Fashion Forward

We all had that one childhood outfit that we loved. For whatever reason, it was this outfit that was the perfect combination of comfortable and oh-so-fashionable, or so I thought at the time. I begged to wear it over and over again, and my mom often caved and let it happen. Even when I was young, I was a budding fashionista, I must say, or at least had a strong sartorial opinion of my own.


I often disagreed with the fashion choices my mom made for me, though looking back at photographic evidence, I should have trusted her more. There is no denying that she had far more of an eye for what looked good on a little girl than I did. I vividly remember one such outfit that I found utterly offensive, mind you I was barely four years old at the time. I know this, because there is a picture of me in it ( I am surprised I let anyone document what I thought was truly a fashion tragedy). The outfit consisted of adorable red corduroys, a cream sweater, and what was, in my mind, the most hideous aspect of this outfit, my saddle shoes. I was utterly convinced that wearing pants made me look like a boy, and that these black and white shoes were hardly becoming, as I much preferred to wear my mom’s high heels constantly. Though it is sad to admit, I remember thinking that this outfit would ruin my whole day, and I am pretty sure it did.

But with a red ribbon in my hair, I must acknowledge that my mother knew what she was doing, which makes me question how some pieces snuck into my young wardrobe. My favorite outfit, the one I believed to be comfortable and cool, was in fact a pair of OshKosh B’Gosh short, floral overalls. Yes, you read that right. Overalls, sure those always look good, let’s make them into shorts now and throw in a floral pattern! Layer them with a pink tee for a perfect look and maybe throw in some Keds and matching pink socks if I was really feeling it. The pictures from these days are ones I look back on with shame (partially because of the outfit, and partially because this outfit coincided with the days when I had bangs, a short and tragic time in my young life).

What brought this outfit to mind was not a sentimental picture from the past, but a story that ran on fabsugar.com just this past Tuesday. The story proclaimed for all the world to see that Elizabeth and James, the coolest of the cool brand-wise, was showing denim overalls for this spring! Yes, chambray is in right now, and people are pushing its boundaries, trying to make denim on denim work in a non-Canadian tuxedo kind of way, but overalls, really!?

This bold move made by the brand Elizabeth and James, headed by the ever-glamorous Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, was not the most surprising when you think about the label they have put their name behind. These two iconic ’90s girls, who rocked some overalls in their past, will surely reinvigorate the trend for modern days, hopefully ditching the short cut and white floral prints along the way, please. And honestly, I wouldn’t expect anything less from Elizabeth and James, whose cool factor is always through the roof and whose pieces feel both cutting edge and classic at the same time.


The rest of the Spring ’13 lookbook does not cease to impress. Distressed denim in washes ranging from black to the lightest white pair, with everything in between accounted for, work well with the drool-worthy tees and sweat shirts that dot the spring line, with phrases like “HIPPIE,” “POET,” and “WARRIOR” printed in plain, bold-faced lettering. Two different versions of a tie-dyed chambray shirt bring this popular trend one step further, and nicely juxtapose with the aforementioned industrial overalls.


I could imagine myself wearing any and all of these items this spring, and believe that I would someday not look back in complete horror at my fashion decisions. I start to think, that maybe there is even a way to make the overalls work. A cool scarf, or perhaps a bright, bold, chunky necklace would offset the decidedly masculine, utilitarian vibe, or maybe pairing them with some cork platform heels or a sharp blazer even. I like to think that if Elizabeth and James is selling them, they have to be pretty cool. Because, like I did in the ’90s, I tend to follow Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s fashion advice, as sad as that may sound. The duo has really matured from their Full House days, and I like to think that I have matured right along with them. Though I may consider revisiting the childhood love of my past, the overall, I will never look back on my saddle shoe days with love, I am still glad those are long over.