From those horribly outdated ‘how to dress for your shape’ articles, to the online trolls, to that little voice in your head, women are constantly subjected to opinions about what they can and can’t wear.
When did fashion stop being fun and why does the simple act of getting dressed come with so many ridiculous restrictions?
We asked four women - models, influencers and regular ELLE girls - to wear the things they've been told they can't, featuring our new season picks from Very. Then we sat down with them to find out how it felt.
Felicity @felicityhayward
Knitted midi dress, £30; Zip front ankle boot, £60, both V by Very
“No one is born confident. No one is born a wonder woman.
"As women, our bodies are going to have so much dramatic change throughout our lives – through puberty, maybe childbirth, the menopause. Your body’s going to change, whatever you do. It’s out of your control. If we can make young girls understand that from a young age, it would make such a difference.
“When I was growing up, the only women I felt I could relate to in the media were the funny fat women. As much as I adored them, I never saw any bigger women that were portrayed as sexy or cool. Thankfully, now, you do see more curvy women in starring roles.
“I make my career out of my body, so when someone is negative about it, I tell them, not only am I making a living out of it, I’m inspiring other people to be comfortable with themselves. My reaction is: ‘You can try, but I’ll rise above anything’. You shouldn’t be bound down by other people’s absurd views on fashion. You should wear what makes you feel good. Life is too short to not be happy, comfortable and confident.”
Katy
Funnel neck jumper, £30; Snakeskin mini-skirt, £30; Western boots, £42, all V by Very
“I was always told things like, ‘black is flattering, or ‘don’t wear anything on your bottom half that’s going to draw attention to your thighs’. And I still automatically apply that today.
“But, really, it’s so strange that when you’re growing up as a woman, you’re basically told you’re one of five different odd shapes (apple, pear etc.) and then that’s it for the rest of your life. If you’re an apple, then you’re an apple forever, but those labels don’t really exist. And there are so many rules – like you’re supposed to know what colours suit you and only wear those.
“I was absolutely terrified of today’s look. When I saw it on the hanger, I could imagine it on the pages of ELLE. I couldn’t imagine it on me. I was actually surprised at how nervous it made me. But I did feel good in front of the camera; it was fun.”
Sonny @sonnyturner___
Longline check jacket, £45; Split sleeve one-shoulder top, £18; Side-stripe popper trousers, £30; Sandal, £25, all V by Very
‘Chubby girls can’t wear crop tops': My dad always says stuff like that. He’s got this idea that beauty is thin. I just ignore it. I don’t listen to anyone who’s negative.
“I like that the fashion industry is slowly changing. We’re recognising different types of beauty and exploring diversity. What I don’t like is the tokenism within diversity. People think it’s a trend. For example, they use one really dark-skinned model or one plus-size model and they think that that’s enough, when it’s not. It should be consistent. We shouldn’t be outraged when we see a bigger person on the cover of a magazine, or on the catwalk; it should just be the norm.
“I enjoyed doing the shoot and proving you should just ignore the negativity. It’s just fashion and it should be for everyone.”
Natasha
Wrap midi dress, £48; Kickflare jean, £32; Mule, £32; Bracelet bag, £28, all V by Very
“Our parents’ generation definitely had those fashion rules. My mum has a similar frame to me and there are things she just won’t ever wear because of it. That’s probably had a knock-on effect.
“I’ve always been called a short-arse. I never wear a dress that falls below my knee because I feel like it makes my legs look really stumpy. I see petite girls in maxi dresses and I think they look really amazing, but I just have these ideas in my own head that stop me wearing things like that myself. You can see that other people look amazing, but you can’t see it of yourself.
“Confidence is key to style. I think people can just ooze confidence and it doesn’t matter what they wear because they’ve just got this aura about them. There are definitely people in my life who I always think look fabulous, but it’s because they ooze fabulous, not necessarily what they’re wearing. That just accentuates it.”
For clothes to help you break your own fashion rules, head to Very
