People -watching is a wonderful way to pass time as well as a wonderful way to find fashion ideas by noticing other people. All we need to do it catch a glance, and whatever they happen to be wearing will make an impression on us. In a public area, we can people-watch several people at one time and hundreds of people over a very short time span. Columbia Thrifty Fashion Examiner will be adding a new dimension to this column by including “You’ve been spotted!” every Saturday. In this new column, one or two people who have been noticed in a crowd will be applauded for their incredibly good taste and sense of style or mentioned for a fashion shortfall that could easily be corrected.

This week, a young woman at Starbuck’s in Sandhills was spotted. She was waiting in line to order coffee or tea and stood out because her sense of style was noticeably far better than average. She was wearing a mid-calf length skirt in a leopard print and a graceful, soft swirl with two deep ruffles at the hemline. It appeared very soft and feminine, and animal prints are so very big this season. It fit well, with no pulling or binding, and fell smoothly to accentuate her figure. Her top was a short, cap sleeve black tee with just the thinnest golden thread running through it. She wore it tucked in for a neat, put-together look, and the black and gold brought out the shades of the leopard print superbly. Her outfit was completed with a pair of simply, dark strappy slide-on sandals than, once again, drew the eye back to the animal print. This lady deserves being spotted for her excellent taste, her sense of fashion, and her chic choices. A+ to the lady at Starbuck’s!

Another young woman, spotted at Bi Lo supermarket, was dressed in a pair of distressed, faded wash skinny jeans and a huge, grey oversized tee shirt. Her legs appeared very tiny, and this smallness was accentuated by the skinny jeans. While they are extremely fashionable, it almost seems absurd to buy brand new jeans that already appear to have been ripped ad flawed. The striking thing about her outfit was the huge grey jersey tee. It was undoubtedly at least three sized larger than she wore and hung down approximately to her knees. While the look was “in” and comfortable, it did nothing to coordinate color, to draw the eye to a positive trait, or to appear chic or sophisticated. If this lady had any figure at all, an attractive bust line, a hint of cleavage, a small or distinct waistline, they were obscured by the looseness of the tee shirt. Oversized tees do have a time and a place in our lives. They are great for sleeping and napping, good to use for beach cover-ups, and fine for doing housework or taking care of the children and grandchildren. But, they do nothing to accentuate the positive features we may have and they diminish an overall look of style. If one is wearing any dazzle, glitz, bright color or stylish print, it is hidden. C- to the lady in the oversized grey tee at Bi Lo.

Keep an eye out. You never know when you’ll be spotted and your fashion choices might be the focus of this column. We can all learn tips and tricks from the high scorers and, perhaps, a few no-no’s from the lower ones.

Sharon Steimle