Crimes against style that you've committed...

I think your definitions are the wrong way round. Fashions change quickly. Style changes slowly.

The fashion industry throws lots of ideas out, and some of them catch the imagination of the general populace and become "fashionable". (Some fashions originate in other segments of popular culture of course) Some fashions are good, some are bad. The bad ones get quietly discarded and laughed at 10 years later on "I heart the 80s" shows, the good ones get amalgamated into this theoretical concept of "style".

No one person defines what is or is not "stylish"; it is a constantly updating concept, and everyone will generally have their own interpretation upon which bits of the entire they wear. An analogy would be to compare individual styles to a form of parole, chosen from the superset of style or langue.

I do occasionally wear peep-toe heels with TIGHTS UNDERNEATH

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH

Haha, I remember when I was about 12 I used to have one of those neon pink zip up "Punkyfish" tops that had about a zillion zips. This was paired with some horrific baggy jeans from Tammy Girl, plastic beaded bracelets and a handwoven multi-coloured bag from the local "ethnic" shop. Oh dear god. Luckily when I started year 9 I threw it all away and started to get some style!

I guess you have to differentiate between what is 'stylish' according to what the world' fashion houses dictate and 'fashionable' according to what the majority wear. When I was at London Fashion Week a couple of months ago, I remember noting that a male model from Burberry, I believe, did indeed have his trousers tucked into his socks. As ridiculous as that may have looked, I guess it's an indicator that fashion designers are trying to introduce that look into contemporary fashion. However, I take your point that it will probably never fit into the "classic spectrum" of what the average man wears, but if your definition of "stylish" is "what the leading fashion designers are producing," then things get a little more complicated.

I went through this stage too. Although, I have to admit, I still have one of the dresses I bought and I still think it's beautiful. It looked a little like this, just without the handkerchief bit at the bottom:





Until you mentioned the indecent pencil skirts etc, I was about to object to this point! The pin up look is great if you get it right.

Your dress sounds lovely! I still have lots of my old stuff too - shame I so rarely get the opportunity to wear very much of it, I'm astounded I thought it was appropriate in the middle of the day back then! I agree that pin up style is wonderful when done right, unfortunately I was doing it right for somebody a couple of dress sizes smaller than me though! Luckily I've always been slim so it didn't look dreadful, but I've got a very pronounced hourglass shape so I literally couldn't do up the top three or four buttons on my blouses or walk without crossing my legs over in front of each other . Bad times...

Yes, but I always see fashion like that as "art for its own sake" rather than something I'd actually wear in public. I take my cues on classic style both from my own imagination and from the well-dressed men of the world (Prince Philip tbh ), both past and present, rather than designers or indeed "the average man" - as long as it's not something that would really cause the average man to stare or laugh at you. That is really the best way to avoid straying beyond the boundaries of good taste whilst showing your individuality, in my opinion. But I do see your point about what it's like for women - I hadn't really considered that when making the thread.

Crocs.

Oh, I entirely agree with you, hence my first sarcastic point about this thread. It's great to have your own style. However there's obviously always going to be a grey area between what's individual yet still acceptable and what's just a plain crime against fashion. I fear socks and trousers are going to fall into that grey area soon, as I see more and more people wearing them... Or maybe that's just me. >_>

Prince Philip is certainly an interesting fashion role model to have though. Any particular reason?

In 1947 with the future Queen - look at the lapel roll on that jacket:



There are few things more elegant than a well-fitting naval no.1 uniform



Except perhaps naval full-dress



Perfectly fitting morning dress (apparently he still has those trousers and had them re-cut to be slimmer, decades later!)



And finally, compare these two men. One of them knows how to wear white tie. The other.......well, what do you expect from him?



Bush is simply awful there - ill-fitting rented coat and trousers, turndown collar shirt, and waistcoat extending beneath the coat fronts. The contrast with the Duke is ridiculous.

Well, true, although I suppose you have to grant Bush a little leeway, given that white tie is a very typically English fashion, and less so American.

I do agree with you though - the Duke is impeccably dressed, although I have to say, you're the first male I've met who pays such close attention to detail!

Thanks!

Don't want to derail the thread, but I just can't let that one go:



If even Nixon could do it...

Edit: And of course, if we're just talking about Americans in general:

Ok, ok. I accept your point!

Bush was just obviously having a bad day. (Sorry, I'm a little biased in favour of Bush seeing as I slept in the same hotel as him once... it distorts your view of politics a bit!).

Haha, I'm only like this when it comes to clothes, I promise. (Although, being a politics student, I could...).

Anyway, to get back on topic, I think once when I was about twelve or thirteen, I went out in a straw hat, sunglasses and a black hoodie. . A random man came up to me and told me I looked like a Mexican gangster (wtf? it wasn't even a sombrero).