I have always hated preppy clothes. I was in junior high at the height of prep - anyone remember Britches Great Outdoors? I definitely remember warthog socks. And the fugly rugby shirts (fugby shirts?) that EVERYone wore. The "cool" girls wore their pink and blue or similarly girly $40 rugbys with the fronts tucked in and the backs out and their Keds with warthog socks over their jeans. So fucking cool. So cool in fact that there are no pictures to be found of those trends of yore. It may have been a local thing too, indiginous to the wilds of Montgomery County.
I hated that stuff. I wanted to be the rocker chick, and I tried with my black denim jacket and my stylin' boots and general too cool for school all black apparel. Then in high school in 1991, came the grunge and out came the flannels. I remember my first pair of really cool shoes (in my innocent, sparkling eyes): black, 7 hole Doc Martens. I remember the blisters they gave me for the first few days. But I was determined to be as cool as possible and I suffered through, then they became comfortable and awesome.
In general, I hate trends that everyone picks up on. I can't say I've never fallen victim to trends and I certainly can't say that everything in my closet or on my bookshelf or whatever is totally original because only me and 4 other people in the continental US have them. The Doc Martens example above proving my point. But I hate crap that everyone has just for the sake of having it.
Exhibit A - Louis Vuitton. Seriously some of the ugliest bags I've ever seen. Some of the shapes are kinda cool (thanks, Marc Jacobs) but the brown and camel LV pattern makes me wanna yak.
Exhibit B - Juicy Couture. Really, ladies? Couture means pink and ribbons and bows and plaid and terrycloth and charms with Juicy screaming all over it and all mixed up into one for the bargain price of $145 for a bag that would fit my wallet, cell phone, and maybe my metro card? Well done, girls. That definitely says high fashion. But holy hell, I love this bag. Now I have to go bathe in alcohol.
Et cetera.
The latest trend that I've decided chaps my ass comes in the form of preppy-ish shoes. They strike me as preppy, but maybe it's just the girls I see wearing them. I see a pair at least once a day. I did a quick Google search for "leather flip flops 3 chain links" and only a few links down do I see the magic words: Steve Madden. Is Madden still cool? Target filches his designs every year I've noticed, when I've been forced past the SM store with the scary cartoonish girls in his ads. But he's not quite the household name anymore, or maybe that's just in my demographic. I'm also decidedly not a shoe girl, although I feel qualified to pass judgment on footwear often.
However, I guess Mr. Madden's still got it because apparently a quarter to roughly half of the 20 something girls in DC own some iteration of this shoe.
Come on, girls. That's like a MILLIMETER of leather between you and the streets of DC. Or Virginia. Or God forbid, Maryland. And the 3 chain links? Does not make the flip flops "classy." THEY ARE STILL FLIP FLOPS. And white? Because it's so clean here in the summer? I know we're not Bejing, but come on. And the $50 price tag does not make these things any nicer either. I will say that the cognac leather is quite pretty and I would almost forgive those. Except I've never seen anyone wearing that color.
Their official name is Steve Madden Women's Sannibel Flip-Flop Sandal. Again, this name does NOT MAKE THE SHOE ANY CLASSIER. They are still flip flops. Just because you secure some plastic "jewels" or stick a heel on a leather flip flop it does not make it appropriate for work. Some of the plastic jeweled ones just look like your 4 year old niece went nuts with a Bedazzler for feet and the flip flops with heels? When you don't wear them with long pants, and/or wear them to work (again, this doesn't make them FANCY or PROFESSIONAL), there's an unfortunate side effect. They make you look like you have the feet of goats. Or other cloven footed animals. Seriously.
Oh, and while I'm hurling insults at the feet of DC women, I'll also say this. Whoever told you that neon pink, and sometimes orange, a la the 80s is a nice nail polish color...that person is not your friend. This color does not look good. Get thee to Ulta or CVS and find something else that would not make Cyndi Lauper ask you where she could score a bottle for the remake of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - the video OR the movie.
