The Five Worst Fashion Mistakes You Can Make

The rules of fashion have relaxed quite a bit in recent times but there are still fashion mistakes that are universally recognized as bad style. No one is going to point and laugh if you wear white shoes after Labor Day (this is probably the most widely recognized fashion rule of all time, which is hilarious because it is meaninglessly rigid-white looks fabulous in the winter months). Sequins are equally appropriate for daytime and night, and it is even okay to wear lingerie outside your house under certain circumstances. Nevertheless, there are five fashion mistakes you can make that can really ruin an otherwise great look.

Fashion Mistake #1: Wearing a single label from head to toe

There are fashion labels that carry a certain cachet, yes, but wearing any label from head to toe unless you have a high paying modeling contract with them will brand you as a fashion novice at best and a fashion victim at worst. Copying a look exactly from any fashion line says that you have no inner sense of style and are just throwing money at the problem-it's one of the worst fashion mistakes you can make. It's really not any better to mix multiple labels or logos either. Pick one obvious logo per outfit and pair it with things that people wouldn't expect to see, like a cute accessory from a discount store or a vintage purse you got from your grandmother. The high-low mix exudes real style like no other look.

Fashion Mistake #2: Wearing Clothes That Don't Fit

Wearing clothes that don't fit properly is the very worst fashion mistake you can make. A whole blogging industry has grown up around it, with sites like www.peopleofwalmart.com subsiding on the advertising revenue they generate from making fun of people who wear pants that are too tight. Clothes that are too big can be just as bad, as they hide the good points of your figure and make you look shapeless and sloppy. Avoid fashion mistakes like these by not getting too attached to a number, and enlisting the services of a good tailor. When you try things on, keep in mind that sizing is nonstandard and take three versions of each outfit into the fitting room with you-the size you think will fit, and one size up and one size down. Pick the one that fits you best and cut the label out if the number bugs you (or feel free to brag about it if you're in a smaller size and it gives you a boost). Then take it for alterations and have the fit perfected.

Fashion Mistake #3: Not Having the Proper Undergarments

One of the most common fashion mistakes out there, made by even people who should know better, is wearing the wrong undergarments and letting them ruin an outfit. It makes no sense to spend a few hundred dollars on designer clothes and then destroy your look by wearing a bra that doesn't fit or panties that show through a sheer skirt (unless you're, say, Paris Hilton, in which case actually wearing panties is a step up). Invest in a few good bras that work with a variety of necklines. If you can't afford a whole bra wardrobe, skin tone colors are preferable to black and white because they show less under clothes. As for panties, the types that are least likely to create VPL (visible panty lines, which are a huge fashion mistake) are low rise, hipsters, and thongs. (Having your thong peek out from the top of your low rise jeans also qualifies as wearing the wrong undergarments, so be tasteful about it.)

Fashion Mistake #4: Failing to Wear Accessories

Many people don't realize that accessories can really make or break an outfit. Unless you're wearing an architectural piece by a designer like Yohji Yamamoto that needs a blank canvas to stand out, adding jewelry or an interesting purse is essential to bring your look to the next level. The designers know this, which is why they employ stylists for their runway shows, to show off their works in the proper setting. Unfortunately, this is one of the fashion mistakes that's seen on the red carpet all the time, and because ordinary women often look to celebrities as fashion inspiration, it's spreading. While too many accessories are never good, neither is failing to accessorize at all.

Fashion Mistake #5: Wearing Clothes or Accessories That Are Ripped, Stained, or Worn Out

The final and possibly most debilitating of fashion mistakes is failing to care for your garments and accessories properly. You can do absolutely everything else right, but if your clothing or accessories are stained, ripped (unintentionally-there is quite a good market out there for distressed designer jeans), pilled, or worn out they need to be retired immediately. We strive for carefree in fashion, not careless, and nothing says you don't care like wearing clothing that is in bad condition. If you'd be embarrassed to put it in a charity donation box, you should be embarrassed to wear it.