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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Does looking good trump experimentation?

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I had two decent work outfits this week:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....in-leather
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ong-simple

And two misses (my determination - not anyone else's):

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....elvet-lace
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....floral-fun

This has led me to wonder about my experimentation and pushing myself stylistically speaking. Maybe I don't have the skill and experience yet to experiment successfully when it is so outside my usual style?

I enjoy trying new things and want to have fun with fashion, and figure this is the only way to learn what works is by trying...BUT...does it make more sense to wear formulas, oolours and silhouettes that I know work for me (e.g. skirt, blazer, booties)?

What do you do? Do you stick with tried-and-true looks (with some differences obviously to make the outfit fresh) or do you push yourself? Does looking good trump experimentation?

Would love to hear your thoughts on this - and thanks!

Dressing

39 replies

Latest reply was from Vix

Aida

Veteran

User discretion, IMO If you don't enjoy experimenting, it's not worth it IF you're leaving the house in it. It is of course possible to experiment with outfit possibilities, rather than with things that are worn out of the house, but sometimes we need that in-person feedback. If you stick to your tried-and-true and are happy, then that's fine too! If you do that and feel like you're stuck or stalled, then it's probably time to experiment again. Shannon you certainly have the skills to experiment, so I say if you enjoy it then continue. As you said, you should be having fun!

Experimentation is my favorite thing, so I'm experimenting with _something_ on most days. I want to look good doing it as much as possible, but I'll still happily take the fashion-over-flattery on some days and even the occasional straight-up-not-great day. I do like to push myself in this way, but I am thick skinned and somewhat oblivious But I also keep a list of my personal formulas which I fall back on as lack of creativity dictates, and if I'm having a bad feeling day then it's tried-and-true-flattery all the way!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I think if we only stick with tried and true, we will never grow. As to experimenting with work looks, you know I'm a uniform gal, so I can't say. I experiment with out of work looks and some are misses. I tend to learn more from what isn't working lately. Although hitting the right notes with different silhouettes can also be very educational. You get to see what isn't so obviously the common threads.
For instance, I am finding more and more that texture matters for me. Too much knit cotton and I just want to go to bed lol!

deb

Veteran

I sometimes feel the same way. For what it is worth, I do not think the velvet and lace is a fail but agree with the furry floral. I say keep experimenting. The way I look at it, it cannot be much worse than before I joined the YLF club.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I agree that you can't totally know if something works until you try it, and just wearing around the house may not capture all the issues, or how other people react to it. So if evolving your style (you in general, not you you) is a priority, then sometimes a fail is necessary to do that, yes.

JR

Veteran

I think we each have to determine our own comfort levels with these things. If you're feeling awkward and inhibited leaving the house in your experiments, it might be time to dial it back a bit. There's absolutely no point in making yourself miserable with this.

On the other hand, it's just clothes. You know how we say about a bad haircut that hair always grows back? Well, clothes are even better. The outfit is done at the end of the day.

The things I feel more insecure about, I wear on stay-at-home days and post them for feedback here. Like today. Granted, I have more stay-at-home days than most people, but there's nothing to prevent you from playing dress-up and taking pictures, if that's the route you want to go.

But you do realize that there is no such thing as somebody who can experiment and have a hit every time. Looking back at my photos, some of which were never posted online, I can't help but wonder what I was thinking. I keep them, to remind me of what not to do.

K. Period.

Veteran

I've thought about this a lot lately, and a lot of my thinking has be spurred on by this forum! I think I'm a 90% tried and true or guaranteed success gal. I'm willing to do about 10% potentially fail.

I was actually musing this very morning about how much better I felt since I've come to appreciate the value of doing something that feels true to you. My best outfit successes are always ALWAYS outfits where I took something that felt very me and gave it a little twist that wasn't quite me or at least not yet. Sometimes it doesn't work. Sometimes it is a home run. Worst fails? Copying someone else's style that isn't mine. Even if it looks good, what good is a costume? 'Cause that's what it is. And it sits alone in my closet, an orphan.

Participating in the forum has helped me understand that I don't have to try to take someone else's personal style and shove myself into it. I can love someone else's edgy, arty, UWP, RATE or bohemian styles (and I do!), but those things aren't me. I might wish I was more edgy, but I can do that better by adapting my style slightly than by trying to outfit myself in someone else's style.

That was a lot of musing, but the bottom line is that yes, I think that looking good trumps experimentation for me. Just not all the time. Sometimes I need to take a risk and sometimes I will fail. However, I am evolving and with those priorities I'm evolving in a way that feels comfortable and fun and ME!

DonnaF

Veteran

Shannon; I think formulae are great for days when one oversleeps, is not feeling up to par, or is having a performance review or the like. Otherwise, why not? To paraphrase Deb, it can't be worse than pre-YLF!

For you Shannon, I can tell you love the creative outlet. I am starting to experiment, but too frequently conclude that what looks good on the bed/hanger/in my mind does not necessarily work IRL -- and I haven't even mastered the picture taking thing which would probably give me even more (negative) feedback! Thus, I need PLENTY of time and energy which I don't always have.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I like to have both, a uniform when I don't want to think about what to wear but want to feel really good, basically this hasn't changed for me since I was about 18 - it's a jacket pants or jeans & a top, updated to stay current. Then there are days when I like to try something new or wear a skirt or just want a change but I always have my uniform.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Can we not do both? Often I go with tried-and-true, but sometimes I experiment, with varying degrees of success (and occasionally, spectacular failure).

I guess looking good probably trumps experimentation on those occasions when you really, really want to look good...like, say, fr'instance, your high school reunion.

Diana

Veteran

I am all for experimentation as long as you are having fun doing it. I tend to think that most of here do enjoy it, since we are on a fashion forum after all. Personally I'd be bored if I wore the same flattering outfit or variation of an outfit every day. On the other hand, I know lots of people (including most men I know) who do exactly this and are happy with it because it means you don't have to think about it.

Of course it's good to have FFBOs and stuff for days when you just don't have the time or the energy to try something new. And, of course if you are going for an interview or giving an important presentation or something, those are probably not times to be experimenting either.

Thistle

Veteran

How can you know what works for you if you don't try?

For important events, falling back on your formula is a great idea, but for everyday, why not take a chance?

Especially if you are experimenting with new styles or trends, it may take some time to make them work for you.

Tina

Veteran

I am not a risk taker, not with fashion and generally speaking as well.
For me, attitude and the way you wear your clothes goes a long way in whether something works or not.
Shannon, you are one of those people that exudes confidence and a general positive outlook on life. You can wear things some others could not. I think as long as you experiment without losing sight of who you are and what you want others to see, you will not have any complete fails. You will have days where you feel less than totally fab but chances are, most people would not notice. It seems to me you get a lot of joy out of trying new outfit ideas, I say carry on. You add a lot to this forum and have made many of us reconsider our ideas of what short(er) women could/could not wear.
I didn't comment on the floral pants outfit but I would love to see them with a softer blouse in a shade that compliments rather than matches any of the colors in the pants. Just a thought:-)

Gaylene

Veteran

Since my job requires me to stand in front of large groups of students, meet with colleagues, and represent my institution at various functions, I'm firmly on the side of flattery rather than experimentation. I'm quite close to what "k can shop" does when she says "I took something that felt very me and gave it a little twist that wasn't quite me or at least not yet" way of experimenting.

Wearing something because people have deemed it "in fashion", or "fun", just isn't enough to make me want to incorporate it into my wardrobe. But, oddly enough, if I'm within my style range, I can incorporate some quite edgy styles with complete ownership. For example, my Fluevog shoes and asymmetrical jackets make me feel edgy but still totally like me. These items usually get get a positive response from my audience(s).