If I still had Doc Martens, I'd want to kick some sense into you.
I hated that stuff. I wanted to be the rocker chick, and I tried with my black denim jacket and my stylin' boots and general too cool for school all black apparel. Then in high school in 1991, came the grunge and out came the flannels. I remember my first pair of really cool shoes (in my innocent, sparkling eyes): black, 7 hole Doc Martens. I remember the blisters they gave me for the first few days. But I was determined to be as cool as possible and I suffered through, then they became comfortable and awesome.
In general, I hate trends that everyone picks up on. I can't say I've never fallen victim to trends and I certainly can't say that everything in my closet or on my bookshelf or whatever is totally original because only me and 4 other people in the continental US have them. The Doc Martens example above proving my point. But I hate crap that everyone has just for the sake of having it.
Exhibit A - Louis Vuitton. Seriously some of the ugliest bags I've ever seen. Some of the shapes are kinda cool (thanks, Marc Jacobs) but the brown and camel LV pattern makes me wanna yak.
Exhibit B - Juicy Couture. Really, ladies? Couture means pink and ribbons and bows and plaid and terrycloth and charms with Juicy screaming all over it and all mixed up into one for the bargain price of $145 for a bag that would fit my wallet, cell phone, and maybe my metro card? Well done, girls. That definitely says high fashion. But holy hell, I love this bag. Now I have to go bathe in alcohol.
Et cetera.
The latest trend that I've decided chaps my ass comes in the form of preppy-ish shoes. They strike me as preppy, but maybe it's just the girls I see wearing them. I see a pair at least once a day. I did a quick Google search for "leather flip flops 3 chain links" and only a few links down do I see the magic words: Steve Madden. Is Madden still cool? Target filches his designs every year I've noticed, when I've been forced past the SM store with the scary cartoonish girls in his ads. But he's not quite the household name anymore, or maybe that's just in my demographic. I'm also decidedly not a shoe girl, although I feel qualified to pass judgment on footwear often.
However, I guess Mr. Madden's still got it because apparently a quarter to roughly half of the 20 something girls in DC own some iteration of this shoe.Come on, girls. That's like a MILLIMETER of leather between you and the streets of DC. Or Virginia. Or God forbid, Maryland. And the 3 chain links? Does not make the flip flops "classy." THEY ARE STILL FLIP FLOPS. And white? Because it's so clean here in the summer? I know we're not Bejing, but come on. And the $50 price tag does not make these things any nicer either. I will say that the cognac leather is quite pretty and I would almost forgive those. Except I've never seen anyone wearing that color.
Their official name is Steve Madden Women's Sannibel Flip-Flop Sandal. Again, this name does NOT MAKE THE SHOE ANY CLASSIER. They are still flip flops. Just because you secure some plastic "jewels" or stick a heel on a leather flip flop it does not make it appropriate for work. Some of the plastic jeweled ones just look like your 4 year old niece went nuts with a Bedazzler for feet and the flip flops with heels? When you don't wear them with long pants, and/or wear them to work (again, this doesn't make them FANCY or PROFESSIONAL), there's an unfortunate side effect. They make you look like you have the feet of goats. Or other cloven footed animals. Seriously.
Oh, and while I'm hurling insults at the feet of DC women, I'll also say this. Whoever told you that neon pink, and sometimes orange, a la the 80s is a nice nail polish color...that person is not your friend. This color does not look good. Get thee to Ulta or CVS and find something else that would not make Cyndi Lauper ask you where she could score a bottle for the remake of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - the video OR the movie.
If I still had Doc Martens, I'd want to kick some sense into you.
Steve Madden's alway rip my feet the shreds. I haven't bought a pair in over 7 years.
I had the most fabulous pair of black and white doc martens that I bought in London...even though it is no longer my personal style, I still kind of miss them.
I still have Doc Martens actually, they came out with some cool sandals a few years ago.
