Should She Prevent a Fashion Catastrophe?
Dear Fashion Police: My dear friend, who will be attending an important wedding soon, has found an outfit at a fashionable resale shop. She is very excited about it, especially considering the deal she thinks she got. How do I tell her that it is straight out of the 1980s? Or, should I just keep my mouth shut and let her enjoy her find?
--ON THE FENCE
Dear On: We’ve all been where you are right now--teetering between doing a good deed and completely demolishing a friendship. Should we give our unsolicited opinion, hoping to save someone we care about from a potential fashion disaster, or merely stand back and let fate take its course; in other words, allow those gossip hounds to howl?
Before we start with the advice, we must remind you of one thing: Some styles from that era are now considered hip and “vintage,” and if that makes you feel old, you’re not alone. But since you’re so alarmed at her purchase we’ll assume that the dress more closely resembles a bad “Dynasty” retread than a designer’s brilliant reinterpretation of the look.
If your friend is acutely aware of and interested in what others think and would truly be crushed by the slightest raise of an eyebrow, we think you should gently let her know that the dress doesn’t flatter her. Be tactful and discreet.
If, however, she has elephant hide for skin and does what she pleases despite the wagging of tongues, let her be. This is her spirit and style, and to rein that in would be a shame.
You know your friend best, but if we were to choose a course of action, it would be the latter. The worst-case scenario is that someone utters a snide comment right to her face, and we sincerely doubt that will happen. Most people who attend weddings are focused on the bride and groom and the food--not necessarily in that order.
Two sandal-related questions came in this week; “Perplexed” asks: I just got a pair of brown leather dressy-casual sandals. The shade is called saddle--it’s an orangy brown. I love them, but what do they go with? I’ve been wearing them with all shades of brown but I’m not sure it’s right. Is brown a neutral, like black?
And from “Gray Area,” there’s this question: I have a couple of pairs of gray linen pants, but I don’t know what color sandals to wear with them. Black seems too stark, and white too light. I don’t care for metallics, and I haven’t found gray sandals anywhere. What’s the solution?
Dear Perplexed and Gray: The answer to the second question is in the first, and the answer to the first question is yes. Confused? No problem, we’ll break it down.
Perplexed, your saddle leather sandals are indeed a neutral. Most brown leather shoes can be considered neutrals and can be worn with almost all colors, from black to white to denim blue, sage green, etc. Here are a few caveats: Your orangy-brown sandals shouldn’t be worn with reds that have blue undertones, since the colors will clash. Also, lighter shades of leather look best with paler hues, such as dusty pink, buttercup and periwinkle. Darker brown tones complement bolder colors, such as black, navy, crimson and ochre.
As for you, Gray, your pants will look great with brown leather sandals, since, as we pointed out, it’s a neutral. However, make sure they and the pants have similar tones. For instance, charcoal goes best with chocolate or russet browns, while pale grays go well with lighter tans.
Navy is another alternative that looks great with gray, and isn’t as stark a contrast as black.
From the Fashion Police blotter: For women who like fragrances but hate overly flowery scents that verge on sickly sweet, Tipton Charles offers an alternative. The company’s line of fragrances for body and home really is suitable for both--you can spray them on your person, your bed linens, around the bedroom or kitchen, even in a hamper or closet. They’re extremely light, perfect for summer, and come in such scents as lavender, lemon verbena, basil-nectarine, ocean, cedar, rosemary and mandarin-guava. We tried the grapefruit, which was pleasantly citrusy with a hint of floral undertones. The products use essential oils and are not tested on animals. A 1-ounce spray bottle is $14; to order, call (800) 340-1075 or visit the Web site at www.tiptoncharles.com.
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Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to jeannine.stein@latimes.com.