But wearing dropped crotch, or flowered pants, in front of several hundred students would make my clothing, not my lecture, the topic of discussion. That's not a place where I want to go. And, for my after-work clothes, comfort and practicality trump fashion so I gladly don gear for my outdoor activities. That leaves me with very little time, or inclination, for experimenting with most fashion trends or styles outside of my range.

amiable

Veteran

Considering that I'm just learning what works for me - I can't really say that I have anything tried and true. So I like experimenting, and suspect that I'll continue to like it. That said, the idea of knowing that I look good does appeal to me (it's just not gonna happen outside of my experimenting for a while yet).

So I guess I'm no help. But it's an interesting question!

Maybe it's worthwhile to experiment just in one category at a time? Wear colors you're comfortable with, in new silhouettes, or try new colors in your normal shapes, or change up the textures - enough to be 'sorta' out of your zone, but not so far out as to make it uncomfortable?

Anonymous

I do not invest much time into experimentation with trends, but I think I have a pretty safe style. I enjoy variety within the constraints of what I know works for me, my body type and my lifestyle. I do experiment, i.e. would buy something to try it out at home before I cut tags, but I never leave the house if I don't feel confident in it.

I know experimenting is really encouraged here and I would like to take risks too, I just don't seem to find the time to brainstorm or venue to do it. Also, when things are out of my comfort zone, they feel costumey to me. I cannot pull them off, because I don't feel confident and that really, really shows.

Jonesy

Veteran

In thinking about it, I tend to mix an experiment with something tried and true, at least the first time I'm wearing something and especially for work. So I might wear an unusual skirt, but pair it with a jacket and top that are pretty straightforward. That way I can feel comfortable while simultaneously pushing the envelope, if that makes sense :).

Joy

Veteran

Without reading the other comments yet, I'd say that one doesn't grow without making mistakes. That's part of why I thrift as much as I do. It allows experimenting without much of an investment. I've learned that it can take awhile to get comfortable with a look (like the black moto jacket in my red jeans post). I just have to do it. I knew the moto jacket would be a good choice to look stylish yet casual, but was afraid I'd look like a biker. Of course that's not true, but it took awhile.
Feel free to have fun even if it means making mistakes, and then move on. One mistake I've made is buying those lovely drapey jersey tops. On me they look like they've been draped on a doorknob!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Well said, Tina!

Shannon, you and others here and elsewhere, who pick a new outfit combination almost every single day, AMAZE me. I am in awe, both of the size of your closets and your creativity!! I could never, never do this. And not only because my wardrobe is on the minimal side. It's also because I love my tried and true "formula" outfits, and will happily wear them multiple times within a season.

Is that because I know I look good in them? Because they're most conventionally flattering? I'm not sure. Not always, I suspect. But for whatever reason or set of reasons, they are the items or combinations that make me *feel* most fab, and I do like the comfort of that.

At the same time, I want to stretch and grow and I *adore* finding new ways to wear my clothes, and fun combinations. This is one reason I love our challenges here; they prompt me to attempt outfits I'd never otherwise imagine.

In terms of FFBO, I have recently discovered that while I *do* tend to rely on a few tried and true combinations, I do so within a given season. I SO do NOT want to wear last year's favourite combos, to the point where I am very eager to purge my workhorse items from last year. I have not yet done this, but neither have I worn said items. And that, to me, is quite telling.

Returning to your sample outfits, they were experiments in the sense that the items or combinations were new to you. But they weren't experiments in overall style or silhouette. I tend to think of "item" or "combination" experiments as easier to make (for me, personally, at least); they are essentially variations on a theme, and while any one or another might fail to meet our usual fab standard, we tend to understand why and how to fix that relatively quickly.

A whole new silhouette is much more daring, I think - one reason why a number of us have struggled with le BF and why those dropped crotch pants that Angie posted today are a wee bit threatening to us all.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Wow - these are excellent comments and thoughts ladies and I can't thank you enough for taking the time to post them.

