Casual dressing can easily be chic and stylish. Looking drab and sloppy is completely avoidable.
FEB. 17th, 2010 (original post date)
What’s casual to you? Sweats? Jeans? A funky dress? Dressy pants? A short skirt? Sexy boots? Converses? Short answer: any of it.
Casual dressing, for many, suggests unfussy or careless throwing together of things. What that can result in, sometimes, is a walking fashion disaster if you are actually being “careless.” If you’re making this blunder of looking like a frumpster and calling it casual, stop. It’s time to re-define your style definition of “casual.” Casual dressing implies free and easy; not showing effort or strain. Casual dressing is NOT haphazard, sloppy dressing.
What we actually all want, in the name of “casual,” is effortless, attractive style. That is what we want. We can each have it. There is a feasible way to put together an outfit by just grabbing any old thing in your closet and having it look marvelous --- every item in your closet must fit and flatter you. Yep. That's the key.
Effortless style requires some effort, of course, let's not kid ourselves. The effort lies in understanding how clothing can look amazing on you (anything from sweat pants and sneaks to a cocktail dress and heels). Yes, even your sweats, jeans, and workout shorts can flatter you and look great. The trick? Fit. Make sure every item of clothing you wear fits your body properly and well.
Effortless manner (the ease and comfort with which you wear your clothes) also comes into play with casual style. Do not mistake comfort and ease with frumpy, loose, and ill-fitting. Too many people error in that direction in fear of looking like they’ve “tried too hard." Be comfortable…in clothes that fit.
Nowadays, for women, the popular trend of the slouchy style shirt can help polish the casual, informal look. Gorgeous designs in light, beautiful fabrics cascade down the body. They are fantastic “sophisticated casual” pieces because the shapes and fabrics are striking and flattering for many body types while the flowing design evokes a sense of freedom and laid backness (is that a word?) Casual. Effortless beauty. It’s a wonderful thing. Just make sure your slouchy styled shirt actually fits you and follows the contour lines of your body and isn’t just….well, sloppy. Or completely shapeless. These pieces are versatile because they can be easily dressed up as well.
So, man or woman, whether your idea of casual is “sophisticated,” "handsome," “pretty,” “grungy,” “punk rock,” “sexy,”….the sky’s the limit with your casual attire expressions. Casual is what’s casual to YOU. What you feel free and effortless in. I’m sure you’ve noticed the theme of this article on what makes casual successfully stylish = FIT. Make sure you dump the frump, and ensure that everything forms to your body well.
