Casual
Fridays has been a tradition in LSM that cannot be seen from other private schools.
It is a fantastic opportunity to express yourself through mediums such as
fashion and culture that promotes creativity and humility as well. But
sometimes, we end up sounding (and looking) like a goofball if we often use fashion terms in
the wrong sense with braggadocio. Most of you probably get confused with common
patterns for men’s clothing so I am gonna give you a quick crash course about
it. So better listen up and take notes!
1.) Plaid - If I get a dollar for every
time someone pronounces this wrong I’d already be a millionaire. It is PLAD not
PLAYED. Most people think that people who wear plaid use black eyeliner, listen to sad music or are mounted on a horse herding cattle. But that is obviously not the case. You will find many
different styles of plaid (all with different names), but for the sake of this
article, let’s just lump them all under one title. Simply put, it is a pattern of stripes that cross each other to form squares. Plaid scales vary, but as a
whole, plaid prints are typically more busy because of the color plus the
actual plaid pattern itself. Make sure to use it sparingly. One plaid item
per outfit is usually best.
2.)
Argyle – This pattern simply pertains to overlapping diamonds and intercrossing diagonal lines. This is commonly seen in vests, pullovers and socks. The first image that comes to mind when this style is mentioned is a
stereotypical nerd with bulky eyeglasses (probably coming from a strong
influence on American sitcoms). A classmate once wore an argyle sweater and he received a lot of flak. Sadly, he never wore it again and had maybe doused it
in gasoline and ignited a match on it. But for me, I think it looked nice because it adds a layer of class. Argyle is not nerdy but preppy (see the
difference?).
3.)
Aztec – Please don’t get confused, Tribal and Aztec have commonalities but they aren’t the same thing.
Flourished during the Mayan Era (World History class, remember?), it has now
made its grand comeback to modern society through fashion. What makes Aztec prints stand out
from different patterns is that they heavily use on geometric patterns and bold
colors. If you wish to be like an Aztec, daring and fearless, I would suggest
you wear this print. But don’t overdo it!
4.) Checkered – Is a pattern of modified stripes consisting
of crossed horizontal and vertical lines forming squares. Also known as a “gingham” pattern. It comes in many different sizes mostly seen in
shirts. If worn correctly, people will be complimenting your style. If not you
will be looking like a walking chessboard.
You can layer your shirt under a sweater and let the collar pop out for
a preppy look or layer it under a cardigan to keep you warm and super casual.
5.) Pinstripe - This pattern is composed of very thin stripes of any color running in parallel. Comes in many different scales, from
pinstripe (thin) to the wide stripe you find in ties. Really flexible, easily
worn with other patterns and of course, goes with all solids. A very common
print in long sleeves, it gives you this classy feel to it.
The next
time someone asks you about clothing patterns or you go shopping with your friends, I bet you would not sound like a
fool you once were but a more knowledgeable human being and maybe, just maybe, you can impress the
opposite sex with the information you got? Who knows? Sound smarter, dress
smarter.
Article by Jeremiah Maglaya
Photos from Zalora (Shopping made easy? Check their site for amazing fashion deals!)
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