Wesley Nault

Lost in TRENDslation? - “Apparently Your Boyfriend Dresses Like A Girl?”

It seems sort of ironic (to me) that the minute I no longer have one… The whole entire fashion world can’t stop pushing all things “Boyfriend”

Before I trash this trend… let me just say that when done well… (and not actually worn at some point by your boyfriend…) this look is really one of my favorites… but who wants to read a blog about that!

So first, a brief history of the “Boyfriend Trend”

In the beginning G-d created the “Boyfriend Sweater”. This was basically an oversized, unflattering sweater that looked way too worn in and didn’t say much about your boyfriend’s level of taste.

The “Boyfriend Sweater” of Fall/Winter 200whatever was followed shortly thereafter by the “Boyfriend T-shirt” of Spring/Summer 200Whatever-Was-Next.  I remember I once wore a boyfriend t-shirt… it looked like a baby tee… I should probably start dating taller guys… but I digress…

We were then introduced to the “Boyfriend Cardigan”… I love all things cardigan… and this look didn’t upset me… until it was paired with…

“Boyfriend Jeans”…  which on there own are a very cute alternative to the skinny jean… (which is my favorite kind of jean btw) but when you pair it with a “Boyfriend _____(Insert Garment)____ “ you give off the appearance of someone going through the better part of a YoYo Diet.

Not satisfied with simply wearing his sweaters, t-shirts and jeans… girlfriends recently decided they needed to steal something more formal… and thus we are now all loving the “Boyfriend Blazer”.  I don’t hate this look… but I will say this… if I were your man… I would think your affinity for this whole “Boyfriend” fad is verging on kleptomania.

Like I mentioned in the beginning of this post… I happen to really like this trend… and to be honest; some of my favorite pieces that I’ve designed actually have a very strong menswear influence…

And an INFLUENCE is exactly what the term “Boyfriend” should be… The goal of the “Boyfriend Look” is to give off the impression you have a boyfriend… without looking LIKE your boyfriend.

So if you are looking to get on this trend… here are some tips I’ll give you to avoid the pitfalls and effortlessly pull it off.

#1: (THE MOST IMPORTANT) BUY “BOYFRIEND WHATEVERS” IN THE WOMENS SECTION…  Trust me on this… Fashion is well aware of this trend, and has adapted it into women’s wear… if you still think the look is too fitted, try a size up, before you try a gender over.

#2: The “Boyfriend sweater” should still be flattering on your figure, and like any good article of clothing, should NEVER wear you.  Avoid chunky knits and sweaters that are shapeless and boxy. This is the kind of sweater you want to skim the body, so avoid it in wool, and go for options in cashmere, cotton or even try a silk blend.

#3: The “Boyfriend T-shirt” has seen a lot of changes since it’s inception, and while I would suggest (as is true with all of these trends) buying one made for women… if you’re planning on stealing one from your actual boyfriend, go with something worn in and thin… I can’t explain why, but it’s just more flattering.

#4: The “Boyfriend Cardigan” is sexiest when it is simply a longer cardigan.  The nice thing about it is that unlike the “Boyfriend Sweater”, The “Boyfriend Cardigan” can be worn in a chunkier knit… so long as you wear something “Girlfriend” under it.

#5: The “Boyfriend Jean” is great … if you’re skinny… and blessed with naturally jutting hipbones…and have long legs, so you can cuff them and wear them with a pair of heels.  Since those 5 girls likely already know this… lets talk about an alternative for the rest of us… A great pair of wide or relaxed leg trouser-style jeans has a similar look and feel, without adding the bulk that “Boyfriend Jeans” are unforgivingly famous for.

#6: Out of all of the trends I’ve spoken about, the “Boyfriend Blazer” is the one that you should really NEVER buy from the men’s section.  AT BEST… you might look like you borrowed your beaux’s blazer because you were cold… but that’s cute for like an hour… not a workday.  Men’s blazers are cut for men… even skinny-style ones are still made to accommodate a taller, boxier frame, and a broader chest, back and shoulders… and if for nothing else… they button the wrong way (…for you.. if you’re female)  Go with something made for women… with dropped shoulders, and that hits at the hip (plus or minus an inch) pick one in navy, and in a relaxed, non-rigid material.  Bonus points if you roll up the sleeves a bit!

