What’s the skinny on fashion these days? And anyway, what really is fashion? Is it what happens to be in style this season? Is it the short skirts, the hip boots, or the funny little hats? Let’s take off the fake, and look at what fashion really means to most people.

Fashion is as judgmental as our list of desired characteristics in a mate. What one person purports to be the most necessary piece in the wardrobe, might not be deemed worthy for a foot rug by another. Fashion is one of the most fickle friends a girl (or guy) can have. It comes, it goes, sometimes we fit, and sometimes we just want to hide.

Fashion, as defined by Webster’s dictionary, is “the popular or up-to-date way of dressing, speaking or behaving”. Well, if that’s the case, there are times I want no part of fashion. I believe fashion goes much deeper than that simple statement. I think fashion encompasses more of our personality, our likes or dislikes, and when done “fashionably” reflects a lot about the kind of person we are.

Every year, we see fashion dos and don’ts. We watch them come and we watch them go. And then, every fifty years or so, we watch them swing back around for one more tromp down the fashion runway. Here’s the really funny part: There is always someone you know, that just happens to have retained an “original” piece from the first pass.

The most noticeable thing about current fashion “faus paux” (thought I’d throw that “fashionable” word in, just for good measure) is that any color is acceptable against any other color. No longer do we worry about wearing reds with pinks, or light green against dark green. Today, we wear ANYTHING. I’ve even noticed in some places, they wear the fashion of the moment “painted” on their naked bodies. Now, that’s really comfortable fashion!

Also, we no longer worry about coordinating our shoes with our outfit. Now tell me truthfully, do you really think my New Balance tennis shoes compliment this little black dress? When I was a small child, my mother carefully mixed and matched her clothes and her shoes. Fashion was a word she took very seriously. When wearing a nice Sunday dress, she always chose her nice Sunday heels; not today. Today, you’re just as likely to see a beautiful little strapless number accompanied by a beautiful pair of the latest flip-flops!

As for the few consumers who still fit into the category of “stylishly fashionable”, you must be extremely careful on your next trip to the outlet mall. Finding fashions that I, or my other middle-aged friends would actually like to buy, is like finding a needle in a haystack. I decided a couple of weeks ago, that I needed a new outfit for just a little afternoon get-together. Nothing expensive, or fancy. I just needed a coordinated little outfit for summer attire. This, apparently, is as easy to find as the Holy Grail.

So, as fashions come, and fashions go, I will hope for a return to the days of stylish coordination, when it was fashionable to be well-dressed, and even polite!