Faux Pas Fix with Anne Zeumer: Proportion

click to view gallery

Faux Pas Fix with Anne Zeumer - Every month in Arts and Lifestyle

By Anne Zeumer
Staff Writer


Last week, we discussed the importance of dressing with a certain degree of modesty. Proportion is another key to dressing modestly, and to dressing well in general. Here, body type also comes into consideration. You must find a balance between all the elements of the clothes you are wearing. A perfect ensemble that is overdone or over accessorized can wind up looking like a fashion disaster. Something I always try to do is before I leave the house is look in the mirror and remove one item that may be superfluous to my outfit. Be it a necklace, a scarf, a headband - it doesn’t matter. By eliminating excess, your look will be more collected. Your clothes should shine on their own without the need for too many accessories. Otherwise, you should find another outfit and start over completely.


For example, a lot of girls are trying to pull off the Nicole Richie look, with huge sunglasses, tons of layers, and skinny leggings. While Miss Richie can confidently wear this look as her own, you must be cautious how zealously you imitate. Too many layers can make you look like a bag woman, regardless of your body type. The ever popular leggings are a huge problem right now on campus. If you have short, stocky legs, wearing leggings and flats will make you look like a horse. If you are anorexically thin, you are going to look anorexically thin. (That’s not supposed to be a positive thing.)


What looks best on your body type should be a higher priority than what’s in now. If you have a pear-shaped body, (narrow, sloping shoulders and wide hips), you constantly have to be aware of what you’re putting on. For fall, my recommendation is to wear something up top to add some structure to your shoulders, thus making your hips look less wide. There are a lot of very nice military-style jackets out right now, as well as blazers with square shoulders which would help even out your silhouette. The Gap has a few nice options for $50 or under, and if you’re willing to spend more, J. Crew has a very nice selection this season, most pieces being under $100.


If you are heavy-set, or simply a victim of the “Freshman Fifteen” horror, buying jeans with the right fit can make or break your appearance. In this instance, buying stretchy, low-rise jeans is probably not the way to go. Love handles or bulges of flesh resting atop the waist of your jeans are unattractive and definitely immodest. Purchasing a mid- to high-rise jean that will sufficiently cover and support your posterior will look better and be far more comfortable. You will not be forever pulling up your drooping jeans, nor will you need to further suffocate yourself by cinching a tight belt around your waist. If you are very narrow, please do yourself and everyone else a favor by taking advantage of the wonderful narrow-leg jeans that are being featured right now. If your jeans are baggy on you, and they’re not baggy jeans, you will look sickly and overly thin. Don’t be afraid to buy something that hugs your body, and you can compensate for narrow hips by wearing a wide belt and a heavier style top to balance out your look.


Okay, I’ve said a lot of different things in a rather short column. I only hope that the wheels in your mind are turning. Even if nothing I said is directly applicable to you, you should periodically re-evaluate yourself. Step back and look at your wardrobe objectively. Are you really comfortable in the things you wear? Do you really think they fit properly, and are they appropriate for your age/vocation/lifestyle? Don’t be afraid to experiment, and don’t be hesitant to change. Look at yourself in the mirror.




Look for "Faux Pas with Anne Zeumer" each week in the Arts and Lifestyle section. For last week's column, click here .