A Night Out at the Movies

by Adanze O.

So you want to go to the movies and everything seems in order: the film consensus, your company, when to go and what eatery to visit afterwards. However, there is one missing factor. Something so small and sometimes irrelevant that it’s a cliche “piece of cake” to remedy, yet so complex that it literally leaves your mind in troubled disarray. The culprit question: WHAT TO WEAR. That open-ended question is definitely applicable to both male, female and in some cases she-males….buahahaha, I crack myself up. Okay not really but anyway, depending on your fashion style, sense, personality and what type of movie-going outing you‘ll be embarking, figuring out what to wear can ultimately become an event in itself. Whether it’s a date, chillaxing with your peeps, or chaperoning your little ones, believe it or not, there are things one must consider when putting a ‘fit together.

Now, first things first: Coordination. I absolutely do not care what articles of clothing you piece together just please, please, pleeeeease adhere to the fashion social norms of clothing color coordination. I’m talking matching color garments. Nothing either kills me more or gives me a slight chuckle than to see unsightly clashing colors…i.e. canary yellow shirt, a vintage acid-wash denim skirt, and green Chuck Taylors, with a pink purse to top off.

Oh, sure well one might say, “well that’s one’s individual style and flavor”. Hey, like I said, adhere to fashion social norms. Don’t don anymore than 3 colors at most at one time. Why??…well for starters that’s pretty much your entire head-to-toe “get-up” right there. Ahhh, but lest we forget, accessories. For anyone trotting with 2 or 3 different colors, accessories are the fashion innovation that will always tone down the loud clashing color scheme anytime, any day. From earrings, bracelets/bangles and watches, to belts, scarves and hats/caps, let’s say it together readers “ACCESSORIES ARE YOUR FRIEND”. Essentially, all your accessories should be of one color, matching one of the 2 or 3 different colors you’re sporting.

Okay so now that an understanding is established about the importance of color coordination, let’s mosey along down the next stop on Fashion Road: Occasion-appropriate garments. Now for someone going to the movies, it’s pretty obvious that going extreme really is a no-no. I mean, who attends the movies in their Sunday’s best or with the impression that you’re going to a wedding or prom afterwards. And it’s also needless to say that heels or penny loafers don’t work with something like sweat pants. Well, considering the wayward times that we’re currently living in anything’s pretty much possible. Exactly what you wear to the cinema is contingent on the aforementioned: Who you’re attending with and quite possibly if visiting someone or a local eatery afterwards. So, if one were being accompanied to the cinema by their usual, regular dynamic duo, trio, or quartet of friends and might be possibly heading towards TGI Friday’s or Denny’s afterwards, someone such as myself -with my personality and sense of style- I’d throw on a regular pair of jeans, a tee ( white or black ) and finish it off with a pair of fresh Chuck Taylors, the usual black pair. For accessories, I’d don my silver loop earrings, silver bangles ( at least those match )and my small Coach purse. I’d bring a sweatshirt as well. Air-conditioned theaters are not always your best friend. The same attire will apply if I’m accompanying my little cousins or my godson and his little friends. Ahhh, but at times, a trip to the cinema is lovely place for a budding relationship in the form of a date. Now for something like this, I wouldn’t exactly go radical with my own wear per se, but I’d at least spruce up a bit as a sign of respect while initially going out the first few times with “my date” and the same should be showcased from him as well. So another pair of jeans - this time shapely - ( some curves must be shown off , lol ) that have the slight flare at the legs, such as these
SEVEN [FOR ALL MANKIND] jeans . Realistically, these jeans are termed “straight” and even boot-cut jeans, but I like flare so we gon’ keep it that way. Notice how I mentioned a “slight flare” NOT bell bottoms. A pair of sling-back strappy heels wouldn’t hurt to match the shawl I’d put on over my short sleeve blouse or even “wife beater” tank top. NOTE: the shawl and shoes will have the same color scheme. Or I could just go slightly off my tomboy spectrum a bit with the latest pair of bottom wear: GAUCHOSà

Gaucho pants are the latest in dressy casual and if worn with the perfect top, lets say a fitted, collared button-down shirt, an off-the-shoulder blouse, even a denim jacket, they will all suffice. It is entirely from my subjective P.O.V., that a gentleman should never don more than 2 different colors on a ‘fit and match all-around. If he’s wearing all one solid color, he should make and effort to throw off or, dress down solid color scheme with accessories of different color…i.e.. white shoes and a white hat on an all-black outfit. It only makes perfect sense. Alright so now that we’ve acknowledged the basic standards of style ad nauseam, perhaps I should briefly point out one more factor to close off my conclude my lecture, lol.

I’m going to up the ante a bit and take some time out to address yet another aspect of fashion mania; HAIR. Well it’s only enough that I say for women with long hair, it wouldn’t hurt to don an updo on rare occasions just to display another wild aspect of your mundane style, lol. Complete that with dangly earrings or a necklace to offset the bare skin that’s exposed. Women with short cut hair - such as myself- should take extreme good care of it and unless you like that sleek flat-ironed look like myself, a short cut hair could be high maintenance. A sample of my hairstyle: The spiel for my male readers is: a nice clean cut bald fade, or “even all-around” is the popular term coupled with proper line-ups. à And if longer hair is what you like-such as dreads, twisties, or braids- by all means rock it!! Just please, please, pleeeeeease make sure that longer hairstyles are hygeincally maintained regularly. Nothing beats the utter turn-off than a guy sporting frizzy dreads, twisties, or braids à