Jessica Alba’s style tips: no booty shorts, dress for other women, not men

Jessica Alba takes her daughters to a park in Beverly Hills
Jessica Alba is one of those celebrities who usually looks well put together when she’s photographed out, unlike say, Jennifer Garner. You can tell that Alba puts some thought into her looks and that even when she’s ferrying her kids around town she doesn’t just throw on a random outfit. She doesn’t always get it right, especially on the red carpet, but you can tell that she tries. People Magazine has a new feature with Alba in which she lists her top ten style tips, and it’s not a surprise to hear that she plans her outfits out the night before. She also very sensibly dresses for the occasion, which sounds obvious but so many people just do not do this, especially where I live. I had to go to court for a speeding ticket and the security guard asked if I was a lawyer because I was in a suit jacket. So many people were there to see the judge in shorts and flip flops, but I digress. (I got out of the ticket thanks for asking.) Alba’s other tips include no booty shorts (take note, Ariel Winter), dressing for yourself and your friends instead of “dudes,” and bringing your shoes with you when you try on pants so you know where the hem will fall.

She loves midi skirts
A midi skirt is my jam. Floor-length is a bit too dressy for daytime, and I am not running around in a mini. It doesn’t feel very professional. Midi skirts are youthful and fun, and they make me feel comfortable.

Mix up your jewelry
It’s fun to mix it up. I like long statement necklaces. I like little delicate ones. I like tons of rings. I like earrings — all kinds of earrings. I have many holes. I’m probably going to get more. My philosophy is break the rules. You don’t need to wear matching everything all the time. Mix metals. You can be boho one day, you can be modern and sleek another day. The most important thing for girls to do is just have fun and be in the moment.

She picks out her clothes the night before

I usually pick out my outfits the night before and I pick out my kids’ clothes the night before and it just helps me get prepared for the day. If I am in a rush, which I usually am, I can just throw on my clothes and get out the door. It’s nice to lay it out the night before because it just makes getting out the door that much easier. But if you feel insecure at all in what you’re wearing, put on something else.

She doesn’t wear booty shorts
I don’t do booty shorts. It’s not my jam. I’m not a cutoffs with the booty hanging person. I tried it once when I was 11, and my grandmother backflipped. She was like, ‘What are you doing?!’ So you will never see my buttcheeks in shorts. But in a professional setting, you can wear shorts and a blazer and wedges and a silk blouse and it can probably be appropriate. It depends how you pair it all together.

Dress for women, not men
I probably dress more for myself and other women than I do for men. I never dress for that type of attention. Even if I am going for date night or girls night out, I’m like ‘Oh, I hope my girlfriends really like these shoes!’ I never think about a dude. But I think you just have to wear stuff that makes you feel good. It’s more about your confidence. You can wear a T-shirt and jeans and Birkenstocks or you can wear a bodycon dress and a pump or you could wear a wide-leg trouser and a crop top. You can wear anything if you’re confident.

[From People]

Alba has some decent fashion advice but I just can’t get behind the “mixing metals” trend. I pick silver or gold jewelry (usually silver) and stick with it. I would just feel goofy with both on at the same time.

I mentioned this in another post, but I recently read a book by a costume designer named Alison Freer called How to Get Dressed: A Costume Designer’s Secrets for Making Your Clothes Look, Fit, and Feel Amazing. Freer says that fit and comfort are key and that you can look polished by getting key pieces tailored for you. I do a lot of thrift shopping and have found some incredible clothes for bargain prices but it’s all about how you put them together. That makes me think of one thing Alba didn’t mention here. She must get so many clothes for free just so designers can use her for publicity.

The 20th Annual Webby Awards

Jessica Alba leaving her hotel in New York

Jessica Alba Enjoys Lunch With A Friend At M Cafe In BH

Jessica Alba Out And About In LA

photos credit: WENN and FameFlynet

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36 Responses to “Jessica Alba’s style tips: no booty shorts, dress for other women, not men”

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  1. Jane says:

    Perhaps I was born on another planet, but I have never wanted to dress for anyone else other than me and what is sensible. After reading the comment, “Oh I hope my girlfriends like my shoes”, it left a sour taste in my mouth. I could care less what others think of my clothes. I wear what is appropriate and comfortable. Most of my work clothes have to be tailored to what I can get away with considering our dress code at school (I’m a teacher), what is not constricting (you can’t be in a fru-fru dress trying to break up a fight or sitting on the floor helping students out with their large math manipulatives),and what doesn’t need to be dry cleaned all the time (those dry erase markers can be a killer of clothes).

    I never put anything on thinking, “Oh, I cannot wait to go to work and see if anyone notices my latest purchase.” Gag me. My friends aren’t into fashion at all and don’t mention anything I wear ever, not that I would expect them to in the first place.

    OK–I’m getting off my soapbox now.

