My biggest rant for Summer Spring ‘08 is gathering. It was nearly impossible to find a top that didn’t have puffy sleeves, empire seams with gathers, excessive rouching, or some other weight adding pouf of fabric. For me, the excess fabric was usually right where I didn’t need any extra girth.

I agree with everything you said, especially the awful empire, gathered, low cut, puffy sleeved tops and skirts that are too short for average women.

We have been absolutely flooded with maxi dress this year in Europe, I found however one perfect occasion when they work fabulous:by the beach! No more parading in tooshort/toonaked tops all around, but plenty of colorful, flimsy lose fabrics, especially gracious on those willowy young girls….Scary enough, there is a new wave of them in the stores for Indian summer.

I agree completely with the lack of shorter length tops! Being petite and shopping for tops for my skirts this season was hard (most shirts fell awkwardly between shirt length and dress length, but were not intended to be tunics).
I also second the fact that maxi dresses are very unflattering. However, I haven’t seen much of that at all, except in stores. I don’t believe I saw people walking around the street wearing maxi dresses (and I live near NYC and frequent it). Once again, God bless America

It makes me feel better about the tops I bought this season considering the overall selection being poor. I avoid empire cut tops at all cost and feel like I never have enough. I guess I didn’t do so badly. There was so much good stuff, I think it wasn’t too difficult to avoid the bad stuff.

I got alittle tired of all the sheer fabrics this year. Sometimes i just want to buy a shirt and not have to worry about finding something to go under it.

That and i whole heartedly agree that dresses and skirts were too short (or too long in the case of the maxi) to a ridicuous degree in some cases.

I agree with your list Angie. I am especially annoyed with those side entry pockets. Finding a nice pair of pants without them is almost impossible. They are everywhere!
Ditto on the baby-doll tops, I cant wait for those to go away. The only thing form your list that I’ll rise to it’s defense are wide legged pants. Now I know that not everyone can pull them of, but I think that they are godsend for figures like mine, with some excess in the hips/thighs area, particularly saddlebags. I find that they camouflage this issue nicely, and can look good worn with fitted top and higher heels/wedges.

Thank you! This is my first post, but I wandered aimlessly for 3 days trying desperately to find some cute tops that weren’t empires. They don’t work for me and it was a positive desert for options that didn’t include it. I do want to throw a good word in for low rise jeans – as designers can’t seem to figure out that we need a VARIETY of rises, I’d rather low than high – my short waist disappears entirely.

Wide leg pants are not unstylish. On the contrary! They look great on the right body type. The reason they make my worst list is because there wasn’t enough choice for the consumer. I battled to find great bootcuts and straight legs for my clients and this is not a good retail sign. Variety is the spice of life!

As someone who *is* pregnant, I have been thrilled with the variety of “pregnant-looking” tops.

Paris Hilton was the only one I saw make the maxi dress look good. I too am tired of seeing swing/trapeze everything. And I am glad I held on to all my shorter length tops of yesteryear, they are a great option with skirts now.

Angie, all the things you have listed here are the same things that have been making this season miserable for me! Thank god the fall season is finally here. I’ve had enough of summer/spring.

-Wideleg pants have been one of my biggest frustrations. Even many pants described as “trousers” were still huge. I tried on a 0 at Banana Republic (I am not usually a 0), and I was SWIMMING in them. There was just too much fabric everywhere. I felt like each leg was wearing a dress.

-Low rises. This has been going on way too long now and I really fear it’s never going to go away completely. I love how my Matchstick jeans fit everywhere EXCEPT the 7″ rise.

-Side entry pockets. ARGH. Between widelegs and SEP, there were NO good pants around this season. So frustrating when you’re looking for work clothes.

-Soaring heel heights: no thanks. Why do shoes always seem to be either completely flat or 3″+?

-Skirt tops. Let’s just add this to one of the many things I couldn’t seem to find this season. Being both shortwaisted AND petite, nothing was short enough. I blame this on low rise jeans. Tops need to be longer for extra coverage. If that store that only sells skirt shirts ever opens, let me know. I’ll be the first in line.

Overall it was a horrible season for pants. The combination of widelegs, side entry pockets, low rises, and boring styles made it painful. Maxi dresses are goofy looking, but at least they didn’t sweep the nation like some of the other trends.

The other things (empire styles and minis) I don’t mind because I can wear them, but I can understand why they shouldn’t be mainstream.

