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What have your biggest fashion mistakes been and what did you learn?

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Shannon's question to Angie about fashion mistakes was really interesting. I thought I'd turn it around and ask you all. What have your biggest fashion mistakes been and what did you learn from them?

I've been lucky in that I've mostly been shopping at places with free returns and generous return policies so I've been able to return pretty much everything that didn't work for me. I order a lot online but return almost all of it. So I don't consider them mistakes so much as experiments and a way to learn what looks good on me.

The few permanent mistakes are from buying clothes that are not returnable. I am not good enough yet to tell what will look good on me without trying it on so I learned I really should not buy clothes from eBay. I bought one purple Anthro dress but it turned out to be too light for my skin color. I was lucky that Andrea bought it off me and it looks KILLER on her and I later bought a darker eggplant dress from Nordstrom Rack so it's a perfectly happy ending. But I also have two sundresses (rose print and cherry print) that I bought off eBay when I was looking for a Wild West costume. I ended up going with a different costume and now they are sitting in my closet along with a giant red petticoat and I have no idea what to do with them. I'll have to re-evaluate when summer comes if they will be something I can actually wear IRL (minus the petticoat).

Another big fashion mistake is wanting to jump on every trend because Angie recommended it or it looks good on someone else. The big ones that come to mind are my wanting to get a faux fur vest/jacket (that was a huge fiasco and led to a fight with DH) and the attempts at being an UWP (Heed sweater and plaid pants) and Mo's riding jacket which Rita said looked like Casual Corner on me (she kills me with her hilarious and spot on comments!). Although those were all returned so it was OK in the end. I definitely do not have PPP--I am persistent and picky, but not always very practical and definitely not patient! And I am still working on learning restraint!

Just for fun, I pulled the photos for illustrations. Looking forward to hearing what you all have learned!

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Dressing

41 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Andrea B.

I don't have photos (still getting up the nerve) but the biggest fashion mistakes I've made? 1) Buying anything from Old Navy aside from a scarf 2) T-shirts (directly related to #1) that end up making me look like a bag of lumps; 2) buying things I don't absolutely love; 4) not Wearing it Now.

crazyone

Veteran

Natalie, you look amazing in dress 3, even though it's not a fashion forward silhouette! Dress 4 is too much material for you and is overwhelming your frame. But #3 is really, really cute.

Your post was a fun read. I've made plenty of mistakes...just recently I bought two silk camisoles from j. crew factory (FINAL SALE) which were much lower quality than I expected and also fit funny since they were designed for rectangles (they should be OK for tucking in, though). Disappointing. I almost never make shoe mistakes anymore, though!

fauxpas

Goldenpig, you have got TWO fabulous spring/summer dresses. I LOVE that feminine vintage style and think they are (without the red crinoline) both great dresses that you could dress up or down. I think tossing a cropped, light-weight cardi over them when more coverage is in order (or until the weather warms up) would be really cute and you have fun options with shoes! What about the black leather jacket over one? So, take those two off your mistake list and put them at the front of your "can't wait to wear" list. Thanks for sharing!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Mostly buying what can't be returned and then trying to 'make it work', sometimes by costly alterations or buying other pieces to help it along. That's throwing good money after bad when I should have just cut my losses. Now I really try to not get into that bind in the first place.
Another would be buying too far in advance. There is a fine line between being ready with a capsule (wedding, job interview, funeral, travel) and having clothes that are never worn bought with good intentions. I'm still figuring out this balance

Mochi

Veteran

Buying things that don't fit--either by degrees or that will never come close to fitting. Buying things that look great on someone else but not on me. Pretending I don't have certain physical traits that will influence the look and impede me from pulling off certain trends.

BTW I absolutely concur with crazyone that I love how you wear the dress in the third pic! It may not be everyday wear, but it shows off your figure amazingly and you should find some fun way to wear it once in a while!

MsMary

Veteran

My biggest fashion mistakes were:

1. Gray suit from the Salvation Armani. It was roundly panned by the wise YLFers (in this totally hilarious thread), and looking at the photo I can't believe I left the house in it! Suffice to say (a) it was donated back shortly thereafter, and (b) it (mosty) cured me of buying things just because they were cheap!

2. DKNY copycat look. Mutton dressed as lamb, anyone? I still can't believe I left the house dressed like this, especially to have dinner with the fab Becky and her family!! Lesson: Copycats are fun but watch out for things that are too short, too tight, too bright, and especially all of the above at once!

Other than that, I think my biggest mistakes were not pulling the trigger on awesome but pricey items, and buying a bunch of cheaper, junkier stuff instead.

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goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

MaryK, did you mean to say Salvation Armani, or is that your iPhone autocorrect or a Freudian slip? LOL!

