Fashion Rules

an image from Callista's portfolio

Stylist Callista Wilson helped start New Brahmin two years ago and continues to contribute creatively by styling NB Spotlights. When she has to something to say about style, we listen. 

As someone who has always enjoyed playing around with clothes and ended up doing just that for a living, I've had a lot of time to think about "rules".  You know - the "match your bag/belt to your shoes", or "no white after Labor Day" rules that used to be every woman's (and man's) mantra.  These days however, to the pleasure of some and absolute frustration of others, almost all style rules of yore have gone out the window - but have they been replaced by new, less obvious rules?  Are there in fact, hard and fast fashion rules that one should abide by, or is it truly every woman for herself?

After the jump, how I dance around the rules...

To be perfectly honest, I never thought much about rules when it came to style.  I wore what felt good, and that changed on an almost daily basis.  In college I worked at a museum and enjoyed taking as many liberties with the strict dresscode as possible; their rules were: black, gray, white.  This only applied to clothing, so I usually topped it off with loads of jewelry, belts, and hair adornments...One day, I overheard one of the townie security guards say to his friend as I passed "yeah, she's ok.  But I think she tends to over-accessorize."  I didn't wear jewelry for 4 years after that, and a new personal rule (fear?) developed: don't over-do it with accessories.

As I continue to mature, and try to break free of my "trial and error" shopping habits, I find myself creating little rules for myself based on what works best for my body and lifestyle. Rules like "no denim without some stretch" or "no bubble hems, on shirts OR dresses!"  As a fashion stylist, people often ask me for style advice and I have found myself a bit at a loss sometimes.  Sure, I know what works for me because I've spent a lifetime trying to figure it out for myself.  But I don't abide by any over-arching style rules, I make them up as I go!  It was recently, while giving a guy friend some advice that I started to feel like a bit of a sham.  He was asking me if he should match his belt to his shoes - I personally didn't think he should feel compelled to.  He is a sharp dresser, with very high quality pieces, and I thought his cognac brown Paul Smith's looked fine with a black belt.  He put his hands up in the air and demanded "So are you telling me there are no rules???  Maybe some of us still need rules!"  yikes!  Even dudes are pissed about this.

Fashion is always evolving - but many people who work in fashion seem to find a sort of uniform for themselves and never stray too far from it.  And of course, some things never go out of style - a slim, well-cut black blazer will last you years, the perfect white summer dress is always going to be a warm weather staple, a pair of black or nude ballet flats are a solid investment...diamonds are forever...etc., etc.

In the end, all I can say is that rules are made to be broken!  I've broken many of my own fashion rules because when it comes down to it, you have to feel great in what you are wearing, and things change constantly.  Our bodies change, trends come and go, the weather fluctuates.  I swear by skinny jeans all winter but once it's warm I love a bellbottom or a flowy wide leg pant!  When I'm feeling svelte I'll belt a shirt or cardigan at the waist but sometimes you need to let the fabric drape...I think the key is really just being in touch with your body, with your taste level and willingness to experiment, and also knowing what works for your lifestyle; some of us can wear heels all day, others of us develop plantar fasciitis if we aren't in flats.  Also, I can't stress this enough - you know yourself better than anyone.  When giving style advice to "real women" I often find out (and point out to them) that they already have a set of rules they go by - what they need to do is trust themselves!

You know what, it really is every woman for herself...and there is something incredibly reassuring about that.