This list is a great complement to the Best Of list! I have been especially annoyed by the maxi dress and super, super long shirt trends this summer. Though I love the idea of a casual, easy, comfy dress, maxi dresses just do not look good on most people in real life. They almost always end up looking wrong or unflattering.

And I’m all for tunic-style tops and longer silhouettes, but not at the expense of other lengths. I’ve had the same problems as many of you finding shorter shirts to wear over shorts and skirts. The long top and shorts/skirt combination just makes me look short! I’m not asking for much, just a normal length shirt. Nothing that could be a dress and nothing cropped to show my stomach – just a moderate length. Why is that so hard?

Angie you are so right on, as always. If pants with side-entry pockets don’t go out of style soon, I’m going to have a major hissy. Just like those horrid empire-waist tops and maxi dresses, NO ONE looks good in these pooch-tastic pants. And the super-high stilettos? If you have to keep a change of shoes in the car because your going-out pair makes your feet bleed, something ain’t right.

I’m keeping my wideleg pants, though. Possibly forever.

I have to disagree on the skinny/matchstick style jeans. I think they look awful on just about everyone. Skinny body type, curvy, it doesn’t matter. Universally awful. I really, really wish they would go away. I’m also hating the billowy, completely unfitted tops that are making the rounds.

You’re list covers it all. For me, personally, the short dresses and the soaring heel heights were the worst this past season. I’ve also managed to avoid the empire waist tops for the most part. Bring on the fall!

I actually really like empire-waist tops… when the fabric lies flat. It puts the focus on the narrowest part of me and I think it generally makes for a flattering silhouette. I’ve been wearing around 4 different empire-waist tops this summer (and a couple empire-waist dresses), all ones that lie flat at the seams. It’s when the fabric is gathered that I have an issue- I definitely look preggo in those ones! But I love an empire waist when it *doesn’t* cause the pregnant look. Fortunately I’ve been noticing less of the babydoll trend this summer (it was everywhere last summer).
I second your thoughts on needing casual pants that are an alternative to jeans. In the autumn there’s corduroy, but sometimes corduroy pants can be hard to pull off. If there were more cotton twill pants in flattering styles that weren’t khaki-esque, I’d consider them. I just don’t like the preppy look and sometimes cotton twill can tend to look that way (or worse- dowdy!).

This is interesting. I share the disappointment about too many high heels, and too few non-denim casual full length pants. But overall, I must say this has been a great spring and summer for me fashion-wise. I was delighted with the variety of colors in the stores, and the many fun and flattering styles, like clamdiggers, light tunic tops, fab colorful flats, and great accessories (e.g. belts and summer scarves.)
Maybe it’s because I’m a better shopper than I used to be thanks to Angie and you all on YLF, but I really don’t have too many complaints and feel that I’ve had plenty of options to make this my most stylish spring and summer ever. Here’s hoping that this’ll continue through fall!

I’m with you 100%! I actually saved a lot of money this past summer because I couldn’t find much that I liked! Why, why, WHY are tops so dang long? I always buy petite tops when I can find them. I’m 5′4″ so I suffer falling right in between petite and regular lengths on nearly every pair of jeans I try, but give me a break with the tops that go down to my knees and make me look like I’m 10 years old! And the side pockets look just like side pleats! And we all know that pleats needs to be banned on women’s trousers!

I’m just sick of these volumes of fabric. I saw a very cute summer dress in one store, except for these ridiculous flappy short sleeves that looked like Holly Hobbie meets Big Bird. It seems like fashion buyers are leaning to this desire that many women have to wear too much to cover up what they don’t like instead of wearing more tailored pieces that actually make them look thinner!

I don’t mind wearing my own version of a muu-muu around the house at night when I want to couch potato it and cram cookies in my face, but when leaving my front door, I don’t want to look 15 pounds heavier in oversized clothing. All these blousey, overly long clothes are so very frumpy.

Thank goodness that fall is looking much better. I’ve already found much love at Banana and Nordstrom!

I’m a big girl, and I love flow-y kinds of tops that skim over – but you’re right, the big blouse-y, voluminous tops even leave me looking around for other stuff. I make quite a few things as I couldn’t find many items that I would wear! I know I’m a larger lady, but many of this years styles were just toooooo big and made me look even bigger or preggers (startling on an over 50 year old!) and old lady. And then, there were lots of dresses were too short and sleeveless. OK, designers, even if it fits other places, do you really want to see that larger lady in a mini (pudgy knees) with those large arms hanging out. Get that picture in your head – yikes! Please, please can we get someone making clothes with real women in mind.
And it really doesn’t matter where we go to shop either, it seems – Nordstroms, Barneys, or at Lane Bryant – who is this fit model they are all using??
Thanks goodness I make patterns and sew – lots of empathy for other ladies with my body styles that don’t now how.
Please Angie, tell us that coming styles will be better!

