Fashion + Beauty

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Style: What do you mean that's what a 20 year old should wear?!

I have to say that I am a girl who loves clothes. I love looking at them, touching them, wearing them, dressing other people in them...you get the picture. Sadly, I am a social worker, so my clothing addiction is a bit more like a recreational hobby in which I shop and I dress my friends in fashion emergencies.

My hobby also includes looking through fashion magazines and getting an eye for what's out there, what I like and what I don't like. I've noticed an odd trend in these magazines though (among many I am sure!) which occurs whenever they do a "Look Great at Every Age!" article which happens in literally every magazine out there. So though the details may change, the general idea is the same. A magazine has a spread for each of the generations: 20's, 30's 40's, 50's...you get the idea. There are a lot of clothes, shoes and accessesories to look at and of course there is the celebrity they feel captures the ESSENCE of that age group.

The trend that drives me absolutley crazy is this. I am a 27 year old, semi-professional and I am apparently suppossed to dress like a hobo. My style icons should apparently be Sienna Miller


And Mischa Barton



And heck, while we're at it, the occassional Olsen twin thrown on in there...



OK, so I get it, in our twenty's we're allowed to be "risk takers" and "mix it up" in a way that many other ages cannot. But honest to God, if I ever wore anything like these girls are wearing, my friends and co-workers would not only laugh at me but very well may have me committed.

What happened to being classic, dressing your body well, and looking presentable to the world? I mean we have some great girls in their 20's out there who know how to dress. Just look at Natalie Portman -

She is classy, elegant and can pull off something being a bit lowcut because she's in her 20's.






Or how about American Ferrera?


I mean can this girl pull it together or what?!







Look, I am not saying that Sienna Miller, Mischa Barton or the Olsen's are not cute and gorgeous women. I am just saying that I am tired of them being my suppossed fashion "Big Sisters" just because we happen to share a decade. So, fashion editors, I know it's a lot to ask but can you please offer more options for us twenty year old gals? Perhaps some that live outside the realm of boho chic and are maybe above a size 2?

Am I being crazy here or does anyone else notice this issue?




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Comments 1-10 of 10
  • Melis's Avatar
    Posted by Melis Wed Jun 18, 2008 2:41pm PDT

    I totally agree. I am in my late 20's now and feel it is very difficult to place us at this age into the entire 20's, because face it we do not dress the same as we did in our early 20's. I wouldn't want to. I also agree that I would like to be more classic and stylish like America (not American) Ferrera. I'm plus size too, so that makes things even more difficult to find stylish clothing. Especially stuff that I look great in at work. Things are just way too casual these days and not suitable for me to wear to my office.

    I would LOVE to flip through a magizine and see someone I could look at (not a siz 0-2) and picture myself wearing what she has on. I don't buy mag's because of this. Who wants to look at clothes that don't even come in my size...it is like going to the mall and knowing you have no money...a waste of time!

    :)

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  • meemers333's Avatar
    Posted by meemers333 Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:19pm PDT

    okay, so like i totally agree. i mean i'm not in my twenties. actually right now im like a teenager. for ur generation ur supposed to look tanorexic (tans WAY too much and can't seem to be much above her birth weight)and dress hobo. for my generation same thing. except now it's "it doesn't matter if u don't match! be original! express urself!" i mean seriously, dressing urself in the morning shouldn't be wondering if u can fit all of the colors of the rainbow in ur outfit. i love to be original, but not gaudy. i think that people should really think that if they r gonna dress like a hobo, at least don't over dress it. cuz i also admit that i totally dress hobo, but i still sometimes look like a put-together hobo. if u know what i mean. i will have an outfit where there can be fun colors and awesome accesories, but i will also be smart and not overdo it. so the last bit of my 2 cents is that if ur going to be original, be original, but...be original about it!

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  • meemers333's Avatar
    Posted by meemers333 Wed Jun 18, 2008 6:19pm PDT

    okay, so like i totally agree. i mean i'm not in my twenties. actually right now im like a teenager. for ur generation ur supposed to look tanorexic (tans WAY too much and can't seem to be much above her birth weight)and dress hobo. for my generation same thing. except now it's "it doesn't matter if u don't match! be original! express urself!" i mean seriously, dressing urself in the morning shouldn't be wondering if u can fit all of the colors of the rainbow in ur outfit. i love to be original, but not gaudy. i think that people should really think that if they r gonna dress like a hobo, at least don't over dress it. cuz i also admit that i totally dress hobo, but i still sometimes look like a put-together hobo. if u know what i mean. i will have an outfit where there can be fun colors and awesome accesories, but i will also be smart and not overdo it. so the last bit of my 2 cents is that if ur going to be original, be original, but...be original about it!