    • QueenB says:

      i agree. if you are seeking approval from others you will never be happy.

    • Dippit says:

      I do dress for myself – although could never lay out an outfit the night before as my mood, therefore choice, might be different the next morning.

      However, if ever complimented on an item I’m wearing, I do take more satisfaction if that compliment comes from another woman (especially a random stranger/one I don’t know well) than if the compliment comes from a guy.

      Nonetheless, I thank them politely but do usually add a slight jokey “but I didn’t design/make it so the compliment really goes to someone else” and then point them towards the shop/brand/designer if they seem interested enough – with women certainly. With guys a polite “thank you” is default.

      I don’t know if that’s a slight Brit reserve thing about compliments or is universal?

    • LoveIsBlynd says:

      I think we all care what people think. Last night I wanted to look attractive but appropriate for my son’s school.

    • perplexed says:

      I think it’s possible she thinks women have better taste, which most likely they do.

    • Zip says:

      I also only dress for myself. I’d feel dressed up if I did it for anyone else. Fashion trends and all that are not my thing. Also, I don’t know anyone who would give a sh*t about my shoes.

    • RedOnTheHead says:

      Not just you Jane. When I was Jessica’s age I was sure everyone was noticing and evaluating what I wore. And then I got older and wiser and realized that unless you are a celebrity, no one is paying attention to what you wear. Really, random people on the street just don’t notice and just don’t care. People close to you might notice but strangers aren’t checking you out as much as some people think.

      Once you come to grips with that, the rest is easy. Dress for yourself, wear stuff you’re confident and comfortable in, be appropriate for the place and/or occasion, and life gets a lot less stressful.

  2. It'sJustBlanche says:

    Oh I tailor everything. Find and good one and she will change the way you look in your clothing. I am busty but small everywhere else. She takes up the shoulders and takes in the waists of almost all my dresses. I would do t-shorts too if I could afford it.

  3. Anastasiia says:

    “Dress for other women, not men” is a wonderful tip. Just makes a lot of sense.

    • We Are All Made Of Stars says:

      No it doesn’t. There are nice men and nice women and nasty men and nasty women. Dress for yourself.

      • Shelleycon says:

        Totally agree, also dress for whomever you damn like she’s made her career of being a hottie for men in bikinis in movies for men, I don’t judge her for that’s she looks amazing but all this now a little…fake, trying to sell shit to moms hard.

    • Tar04 says:

      Ya, but subtext is everything. In other words: don’t dress like a slut. Women often negatively judge other women who may like to wear more body-con or revealing clothing. So maybe some people like wearing booty shorts; and because Jessica (or other like-minded women) don’t, this makes them more qualified arbiters of taste and fashion?

      • Shelleycon says:

        Women negatively judge other women full stop. Whether it’s about clothes, looks, motherhood you name it. Perhaps we should all be a little kinder to each other every now and then and swallow that negative thought or as the wonderful old saying goes if you got nothing nice to say say nothing.

  4. Jen says:

    Well, I definitely care what others think of my clothing choices. For example, if I’m just sitting around the house by myself my clothing choices will be very different than if there is someone else there whose opinion matters to me. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with wanting your friends or significant other to like your outfit. At the same time, I definitely dress for myself and the occasion first and foremost.

    • GingerCrunch says:

      I think it’s the RARE person (read woman) who doesn’t care how others perceive their clothing choices. If you’re expressing yourself at all through your wardrobe, you care! Which is fine, we’re human! And I laugh HARD when I think of us truly dressing for men. We’d all look like Kim K or WORSE!

      • Shelleycon says:

        I have had totally different experience, most men I have dated including male friends and most importantly my hubs prefer women in simple and pretty clothes (i.e. Jeans cute tops feminine dresses) rather than slutty crop tops and ass hanging out of shorts kinda outfits. Unless its porn or looking at a one night stand men are actually turned off by that but maybe this has just been my experience?

  5. amunet ma'at says:

    I like her tips. I dress for women when I’m at work and I dress for my man when I’m with him. I believe the underlying assumption is that you are comfortable in what you wear. I’m not actually being guided by other people’s choices, just the lens in how I present myself is tuned. Like Alba I plan my clothes in advanced. The next 9 weeks are locked down on a calendar spreadsheet. I just can’t stand dressing inappropriately for an occasion.

  6. Nancy says:

    I’m with her on daisy dukes, hate them on anyone, regardless of age or body type. However, I personally don’t dress for women or my husband or any other man. Just like a hairstyle, to me clothes are just a matter of personal taste. Damned if I would pick out an outfit to please anyone else. I do, however, lay my clothes out at night, always have. She is so pretty, it doesn’t matter anyway, she always looks good but probably says how homely she was in high school, they always do!

  7. mellie says:

    Here acting is just meh, but I almost always think she has great fashion.