I hate Juicy Couture with a passion, overpriced crap - throw Kate Spade in that too.
I like Coach though, but Coach has been around a long time.
lemm - then I'm not crazy. When I hear Steve Madden, I think of them from when I was my early 20s. 7 years doesn't *quite* put me to early 20s, but close enough. No shit about the doc martens. I miss them too, and I couldn't tell you why.
zipcode - I did see some of their new stuff on zappos and was intrigued. I used to looooove Kate Spade. And then so did everyone else and I hated it. As for Coach...I'm on the fence about it. I know a few people who aren't walking billboard kind of people and who like nice bags, and they happen to like Coach. I appreciate their stuff (more the leather than the signature stuff), but for the most part I've found it's just not my style. I dislike the crazy Cs thing though, that's for sure, although I do have a small bag with the Cs.
Personally, I have quite a few Steve Madden pumps I use for work, and for me, they're very comfortable. (Though Naughty Monkey is my favorite brand, since they have cool patterns -- spices up my boring work clothes.)
I hadn't even noticed those leather flip-flop thingys you posted were the new thing, but once I saw the picture I was like "you're right, I've been seeing them all over the place!" (and I don't get it either, they're effing ugly!)
My peeve now regarding the new trend? Those dresses with the large band at the bottom, that makes most girls look like a bubble, even the skinny ones. Gosh, that is so unflattering! And for sure one of these things people will be looking back on their pictures years from now and say "what the hell was I thinking?"
OMGOMGOMG. I haven't thought about Fugly Britches clothes in sooooo long. You nailed it. Those warthog socks were such a joke! As for Steve Madden, he has some cute stuff, but like Lem, I canNOT wear his shoes; they destroy my feet.
And I second, third, fourth and fifth the motion about the neon nailpolish. WTF?? It's hideous. It was hideous in 1988, and it's still hideous today.
I remember the fugby shirts! I had one...well the one I stole from my dad. My favorite was the 1993-94 gangsta wear of stussy shirts and silver tab jeans (that I "borrowed" from my sister), another trend that was completely inexplicable.
And Steve Madden? I go in to the store with the best expectations since I used to love their stuff and always go out dissapointed. BCBG shoes and dresses are my favorites :-)
Think that's bad? Read this and cower in fear!
I am perfectly fine with my $3 flip flops from Old Navy, thankyouverymuch.
I cannot bring myself to spend more than 10 or 15 bucks on a pair of flip flops... I like the idea of a dressier flip flop, but I'm not going to shell out 50 bucks for 'em.
Seriously, I refuse to spend more than $20 on sandals. Even if they're fancy, no way. And, thank you, I never found Louis Vuitton to be all that amazing. Nor Juicy Couture. Maybe i'm just not that stylish!
I admit it. I tried a pair of the flat, leather flip flop things this year because I thought that leather might feel better/cooler on my feet. I prefer natural materials - not plastic or rubber. I have great arches, but the shoes are so uncomfortable that I cannot keep them on long enough to break in the leather properly.
I'm back in my LL Bean Explorer sandals for casual walking about.
beach bum - yeah, no one looks flattering in those dresses. but again, it's amazing to me how many people seemingly leave the house without consulting a mirror.
ryane - what's that they say about great minds? thinking alike or something? :-)
jo - stussy! OMG, i forgot about those. i had stussy shirts. i guess it was a castoff from the skater crowd, when it morphed over to the surfer crowd...you know, the large surfing presence in MD...and NoVa...
heather - i am cowering. i'm seeing far too much of the 80s come back to haunt us.
maria - as long as they're not white, exactly!
maxie - i've paid $30 for "better" flip flops but...they're flip flops. let's not lose our minds here.
lauren - some people equate style with money, when money has very little to do with it. it *can* help, but it doesn't ensure style. people also confuse fashion with style, and they are very, very different things.
connie - you may have just proved that 3 out of 4 women say steve madden hates feet!
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