5 outdated style commandments.

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Chances are, you've been hearing the same old fashion adages since you were a little girl. Your mother probably cringed at the thought of white after Labor Day, and you never dared to wear shoes and a purse that didn't match. But what would you think if we told you that many of those rules are outdated and irrelevant in the fashion world of 2005? The truth is, many of them are. We rounded up the biggest fashion rules many women follow, and show you how to break out of them for style's sake.

• Don't wear white after Labor Day. Not this year. White is actually a big trend for winter, paired with black for a graphic, mod look. But even when white isn't trendy, it's still appropriate post-summertime. They key is the white you choose. Avoid summery fabrics like light cotton and linen and summery details like eyelet. Instead, choose soft white (off-white and ecru are good choices) pieces in fabrics like wool, flannel, and cashmere. Even white shoes and white bags work for winter, provided they're in rich leather or suede.
• Black and brown don't match. On the contrary: Black and brown do match, and look quite sophisticated, too. Pair rich brown wool trousers with a black turtleneck, or wear black shoes and hose with your brown skirt. For evening, try a brown cocktail dress instead of a black one, and dress it up with this season's black beaded necklaces or bracelets. One combo to avoid: Brown shoes with black pants.
• Match your purse to your shoes. It can look good, in a '50s-housewife sort of way. But these days, wearing complementary bag and shoes looks just as good. What's crucial: Choosing shoes and a bag that work with your outfit, and whose colors complement each other. And if you can't part with your black or brown shoes and bag? Compromise: Pair them with other neutral colors. Try a deep red, hunter green, or soft tan bag, or go for shoes in similar shades, all of which will work with your brown and black staples.
• Plus-size women shouldn't wear form-fitting clothes. Plus-size women can wear anything -- provided it fits them well. Too-tight, belly-pinching pants and skirts don't look flattering, but a form-fitting skirt or pants that skims over your shape looks sexy and polished. What never looks polished: A plus-sized woman hiding her gorgeous curves in anything baggy, oversized, or too-big -- those looks only serve to make you appear larger than you are.
• You can't mix prints. It may seem logical, but mixing prints is actually a true fashion do. It's a much more interesting -- and chic -- look than wearing the same print or color head to toe. And it's an easy look to get right, as simple as choosing a print with a dominant color, and pairing it with another print of that same dominant color. Plaid and stripes, dots and plaid, stripes and dots -- all can work if their colors complement one another.