Quite a few passionate rants! I enjoy hearing your opinions. Glad you let it all out Maya.

Antje, I covered “the best of” yesterday and I too found loads of things to rave about for myself and my clients this season.

Lannie, I like empire tops if they look great (like they do on you). But if you can’t wear empire tops or don’t fancy them, they’re needs to be a good selection of alternative styles to choose from. That’s what a good fashion season is all about. Hope that makes sense.

I thought it’s funny that you mentioned no-short-shirts, because as a long-waisted 5′8 gal, I have been so happy to FINALLY have tops that are long enough to wear with jeans without me having to do one layer pulled down super low and the other one sitting at a normal place. With my body type, the shorter styles in stores are perfect for skirts, and the long shirts have been amazing. Then again, maybe twice in my life have I put on a shirt and found it “too long” :p

I also found today the worst combo for my body ever: low waisted skinnies. my short legs looked even shorter and my knees even knobbier. I am all for higher rises coming back, and just more VARIETY of jean fits.

Sorry for the confusion Jenna. I embrace longer length tops for pants. This has been a fashion break through. Long may it last. But often skirts require shorter tops and those items have been scarce.

KLauren, looks like you could make any season fit!

So happy to see that someone else doesn’t like the low rise jeans. Or the empire tops. I sew too, but some of the tops I’m seeing in the pattern catalogs look like 50’s hair dresser smocks.

My biggest problem this year was too-short skirts and dresses. I am 5′-10″ and everything I tried on was a mini. I don’t like maxi dresses either, but did not see much of that around here. I did see too many people in wide leg pants who for one reason or another should not have been wearing them. I’ve been loving the longer length tops, though. Since becoming a YLF reader, my older shorter tops are reserved for skirts only. And I agree with Lannie on the empire tops. I’m one of those odd people with a large waist to hide but who isn’t busty, so empire tops are great, as long as they are not the babydoll type with gathers. And I have to agree about those awful side pockets on trousers. My ideal pair of pants would have no pockets at all!

I soooo agree with the top comments. Busty gals were completely left out this summer. If I never see another empire shirt – it will be too soon!

I had a great shopping season. Here are my raves and rants. I got lots of pants that I like (except, I also don’t like the side entry, but was stuck with them). I love my clam diggers and wear them often. I like my wide leg pants (I haven’t bought more, but do wear what I bought last year). I found the shorter tops at ATL for my skirts and wore them often. I never found the perfect denim skirt.

Unlike many on the list, I love empire tops, it is one of my favorite looks and I probably bought too many of the tops. I love my white and cream collection.

I finally found some decent height pumps in a variety of colors, but it took patience.

The maxi reminded me of the Hawaiian muumuu, so I am okay with them on others for the right occasion in Hawaii. I haven’t owned one for decades and won’t buy it now.

Wow, I agree with just about everything on this list. The one exception would be maxi dresses. Despite being 5’2”, I like the look, but then you know I used to be a long skirt girl, Angie, and I have some boho in my style. In my defince, you’ve taught me to love knee length skirts too, and now almost every skirt in my closet is knee length. It is generally more flattering. Anyway, in spite of liking the maxi dress trend, I don’t own one, because I haven’t had the money or an occasion to wear one.

Wide leg pants are laughable on someone of my height, and some of them are so ridiculously wide that they make even the tall girls look like clowns. Here’s an example: http://www.spiegel.com/shop/pr.....y_id=10719

Like Nicole, I can’t rant enough about all the empire waist tops. I was desperately searching for tops with some waist definition and finding gathered tents instead. I’m not busty, but I still managed to look pregnant in these tops.

I’ve struggled with low rises on jeans too. I’m not sure what you are talking about with the side entry pockets on pants. I guess I’d have to see a picture. I certainly agree on the heel height though. And you’re right on the overkill of minis; a skirt or dress that comes to the top of the knee is difficult to find these days. I never liked the look of trapeze. Others can pull it off with style, but it’s not for me.

I too would love to see more skinnies in stores. The only denim skirts I can find would show my underwear when I bend over, so I’ve pushed this item lower on my list until I can find a good dark denim skirt at knee length. And I’ve struggled with searching for skirt length tops as well.

Great points as always! I’m so ready for fall.

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