Several posts ago, a "Dressing Room Test" was mentioned. Now, at long last, I am posting the said test, which was written up by my friend Golethiril.
The Dressing Room Test
There are many variations on this test, but I believe this covers all the basics without going overboard. Many modesty tests don’t take into account style, so these questions are a bit comprehensive. Don’t be overwhelmed by them, though. They are really very simple. When trying things on in the dressing room, you are trying to establish two things: 1) Can I move in this? And 2) Does this make me look good? If the item matches the basic style and modesty criteria, the answer will be “yes” to both. If the answer to one or the other is negative, and the item is a no-no!
Tops
- [For button down shirts, begin by buttoning all but the top button.] Does the shirt feel tight around your chest? Are there any puckers? Can you see any skin through the shirt? If so, your shirt is too tight. Can you pinch more than an inch of fabric on the sides? Do the armholes come down to your bra? If so, your shirt is too loose.
- Bend over towards the mirror. Can you see down the front of your shirt? Wearing a camisole will not make up for big shadows.
- Make sure that the second-to-top button hits at just about three fingers from your collarbone. You should never button the top button for style purposes, so makes sure that you’ll still be modest.
- Longer is better if you’ll be tucking the shirt in, but too long will make funny lines on your pants. A good length is about 2 inches below the hips.
Pants
- First of all, can you get into them without a struggle? If you can’t, they’re too tight.
- A good pair of pants, jeans included, will skim your legs rather than hug them. You should be able to pinch about an inch of fabric right underneath your derriere if they fit correctly.
- No panty lines. Period. Exclamation point.
- Squat on the floor. If they slide down farther than your hips, they’re too tight. If they puff out and you need a belt, they’re too big. (The latter you can get away with if you don’t tuck your shirt in, but they certainly won’t be stylish if you don’t.) Note: If you are a pear, you will probably need a belt for 99% of the pants you wear. Therefore, when trying on pants, you should try them on with a belt.
- Pants should never be shorter than the bottom of your ankle. Capris should never be shorter than four inches below your knees. Shorts should never be shorter than the tips of your fingers. You’ll be completely uncomfortable in anything less.
Skirts
- A general style rule for skirts is that you want the skirt to hit right at the thinnest parts of your leg to make you look slimmer. Universally, there are two spots to hit: right below your knees (where the calf is thinnest) and where the leg tapers to the ankle (which is roughly two-thirds to three-quarters down your calf). Modesty issues aside, your knees are the least flattering part of your leg regardless of how well-toned you are.
- To determine the modesty of a skirt, start by kneeling on the floor. Yes, it’s old fashioned, but it works. If the skirt touches the floor, it’s generally a safe bet. After that, sit down in the chair in the dressing room facing the mirror with your knees together. Can you see up the skirt? It’s too short. (This is critical when it comes to pencil skirts, which slide up 2-3 inches when you sit down.) Now widen your knees (just a tad-- you are not a cowboy! :-) ) and sit comfortably. Can you see up the skirt? It’s too tight.
So there you have it: The Dressing Room Test! Next post will be all about apples!
So there you have it: The Dressing Room Test! Next post will be all about apples!
Re: Tops, buttons. "You should never button the top button for style purposes". Not necessarily true. Yes, true, if it's a polo shirt that buttons literally up at the collar. Not true for most blouses\button shirts that have the highest button around your cleavage line anyway.
ReplyDeleteRe: pants. "If they puff out and you need a belt, they’re too big. (The latter you can get away with if you don’t tuck your shirt in, but they certainly won’t be stylish if you don’t.)" Are you saying that it is not stylish to wear your shirt untucked? That's what the grammar of this sentence looks like anyway. 99.99999% of the people in this world would hugely disagree with that statement. It's extremely old-fashioned and considered quite "nerdy" in many\most circles of society to tuck your shirt in when you're wearing pants, esp. jeans.
Anonymous--
ReplyDeleteThe article presumed that the top button hit the collarbone, the way that traditional button-fronts do. (Re-read that section--- "Make sure that the second-to-top button hits at just about three fingers from your collarbone.")
As for the pants, the sentence was misunderstood. The point which the author was trying to make is that pants which are way too big do not look good on people.
Okay. I guess I just haven't seen a shirt like that in ages. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
No problem, and thanks for pointing out the thing about the pants. I guess I didn't proofread it as closely as I thought. (See, another thing is that some girls can tuck their shirts in and still look nice; others can't. The author of the above test falls into the category of ones who can. And it can look fashionable [which is not the same as stylish]: I have seen many ladies in catalogues and magazines with their shirts tucked in so that they can show off a decorative belt. It mostly depends upon taste, body type, the outfit in question, and what look you are going for.)
ReplyDeleteAny other questions?
Still the same Anonymous ...
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, the only girls\women who can really get away with tucking in their pants are those with no hips -- tucking in your shirt emphasizes your hips and makes them look bigger than they are. Most models in modern magazines tend to not have too much hip, or else they stand for the picture in a way that makes them look like they don't. Anyway, no more questions. Thank you. :)
@Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments, but I have to disagree. Tucking your shirt in does not emphasize your hips unless your pants don't fit. There are many different cuts of pants, each designed for a different kind of body. If you have ones that sit at the right point on your waist, tucking your shirt in will usually help make you look slimmer by creating a focal point at your waist. If you are a pear, this can be nearly impossible, so it is easier to leave your shirt untucked and use a wide belt over the top. But for just about anyone else, tucking your shirt in will give you a more classic profile: very streamlined and less casual.
~Golethiril
I see what you mean, but now I think we are talking about different types of pants here. Since I don't think I see it on the post, where do you think the waistline of pants should fall? I'm sensing that you prefer them to be around your belly button? Because if so, you could be right; however, I (and I'm guessing most people who buy modern jeans, because that's just the way they are) prefer them just above the hip bone. In this case, tucking a shirt in does emphasize hips, since that's where the shirt\pant line will be.
ReplyDeleteSorry, just *under* the hip bone.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteYou are right when it comes to hip huggers- they are horribly unflattering in that respect. The hip hugger fashion doesn't actually flatter most body shapes except rectangles who have no waists(even hourglasses - being an hourglass myself, I know this well!) and is terribly difficult to be modest in because it is purposefully designed to show skin when you bend over or squat down. Fortunately, it is on its way out and there are more options to choose from when it comes to waistlines these days. However, having your pants sit all the way up at your belly button is a really bad idea unless you are an apple, or something like that, and want a higher waist line. Otherwise, pants should sit at your actual waist, which is usually midway between your belly button and your hips - but of course the exact location varies from person to person.
Thanks for the input!
~Golethiril