Really edgy or really wrong? I’m suddenly seeing MC Hammer dancing around the room and…” you can’t touch this - wha-wha-whao - you can’t touch this…”. Please don’t hurt ‘em, Hammer.
I will admit, I can see Sienna Miller types pulling these off brilliantly. So… what’s the verdict? Will you be wearing the Harem pant?

harem pants in this observation:


left:

middle:

right:

The Summer is coming to a close, and we’ve made some observations about one of the summer’s biggest trends. As we’ve discussed before, the gladiator sandal is a daunting trend for anyone to just to throw on. Here’s our solution: we’ve scoured the streets of New York and found women who have pulled off the look, as well as some fashion blunders.

These women display two key elements for pulling off the gladiator sandal. The first is keeping the look feminine. Pairing these sandals with scarves and skirts is an easy way to avoid looking too tough. A second tip: regardless of the length and width of your legs, these sandals can add some bulk. Combat this with a high waistline or a short hemline, which will elongate the leg and balance out your look.

Beware of pairing gladiators with dresses that cut the leg at the calf! This isn’t going to flatter anyone. Instead, opt for a maxi dress or one that hits above the knee. Also, watch out for any white or gold clothing that will leave you looking ready for battle. While the gladiator sandal is a strong look, the women above have pulled them off in their real lives, free of stylists and runways, so give in to the temptation and try it yourself!

Sure, at first glance you might be thinking: is this part of a dominatrix outfit? We completely understand why you would be asking that question, they do have a sadomasochistic feel. When I first saw them I wanted to take this trend to town, but after some thought and consideration - I get it. They were designed by two best friends, artists Marylouise Pels and Vanessa Giovacchini. The two girls embraced the vintage style while DJ-ing clubs in LA, and decided to reinvent them. Spats add a funky, edgy element that celebrities and pop stars like Rianna are grabbing on to. They are certainly not for everyone, me included, but they will look great on the twenty-somethings who love late night clubbing and have there finger on the edge of fashion.

funky items in this observation:

Liquid leather leggings… you’ll practically have to be liquid to pour yourself into these puppies! I’m clearly too old to understand these leggings, or maybe I’m just jealous that I’m too old to wear them. Either way, who’s wearing them… other than rock stars? For that matter, where are they wearing them? Also, what are they wearing them with? Every time I look at a pair of liquid leather leggings I see Olivia Newton John strutting her stuff with John Travolta in Grease (she looked pretty hot in them by the way!) Even then, they were the symbol of “racy” and worn by the girls who moved way too fast. How do we see them now? Are they fashionable or trashy? Will you wear liquid leggings?

if you can pull them off:

Women everywhere were taking to the streets in their ‘fitflops’, hoping to achieve more tone in their thighs and butt. They were selling out everywhere and things were going very well for the fitflop. So… why can’t they leave well enough alone? Why on earth would they try to jump on the gladiator band wagon? The original fitflop is going to outlast the gladiator sandal anyway. So, why monkey around with it? The gladiator fitflop is a complete eyesore! The only way they would get me to wear these, is to tell me my butt would ultimately resemble that of a 15 year old. Otherwise, I’m not a buyer. I understand, from a business perspective, the concept of staying on top of the trend. However, this sandal completely misses the boat. Would you wear these sandals? If so, what do you find appealing about them?

This isn’t exactly ancient Rome, although sometimes our lives can seem like a battle in the gladiatorial games. Lucky for us, this season we can actually dress for it. As you may already know, gladiator sandals are a big trend this season. Like a lot of things lately, the ancient sandal has been modernized. It now comes in all shapes and sizes, and is accessible to more women. Gladiator sandals can be tricky for some. The question “what would I wear them with?” is on the minds of a lot of women. We have picked a few of our favorite styles and put together some outfit ideas. For instance, a simple gold gladiator can take a gold shimmery evening dress from ultra formal to ultra fabulous. It’s a look that can easily be worn to a cocktail party on the beach. The classic brown leather gladiator looks great with a white cotton summer dress. It’s a “bohemian meets roman goddess” look that is perfect for running around on a hot summer day. The snakeskin gladiator is another style that we love. This one is perfect for casual chic days, or casual fridays at work. It’s a more sophisticated gladiator, and can easily be dressed up or down. You can pair it with white jeans, slacks, or shorts. Finally, the high leg gladiator. Keep it simple on top with this style. Let the sandal be the focus. We’ve paired it with a basic black summer dress, which works for day or night. The high leg gladiator sandal is the riskiest of the styles we’ve selected. It makes more of a statement than the other styles. Hopefully, this will help you pull your gladiator together. What makes women crazier than Russell Crowe portraying a sweaty, muscular, man of honor? Well, shoes of course.

items in this observation (clockwise):