So that’s about it for the “Boyfriend Trend”… It’s a great, relaxed look that is very chic and when done right, might very well get you a boyfriend… just don’t tell that to the one whose clothing you’ve been stealing.

Please leave your comments… good or bad… and thanks of course for stopping by!

-Wesley

You Like Me, You Really, Really Like Me!

Ok… so I’ve gotten a lot of great feedback about the blog… and I appreciate it so much… It’s great motivation to keep writing!  I’m happy you guys like my posts as much as my design!  Also, feel free to comment directly on the posts themselves… there should be a link on the bottom of each post…. You might need to use Disqus (Disqis? IDK I’m still figuring out this thing) but I love hearing from you guys and by all means let me know your thoughts!  Got a question for me? Is there a trend you want me to go off on? Would you like my opinion on something?  Just Want me to shut up?  either way, Let me know… You guys are the reason I do this, so I’m happy to write about whatever you’re interested in!

-Wesley

Lost in TRENDslation?

So as someone who is heavily involved in fashion, style etc… I tend to be pretty aware of the trends of the season (and the upcoming one…as fashion’s a season ahead).

I hate trends.

Actually, that’s a lie… I appreciate them…I’m just naturally a bit cranky…

what I ACTUALLY hate is when people who have no idea how to embrace them…well…embrace them.

Because I (mostly) love and care about people, and appreciate anyone who appreciates fashion…I’m going to try and do a weekly post about a specific, popular trend of the season. I’ll be breaking it down, explaining when it looks fabulous and when it looks ridiculous.  I’ll also try and tell you how to make it work for you.  I’m not promising I can tell you how to make 8 inch stilettos work-place appropriate…but I’ll do what I can!

And so without further ado…

Thigh High Boots:

I don’t think you can open a fashion magazine this month without seeing something about them.  I personally love the trend…I mean sure, it’s a little “Lady of the Night” but Lucite heels (better known as clear heels) are going to be all the rage for Spring 2010…and I’ve always felt that prostitutes were far more respectable & classy than strippers (never start something you can’t finish, I always say)

I digress…

Thigh-high boots are great, they look great over jeans, tights and stockings. They also make make my personal favorite, the “Winter Shorts” possible.  I would assume they keep a large part of your leg well insulated…so you’ve got a bonus utilitarian feature right there.

And what is the best accessory to go with thigh-high boots?

Legs that are longer than them.

Now I’m not saying that only models should be wearing this trend.  While they admittedly pull off the look much better than normal humans, this is also true with any trend or style…I mean they’re models. they could (and have) made garbage bags look like couture…so this goes without saying….even though I just did. Whatever.

My issue with thigh-high boots comes when you can’t tell if someone is wearing them, or if they are rocking a pair of skin-tight, leather footy pajamas.

I saw a woman today who was wearing a pair of thigh-high boots that came up to her (to borrow a term from Chelsea Handler) Kaslopis.  In this case, only Victoria Beckham can pull this off…unfortunately, that was not who I saw in SoHo today.

I think maybe it might help If they changed the name of these boots to Mid-Thigh-Highs…or Above-The-Knee-Highs.  Because that’s really where these boots should come up to if you want to wear them correctly.

Lady Gaga aside, the average, or even very stylish woman should try on a few pairs of these boots before buying them.  Think about the type of tops you frequently wear.  Are they going to go over the top of the boots? If so…I’d recommend buying shorter boots.  To avoid an EPIC FAIL, you want to see things in this order: -

1. Boot
2. Pant (or tights, jeans etc.)
3. Top.

If you can’t see the pants…then you are wearing leather, heeled tights…not a good look.

(Note: If you are wearing a skirt or a dress…this doesn’t apply.  Actually it’s the opposite, you WANT the skirt to cover the top of the boots…unless you actually are a prostitute…in which case…”Hey Girl, Thanks for taking the time out to read my blog!”)

-Wes

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT! I’D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!