What do you love on others, but can't seem to make work on you? - YouLookFab Forum

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What do you love on others, but can't seem to make work on you?

Anonymous

I'll start.

1) Striped shirts
I love stripes on others, but rarely like them on myself. I do have one chevron striped top that I find JFE.

2) Chambray top/denim jacket/denim vest
I have been looking for a lightweight chambray top that fits me for a couple years. I'd like one that is wide enough for my shoulders and arms, doesn't gap, and isn't boxy. So I think I will need to break down and buy one bigger and have it tailored. I've passed on my only denim jacket to my daughter, as it looks way cuter on her. And I've returned any denim vest I've ever gotten. I think I'm coming to the conclusion I must be an IT shape, when I always thought I was an hourglass. Maybe that's why - it makes me look too top heavy?

3) scarves
Every time I wear one it makes my neck disappear, which I guess I don't like. Plus, too hot.

What about you?

Dressing

81 replies

Latest reply was from

Ledonna N.

Veteran

Oh that is easy Culottes! lol

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Shift dresses. So cute on other women, and so disastrous on me.

I joke that, on me, the look is just "shift" without the "f."

Anonymous

Janet. Shift dresses are my jam. Which reminds me of another thing I can't seems to wear that I like.

4) fit and flare dresses.
They always flare too high for me.

K. Period.

Veteran

1.) Fit and flare dresses! They are such a classic and can be so retro-fantastic. They just don't look right on me. [Haha! We cross posted.]
2.) Turtlenecks. Another great basic, but not so great with my short neck.
3.) Boho. Love boho style. I just never wear boho items that I buy. Slightly boho leaning, I can do. But true boho is a no go for me.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Ha! Fit and flare dresses often work well on my body (hourglass, short-waisted), but feel too "girly" for my style. So frustrating. Most of the ones out these days are too short for me, which emphasizes the "girly" thing.

Anonymous

K. Period. I have a long neck, and am pretty tall, but our lists seem to have lots of overlap.

Janet. I think a lot of fit and flare are almost skater style these day, which is definitely a girly look.

Ledonna - when I was a kid my mom made a lot of our clothes. I've definitely rocked some culottes in my time. That style would probably work for me, but I'm not sure I can go there.

rachylou

Veteran

The whole kit and kaboodle of classic style, esp crisp white button downs.

DizzyLizzy

Anything with large dots on. I love dotty fabrics on other people but on me just look too.......stark I guess is the right word.

And shift dresses. Classic and elegant on everyone else but I'm too short and busty to wear them.

rabbit

Veteran

Cognac leather and yellow/citron and orange clothes -- I can still make orange work with some care luckily. Also wheat/taupe tones and cream --- optic white likes me back, not so much the others. Gold jewelry.

Sandals with narrow straps near the toes, or with straps between the toes. Tank bathing suits. Mid thigh or shorter shorts -- but I'm going to give this another try.

Also as others mentioned culottes, turtlenecks, casual boho

AviaMariah

Veteran

Artsy and drapey. I love the look but it just makes me look like I'm wearing over sized clothing and have bad posture.

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

Classic trousers. I just feel so frumpy in them. Probably culottes, but I can't say I've really tried them since the 70's when I was around 11. Bermuda length shorts - I need to go much shorter in the inseam. One piece swimsuits - they always fit weird due to my large behind and small waist.

I love wearing all the things that you don't like on you, Delurked. I'm wearing a striped fit and flare dress today. Horses for courses, as Angie would say (I just love that expression).

Anonymous

What a fun post.

Heels (of any kind);
Boots (too hot);
Scarves (look ridiculous on me - like I am trying way too hard);
Necklaces are a challenge too;

Beige (adore the sophistication, but look like a corpse).

Elle

Veteran

Peplum tops (they all, and I mean all, make me look preggers) and any heels over 1 1/2" which hurt my feet and back (sigh).

Anonymous

Rachylou - white button down has the same issue as the chambray top for me.

Linda - I haven't heard that phrase. I think that's why we like things even if not for us. We see them looking good on others.

sterling - I'm with you on beige. And boots may be too hot, but I've loved them my whole life. I still remember rocking my electric blue suede boots. And I may have even had a phase of knee high combat boots erm maybe with my pony hair leopard mini skirt.

It is fun to see everyone's responses.

LaPed

Veteran

1. pleats
2. circle skirts
3. fit and flare dresses
4. pretty much everything Eileen Fisher (I dream of a brand that makes mature, modern, high quality garments with ethical and sustainable materials like EF, but designed for the tomboyish/gamine body type)

Aziraphale

Veteran

Oh man. Where to start.

BrieN

Veteran

Crew necks

Anonymous

BrieN. I've recently investigated a dating relationship with crew necks. I am getting tired of too open and gaping u or v neck tops. Meanwhile, crew neck is all my DD will wear because she has the narrowest shoulders and is very modest. Makes me realize they don't really make that many patterned crew necks, because she usually won't wear a plain top.

jill58

Veteran

Ballet flats.
Fit and flare also not for me. As Janet said, "feels too girly for my style."
Denim jackets, although I do have one right now with tags still on. Ditto denim vests.
Snakeskin prints.
Leather jackets.
Puffed sleeves.
Loafers.
Kate Spade anything. Again, probably too girly.
Bows.
Fringe.
Pastel colors.
Yellow and orange.

Bonnie

Veteran

Your list sounds very much like mine. I'll just add fully tucked shirts to your list.

Anonymous

La Pedestrienne - I like EF on others. I recently tried on a dress on a super sale and bought it from that brand, but I haven't tried on much else. But I think of it as fitting petites better than others. Maybe because I look at the inseam and rule it out as too short.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh...I'll play. I have quite a list, which overlaps with a few other people's...

Low vamp shoes or sling backs (they don't stay on).
Drapey arty looks. (I can't fill them out and look like I am trying too hard).
Loose necklines, surplice or wrap style dresses or tops (can't fill them out).
Big black and white prints. (Overwhelm me).
Anything beige, orange, or yellow near my face.
Most pastels (they wash me out, blue being the exception).
Shoes that are utterly flat (super uncomfortable for me).

Anonymous

How much space am I allocated?

Denim jackets, shift dresses, shirts, pencil skirts, cropped things. Things tucked into other things. Fitted tops. Most things . There is about 3 things I can wear it seems - which is no wonder my wardrobe is so boring. Oh well

Anonymous

I also like a more covered sandal, and prefer one that has a front strap that cuts across the middle of the toes since I have long feet and that seems to shorten them visually to my eye.

lisap - laughing at the last part of your response.

Anonymous

Jill58- puff sleeves may as well be the Seinfeld shirt of me.

Bonnie - I never do a full tuck either. Probably why I don't ever need a belt.

jill58

Veteran

Suz, yes, shoes that are "utterly flat" -- I have the same problem. Also can't do big black and white prints.
Lisap Your wardrobe is totally not boring!

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Is this some sort of psychoanalysis? Just kidding. I'm really limited in what I like on myself so my list of what I love on others is pretty long. I especially wish I was more comfortable in tailored blazers though if I had to choose one thing.

jill58

Veteran

delurked ... "the Seinfeld shirt of me." So funny!

Anonymous

Texstyle - I just purchased this chambray top that I have to return (6 words: shopping after all day happy hour), and I wondered why I keep trying some things over and over again with no success. You'd think I'd stop trying on some stuff. For example, though, I don't like puffy sleeves so I just move on when I see that. But some things I waste my time trying to fit when they just don't seem to ever work.

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