I have a confession.

I have a thing for ugly clothes.

Sure, I crave haute couture and the straight-from-the runways designer duds just as much as any other Bellabusta. But foreign, over-the-top, horrendous, tacky, and outdated threads are also part of the fun world of fashion. And I find them irresistible.

For your viewing and mocking pleasure, I have compiled photos of the most outrageous fashion faux pas I amassed as a teen - before I refined the art of wardrobe scrutiny. Enjoy and feel free to cringe; I certainly do!

                 ITALIAN MADE KITSCHY POINTED FLATS

WHERE: At a yard sale in Maryland

WHEN: Age 18

WHY: A wild pair of shoes that is made in Italy, my size and only $5? How could I not buy these?

THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS PART: I really wore these… on the second day of my internship at fashion designer Yigal Azrouel! You may not love my choice of footwear but you gotta admire that fashion risk!

          TWIN 1960’S FLORAL PATTERN SHEATH DRESSES

WHERE: At a flea market in Staten Island

WHEN: Age 16

WHY: I can’t resist vintage fashion (see more on this in my post: “The Value of Vintage” ). I bought two of these dresses with the intention of using the fabric of one dress to make the second one longer. As you can tell, I never got that far with them (thank goodness!).

                      NEON ORANGE SHIMMERY TIGHTS

WHERE: My local mall.

WHEN: Age 15

WHY: They were 80% off, plain and simple. I can’t pass up a sale like that, even if they do make my legs look like a pair of BIC highlighters.

                         ISRAELI HIPPIE SKIRT-PANTS

WHERE: A store on Yaffo St. in Jerusalem

WHEN: Age 17

WHY: It was my first time in Israel as a seminary student and I was loving the culture shock. Never before had I seen such a curiously fashioned garment and I had to partake in this uniquely Israeli fashion oddity.

What did you think of my adolescent fashion choices? Make sure to check out PART II!