It’s no news that I am no fashionista.
So it’s no surprise that I only recently became aware of a fashion trend that’s been around for awhile.
“Awhile” meaning since 1983.
And that trend’s longevity is understandable, when I show you what I’m talking about:
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| These well-known actresses obviously shop at the same garbage dump designer store. | |
Called “street couture,” I learned it goes back at least to 1983 because of this article in the Washington Post:
What Vogue “called street couture” was also known as “bag lady chic,” and it’s easy to find examples of that, as well:
In an indication of our heightened sensitivity, the term “bag lady” fell out of fashion, but the look did not:
We now call it “homeless chic,” and rest assured, it is not for women only:
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| Designer unknown; sleeping bag (on right), not included. | |
And lest you’re concerned that this stylin’ is only for the rich and famous or runway models, here are some shots of regular folks – yes, like you and me! – proving that we, too, can have this look:
But to avoid committing terrible fashion faux paus, I found an online article with tips for getting the max out of our new look. Written by someone named “Katy,” we can easily see her stylin’ sense; here’s her photo, along with her advice:
Nothing should be your size. If it is, you’re doing it wrong. The key to this look is wearing EVERYTHING oversized. That means you’re sizing up at least one to two sizes.
Your jeans should be baggy enough to fit a diaper in the crotch. Please don’t WEAR a diaper, but you catch my drift.
Structured shoes are a must. If you wear this look with something casual like tennis shoes, it will be bag lady in the WRONG way.
Don’t go too crazy on the jewelry. This look is all about the mass amount of clothing you’re wearing and if you try to layer a ton of big jewelry, you WILL look like you’re just wearing everything in your closet.
Now, armed with this wisdom, we’re ready to go homeless chic.
And just ignore the nasty naysayers who say stuff like:
