If there are a few features that sum up the classic beauty look, they’re certainly not your everyday style. We see it all the time in the vintage Hollywood movies where the woman is in a long evening gown, bare shoulders and back, adorned with jewellery and flaunting long locks. As times have changed, this traditional image has all but faded into the annals of glamour showcases. These instances you can find the same kind of classical beauty on the red carpet and at special events such as weddings and ceremonies. However, one thing that has changed in culture is that women are now much more mobile. They can work full time and still try to raise a family. This has meant that styles have also had to adapt to new lifestyles. Hence fashion and stylists have made a push to create new looks for the rough, rugged and ready woman – an urban fashion style. The those on the move, beauty may still be on their mind but not necessarily at the forefront of their needs. A balance of practical and sexy, more and more women are adopting these urban fashion styles into their own lives. You’ll see a lot of rough and ready looks being put up higher on the list of choices for women living and working in large highly populated cities. However, there are many inspirations all types of women can use to take on this kind of genre.
Where the wave began
The image of the rugged woman on the move may have started in popular culture. James Bond is known to showcase the femininity of women, but there have been instances where there is a female ally to Mr Bond. Most notably is the character played by Halle Berry in Die Another Day. She had short hair, was athletic and wore clothes that hugged her figure while not being revealing. One of the other characters in popular culture that may have started the rugged attitude in style is Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. She was clearly portrayed as a woman that was highly skilled but far from superhuman. She didn’t have as short hair as Halle Berry, but it was purely down to her shoulders. Other times throughout the series it was tied up in a ponytail furthering her active look. Regardless of who the popular figures are for women who are rough around the edges, certain styles have expanded and evolved on this disposition.
Learning from the metropolitan
When one thinks about what styles are relevant and give cause to be put into the categories of rugged and rough, look toward the metropolitan scene. Wavy, long, elongated and loose-fitting clothes are no longer given the time of day. Cities that are bustling with activity mean you need clothes that fit and hug you. This is because the nature of movement around big cities forces you not to take up more room than what is needed. You’re already crammed into metro trains, coffee shops and even taxis as it is. Therefore elegance is literally given the back seat.
The best scenes to study if you’re interested in this kind of fashion are located in capital cities around the world. Here you’ll find leather skirts that go down to the knees only. Dresses that are light in fabric and utilize pastel colors. Jackets can be worn with dresses, so despite being made out of leather, they are light and cut up to just above the waist. As the humidity on large cities can get annoying and have an effect on your style in a negative way, short hair is the prefered choice for many fashionistas. To this effect, hair is generally thinned at the salon so it can float and not cause such a fuss as the temperature rises and you begin to persperirate. Read this article to find out the huge selection of haircut styles you have at your disposal; especially if you naturally have thin hair. Bear in mind thin hair loses moisture quickly, can become frizzy and dry so only certain styles will fit your image. With the right kind of cut and products, your hair can remain full and perky throughout the day, no matter how physically active you are.
Leg and shoewear
It might just be because students want to feel comfortable and don’t really care about style, but there are some lessons you can take from them. Cotton jogging bottoms are a great alternative to leggings. Celebrities more than anyone else have made this clothing item incredibly popular. One common running theme, however, is that they’re almost always pictured wearing them in an urban environment. You’d look out of place if you are living in a rural part of the country and you’re wearing tight fit jogging bottoms. Black slim fit jeans are one of the best fashion choices for someone who is going for the rugged look. Not only are they going to slim out your silhouette, but the material itself is going to provide you with adequate protection. Despite being slim, jeans don’t really accentuate your curves, so they’re more of a tomboy choice of item.
For shoes, they should exemplify the entire style of rugged urban chick. They are the overriding symbol opportunity to express the nature of the rough and ready style. Avoid trainers whatever you do. Honestly, they have come to take on the image streetwear which is not to be confused with having a practical undertone. Rugged boots that are still fashionable would be something like a sleek desert boot. Black zipper boots with straps would be a great choice too but try to mix them with jeans and other long-legged clothes. Lace up boots are another great choice as they go beyond the normal shoe height, but aren’t utility boots. As the name suggests, they are shoes that are tight at the front, forcing the foot to fit in snugly. They do possess a flat wooden heel, so they do position your foot in a forward tilted manner; therefore, they are still fashion orientated.
Plaid and denim
Originally worn by lumberjacks, plaid shirts are actually becoming quite mainstream. The iconic black and red squares and rhombus design are always much loved in urban environments. Hipsters have actually taken quite a liking to plaid shirts as they are simple to make therefore don’t cost very much. Yet they are very stylish when mixed with other items such as skinny jeans, a clear white t-shirt and even a fedora. Rolled up sleeves and a mini skirt are one way to make this shirt more feminine as the masculine vibe can be off putting to some women.
Equally, a denim shirt is a great auxiliary choice in the place of the plaid. The fabric is rugged yet pliable. Rolled up sleeves abate any potential masculine trait of the shirt. Designers are very conscious of the fact that they are making denim shirts for women thus the measurements are a smaller to fit a feminine frame. A denim shirt can be worn with skinny or ripped jeans also.
Veering away from the stereotypical soft and girly styles can actually be a great pathway. Not only does it allow you to wear clothes that are also practically minded, but the materials allow you to be rough and ready. There’s no need to prep them as most of the time the ruggedness the clothes offer means you need to just simply pull them on and walk out the door to go wherever you need to be. Don’t be afraid of a slight tomboy image as this is going to be a part of these kinds of style choices. That’s actually what makes them even more attractive for someone looking for a new image. They are snug and fit closer to your body so if you want to, you can accentuate your figure while wearing slightly thicker material.
*This is a collaborative post*