Vogue May 2006 Art: Keira on the Cover

In my series on Vogue cover art, my purpose has been to explain analytically how universal artistic principles apply in a contemporary application; then to explain to readers of this blog how they can use those principles to enhance their own unique beauty. The May Vogue featuring Keira Knightley on the cover has been in stores for awhile now (see more opinion at Fashionologie) and, honestly, I have been struggling for what to say ...

How'd you like the new Pride and Prejudice? I'd watch it again.

Why I Won't Be Wearing Mascara Today

It's spring. It's allergy season. It's a beautiful day here in the Great Northwest. Thinking I'd be smart and use my Similisan Allergy eye drops, I reached into the medicine cabinet ...

It's spring. It's gardening season. Yesterday was a beautiful day here in the Great Northwest. Nothing beats cuticle oil for dry, crusty gardening fingers.

I should've seen it coming. For a moment I didn't see much. In case you're wondering, cuticle oil in the eyes doesn't hurt; but it would be a suitable make-up remover. Everything's a little blurry.

A Sad Little History

Speaking of conversations, you may have noticed that the comments aren't always about the topic of the post. Like in yesterday's post, where the comments ended up being primarily about the blog girl talk (which, by the way, has no comment form, a blog characteristic I am not fond of).

As I was reading through their very thorough treatment of the subject of modesty, I came across this statement:

Now let me set your mind at ease. Adorning ourselves in "respectable apparel" doesn't mean we must restrict ourselves exclusively to cheap, out of style, unattractive clothing. Paul is not saying that gold or pearls or braiding are forbidden. In fact, you will find other places in Scripture where godly women wore fine clothing and jewelry.

The reason this post is called a A Sad Little History is because when I first became a Christian, as a young mom in my 20s, I immediately pulled out all my out of style clothing and began wearing it again! Where did I get the idea that a Christian must necessarily convey a dowdy appearance?

The good news is that God isn't like that. And I guess that's one more reason to keep on blogging. Yay!

Recognizing a Good Fit

We've all had the experience, when shopping, of wondering, "Are the shoulders too big?" or "Are these pants too tight?". At least, those are my top two questions. Yours may be different, but you get the idea.

(If it's technical discussion of fit issues you want, I refer you to Fashion Incubator, by Kathleen Fasanella, premier patternmaker and exceedingly gracious blog hostess. Of course, over there I am mostly a lurker, the issues being outside my areas of responsibility, circle of influence, whatever. Still, it's fun to listen.)

For the everyday person who is just trying to get dressed, this works:

• Vertical lines on the garment = too big
• Horizontal lines on the garment = too small

Yep, it's as simple as that.

A Reader Question

Admiring the jacket I wore over my crazy shirt, a reader was wondering where I got it and how much it cost (it's okay to leave a comment and ask). The answer: I bought it about a year ago at TJMaxx for about $12 American. While TJMaxx is not my regular hang-out, I may be going back soon. $14.99 swimsuits!

If I know you and I know your size, you never know what might happen.

Bermuda Suits

Or should I say pseudts? har, har ... never mind.

Is anybody out there lusting after a suit with short pants? I've been seeing them in the stores and in the magazines, but have yet to see one in person. Thinking it through, though, how and where would you wear it?

Some (sum?) of my incomplete thoughts:

• If you work in a conservative environment, just say no. Being accepted as a professional is far too valuable to sacrifice to fashion or fad. But if a suit with short pants fits into your business idiom, absolutely no leisure footwear allowed!
  
  
• Wearing a single color or pattern from shoulder to knee is always the simplest way to create a balanced look. Choose shoes in your haircolor.
  
  
  
• Anticipate wearing the jacket and the shorts separately after this season. Accordingly, the fabric and color you choose for the suit should be one that you would choose for a stand-alone jacket and for a pair of shorts. For me, that would probably be khaki; but white, black, or a pattern might also be an option.

Perhaps you plan to wear your bermuda suit to social events, like the one I received an invitation for yesterday . Of course, I was hoping to be able to wear the, as yet unworn, dress-with-beaded-neckline; but the invitation read: semi-casual. SEMI-CASUAL? What's that? (Sounds like a perfect opportunity for a suit with shorts, doesn't it?) Turns out, semi-casual was defined when the invitation was handed out. Semi-casual = no shorts.

That's okay, I'm sitting this one out.

Crazy, With Shirt

So we went to the Crazy Shirt Party. I was pretty sure I wouldn't win a prize, and I was right, but I didn't think people would think my husband's African shirt crazier than my Italian one. I got a couple of votes, but he came in 7th place! (Out of about 15.) The prize? A handy-dandy cell phone charger (I think it works with my future lap-top).

In this picture, and the person who took it didn't seem to think it at all strange that we wanted two pictures--one with faces and one without, you can just see my shirt under the jacket. I didn't wear the jacket the whole time, only when I was sitting in front of the door, but I will probably wear the combination again, even without a crazy theme.

What I really wanted you to see, though, is dug's cool African shirt. We actually met this young man who was a student here in town and he brought over a trunkload of stuff for us to look at. His family makes it all: shirts for men, shift dresses for women, a few little decorative boxes, and loads of gorgeous jewelry. If he ever gets a web-site up, I will definitely link it, but for now, dug's enjoying his uniqueness. And apparently so were a few people at the party.

Carnivale de Couture: Clean Laundry

Danielle's invitation:

So this week I want to invite anyone who wants to join to describe that favourite outfit that you always like to wear still warm from the dryer. Bonus points if you've got pictures! What does your outfit say about you?

Good question! What does this say about me? Depends on what I wear with it. This outfit, by itself, is just a base. My uniform demands another layer.

Whatever statement I choose to make, however, will be softened by the jeans. Laid-back and comfy-looking, they're just what a pair of old jeans should be. The comment I get most when I wear them? "You're so SMALL." Nothing having to do with any personal statement I may be trying to make, still not an unwelcome comment.

(In my wardrobe, where cost-per-wear is queen, my favorite things are usually those having a limited remaining shelf-life: flared jeans still look fine in the Great Northwest, but the hand-writing is on the wall. I plan to wear these out before I just can't bring myself to wear them anymore.)

Believe it or not, crewneck t-shirts make my heart go pitter-patter. The sporty or menswear accent is what makes the outfit exciting, in my idiom. But what could be more feminine than a subtlely muted pink? Lip color, and this is pretty close to mine, is another universally flattering accent color.

Now that I've explained what I'm thinking when I choose to wear these favourites, I must ask: what does my outfit say to you? Inevitably, it seems, my intended message is not received as intended.

It's Alive!

Have you noticed the Coutorture link? If you have, have you wondered what it is? Or what they were thinking when they came up with the name? (I tried to talk them out of it.)

Well, if you want to follow fashion news, are interested in exploring the blogs, and don't have a lifetime to invest in it, Coutorture could be for you. Here's a technical explanation of how it works.

By the way, I did have a post appear there today. But not everything you find there will be G-rated.

Crazy Shirt Party

In case you haven't noticed, I put a great deal of thought into each invitation. This one almost had me stumped. In my idiom, crazy shirt = ugly shirt, and I just don't do ugly (I certainly try not to, anyway). But, in honor of our friend (finally) turning 40, I wanted to play along.

With it's frayed edges, painted on designs, and patchwork, this shirt still manages to be pretty. Ordinarily I wouldn't spend this much, but I plan to use it for my white t-shirt this summer. I by-passed the orange one in favor of this one in my personal color scheme. The tag says "Luca Moda, made in Italy"; can anyone provide any more information?

What do you think, should I take the tags off for the party? I'm not likely to win any prizes anyway, but I did want to participate.

Event Dressing

Consider these words of wisdom from the Bargain Queen:

So when The Bargain Queen finds a cheap dress that looks great on her she buys it, even if she doesn't know when she'll wear it. Buying three ten-dollar dresses but only wearing one is still cheaper than buying a single new dress... over ten times cheaper!

And best of all, it takes all the anxiety out of dressing for a formal event, since The Bargain Queen usually has something to wear hanging in her wardrobe ...

She's so right (and if you click on the quote you can see her recent $5 purchase). In my post A Single Dress, I talked about having a go-everywhere dress on hand; I have a simple one. I also have a formal. And the $20 black dress I referred to in Cost Per Wear is still hanging, unworn, in my closet. Just below the knee, sleeveless and fitted (with beading around the neck and armholes!), I will no-doubt need it next holiday season, if not for a summer office shindig or a nice dinner out. I'm ready.

So, consider perusing the dresses when you are thrifting, or op shopping as they say in Australia. You could save alot of money. Or just your image.

Toe Liberation

Summer has officially arrived! Okay, not really, but it's trying, and this past week has seen some annual milestones: bye-bye scraps of blue toenail polish leftover from last year, hello fresh paint job; all my linen and sleeveless out from deep storage; the first toughen-up-the-feet outing in my Chacos.

So, other than celebrating what I'm calling Toe Liberation Day, the purpose of this post is to outline my thinking on how many pairs of shoes a person needs: one per lifestyle segment, per season. My summer wardrobe is so simple, here's what it looks like:

Leisure: My flip-flops. I wear them around the house, never for driving, and with swimwear.

Casual: My everyday shoes. My Chacos have black, brown, and khaki straps; they go with everything.

Business: I really don't need business shoes. But I suppose if I did, I would probably wear the vintage ivory patent sandals (they are really more dressy social).

Social: Here's where I was really having the problem. Summer social events around here are bridal showers and outdoor parties; the Chacos would be okay but didn't suit my sensibilities, poky heels stick into the grass, and I don't wear backless shoes. The solution? My new wedges. They're even comfortable!

But I do think it good to let shoes rest a day in-between wears. What about these for a second pair of Chacos?

Conversations in the Blogosphere

The post of a wounded turkey.

Conversations in the blogosphere occur in the comments. That might seem obvious, should go without saying, but bear with me a moment. This little conversation that took place over at Verbal Croquis exemplifies the kind of treatment I have become accustomed to in the fashion blogosphere.

But recently I have been venturing outside the fashion blogs and into the "mom" blogs. (Because I want to be nice, I will not be providing links in this section of the post. Sorry.) This is the kind of reception I've been getting:

POST

Commenters 1-6: Great post. Go you! You're the next great super-novelist.
Commenter 7 (Rebecca): Nice post. You & I have alot in common. I've been wondering (insert intelligent question)?
Commenters 8-10: Unbelievably great post. Go you! You're the next great super-novelist.
Author: Never seen or heard from in the comments.

How much fun is that?

I'm counting on my true friends to tell me if I'm out of line here.

The Return of the Girly Suit

Consider this post a live remote. I'm over here at Shangri Law, checking out their Carnivale post, and I honestly couldn't have said it better. Read SHANGRI LAW: In Praise of the Glamor Suit for yourself. OK, one small quote:

La Retrosessuale was rather put off by the recent trend of wearing frilly, low-cut lingerie camisoles under suit jackets.

The only thing I would add is that I think this trend (glamor suits) is really coming (unlike my hoped-for legwarmers). Be on the look-out for girly suits!

Carnivale of Couture: Let's Talk About Leg Warmers!

The Fashionable Kiffen's invitation:

What item/style/look do you wish would become a trend? Or what trend from the past would you like to resurrect?

I'm so glad you asked! I have been so hoping that somebody would resurrect leg-warmers. How about you knitting ladies? It seems all the stylish young ladies in my circle are ready to wear them, but we are all waiting for someone else to go first.

Back in the '80s, when I had to wear pantihose to work everyday, and they had to show, I wore leg-warmers to and from the car, just to keep my legs warm and dry. Now that pantihose are out of favor with many people, what better way to stay warm and express creativity and style than a skirt and leg-warmers? (A skirt and boots?)

Maybe I should have turned this post in to last week's Carnivale.

It's a Wrap

In keeping with my new tradition of posting pictures of what I plan to wear to events, here is the blouse I am planning to wear, with brown linen pants, to church on Easter. Originally from Ann Taylor Loft, I found it at Salvation Army this week for $3 American. It is silk, with polyester lining, and a side zipper. This is what it looked like when I pulled it out of the washer, with one little exception: I sewed the wrap neckline in place.

Other fixes for wrap necklines:

• The most obvious, wear something under it. That would be a topic for an entire post, if inspiration struck.
• Turn the top around.
• My personal favorite, and this really does work, a straight pin. Simply slip in a pin vertically. I have never been poked! (But, of course, I wouldn't do it when I would be working with babies.)

What I love about this blouse, besides the fact that I have nothing remotely like it, is that it is a perfect fit with my limited color palette. It goes with everything!

Refining the Idiom

This post was inspired by The Fashionable Kiffen, who is hosting next week's Carnivale of Couture, by the way.

idiom: A style of artistic expression characteristic of a given individual ...

Steps to Refining Your Personal Style idiom:

1. Identify your fashion personality.
2. (Optional) add a nod to your husband's style.
3. Define your preferred level of embellishment.
4. Do the 100 things about my style project.
5. Decide on your uniform templates.

Everything else about what makes clothes look good on you goes on top of this foundation. If you obey your own idiom, you'll never have to wear "the face", the "these-are-not-my-clothes-can-I-take-them-off" face.

White Pants Season

With the advent of white pants season upon us, is my grimace a smile or a cringe? I don't know yet which side of my fashion personality, comtemporary or functional, will prevail; whether I will buy white pants or not. But enough about me ...

I smile because white pants look fresh and feminine this season. They are practical because they are a summer neutral, and they make the season's brights pop.

But, ugh, the cause of the cringe: ladies, I just don't want to wonder what kind of underwear you are wearing, and whether I am seeing skin through your thin pants. Please! Right now, today, try on your white pants from last season. Be honest, are they decent? If they are linen or light-weight cotton, they should be lined. If they are denim, they should be thick. If in doubt, throw them OUT!

Vogue April 2006 Cover: Jennifer Aniston as Art

Due to the popularity of my previous Vogue cover art critique, I thought, "better late than never", and decided to do this one.

Ms. Jennifer Aniston is the epitome of clean, outdoorsy, natural beauty; if I may say so, the kind of beauty men understand and appreciate most.

Notice how the cover artist(s) used repetition for emphasis:

• Line shape: The arch is the predominant line present in this star's facial features. Notice how the hair is positioned to repeat the arch of the eyebrow and emphasizes the diagonal curve of the jaw. The drape of the neckline of the dress is a similar curve.
• Surface sheen: How else to pick up and emphasize the metallic glittery quality of the golden hair but with the golden strands of --since I didn't actually buy the magazine this time, I know not what-- repeating the texture of the hair. Her skin even appears to sparkle. (Speaking of sparkle: if only I could smile naturally like that for pictures, you people might actually see my face. Alas, glare is my normal pose for the camera.)

Do try this at home:

• Line shape: Choose hairstyle, neckline and construction details to be worn near your face that repeat the lines of your facial features you wish to emphasize. Also be aware that you may be calling attention to lines you'd rather weren't noticed. Think flippy-outy hair next to neck wrinkles. Shudder.
• Surface sheen: Think of your skin and hair in terms of shiny or matte, and wear fabrics and metals which repeat the natural reflectivity (many people are combinations). Think prom dress vs. mother-of-the-bride dress.
  

One other thing: if availability decreases desirability, how can wearing a sheer dress be a benefit?

Designer Ella's Slam Book

For those of you who have not yet been to the Carnivale, this is what the lovely and gracious Designer Ella said about me:

Rebecca, from The Space Between My Peers , confesses that she is not with the "in-crowd" of couture. But doesn't that make us love her more?

If this were Junior High, and I was signing her Slam Book (does anybody remember those?) I would totally write SWEET!

What to Wear: Easter

Okay, I can't put it off any longer. My apologies to those who have dropped by already, asking the question "what to wear on Easter", but I honestly wasn't certain what approach to take. I'm not all that traditional, I don't wear many dresses, not to mention that I usually work in the nursery on holidays. All that said, I'd like to give just a few examples of how to translate traditional Easter expectations into your own personal style idiom.

Traditional for Easter: a street-length dress in an "easter egg" color, often a spring floral.

• High Fashion: Perhaps you would choose an all white dress or ensemble.
• Deep or Intense Personal Coloring: How about a bold dark + white print?
• Conservative in Embellishments: If you want to step it up a notch, try putting pearls with any outfit you choose.
• Always Wear Pants: Although I don't always wear pants, because I will be sitting on the floor, my plan is to wear linen pants with a silk floral blouse.
• Triangle Silhouette: A two-piece dress or coordinate equals a dress. An ordinary skirt & blouse does not.
• Since Rules Are Made to Be Broken: How about going for the secretary look? Prim blouse + high-waisted skirt with big belt = a look palatable to almost anyone.

One other thing: many of us have an underlying expectation of a new outfit for Easter. That's great, but not strictly necessary. I have seen trend-setters in my circle wearing just an ordinary dress, one that I have seen them wear many times before, to church on Easter. They probably realize it isn't a fashion show, and don't want to shift the focus to themselves by making it one.

So, what about you? What are you going to wear? And what would Charlotte wear?

Update to Outfit Number 2

Last Tuesday I posted what I planned to wear to various commitments over the weekend. Outfit Number 2, to be worn to the Parenting Conference, looked kinda boring in the picture (of course, without a face, all of them were missing something). I wore this shirt instead.

(My daughters and I have a practice of exchanging $1 for "hand-me-downs", that is, items that make their way permanently from the wardrobe of one of us to another. We also share freely. This shirt did not come to us originally from Abercrombie & Fitch, but from a thrift store; it was worn by a 14-year-old girl last summer with a cargo skirt and a little boys' clip-on tie. But, alas, the fit is no longer what it once was, and it is mine now. )

Some thoughts about how this print relates to my face:

• The print here is all vertical. My face has a predominantly vertical appearance and I have straight, naturally multi-colored hair.
• The stripes here are soft. My eyebrows and lips have a less-defined appearance, and my hair is muted. (The navy jacket I wore with relates to my eyes: dark and boldly defined by dark-rimmed glasses.)
• The white-space relates to the facial space around my features.
• There are two separately scaled elements in the print: the small to medium red stripe, relating to my features, and the minute stripe grouping, relating to the multi-colored character of my hair color.

(Reference for this section: The Triumph of Individual Style, by Carla Mason Mathis and Helen Villa Connor)

By the way, I got lots of compliments on the brocade Converse!

Carnivale de Couture: Fashion Confessions

Designer Ella's invitation:

What is your fashion confession, either a long ago faux pas, or today's guilty pleasure?

I confess I am not all that glamorous.

I confess I don't have all the what-to-wear answers. You knew that. I just wanted to make sure you knew that I knew that.

I confess I've never watched Sex and the City. Could somebody please post Cliff Notes?

Crazy Budgeting Mama

This post comes in celebration of being included in the Crazy Hip Blog Mamas , as well as The Budget Fashionista's Project Blog. Being included is big with me. I did mention that I'm not as outgoing as some may think, didn't I?

How we have handled the clothing budget with our girls (disclaimer: we didn't try this concept with our boys)

When they turned ten, they each began to receive a clothing allowance monthly. The amount equals $1 American, per year of age. Knowing that they receive generous gifts from grandparents, we felt this was adequate, while providing incentive for them to work. They are responsible for their own wardrobes. Of course, I took them shopping (and if you've been around here at all you probably know where) and I helped out with things like soccer shoes and the occasional I-just-feel-like-it gift.

This shift of power has made for some challenges, and also entertainment. Like watching the fitting room sales tactics of the guy who's just sure that if he can convince "little girl" that she has to have these pants, she'll whine enough that mom will buy them. Little did he know, he was selling the wrong person. You see, the pants would have cost her six months worth of clothing allowance, and she's too sensible for that. I, on the other hand, would have been susceptible (they would have been less than two months of clothing allowance for me), but he sold to me as kind of an afterthought. He doesn't work there anymore.

Parents these days are divided in their opinions about allowance; what we have done has actually trained our girls by giving them some responsibility. Would I do it again? Absolutely. Would it work with boys? I have no idea.

Lamenting Again

0 kids + $$ overtime = dinner out

Last night, my husband took me out for dinner. Trouble is, there aren't many places around here where one can go and feel appropriately dressed in anything other than jeans. So I wore kind of a boring outfit: jeans, gray turtleneck, Converse. Okay, really boring. Still, my hair was done nicely and I had on my "little bit of makeup". I was presentable.

My question is, would I have enjoyed my meal more if I had been wearing fleece, a baggy sweatshirt, or white runners, like so many of the other guests were? What's so much fun about going out dressed sloppy?

As I have said before, if I ask you what to wear, I don't want to know if I can wear my jeans, I want to know if I can wear my ball gown. But I guess I need to work more on the rest of my wardrobe.

Renovations

As you can see in the pictures, we are currently under construction at our house.

I am also still contemplating renovations to the blog. Later today I plan to try to clean up my sidebar a little, and move some blogs from "Favorites" into the links. I also would like to do something different with the header, but lack skills and ideas.

Love to have your input.

Pantihose: Do You Wear Them?

