Let’s be honest ”” most guys don’t know much about fashion. Survey the wardrobe of the average college male and you’ll likely find an assortment of dress shirts grandma bought for Christmas, a few pairs of jeans and a sizable collection of T-shirts, ranging from our favorite sports team to a ‘70s rock band we don’t listen to. Guys have six pairs of shoes, as opposed to, say, 60 pairs for girls.
So when Maddie Shannon, our editor of arts and entertainment, asked me to write a column about what looks good on women from a guy’s point of view, I was a little apprehensive. Because I know even less about fashion than the average guy, if that is possible.
If it was up to me, I’d wear my blue Atlanta Braves’ hat, Green Bay Packers’ shirt and purple Washington Union High School shorts around in public, color scheme be damned.
Nevertheless, I signed on to write it. So ladies, remember to take my suggestions with a grain of salt ”” I’m the guy who walks around campus in moccasins.
Regardless, here are five things I think about women’s fashion.
1) You can wear too much makeup. Don’t get me wrong, guys like it when women get dolled up. However, if I brush against you in the hallway, my T-shirt should not have a huge mark on it from your caked-on makeup. That is not good. Moderation is. Guys like a natural look, not a plastic look. We prefer Lauren Conrad to Heidi Montag.
2) Dress modestly. Yes, it is true, the superficial man prizes many aspects of the female body. But that doesn’t mean that you should reel us in by showing it all to us. It is rarely flattering, and it almost always results in you losing respect. Plus, it’s just plain awkward. Ladies, forget about what Hollywood says guys think: dress modestly.
3) Enough with the Uggs. Honestly, I’m sick of them. There is no need to wear them in Fresno in the summer with short shorts on. Why? You’re wearing boots! They are made to wear in the cold, not when it’s 90 degrees outside. Put some sandals on.
4) Confidence is key. Guys can tell when a girl is comfortable in her own skin, and we like that. We do not like when girls are constantly fishing for compliments. Be confident. You don’t have to look like Barbie to be sexy. Besides, if Barbie was a real person, according to The Huffington Post, she’d be 5 feet 9 inches, have a 39-inch bust, an 18-inch waist, 33-inch hips, a size-three shoe and weigh 110 pounds. She would be anorexic. We don’t want you to be Barbie; we want you to be you.
5) Simplicity is a good thing. Believe it or not, one of the sexiest things to a guy is when you are wearing sweats and one of his T-shirts. We like it when you dress simply. You don’t have to dress extravagantly all the time. Wearing jeans with a jersey of our favorite football team is just fine with us.
Writing this article, I was surprised at how many opinions I have. I was reminded of the scene from Seinfeld where Jerry sets George up with another girl. George asks a number of questions about her, finally asking if her face had a “pinkish hue.” As guys, we have descriptive tastes, whether girls know it or not.
So ladies, if you want to know what we think, just ask. We’ll tell you.