Many of your comments are really resonating with me and I'm beginning to suspect that I'm trying too hard to take on new looks or styles. It's almost like I'm afraid to get stuck in a particular style - you know, where people say "oh look, Shannon is wearing a dress and booties AGAIN". And yet really, what is wrong with wearing what works? Sometimes I think I need to get out of my own head.

I need to remember that experimentation is great and fun but must always put FIT (and to a lesser degree, FLATTERY) above the experiment. For example, the furry sweater today was clearly too large - it wasn't the kind of oversized look that works - it was just too darned big. By the end of the day, I felt humungous because of it. That experiment (at least the top half of it) ended up not being fun.

Maybe my incredibly stubborn streak works again me - I will try over and over again to make something work that deep down I know doesn't (remember the green blazer Una?).

I'm going to read all of your comments over again and think on this some more.

Aida

Veteran

(Shannon you have such a fabulous dress and bootie collection, I don't think ANYONE could possibly say "oh yawn there goes a dress and bootie look again" )

shiny

Veteran

Your question makes me realize that I aim, above all else, to wear my clothes rather than have them wear me. This became my goal very early on, because of my height: it's very easy to look ridiculous in clothes that are just too large/scaled for someone taller. I do like to experiment, I do like to get creative, and I do like trends. I just don't want to look ridiculous sacrificing fit for trend/edginess.

And it takes quite a bit of energy and effort to shop for clothes that fit right while also being not-so-mainstream. At the end of the day, I wind up wearing a lot of BR and AT simply because it does fit, and my experimentation is all in how I wear those mainstream pieces.

It is what it is. Do I get bored? YES. Then there are times when I embrace the boredom because I don't want to think too hard about it. And after awhile floating in that comfort zone and routine, my batteries get recharged, and then I crave experimenting. Rinse, repeat...

I don't think I could tolerate experimenting every single day, nor could I tolerate wearing the same formula, no matter how flattering, every day either. Gotta mix it up!

Deborah

Veteran

Shannon I rather relate to Jonsey's comment here in terms of how I experiement.

I guess I feel there is a time and place for experimentation (for me anyway). On days when I am doing meetings, trainings or presentations I tend to have a tried and true capsule that I don't deviate from. On the days I don't work I tend to be more experimental. On those days I am often running around doing errands, lunching with friends, grocery shopping so I feel 'safe'. For me it's more about how I feel in an outfit, and how I see that outfit that determines its success or failure. Two places I often test out new looks is church on Sunday and bible study on fridays - both places were i know people know and love me and are kind to me!! lol

Like many of us, I think that fashion and experimenting with it is not only a 'fun' thing to you but also a creative expression, and like art, some people get and some people don't. And sometimes the artist is pleased with his/her work and sometimes not.

Don't stop experimenting. You have excellent style and what you might refer to as a 'fail' is still 100% better than what some of what I see in my town. I would rather see a 'fail' but get that the person cares about style enough to try new things than be subject to people who dress without any thought or care for how they present. (Hope that doesn't sound catty or negative but my heart sinks when I see women who just don't care).

Freckles

Veteran

Late to the party and I'll read the replies afterwards.

Shannon I've missed your threads this week somehow. The snakeskin and leather one is simply divine.

I think each of us has to decide where it is comfortable to experiment with a look, especially if we do not feel comfortable in the look yet or feel it is not successful. It might be meeting a gf for coffee for me and a totally different locale for another person.

Perhaps this question by you is part of your style evolution and the answer will resonate after awhile. Good luck.

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Shannon, you have an amazing sense of style! I really admire your vintagey and a little bit edgy aesthetic. Please keep on experimenting! You can't grow if you always stick to tried and true. I think even your "fails" are interesting and stylish. And have you been to Angie's Pinterest page? I just wandered over there via Inge's links and I think you are probably the most pinned YLF'er on her page! So that says something! You are a true inspiration and a fashion artist!