  8. amunet ma'at says:

    I mean as a grown individual, we are always going to dress how we like as a representation of ourselves. The average Jane will dress like her personality because it cannot be helped. But it is foolhardy to believe that we don’t, even subconsciously, select choices that reflect our audience. I have a pair of shorts that are perfectly fine but my mom would freak if she saw me in them because of her insecurities about my body. I wore a pretty midi sundress instead. So did I dress for someone else? No, I was dressing to feel comfortable for eating lunch and shopping with my mom. When she made comments about my body I shut her down.

    I took Alba’s comments about dressing for men, to mean overly sexual and only for the male’s sexual gratification and comfort objectification of your body. Like don’t pour yourself into something sexy because you think that’s being a woman. I think some women are just more sexual and their dress reflects that, when it’s natural look you can tell. When it’s a forced upon look you can tell.

    • Jane.fr says:

      +1

      I buy the clothes I like and am comfortable in.
      When dressing I choose among those the more appropriate for the circumstances. I care about being me, being comfortable and appropriate.
      Mostly I think, that drssing for women means trying to find appropriate and fitting clothes. Dressing for a men means trying to look as sexy/sexual as possible. Since i’m a person, with EQ and IQ larger than my boobs (which are quite nice, by the way) that’s just not me. Plus, if I was to dress for a man it would be for mine and we would be talking lingerie.

      • amunet ma'at says:

        Word, I have outfits that I can wear to work and on a date night with some tweaks. To me dressing for a man is like putting some spice and sex in it, obviously I’m not dressing like that for lunch with my friends or for work. I agree.

    • Birdix says:

      “because of her insecurities about my body” I have experienced that too. And don’t understand where it’s coming from. Why does my mom care about my body? Because she wants something different for me? Because she worries it means I’m lazy?
      I’m going to follow your lead and shut her down next time she brings it up 🙂

      • amunet ma'at says:

        I love her to pieces, but my mom just wants me to be small because she’s old school. To her I look too thick and she associates that with fat. I have learned that it’s mostly about her and her projections and old body concepts, so now I just nicely say something about my fabulousness to hush her. 🙂 Fight the good fight.

  9. magnolia says:

    Why the shade on Ariel Winter? She’s 18. 18 year olds wear booty shorts.

    And it’s so reassuring to know we’ll never see her buttcheeks hanging out…well not unless she’s in a movie and is getting paid to have her buttcheeks hanging out. This girl knows to keep ’em hidden unless you’re getting paid! haha!

    • Trixie says:

      Not all 18 year olds wear booty shorts.

    • perplexed says:

      I didn’t think she was talking about Ariel Winter, just the general fashion trend.

      People can wear whatever they want — doesn’t mean everybody has to agree it looks good.

      I’m surprised she tried this trend when she was 11 though. I don’t remember this actually being a trend until recently (i.e the last 5 years).

    • Lucky jane says:

      I didn’t get the comment about Ariel either. She’s a kid. Alba is a grown woman with children. I know I have completely different tastes in clothing now that I am approaching 40. I wouldn’t be caught dead in some of the things I wore at 18. But I was a completely different person!
      Edit to add… Alba is gorgeous. She could wear a garbage bag and it wouldn’t matter.

    • Tatdaisy says:

      The difference between Ariel Winter and other female celebrities who routinely pull off the stereotypical ‘sexy’ look (I say stereotypical because I consider my cardigan and thick-framed glasses combo sexy too =D) is the attitude. Clothes are only part of having ‘style’ – the other part is attitude. You see Amber Rose (who doesn’t have great style IMO) or Zendaya (who has awesome style IMO) and they pull it off because they have crazy confidence. They own it. Body type won’t turn a risky style choice bad, but lacking the attitude to pull it off will. Ariel Winter has a bit of a ‘lady doth protest too much’ deal going on where her clothing choices combined with the constant social media proselytizing screams “I’m dressing for attention and then I’m going to get angry when it’s not exactly the type of attention I want.” Having said that I don’t think that thinking someone looks bad in their chosen outfit is inherently sexist. Sometimes the outfit just does you no favors.

      • Lucky jane says:

        Got it. I shouldn’t have commented on that anyway. All I know about this Ariel is that she is young and apparently wears daisy dukes.
        A lot of this is projection on my part. My mom used to give me so much junk about what I wore when I was younger… I automatically feel like I should defend anyone’s short shorts.

  10. Bridget says:

    Un-spoken tip: hire a stylist at the beginning of each season to get you a wardrobe complete with suggestions on how to put stuff together. I’m sure Alba grabs her own outfits the night before, but someone has already done all the leg work. Anyone who’s public profile also involves candids and street wear absolutely does.

  11. Cody says:

    When in doubt, just wear black or grey.

  12. me says:

    She has great street style.

  13. I'm With The Band says:

    Would all the holes in Jessica’s ears scare Kendall Jenner?