anything goes: 'fashion audience' & some trends that need to go

Glenda leads a seemingly double life; she dons chic corporate attires in the morning and occasionally succumbs to “excessorizing” however, after her eight-hour stint in the office, she deliberately takes off her bangles, cocktail rings and hoop earrings. She’s now Miss Plain Jane.

“My boyfriend hates my bangles and rings, they get in the way when we hold hands,” she reasons out to me.

Aah, the dangers of “fashion audience,” I thought. Fashion audience er …what? It’s just a term I coin for dressing to impress but always noting who is your ‘audience’, something like that.

My officemates and I love Glenda’s outfits but her man would rather see her uncomplicated.

Just like writing for a specific audience, love of fashion also seems to undergo the same premise. Fashionistas can always wear the latest trend but they should not expect everyone to love, understand, and relate with their eccentric, feminine or rocker-chic get up, especially the opposite sex.

Dress to impress

Your girlfriends may totally adore a fitted bodice and lace top but don’t expect the elderlies or your parents to worship them.

Moreover, no matter how high-end or expensive your skinny jeans or sheer blouses are, expect your man not to mind the labels: where you get your clothes, or whether you were up and about before the malls open just to get the clothes you’ve been eyeing for, at first hand. The opposite gender, it turns out, is after the “by-product,” on how great, sexy or cute you look on your skinny jeans.

I perfectly understood and somehow, related with Glenda’s case. I remember when my family and I were once out for dinner on a cold evening. Expectedly, I had to warm up by either layering (putting my cardigan on) or wearing a scarf. I chose the latter.

But much to my dismay, my father (since I don’t have a boyfriend) restricted me to wear such. I can still remember his words up to this day, “mukha kang OA, pagtitinginan ka lang sa labas.”

To my defense I was not aiming for any attention, it was just cold and I thought that my zebra-print scarf would add oomph to my rather blah outfit. My mother totally loved my ensemble but would rather not argue with the Head of the Household.

See? Fashion philes may want to keep this in mind: it’s okay to lead a double-life so long as you dress according to where you are going and who you are going to meet. Your best friend may find you cute in your print-on-print ensemble but your boyfriend (in case you don’t have one, your brother or father) may get dizzy with the Aztec and floral combo.

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Nay or yay?

I love fashion but I don’t completely embrace it at face value. Here is my list of fashion items that I think should bid a permanent goodbye. (*photos from google)

Printed leggings/jeggings –Sweet and girly-girl fashion items are not just my thing.

Circle shades – don’t expect me to buy these just because Mary-Kate Olsen likes them. These shades look sooo funny, it seems like two bottle caps are on your eyes!