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rachylou

Veteran

This weekend's fashion musings:

I saw this clearly mature woman, even elderly, wearing a baby doll dress and it totally worked. She looked dignified. I'm thinking the key may actually have been posture. And maybe it helped that the baby doll was red-and-black plaid and not something floral.
I was ready to toss the Vogue 2015 Winter runway picture book, because nothing in it excited me at all. Then I saw this cool LV dress in Lucky and said *hey wait a minute*... and indeed, it was there in the Vogue picture book... still looking awful. It sums up my most fundamental shopping conundrum. I think it's partly why my fashion philosophy involves forgetting the merits of any given individual item and trying to take anything and make it look good.

9 years ago

General

17 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Anonymous

It's a skill not many people have. I know I don't. I'm not embarrassed by that - but I do admit I need to be hit over the head with obviousness or have a look presented to me in order to move ahead. I either like it or I don't. I rarely waffle. Speaking of waffles.....

9 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

I can't pull off a baby doll. Even when I was pregnant.

Need to work on my posture!

9 years ago

crutcher

Veteran

Loved this post...the woman in the baby-doll had probably learned to accept herself and gave out a certain vibe to the world to accept her...I laud her courage to wear something like that in the face of possible non acceptance...
And you can take anything and make it look good with the proper dose of confidence and swagger...Good for you...

9 years ago

Sharon

Veteran

I love to hear this. How short was the dress? I think this observation is directly related to your second point - it's all about the styling!

9 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

So the dress was above the knee, but she was wearing leggings and knee boots. The dress was like a pinafore affair, so she had a long sleeved tee underneath. Short, close cropped white hair. Drop earrings, I think.

The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced it's all to do with body language. Do you stand like you're in command or are you swinging around like a kid?

9 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

Is it the simple mantra of "own the look" ?

I was re-reading some Corporette posts and of course keep gravitating to things like "how to wear flats to work". It was kind of a mixed bag because there was both the "I don't think you can really wear flats with pencil skirts"--oops, that is just what I do and need to do--along with, well, just own it and make it your signature.

I'm having the same experience with some of my pant length decisions.
It's not as simple as "wear what you want all the time and don't worry". It's more that I think I have learned that my fashion "joy" sometimes is to be found in careful observation and following certain style rules and trends--that I will get a high happiness result from that process; and sometimes it is in another direction, that I need to break away at times, because if not, I will feel I've given up some fashion joy needlessly, for reasons that aren't important. I have room for both of these approaches.

(Note in keeping with Corporette party line, I'm talking about choices that are not typically tied to workplace cultures.)

9 years ago

Aubergine

Veteran

Love the sound of the baby doll outfit!

I kind of hope I can pull that off when I'm her age. In fact, I think a red and black plaid baby doll dress may come close to being my equivalent of those black leather pants.

9 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

I'm printing out your second paragraph, unfrumped. A perfect distillation of how to put fashion into perspective.

9 years ago

rabbit

Veteran

#1 - awesome, it's all in how you carry it off

#2 - it's maybe also all in how you style it, carry it off? I'm kind of the same way I think, I don't see clothing items in isolation but as part of something. I mean it might be really great Red Mill organic or Winco bulk bin pastry flour, but unless you make pie out if it, what's the point? Also once it's in the pie, who will be able to tell the difference?

9 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

More on #1 - Yes, I don't know if *wear what you want* works exactly, to make fashion magic. I think that sorta translates into *dress how you feel* - and if you can't be bothered, well that will show.

Perhaps the same woman in the same clothing would have made me think "dressed too young" if she hadn't carried herself with the the authority she obviously has.

More on #2 - Styling I'm sure matters. On the runway that dress was work with a lot of bare skin showing. In the magazine, the model had a long sleeved shirt underneath with leather cuffs (an Ann Taylor number). Given that this is the winter collection we're talking...

Haha. That's a good way to put it: try eating a spoon of flour, fancy foodie stuff or not. Not tasty

9 years ago

deb

Veteran

On #1, I wonder if she was able to wear baby doll dresses when they were in style in the 60's? I have always had good posture but was never able to pull it off. That leads me to believe it must be attitude.

On #2, I usually feel that way about runway looks. I look at them as merely costumes and appreciate them that way. Not until items hit the stores and I am able to put them on my body do I view them in real life scenarios.

9 years ago

greycat6

Veteran

I love this quote, which I can't remember where I read:

"It is all in how you carry yourself, your attitude, your swagger."

It applies not only to clothing but life in general. My husband's favorite quote, along the same lines is:

"Not always right, but never in doubt."

Go forth with confidence and swagger. YLF!

9 years ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Hmm, so it is all in the swagger or lack thereof. Sounds about right.

9 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Swagger indeed! Lol.

But I just thought of something else... Someone correct me, but I think items are tweaked a bit for actual retail? Maybe hems are a little less likely to flash the undies?

9 years ago

lyn67

Veteran

Loved greycats's hubby1s quote, thanx:-)

9 years ago

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

I'm guessing the woman's dress worked well with her body lines and proportions, which is why it looked right. Add her best colors and fabric, and it's an outfit that looks right no matter her age.

I agree that styling matters. Even on the same person, a dress styled one way may work better than styled a different way. On different people, all bets are off.

9 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

She definitely had the figure for the baby doll: lean-lined, crisp

I'm not curvy, but I'm not lean-lined either. I'm certainly not crisp...

9 years ago

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