Most recently, those patterned, often ethnic or floral print, pants which The Guardian called "cocktail trousers". They just remind me too much of the 80s, which was the last time that patterned pants came out to play.

OMG, pigtails! I was at an evening party where a very fit-looking woman had her back to me - she was in cross-country ski gear (the party was at a ski hut) and blonde hair in two little pigtail braids. I thought she was about 25, then she turned around and was not only at least twice that, but overtanned, wrinkled, and drunk as a skunk. It was quite a shock. I see a lot of women here doing the Nordic look (Icelandic sweaters, ski pants) with that same hairdo.

I didn't mean to offend anyone with my cap sleeve remark. I think if your arms are nice enough to wear a cap sleeve, they do look just fine. I was refferring more to a combination of a cap/puff sleeve, with some gatthering and a little ruffle or elastic to finish it off, which looks like something we'd see on a little girls dress.

I'll also admit that I have hard time wrapping my brain around certain styles and not seeing them as frumpy, such as very chunky, squared-off women's shoes, or most maxi dresses, that others do like. It's just not my personal cup of tea and I don't think it ever will be.

For myself, I don't think I would ever wear floral pants/shorts again. I did a lot of that when I was a kid and some when I was a teen.

I happily remain "poisoned" to Uggs and Crocs, thank you very much!

YouLookFab has totally poisoned me to PPL-breaking pants and capris (longer and wider than clamdiggers.) I'm too conscious of the pants length breaking the long leg line to be able to like them on someone else!

Ditto with someone with a cute outfit but a very poorly fitting bra - I almost can't concentrate on the look because I so badly want to help this poor woman get in for a fitting. (And this is totally the pot-of-2006 calling the kettle black - 5 years ago a very kind and tactful sales associate in a lingerie shop where I was buying undies asked if she could help me out with a fitting. It changed my world.)

Hmm, the only generally accepted trend/look that I can think of that I just don't like is midi-skirts. I also am not wild for the socks with sandals/heels thing either.

Platform shoes! I can take (and own) a small platform, but anything over an inch makes me cringe. I see them all the time, they can have thousand dollar price tags, my favourite designers have favoured them for years - hell, over half the Louboutin line up features huge platforms. Still can't stand them. It might go back to some long forgotten childhood trauma, because I've hated them since I was 3 or 4!

When I see women wearing platform shoes, I mentally edit so the shoe ends before the platform. Beautiful hovering women, much better

(Kari *giggle* the never nude cutoffs! I didn't realize it but I totally associate that with cutoffs now too...)

No no, not my puff sleeves! LOL. No, it's OK. I understand I have a Baby Jane problem.

I have poison-eye for the Baby Phat look and all its knock-offs (including *Keeping Up with the Kardashians* and *Big Rich Texas* styles): Metallic everything, hoochie hoops, stilettos, puffers with fur trimmed hoods, big slouchy bags, big cat prints. And in the context of *Big Rich Texas* - the bleached hair, black mascara, cosmetic-surgeon-sculpted "alien face," and loads of beige clothing that blends in with all your beige furniture.

Sometimes, when I'm in a mood, I can see that it's all crafted to a highly disciplined aesthetic. But then the allergy kicks back in...

I think if you can say no to these two questions, your outfit might be safe:

1. Would this look better on my six-year-old neighbor?

2. Might this outfit be worn on "Real Housewives of the OC"?

LOLOLOL, Alicat

Ooh, I hate to disappoint Angie, but I have a wild aversion to midi-length skirts. Possibly because they never went away in the fashion desert that is my work setting.

Also, shoes with greater than a half-inch platform, fluorescent colors, exaggerated flare-leg pants, and rompers.

rachylou...you just described many items in my closet...except for the hoochie hoops. still looking for those!

I love this - what a great thread! I'd say I have a poisoned eye towards princess sleeves - the sleeves that have a poof at the shoulder? I just can't see myself wearing them, but I'm seeing them quite a bit these days.

Polo shirts
too short pants on men
mandals except on nicely manicured toes in beach settings (thongs) or chacos on equally nice feet in hiking or river settings
capri pants
grandma clothing on anyone that isn't 65 and a grandma
elastic waist legging jeans and old school reeboks
nose rings that look crusty on women without a boho or edgy style

LOL, bj1111. But do you have Alien Face?

My foster daughter is totally into this look. She swears to me you can never have too many pairs of hoochie hoops.

Anyone who looks mean or miserable in their outfits. My office used to share a building with a major fashion mag. The women there reminded me of a twitchy, overbred whippet a friend once had - stick a cigarette in that dog's mouth, and you have the entire staff of Harper's Bazaar, only walking fast through the snow in high heels to a cab. It didn't matter that these ladies were wearing the loveliest clothes. They weren't enjoying them one bit.

Poisoned eye, haha, you're so funny and clever, Una.

It's funny how quite a few of the looks various people dislike so intensely happen to be looks that I just love. Goes to show, it takes all kinds. Variety is the spice of life. You know what it mean!

I am pretty open and some pull stuff off better than others but as a trend that may boomerang is the tie at the waist soccer pant--NGAH---in taupe!!!!

It's not the look.

In my case I have poisoned eye for bad, bad posture. I cannot see beyond that. Prime example is here.

Those giant, flowery, quilted overnight bags that every college girl is carrying. Hate the overly sweet color combinations, hate the impracticality of an overstuffed bag with skinny straps, hate getting whacked in the head by them as the girls go down the aisle of the train with them slung over one shoulder...

Alaskagirl, "with a poisoned eye", genius!

My poison eye goes to... ill fitting clothing on not-so-fit bodies. What I mean is something I see a lot of especially on younger students: for example a very revealing, form fitting and ultra short dress on a girl whose body is not in a great shape. Not plump, I mean: out of shape. slumped shoulders, slumped behind, distended frontal hanging belly, orange skin on bare legs and bad posture.

Recently a waitress at the bar and grill I was treating my son to fit the above description. The dress was too revealing and her body made it more indecent. She often came close and bent, presenting her rear, as she reached for menus. I almost felt like a bad parent for bringing my 14 yr old there.

Something else I can't help noticing with poison in my eye: muffin top flesh overflowing a bad quality low cut jeans that come straight up actually like the bottom portion of a muffin. The girls looks like she has no hips, no behind and a back fat. This is someone I'm sure who has a nice normal and probably even slim figure and who looks totally ugly and fat, yes, fat in a bad way.

Or for that matter bad quality skinny jeans that just completely kill a short woman's silhouette, rendering her legs shorter and stumpy, her middle shapeless. Then I would advise heels.

Or a tall, broad shouldered girl trying to wear a floral baby-doll type summer dress with spaghetti straps with platforms. So she's towering over every body. And the poor girl looks ill at ease, awkwardly hunching sideways because she's probably self conscious, when her statuesque silhouette is actually stunning and would look fantastic in shape appropriate clothing and shoes.

I would like to say I don't mind but I do...

Do you?

rachylou, i'm still saving up for my alien face.

oooo, now i can't get gaga's song poker face (sung with alien face) out of my head.

oooo, we need a ylf theme song!