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  • nrg1966's Avatar
    Posted by nrg1966 Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:41am PDT

    ok ladies, i am in my 40's now and have been through every style, i mean it, remember the grunge? yuk! today's style will always be over by tomorrow. we all know this but still we goggle at the magazines, the newest and latest trend in clothes, hair, makeup. first, pay close attention to the natural attributes and beauty you do have and work with that. even thouth i love pink i know that it simply looks horrid on me since i have read hair - i look best in earth tones, i know this so why do i continue to look at those oh so cute pink tops? isn't it true that we all want what we do not have? so, i have curly hair and want it straight, i have small breasts and wish they were larger, i could go on and on. i have learned that the classics are definitely the way to go. i have clothes that are (yiks) almost 20 years old and still get complements on them (the little black will never fail you). one other secret, and you won't believe this but men are usually best at knowing what looks best on us. i get the most compliments on items that my husband he has helped pick out. it is not his favorite thing to do and would prefer watching a game at home but he humors me sometimes. bottom line, know your colors, pick out classic items, launder them carefully (i hank dry almost everything) and NEVER EVER wear black stockings with white shoes!

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  • Amy Ann's Avatar
    Posted by Amy Ann Thu Jun 19, 2008 5:49am PDT

    Melis- Thanks for the catch on "American", I totally had retyped her name twice and the second time I did so on the phone thus the added "n" This is why I should not multi-task! And yes I think the late 20's are an odd time for fashion. Your still young but many of us are entering professional environments. It's irritating.

    Meemers- I so agree about the tanorexic thing! I hate that so many young women are setting themselves up for skin cancer or at the very least, skin damage/pre-mature aging, all for a tan!

    NRG-Thanks for the advice :) I feel lucky that I feel like I have a good idea of what looks good on me, what I like, etc... I just hate that the fashion world thinks I should wear oversize layers all the time. I agree with you though, trends come and go, so we should all know what we can do with fashion and what we can't.

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  • Andrea Frazer, Good Housekeeping's Avatar
    Posted by Andrea Frazer, Good Housekeeping Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:18am PDT

    I like fashion, too, but not as much as you do. My goal this year, though, is to get some nicer wardrobe!

    I also wanted to thank you for stopping by my religion discussion a few weeks back. To answer your question, no, my husband has never attended mass with me. Only the kids baptisms. Or a funeral. But not straight church. And that is what has irked me. However, I am working on finding the balance. He is a good man and I won't give up on our marriage because of religion obviously. It will happen or it won't. It takes two to tango and I have to see his side as much as I want him to see mine.

    Anyway, thanks again!

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  • Olivia C's Avatar
    Posted by Olivia C Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:54pm PDT

    Like you, I love clothes! At any age, it's more important to be comfortable no matter what you choose to wear. You will find that trendy pieces are fun, but not always comfortable. And, at some point, you end up getting rid of the trendy pieces. Instead, invest in your wardrobe by adding classic, basic pieces, then change them up with what you wear them with.

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  • Jo's Avatar
    Posted by Jo Wed Jul 2, 2008 11:38pm PDT

    this has nothing to do with your blog...it actally has to do with the comment you made about tatoos....umm nothing in life is ever random, meaningless...everything happens for a reason...so fine dont be a fan...ur entitled to your opinon..but dont spout stuff that doesnt make any sence...

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  • Vanessa's Avatar
    Posted by Vanessa Tue Jul 8, 2008 5:40pm PDT

    no!!! u can wear what u want!!!!!

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  • Sweet T's Avatar
    Posted by Sweet T Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:56am PDT

    Hey, I'm not bashing anyone for taking fashion risks, but I'm nearing my 30s and am only now becoming comfortable enough to take those risks. And those risks do not involve looking like an expensive homeless person or a skank ho. I try for color, print, texture, anything I want, but NOT all at once. And honestly, I've found that the simpler my clothes, the wilder my accessories can be, and I get a lot more compliments on that than a hodgepodge of crap taken blindly and thrown together any which way.

    Natalie Portman and America Ferrera are much better examples for women in their 20s, but they also aren't media whores, so they may not sell as many overpriced clothes for those mags. God forbid Hollywood embrace women with class and style instead of creepy looking fashion victims.

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