"In the business environment, hosiery is a must. Bare legs, no matter how bronzed and smooth, are not a substitute for legs in good quality hosiery."

Kerrie Scott, communication and image specialist.

But, since what we are talking about here is what to wear for Easter, I will certainly leave that choice to you, the reader, and what works for your own particular idiom. Actually, I spout off alot about the right things to wear, but a primary value of mine is the value of individuality.

That said, this technique for selecting stocking color works:

To find the correct shade of stockings, slip the stocking over one arm and compare to the other. They should match.

Or will you be wearing air stockings this year?

I Am Edmund

Just in time for Easter, our local bargain theatre is showing The Chronicles of Narnia. Growing up, I read the entire series of books over and over; but I always thought I was Lucy. Now I know -- I am Edmund.

TJMaxx "Be a Fashion Stylist" Contest

Since I can't afford to actually win the contest and go to New York to style a photo shoot (alongside a celebrity fashion stylist) for ELLEgirl (they probably don't want Mom anyway), I thought I would unveil my new posting concept with a mock entry to the 2006 TJMaxx "Be a Fashion Stylist" Contest.

1) Henri-V was curious what I would pair my new converse with, so I thought I would show what I will probably wear this Friday morning. It's all about the shoes. (Did I mention they are brocade?)

Parenthetically, I am getting really frustrated trying to manage all this tech stuff with my limited skills. Certain information keeps disappearing (I am not going after that MOPS link one more time!) Before I throw my hands up in despair, I had better just fill this page with words.

2) Parenting Conference. Officially, I am just an attender. Unofficially, I am part of the leadership team. That's the reason for the navy blazer; it's more traditional than what I normally wear. ( Sarah you'll like this: the jacket was $1 at Value Village. Also, the red wedge clogs: free for volunteering at fund-raising garage sale!) Styling outfits beforehand is something I always recommend, but rarely get around to; this project is good discipline for me. This one needs something.


3) A friend asked me to blog about what to wear on Easter. I have touched briefly on it and will, no doubt, do so again in the next week or two, but here's what I would be wearing, if I were not scheduled to work in the nursery. (I will be in church, but I don't care to sit on the nursery floor in a dress.) Unless it is really cold, however, I would wear ivory patent sandals instead of boots. (I just didn't want y'all to see the scraps of blue toe-nail polish left over from last summer.)

I've Been Misunderstood

Based principally on face-to-face conversations I've had recently, it has become obvious that there exists alot of misunderstanding surrounding the issue of necklines. In this post, I will use the glamorous Kristopher Dukes to illustrate balance point how-tos.

• First, the picture of her with the giant soy latte: measure from top hairline to chin. This measurement approximates the distance from chin to the lowest point of the V. This is her first balance point.
  
  
• Second, the picture of her wearing the muumuu: measure vertically, not diagonally, from the widest point of her face to her chin. This measurement approximates the distance from the base of her neck to the neckline of the dress. This is her second balance point.
  

Parenthetically, the hallmark of the glamorous personality, either in full or mixed as in the example here, is that, no matter what she is wearing, she always looks fabulous.

Obviously not everyone who reads this blog feels the way I do about modesty, but it appears that, among those who do, there is another misconception. To set the record straight:

• When a man sees a camisole, he sees lingerie NOT CLOTHING. (Sorry to raise my voice.)

Only one other little thing: fashion authority. I have such a laid-back personal style that, I am beginning to conclude, I will never have it among the people who see me on a daily basis. That's okay. I began this blog as an outlet for my superflous words, and it works for me.

Just Pick One

Midnight conversation between two sensible people who remembered to "Spring forward":

HE SAID, "I'm not asleep yet."

SHE SAID, "I'm not either."

hee hee

Two Tops for the Price of One

I had forgotten how cute some tops are backwards. A friend of mine reminded me when she decided, after she arrived at church, that she didn't like what she was wearing. She was gone for a moment and then she came back in a different top, same color.

This is a great concept for now, as many of us are growing tired of the very deep Vs in front. Just watch out for the tag.

How Not To Be An April Fool

Rule #1: Make your face the focal point of every outfit.

Rule #2: Always dress like yourself, in the situation you are in.

Rule #3: Never wear anything that takes alot of effort to be functional (or makes you walk stupid).

There are many other rules. The good news: your individual idiom defines your compliance to them.