Is there a point in analyzing why you don't like a trend? - YouLookFab Forum

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Is there a point in analyzing why you don't like a trend?

Mochi

Veteran

I mean, it's obviously good to come to an understanding of why it wouldn't work for oneself in particular. But if you see something in a wide range of people? I'm wondering if there's a way I could be convinced to at least like something on the rest of the population, even if I'm positive it will never work for me.

To be honest, I've yet to see an example of a shirt dress here or elsewhere on the Internet that really warmed my heart. I guess I care enough now that I'd like to know why trend X rings a bell and trend Y doesn't. With the shirt dress, it just looks like a too-big shirt. Ymmv.

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18 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Mochi

Veteran

I think perhaps I'm wondering out loud about my conservative tastes and whether--and how--they could be broadened. I do understand there's no point in trying to force myself to like anything. I find it interesting to think about how we're occasionally (or frequently) won over after an averse initial reaction.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You are talking about poison eye.

So the value of trying to understand the roots of it would be to allow you to tolerate the look on others more easily.

It really depends on your personality, though. I mean, some people can have poison eye for a look, yet that in no way affects their judgement of the wearers; they are as accepting of the people wearing the "offfending" garment as someone who loves that garment.

Others have different type of character and their judgements might affect their treatment of people wearing that type of clothing in a negative way. For them, it would be good to figure out what's going on simply so they could prevent themselves from treating others unfairly or discriminating on the basis of trivial fashion choices.

Anonymous

Not really. I like analyzing why something looks good on me or why it doesn't, but I don't care to spend time analyzing why I dislike something. I either like something or I don't. That said, there are things that I can't or don't wear because they don't look good on me, but that I really like on those who can wear them. I do appreciate various color palettes, styles and personal preferences.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think we're often "won over" when our eyes adjust. Our personal histories will inform our taste, as well as our own body type, etc. (To a greater or lesser degree.) A great styling of an item can help our eyes adjust to the look. One that ties in with some of our own style preferences.

I think some people's poison eyes are strongly affected by what looks good on them. That is to say, we tend to react viscerally against an item that we imagine would look terrible on us, even where it looks good on others. Using myself as an example, I tend to be an early adapter or at least acceptor of new trends. Particularly those that could be practical for my lifestyle/ climate. But booties were an exception. For a couple of years after they began appearing, I just didn't like them ... on anyone.

Why?

Because I have short calves proportionately and knew that higher vamp footwear would shorten my leg line. It was just too hard for me to get over that ingrained association. Eventually, though, I figured out ways to make them work for me, even with dresses/ skirts.

RobinF

Veteran

I think I usually know why I don't like something and most often it is because I think it is unflattering on me. Or uncomfortable. I'm kind of realizing that some things can be made flattering enough if I want to make the effort but maybe it's not worth it to me.

Mochi

Veteran

Oh, I would never ever form an overall judgment of a person or even their style sense based on one look! I specifically don't like the shirt dress trend at the moment. I'm going to think about it and try and come up with examples of other personal poison eyes (I don't even think the shirt dress is that much a PE, just sort of meh) that eventually transformed. I'm sure I do have a few.

As for things that *I'd* be wearing, the poison eye list is long, unfortunately.

Chris987

Veteran

Agree totally with what Suz said. If you just don't like it and it stops there, maybe no point in analyzing further. We don't all have to like everything, in fashion, in food...etc However if you don't like it and judge others negatively for liking it, there is something more going on that might bear some examination.

Anonymous

I think it's worth analyzing because sometimes just a small tweek will turn the "offending" item into something you do like.

Example: I don't love shirt dresses either. I've tried one for a few months and noticed that I just don't like the weight of the chambray and the colour of it. I'm also on the fence about the high -low hem that a lot of them have because I find it looks a bit like pajamas. Further, the button-down look is something I generally avoid because it feels a bit still and too busy.

If I were to find a shirt dress in maybe a lightweight cotton with a mandarin collar, not chambray, and maybe a hem that is not high low, I might like a shirt dress.

My main area for growth in fashion is trying not to be to put-off by people's colour choices. If I dont think somebody's outfit has the right colours, it pulls an otherwise awesome outfit down to the point where I just can't appreciate it. I don't think I'm being fair because everybody has different favorite colours, and different ideas of what matches well with what.

Mochi

Veteran

I think I'm also deep down fascinated with how we decide to like something when it's a trend. Because some are immediately likeable--we experience a visceral connection--but I sense that in some cases it's a conscious decision to sign on for it, particularly if you're going to be wearing it yourself. The psychology of trends is quite interesting to me. But I suspect I'm not articulating my thoughts that clearly here. Partially because I'm sleep -deprived. :-p

Diana

Veteran

Honestly I think sometimes we just like what we like and don't like what we don't like. Nothing wrong with that so long as we are not cruel to those who don't share our tastes (and you certainly are not!). There's plenty of trends to go around.

