Fashion Column: So Much Skin

The breezes. The changing of leaves. And the start of people covering more skin.
I have many reasons as to why fall’s my favorite season.

I love dresses and shorts as much as the next girl, but I do not enjoy seeing butt cheeks, almost nip-slips and other people’s underwear on my way to class.

A professor told my class last week that we pay approximately $84 per class. She used this to show us why we should show up to class, but it also struck me in another way.

Classes are ways to network. Your professors are great sources for potential recommendation letters and real-world experience, but why would they take you seriously if you can’t dress appropriately?

Fashion is always changing. Midriff-baring tops are starting to make their move on campus again, but there is a point where you should stop.

Girls’ shorts already don’t have that much fabric and don’t cover that much surface area. So when you wear the short-shorts or the shorts with holes in them, it can end up looking trashy. The shorts with pockets showing below the hem line are another point of contention. They look like whoever made the clothing ran out of fabric.
I’m not going to rag on only the girls; boys have been making me irritated as well. The baggy pants with boxers showing are not hot. It makes me want to hand you a belt.
Something weird I saw the other day was a guy with lots of chest hair and the lowest V-neck T-shirt I’ve ever seen. Boys, some girls like the hairy look, but if you’re going to wear these shirts, maybe think about trimming back the hair.

Girls already shave their legs and armpits to wear specific types of clothes; it’s all about tit-for-tat.

And ladies with cleavage — please try on shirts before you buy them to make sure the “girls” stay in.

Since I am an A-cup, I don’t have to worry much about flashing the world, but women who are bustier may have a harder time with lower-cut shirts. You don’t have to give up a cute top just because your top half is shapelier than it is on women like me.

A quick trick to fixing these shirts is to place a small tack by sewing together the two sides of the neckline together with a small stitch. It takes about three minutes and you can decide how high you want the neckline to be. Another fix is just wearing a nice tank top under the shirt. Let’s face it, layering is already in style and with the right fabric you won’t be any hotter, temperature-wise, than you were before.

So, my advice for classroom attire would be to:
» Wear shorts that are at least to your fingertips.
» Wear a belt if your pants will not stay around your hips.
» Make sure your shirt doesn’t show all of your chest.

When you are shopping, ask yourself “Am I showing too much skin?”

Whether it is stifling out or starting to cool off, remember that people judge you through your clothes. You can still be fashion forward and wear awesome outfits, while staying cool and appropriate. It just takes some thinking ahead.