ONLY. but you gotta be subtle about it... i will probably never be that okay with most browns in any and all forms. especially shoes.

Tamar said...

oh yeah: and i too hate kitten heels. so unflattering.

Anonymous said...

Totally with you on the mixing of metallics - I just can't do it, feels too "wrong" somehow! I can't do black and navy either, but I'm just about OK with black and brown: funny how these "rules" get ingrained in your mind!

Anonymous said...

I second the anti- white sneakers and jeans (think Seinfeld). I also cringe when I see Brown shoes with black socks or brown pants with black.

Sidsel said...

Calf-lenght leggings.. I just find it so odd-looking!

And purple/red colour combination.. I have no idea why, but I canøt stand the sight of those two colours together!

Anonymous said...

Nevernude!!

God I love that show

Anonymous said...

This is an old old post, but I'm having fun tracking back through such a new found fab blog!
OK, here I go!:
Crocs, mixing metals, animal prints, pale purple, skinny jeans on bottom heavy women, crocs, cheap plastic hair accessories with grippy 'teeth', tight tops on fat rolls, crocs, mini skirts, ugg boots, polyester, fake tan with gold jewellery, hair colour roots, no fashion adventure, jeans with sports trainers, caps, and did I say crocs enough?