As for experimenting, I love to experiment. I'm on Team Dive--wahoo! The main purpose of my experiments are to refine my style persona...I think I've done a fairly good job fleshing out my primary persona and rubric. But also I sometimes love having secret identities and mixing the two...like Demure Bombshell UWP. I do have my FFBO formulas (dress, dress, dress) but it's fun to be creative and push the envelope a little sometimes. And sometimes I too will be stubborn and persist in revisiting items that aren't the most loved or flattering (H&M floral pants!) just because I'm always looking for that "perfect incarnation".

catgirl

Veteran

Shannon, I love your sense of style and adventure - and sometimes it results in resounding success when you push your experimenting... look at the BF jeans! I am constantly making huge mistakes, and that is how I learn - which makes them not mistakes after all. I think there is a time and place for both. I was all over the place with my style until quite recently, and I am actually enjoying the limitations a specific sense of style gives me at the moment. But I still love the idea that there will be something new around the corner to keep me creative.

You are not in a rut if you've found a formula you can vary to your heart's content (as I have with skinnies and oversized tops, for example, or you with dresses and boots). Keep on playing and mixing and having a blast! Frankly, if someone was perfect and never asked questions about what worked, I would find it a little intimidating.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Shannon, your question really resonates with me. I think this is a matter of having the best of both. Without experimenting, how can you evolve, or at least keep things interesting? My approach to most things in life is with a "What if..." question. Without that, everything tends to bore me very quickly. I feel the same way as you, I guess - some outfits are just right, others are weird and maybe even bad on me. I'm sure a lot of people will vote for looking good rather than for experimenting, because that is more comfortable. But we all need an element of both, in my opinion. FWIW - I'm always looking forward to your WIWs, and I think your sense of style is awesome! Everything looks adventurous, fun, creative, put together and very stylish on you, almost every single time you post.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Great points made here. I also do a bit of both, depending on the day's plans, my mood, etc. Sometimes I just don't want to think about it that much while I'm getting dressed, other times I crave some experimentation. Follow your instincts!

Laura makes a good point. Many of my experiments that make it out of the house don't get repeated because a full day of wear often reveals issues that aren't apparent in the time before I leave the house. Garments that stretch and bag, cling problems, layers that shift or dig... And conversely, sometimes a combination i was unsure of gets lots of compliments. Sometimes it's just a matter of taking a risk, and then live and learn!

RoseandJoan

Veteran

I am very much driven by how I am feeling Shannon, if I am not feeling confident I will wear something tried and true on a good day I am happier to take a chance. This means during times of stress I rely on my FFBO because knowing I look put together gives me one less thing to think about.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Very interesting....I note that many of you have commented that you turn to tried and true formulas when feeling stressed or less confident...I hadn't thought of that angle at all. As you know, we've got some stress going on in our household and family and perhaps that's a huge part of why my recent experimentation isn't working for me. I'm not hitting the right notes and that coupled with feeling stressed makes me unhappy in the combination. Then it kind of picks at my confidence so you don't wear the experimental outfit in a confident manner. This is a FANTASTIC revelation - thank you, thank you, thank you!

Shiny - you are right. We petite gals can quickly look ridiculous in items that don't fit correctly. I am learning that FIT is EVERYTHING.

Natalie - I am so impressed with your experimentations into other style genres and you are constantly a source of inspiration.

Janet - wow, excellent point about experimentations worn for a full day. I guess if I had worn the Cookie Monster sweater just for a bit at home, I wouldn't have realized that it was completely wrong. It was only because I wore it for a full day that I discovered how stretched out it would become. I guess if looking at it from that perspective, the experiment was worth it because I now know I will never buy a sweater in that fabrication again and that fit is more important to me than I thought. Two lessons learned....hmmmm...a "successful failure" then?

Deborah - I couldn't agree with you more. The neighborhood I live in unfortunately seems to be a mecca for women who don't care how they look. I am always the most dressed up person in the grocery store line and am mortified that they would leave their home looking the way they do.

Thank you all so much for your feedback - it is so helpful to hear your perspectives.

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