After one look at me, you can tell I know a lot about fashion. 

However, what you don’t know is I sit at my desk in my flared jeans, look at my peer’s shoes and think “wow, Air Force 1s with a pink swoosh: I bet you feel really confident, cool!” 

You can wear what makes you happy, but if it’s ugly, you might not want to. That’s why I’m here to tell every one of you the “do’s and don’ts” of fashion for 2022. So stay safe out there and follow my lead as I teach you how to serve in this coming year.

You can never go wrong with a classic white tee and blue jeans. The problem is, it can be so boring. It’s a good start, but then you should put a cami, preferably from Victoria’s Secret on top of it. It’s school appropriate, but it still has a flirty girly feel to it and keeps the outfit interesting.

Layering is the most important part of any good outfit, but it has to be done right. No double collaring. Stop it. I can’t take it anymore with these collars. Pick one. You either get a flannel or a jacket. You can’t have both. 

If you are going to layer with a jacket, make sure the shirt you’re wearing underneath is a U or V-neck. Straight necklines combined with a jacket makes the shirt look incomplete and cut off. To accentuate your collar bones in the most flattering way, stick with a U-neck to be safe. If you’re trying to be more professional, then a V-neck is the way to go. Whatever you do, don’t double collar. 

Why are you, as a person that exists, wearing gym shoes recreationally? Every good outfit looks better with a casual pair of Converse, Vans, or if it’s a particularly good day, some Doc Martens. Those are all perfect basics to elevate your outfit higher than everyone else who waltzed into school wearing the oldest Adidas running shoes you’ve ever seen. 

Shoes you can wear for days, when you’re going for a more sophisticated look, include platform boots with a latex-y look, or anything with a chunky heel. Buying good shoes is an underratedly challenging task that only the strongest of us can pull off. Low rise or high rise? Platform or no platform? It depends on the shoe. Most people are following the trend of wearing platform, high top Converse, but just because items are popular, doesn’t mean they’re pretty. Most people buy platform shoes to create a separation from the flare of their jeans to the floor. 

Think about that for a second. Flare jeans came back with the 2000s styles. In the 2000s, people were not concerned about the separation between their jeans and the floor; they wanted baggy, and that’s what they got. That’s why if you’re going for that true 2000’s look, you need a low rise non-platform Converse. It gives you a more authentic “cool older sister in a 2000’s movie” look. If you do care about the separation between the end of your jeans and the floor, then I’m a strong believer that Converse and Vans just aren’t for you. 

Most people see Doc Martens as a fancy shoe, but I think as time has progressed, they’ve become a normal everyday shoe. So if you want the elevated look, then go with the shoe that’s meant to be elevated and choose a Doc Marten; you could even get a platform Doc Marten. 

Fashion runs on a 30 year cycle, which means as the 2000s come back, the ‘70s follow right along with it. This means finding a balance. A good way to do this is to keep the tie-dye and nature feel of the ‘70s, with the cropped baby tee fit of the 2000s. You could bedazzle an outfit for the 2000’s look and add butterflies for the nature feel of the ‘70s, or combine it and have a bedazzled butterfly. 

The world is your oyster, but it’s important to remember the lineage of the fashion icons that came before us, from Liza Minelli to the heiress Paris Hilton herself. When you’re paying homage to these starlets of the past, you may feel just like you’re living in “The Simple Life.” 

All this being said, it doesn’t matter to me what you do and don’t wear. If you don’t want everyone to be extremely jealous of you, be my guest. I’m just trying to help you. I wouldn’t want to see you get caught slipping in your double collared fit for everyone to judge you around the lunch table. So if you’re smart, follow my lead, and you’ll be sure to have glamorous looks throughout all of 2022.