Style Evolution and Old pics - YouLookFab Forum

I started taking daily outfit pictures in 2011. I email a photo every day to my sister who lives in the same state but about 4 hours away. She reciprocates and we include chatty info on our days. I was looking through my 2012 photos for a picture of a dress I'm planning to wear to a holiday party tonight and WOW, my style has changed in two years. Here are some of my thoughts as I scrolled though the pictures:

1. 2012 is the year I cut my hair and it made a huge difference. Even the same outfit wore before haircut and after haircut looks more stylish. At the time, I didn't feel like my style changed, but now I can see a difference in the outfits before and after the cut. I was wearing the same pieces but just combined in slightly different ways to be less fussy and more sleek.

2. My style is cleaner and more streamlined now.

3. It's amazing how many pieces I don't have anymore, but also surprising how many of them are still in regular rotation.

4. I wore too many accessories - a belt, a necklace, and a bracelet are too much and made some outfits look too fussy and overdone.

I should look at my old outfit photos more often. Even though I'm sort of embarrased that I put some of those outfits together, it's definitely a learning experience to go back and look. Also, I need to remember that the style of the time wasn't the same as now, so they might not have looked so bad back then.

Anyone else have any revelations when looking back at old pics?

9 years ago

Alassë

Veteran

Yes, all the time. Sometimes I like to compare this season with last season to get an idea of recent, smaller tweaks (i.e. fall 2014 and fall 2013).

Quietgirl

It takes courage to look at the "oldies". I am celebrating your style growth!

rachylou

I definitely like to review, and the old pics are very revealing. I pay a little more attention to figure flattery now... I've gone from zero to, like, 1 mph, but it does make things more jazzy.

Bea

Active Member

Random question, something I think about a lot: do you think that hair transformations trigger more of an internal change than an external one?
I mean, when my friends dye/cut their hair dramatically, it is shocking at first, but eventually wears away. At the core, they are the same to me. Maybe to a stranger they would not be. Thoughts?

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

I was thinking about this today, looking at my closet. Compared to 12 months ago, I have a lot more neutrals, a lot less prints, and a lot less bright colors. I think that's part trends, part getting older, and part narrowing in what works for me. There's also a lot less black, which is also both reflective of larger trends and figuring out what works for me.

Re hair, I think it's one of those things, like your figure, that you have to either balance or embrace with the rest of your outfit, if you get what I mean. A strict pixie, for example, gives a different vibe than long wavy hair, and either you dress to go with your hair or you use your outfit to contrast with your hair.

DonnaF

I don't have old pics, but I sure can say that hairstyle and color changes make a huge difference, especially around the neckline/collar area. I also find that salt'n'pepper hair provides pattern and busy-ness that makes certain earrings feel a bit OTT or that I can only wear them with completely solid, simple outfits.

jackiec

Yes! I haven't been doing it as long, but I do have photos from here and there to review. It's a good way to see how you've evolved, and how your tastes have changed. Interesting point about accessories, and changing tastes. I think it's so cool that you & your sister exchange photos daily!!

shiny

Yes, I keep old photos and I'm mostly surprised by how much more casual my style has become in recent years. Casual has always been the hardest style for me to nail and feel comfortable/authentic in. My other revelation however is that I'm fairly consistent. Regardless of trends, casual or not, or size (up or down) I can see how my preferences stick out over time, it's all a matter of how they were interpreted.

Hair cut: makes all the difference. I've been sporting a rendition of same hair cut for, I dunno, 10 years now? It gets longer or shorter, darker or lighter, I play with tweaks, my hair stylist "modernizes it" -- but it's the same basic reverse bob no bangs parted on the side. When the POB was in style I was full blown POB. Not so POB these days but it's still a reverse bob. Sometimes I think I should try something new -- especially after seeing Astrid's dramatic transformation! -- and wonder if I'm in a rut. My hair does not grow longer than shoulder length and at that length it gets ratty and thin, so if I do anything it's shorter. Hair stylist wants me to go red, and she's inching me that direction, but no matter how many red highlights she puts in, within 2 weeks I'm back to blonde. If I lived in a more humid clime, I'd totally embrace curls.

As for your accessorizing, I would not be so hard on yourself on that one. Back in 2011, over-accessorizing (big statement necklaces, hello?) was the trend! It probably just looks odd to you now, as accessorizing trends are more minimal. I still love a good statement necklace myself. And though I'm enjoying the "matchy matchy" and minimal trends, I admit I miss the "anything goes" pattern mixing / textural mixing over the top luxe from a few years back! That was loads of fun!

Suz

I remember your haircut transformation! It absolutely lifted your style.

And yes -- my old style suffers from a lot of the same "flaws" as yours -- too many accessories, or too fussy somehow...I do think Shiny's onto something that this was the way we did things then. Also, I wore everything so darn fitted. But again, this was the way of things.

Aida

Great insights, Sara! I also remember how transformative your hair cut was. I like to review old photos as well, though probably don't do it as often as I should (especially considering I have like uhhhh 7 years worth....). Over the years I've found that my "streamlining" kind of ebbs and flows -- there are periods where I dress very minimally with almost no accessories, and periods where I use quite a lot of accessories. Ultimately I like a dramatic look and I'm happy to be able to work that in either a streamlined or more obviously maximal way depending on my mood or what a particular outfit calls for.

I also love that you send the photos to your sis to chat about! Luckily on most days I get to see my sis in person, but if I didn't I would totally do the same as you. Now if only I could get her to start taking some photos to share with me!

Sara L.

Sorry for the post and run. Yesterday turned out to be busier than expected.

Bea - Interesting thoughts about hairstyle. Sometimes I think it's more than just an internal change - it's an external manifestation of internal changes. But it might not be obvious because those changes could have started earlier than the haircut. Example - maybe someone decides that their wardrobe is frumpy and spends time updating their clothes and then decides that their haircut no longer matches their new clothes. The decision to make changes could have been months in the past.

The shift in my style after my haircut wasn't dramatic - I didn't come home and do a closet purge and go on a buying spree. It just seems like my outfits were a little more streamlined and less fussy. Same clothes just put together in slightly different combinations.

I think it would be a good idea in the future to look through my old outfits on a more regular basis. I'm thinking after the season ends. Maybe look back through my summer outfits in the winter. I might get some insight on pieces to purge or replace before the next summer.

Interesting, thank you for the response! I always enjoy observing seasonal hair trends evolve (or not). I can definitely see why some cuts/styles would look better with different seasons/ideas. I'll be keeping this in mind as I walk through the city every day

Would be curious to know if there are any particular trends you've spotted hair/clothes-wise.

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