Ledonna N.

Veteran

I would like to say yes for all of the reasons already stated. I like this topic by the way. I don't always respond but I love reading the analysis of the "why" and the breakdown of what might spur someone to wear something I might have a poison eye to. For me it is the "unstructured peplum" and the "half tuck" and the skinny leg jean/jeggin .

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm not sure you're talking about poison eye, Nancy - which is when you don't like a particular look on ANYONE. It's best to keep posion eyes to a minimum.

Also, judge the outfit, and not the person.

But you can ABSOLUTELY love looks on others and not want to wear them yourself - at all. This happens to me most a lot in my line of work. I have to be very decisive about what I want to wear myself and why I want to wear it.

YES. I think it's worth pondering. The more self aware we are - the better. The more in tune we are with our feelings, the better. The more accurate we are about "the why" - the easier and more effective our future actions are. But don't lose sleep over it! Keep it light hearted and fun.

unfrumped

Veteran

What Diana said.

I do have poison eye and sugar eye and I mostly am not too concerned about that except to not over-accentuate the negative to the point that I don't TRY things in the dressing room or SYC. Experimentation is a great thing and one does not always have to invest any $$ in it.

And avoiding hurtful or dismissive remarks. Including making an effort to find something positive because of the sense of community and not some thumbs -up/thumbs-down concept. And feeling out who wants "feedback" vs. not.

But, I've never quite wrapped up the difference between making what might be "negative" appraisals, meaning, "hmm, I think that should be --(longer, shorter, lighter, darker, more fitted, less fitted) and the idea that that might not be appreciative enough. Meaning, it's either all good all the time (which is true at the ultimate level--fashion and style are not World Peace) or it is not, and I think it would be disingenous to say it is "all good" for fashion itself. That is, "someone" is making judgements about items, proportions, colors, combinations, or there would not be any point in the posts looking for feedback, and so who IS that? Of course opinions can always be put in the context of how it doesn't matter in the big scheme--"I'm wearing my dresses longer these days but that's a personal choice".

So I think "it's all good" maybe should apply to experimenting but not always to the final ensemble! I often have to go "back to the drawing board"!

LaPed

Veteran

Hmm, this is interesting, Mochi.

On the topic of shirtdresses specifically, I'm finding I don't like the current crop much at all -- and I do like the overall concept of a shirtdress and have owned a couple that I liked very much! For me there are very specific design elements that turn me off -- weird lengths, high-low hems, impractical side slits, awkward collars, fabric that's too light or too heavy, etc. I'm pickier about certain things than I used to be, which sometimes means looking at rack after rack and seeing nothing I love... but I've learned to be okay with that.

catgirl

Veteran

Interesting. There are very few things I don't like on ANYONE and they are usually more along the lines of Just Plain Wrong, rather than fashion choices.... like control-top hose worn as pants.

For things I don't like on me, I can usually pinpoint why - it's not right for my body type, I have a distasteful prior association with it, I've done it before.

There's definitely a sliding scale here with some people loving charts and analysis and others like me being more seat of the pants and going with their intuition (and people who do both). On a meta-level, we're talking about your style of approaching your style! And I agree with Diana, at some point it just is what it is. If it helps you to pinpoint, do it. If it just adds to the struggle, don't.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I think there is a point - if it helps you decide things like small details that make or break a fashion look for you.

Laurel

I think there's value to determining why you like or dislike a certain style, or "look"... For example, I didn't like the trend (probably 25 years ago?) of dirty denim. It wasn't distressed, it wasn't frosted, it wasn't ripped, it was DIRTY looking. Kind of green or brown hued smudges, on the front panel of jeans, usually. I didn't like it on the hanger, and I didn't like to see it on others.... because.... it looked dirty, and sort of ridiculous. If a worker is wearing dirty clothes, from his or her labor, I have no problem. But if a person "spends good money" (echoes of my parents here) on attire to "pose" as dirty, it doesn't look good to MY EYE. I wouldn't comment on it, of course. That sort of opened my eyes to what really was at the heart of the matter---using clothes to "pose". Currently, for me it's camouflage---particular military camouflage. It seems like a disservice to people who wear camouflage in the line of duty for civilians to wear it. So I have to be on the lookout for this bias of mine, and work on letting it go. Clothes are expression, and to some degree, when we put them on, we're all "posing"---It's not up to me to determine which posing is okay and which lacks merit. Thanks for bringing it up, Nancy, lots to think about here!

rachylou

Veteran

I have a crazy survivalist streak. Especially crazy because I'll be one of the first to go down when the grid fails, lol. But in anycase I do have this shtick about trying to find the beauty in everything and being able to make lemonade from lemons. It's either the challenge or a moral conviction that it's there. And also I'm aware I have a bad case of attention blindness. I easily miss things with potential off my radar. So I like to try to understand or at least be able to register things I don't like. That said, I'm completely off wearing my (fake) denim shirt dress...hehe.