RATE vs POLISHED: Pics from OUR closets - YouLookFab Forum

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RATE vs POLISHED: Pics from OUR closets

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Adelpha had a great idea for a thread: Rate vs. polished, with pictorial examples from her closet. http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....-my-closet

I thought it would be fun if more of us could contribute. She started from her phone so the option for us to add photos wasn't there. That's why I started a new thread.

Here's my contribution.

I am a lover of Chelsea boots. So I'm not ashamed to say that I own two pair.

1. My RATE Chelseas -- Blundstone chisel toes, several years old, worn a lot on weekends, for errands, when the weather is lousy.

ETA: They are looking more scuffed up than usual due to a couple of very mucky/ snowy outings. Typically, even my RATE stuff looks a little less...er...RATE.

2. My POLISHED Stuart Weitzman's.

Happiness factor with both is very, very high. I do prefer the polished boot, but I don't think I'll ever give up my RATE Chelseas, either.

How about you? Do you have a RATE/ POLISHED twin in your closet? Or any RATE/ Polished sibs?

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Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from Suz

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Good idea! This seems like a great way to hone in on a person's style. My RATE and POLISHED are close together from a style point (at least I think they are). It can be the difference between new and old but the styles are often along the same line and colors.

My RATE is on the left and POLISHED on the right in both images.

1. Black sandals from Teva (RATE) and silver from Aerosoles (POLISHED)
2. Bracelets from Sundance (RATE) botton left leather/silver, Jcrew (RATE) black and brassy gold top left, BR (POLISHED) tortoise and gold, and Kohl's (POLISHED) silver

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deb

Veteran

I just looked through my closet and the only thing RATE I have are old "polished' shoes that I now use for gardening. Does this count?

Mochi

Veteran

Is it possible for a thing to be in-between RATE and polished? I feel like most of my stuff is like that. RATE in spirit but not exactly rock and roll. Not super polished either, apart from one cashmere cardigan I have that feels so precious, I am a bit self-conscious when wearing it.

cciele

Veteran

I think most of my stuff is RATE too. But I do have some t-shirts I think can be considered RATE (unfinished seams, thumbholes, thin fabric) vs polished (thick fabric, "conservative" cut). Hard to photograph because of the dark color though. And then my two black handbags, big difference! Guess which one I don't use (and was given to me by my mom)

Also, I don't think all items need to rock to be RATE!

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Texstyle - great examples. Yes, yours are like mine...sort of on a continuum.

I think Adelpha's bags were like this, too. I wasn't even sure I'd call her first example RATE. Casual, for sure -- much more casual than her polished bag. But RATE? I'm not convinced.

I feel the same about my own examples. One is casual, one is dressier. And that's not really the distinction between RATE and polished. If you actually applied a bit of POLISH to my "RATE" Blundstones, they would look...well...POLISHED!

So yeah, Mochi, I get what you are saying. So maybe my stuff is polished in spirit but sometimes RATE in practice!

Cathy, I like your examples - sort of like Adelpha's. Maybe you two can start a "I don't like to carry a structured bag" club!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Oh great idea! The first thing that came to mind though are a booties that I think are both (or neither). Will take some pictures and post later.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Double post - slow internet frustration!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Cute post

amiable

Veteran

What great examples! I have no troubles coming up with my RATE boots (I'm wearing them now), but racking my brain to find polished counterparts. I'm going to go stare at my closet. I'll post examples tomorrow if I find some, and enjoy the discussion in either case!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Ooh, rate is my shredded Muubaa or Frye Julias Polished is my Express suit. And my Harajuku Lovers oxfords.

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Cool examples, Mo! You do both really well. You are like EA -- straddling the RATE/ polished fence!

krishnidoux

Veteran

Suz, your polished one are literally polished LOL! (and rough ones literally rough!).

This is a very interesting post.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Fun! Ok, relatively speaking I consider bag #1 more polished and bag #2 definitely RATE. On the other hand, I am not sure where I would put the booties in #3 and #4. Gun metal with fading and studs sounds RATE, but they are shiny and pointy toed too! (I think of them as my UWP booties.)

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Shevia, I agree about your bags. And the booties pose a conundrum. I guess in the end it is all a continuum, and it's not any one item in particular, but the overall effect that is either polished or RATE.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Suz, I feel like I have a lot of these RATE/POLISHED siblings in my closet - but my POLISHED is still def. more casual. And my RATE is not overly rock and roll - maybe a bit more boho. Like another one of my RATE examples might include a faded denim jacket vs my POLISEHD dark denim jacket with a bit more structure. Or if I was going for more juxtoposition I guess it would be faded denim jacket vs. navy knit piped blazer.

It is still a great exercise and a good way to help people figure out what is RATE to them and what is POLISHED to them. I hope more will post...

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, Texstyle! I think that was Adelpha's original idea - to help herself work out the difference between the two, and to help Amiable, who was working that through in her earlier post as well.

Joy

Veteran

I had to search to come up with anything RATE. Here are two brown belts I own. A RATE-wanna-be with studs and a more polished one.

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jayne

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I went with booties also. But I also have several black moto that I consider RATE and several tux jackets I consider polished. But I think it is the actual style I am putting in those categories, which may not be what you are looking for?

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rachylou

Veteran

I fear I've made all my Polished things RATE...

Suz

(website)

Veteran

These are great examples! Joy, I love that you had to search. I did, too.....

Jayne, I think your examples might be the best yet. You can see the contrast even though they are more or less at the same level of dressiness/ casualness (the polished ones seeming slightly more dressy, of course, yet still quite casual.)