Fashion Punctuation

My older brother would be shocked to know that he has influenced my passion for fashion since he is the least bit interested in this topic. He is a writer for a very prestigious magazine in the very serious business of oil and fashion is not on his radar screen. He once told me that his pet peeve is reading any written form of communication that overuses punctuation. To clarify, too many explanation points, too many ……s is superfluous. He firmly stated that any form of explicative should be used sparingly and strategically. Period Although I rarely listen to my brother, I believe that this discipline applies to fashion as well. If one thinks of one's attire as a sentence, then one should consider if there is any unnecessary "punctuation" and if so, is it adding to you personal statement or creating visual confusion? Let's say for example you are wearing a unique necklace, a beautiful bracelet, a great belt, awesome shoes and the perfect leggings. Do all of the accessories work together to create a cohesive statement or are there too many "explanation" points? The late Coco Chanel stated, "When accessorizing, always take off the last thing you put on." I believe she was talking about too much "visual punctuation." Just as we edit our words, it is important to edit our wardrobe. You say a lot about who you are by what you wear. Think about a beautiful belt as the main accessory. It is the equivalent of a comma and creates a wonderful pause in the total expression of the outfit. For example, take a look at this outfit by DKNY posted by Iconcloth earlier this year. This particular outfit by Oscar de la Renta posted by Iconcloth is a beautiful ensemble. The accessories don't compete but rather complement one another to create a thoughtful fashion statement. Check out the simple J. Crew outfit with the golden yellow sweater as the punctuation. As we design legwear, we believe our tights, leggings and socks complement the total fashion statement, adding textural interest and may be the punctuation point or may be a quiet supporting accessory. Of course, if you choose to create a multi-punctuated visual fashion statement, that is your choice and a deliberate fashion decision. It is fun and certainly equivalent to a run on sentence without the rules of organized sentence structure. Everyone has their own style and the opportunity to punctuate accordingly. There is no right or wrong solution because style is about you and the unique fashion ideas you create. So, however you choose to punctuate your daily attire, have fun and just go for it. Or…GO for IT!!!!!!