As the sun shines again in San Diego, Her Campus sheds light on five fashion faux pas that are cramping your style, and easy fixes so that you can walk around campus with your head held high!
1. Exposed bra straps
Photo via Flickr
It is never cute to have your bra straps (or any part of your bra) hanging out. It can either look trashy or lazy, which is hopefully something you strive to avoid! Strapless, halter and spaghetti tops require strapless bras one hundred percent of the time. And ladies, we all know that flesh-toned bras are not invisible; don’t make that mistake. It doesn’t matter how pretty the bra is, it’s called underwear for a reason! Nothing screams high school louder than exposed bra straps with a racerback tank. If you don’t want to invest in a quality strapless bra, there are products to synch your straps into a racer style. Or, if you are feeling thrifty, pin straps in with a safety pin. Finally, be mindful of side bra exposure. A lacy bandeau is the quintessential staple for your wardrobe.
2. Juvenile hair accessories
Photo via Flickr
Unless you are hitting the gym or cleaning the house (you go, girl!), ditch the butterfly pins and neon elastics. Hairties should always complement your hair color and work with your outfit of the day. As we have seen on the runways, ponytail looks especially chic with a few strands of hair wrapped around the elastic. Save chunky, claw-like pins to clip away hair when you are washing your face. You can create fun and flirty hairstyles with just a few hair-colored bobby pins and a spritz of hairspray! Furthermore, the sock bun is the most revolutionary hairstyle for the lazy fashionista. If the idea of sporting used hosiery doesn’t appeal to you, most beauty supply stores carry products to create the perfect bun.
3. Chipped nail polish
Photo via Flickr
Remember when your mother said, “if you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all?” Well, a similar philosophy applies to nail polish. Your manicure should either be pristinely chip-free, or you should have no polish on at all. Weekly manicures are a luxury most college girls cannot afford. There’s nothing wrong with a DIY polish job, as long as you touch it up regularly. If you play sports or are beautifully low maintenance, try cutting nails short and using a clear nail polish. Is it super glamorous? No, but it doesn’t have to be, you’re a chill San Diegan. Does it look put together and everyday professional? You bet!
4. Leggings
Photo via Flickr
While leggings themselves may not be a faux pas, a lot can go wrong with this basic garment. For starters, cropped leggings and boots never go together. The awkward piece of exposed calfskin between the top of the boot and the bottom on the legging is the most unflattering thing you can do for your legs. Pair colored or embellished leggings with simple pieces to avoid an 80s overload. Finally, VPL (that’s code for visible panty line) is embarrassing enough, but visible panties are humiliating! Remember natural lighting makes leggings more translucent than they appear under dorm room fluorescents.
Repeat after me: tights are not leggings and leggings are not pants— plan accordingly!
5. Rhinestones
Photo via Flickr
While the days of bedazzled Limited Too shirts don’t seem far away, don’t be tempted by this pre-teen trend. Bedazzled clothing items tend to look tacky, and eventually some of the gems fall off, and girlfriend, its in bad taste. While these adhesive little nightmares remain popular on the Jersey Shore, keep them out of classy San Diego. If you can’t resist the sparkle, opt for sequins, statement jewelry or a glitter manicure instead.
I look forward to seeing all my San Diego State ladies strutting down Campanile Walkway tomorrow, like it’s our very own runway! Don’t forget the most important part; wear the right attitude!
HCXO,
Lauren Yap
Cover photo via Flickr