Although the fall lines are approaching, it's still July, and we still have sweltering August left to go, which, for ladies, means sleeveless blouses and tank tops. I love the tank top. I love having free arms and shoulders, a few summer freckles on them? Divine. What I do not love is the incessant visual assault of bra straps.I was raised by my darling mum to never show my bra straps. "Underwear is for underneath" is the Newprincess house rule. When I was younger, I thought, "Well, everyone else does it, so it's not really thaaaat big of a deal." But I stayed true to her advice, and went with the strapless bra, the built-in bra tank, and life has been classy ever since. Sure, it's not as convenient or supportive as straps. We all must sacrifice a little for good style.
As an American abroad in Montréal, I have been noting fashion trends. Just as in the States, skinny jeans are all the rage, as are flat sandals and wayfarers (I myself am currently rocking a pair with turquoise frames). The one trend I am sad to have remarked is the extreme prevalence of the exposed bra strap. I've seen some of those "clear" straps, but shiny translucent plastic is neither "clear" nor "invisible." Sorry, homegirl. Some ladies seem on the defense about it, by wearing a bra with straps that "match" the halter dress they're wearing (you're not fooling anyone), to a woman in a bright green tank top with a very evident black bra, and the worst, a woman wearing a strapless babydoll dress (we won't even go there), and a normal bra under it. What part of "strapless" doesn't translate to undergarments? We're in a major fashion metropolis, ladies!
I was disappointed enough when, in 2004, Lindsay Lohan appeared in Mean Girls for her big party-turned-kegger in this really really chic, cute, strapless black dress, but she's wearing a bright pink bra underneath it! As in, trying to match the stripe? C'mon, Hollywood costumers. She tries to cover it with her luscious red hair (which don't we all miss, by the way?), but no go. Sigh, Linds. I'm not going to cause trouble, but maybe her fashion choices are why this part of the movie ends so poorly for our heroine...
How to manage this trouble? Simple consolations. For our fun-size candy bar comrades, to whom the fashion industry mostly caters, often, you can go braless with a fitted/built-in top. Simplicity is bliss. For those of us with a 3.0 GPA, which is to say, about a B, when the garment fits you correctly, often a well-fitted bra will give the support you need but also allow a wide spectrum of blouses and sundresses. Yum. More-to-love? I find myself in this category, and often frustrated. I have discovered that a strapless bra with a tank with a built-in bra is a godsend. But one cannot wear tanks all the time, sundresses in the summer are a must. Seek out dresses with a fitted bodice, whether it be an empire waist or just one with strong lines and fit, the combo with a strapless bra for support and control is flawless. Avoid bubble dresses at all cost, because the dress must break you up between your curves, or we look like blobs. No fun. Especially if we had our bra straps hanging out. But a true fashionista knows her way.
So as summer comes to a close, consider accentuating your beautiful shoulders and clavicle with some tanks and dresses, but remember, leaving underwear to the imagination and adult situations is always better than seeing it walking down the street.xoxo la montréalaise
Images, in order of appearance: (1) Leighton Meester in Alice & Olivia and Blake Lively in Vena Cana, photo from Celeb Gawking (http://celebgawking.wordpress.com); (2) Gwen Stefani and Britney Spears--showing their straps, photo from The Pitch (http://www.blogs.pitch.com/); (3) Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls, 2004 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/filmpix/cady.jpg); (4) summer dresses, photo from the New York Times (www.nytimes.com).
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