By the way, it's comforting to know that experts like you and Angie can still make mistakes. But if those are your worst "mistakes", you are doing quite well! I wouldn't have batted an eyelash at these looks on you!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Hmmm. I think my biggest fashion mistake was not paying attention to how I looked for a good fifteen years! Anything is going to be better than that!

After my weight loss I rushed out and bought a bunch of stuff on sale. I had to cover my body, after all. Most of it was very inexpensive or thrifted so it didn't cost a lot, but I've already donated a lot of it because I bought in a rush without sufficient discernment and it just wasn't/ isn't fab enough. Even if we are only talking a couple of hundred dollars total, that's money that could have gone towards fab items!

Back in the 80s I made some pretty serious fashion mistakes all unwittingly, simply by wearing the FAR too big sample clothes at the clothing store where I worked.

Anonymous

My biggest mistakes have always been with sizing in outerwear. I have a very small frame and slim upper torso, followed by "generous" seating. This "configuration" makes it really hard for me to find coats that fit me well at the shoulder and back, while not pulling at the hip.

I usually realize that improper fitting waaay too late, when I happen to look from the side and I see I have a huge hunchback I then throw good money after bad by attempting to tailor... Very costly, indeed.

I now stick with brands I know will fit me right, S&K comes to mind.

Anonymous

I have made mistakes too, and where I live they're nonreturnable. I have a denim bustier for a club outfit i never wore . ( I wear dresses to clubs, and that was juust a bit to tight) .
A high neck blue ruffled blouse.It's pretty and I had it altered to fit, but it's 1. not really my style and 2 . backless so it involves special planning so i gave it away.
But, all those mistakes happened two years ago, so I hope I've become a bit better. I experiemented this year with flared 50's skirts ( 1) and found it challenging to wear, but It's not a mistake, after I figured it out ( and adjusted my eye to non-pencil-silhouette) it turns to be a great skirt on the days i don't feel confident about the figure. It gives an instant hourglass shape:)

Amy

(website)

Veteran

1. I have hid behind oversized clothes. I think this began in high school. I'm the kid on the left.

2. Still wearing oversized tops. This was last year.

3. Nothing about this dress is good on me, but the pointy pleats over the bust are exceedingly bad.

4. Ooh--this was tops. Badly fitting turtleneck worn over badly fitting trousers. I wore this in public.

5. I wish I hadn't gotten rid of my fabulous leopard print cowboy hat. It was tacky, but it was also AWESOME!

6. The picture says it all.

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Mochi

Veteran

The thing is, I think that for most of America, Amy's #4 would be considered the norm, or maybe even putting in some effort! (not terrible...but yeah, we have higher standards here)

I think that for any girl who even perceives that she's large-busted, whether true or not, the tendency is to hide in baggy shirts. Sigh.

Okay, the cowboy hat reminds me of some extremely unusual and VERY 80's Japanese-influenced futuristic black dress I bought at a Soho boutique and held onto for years (I did wear it, but only for one special occasion). Now I'm kicking myself that I got rid of it. It was so cool! I can't even remember the make. Maybe I'll get my dad to find a pic of myself in it in 1983 and scan it!

Claudia

Veteran

Okay, Amy, you need to liberate the woman in #5 more often. Please, set her free!

Amy

(website)

Veteran

Lol, Claudia, she has her moments

Jewell

Veteran

My biggest mistakes have been:

1. Buying things just because someone called them a "must have"
2. Buying ill-fitting clothes (tight skirt, baggy sweater, and so on)
3. Buying items just because they were cheap or on sale

Kristine

Veteran

Like Suz, some of my biggest mistakes were just not paying attention or caring. I bought clothes just to "make do" for years and years. Now I pay attention and care but I still make mistakes.

When trying to figure out suits I bought two suits from Macys that were never quite right. I was able to break up the pieces and still get some use out of them. I learned that natural fibers are best for suits, at least some sort of blend! Poly suits look like poly suits.

I have to be more careful about how things fit too. I actually think the dressing rooms mirrors must play tricks with me because I honestly thought the suits looked great in the store. This happened with a coat at Boston Store too. I still haven't let the suits go but I found a better home for the coat.

I've been ordering a lot from JCrew recently and tried a white linen jacket in anticipation of spring and summer. It's shapeless on me and I realized it's non-returnable. I'm not used to items not being returnable so that was a learning experience.

D'Ellen

Veteran

Goldenpig, thanks for a great thread! And thanks to everyone for sharing. Many of my mistakes have already been mentioned...nice to know I'm in good company! One of my biggies is shopping too early for the next season. I get in a panic thinking I'll have nothing to wear, which results in a shopping binge. By the time the season rolls around I'm disillusioned with much of what I've bought and it's too late to return it. That's one reason I'm attempting SYC from Jan 15 - April 15 this year.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Running away with things that work - in the past, it's been SO hard to find ONE thing that worked, I would buy it in 1000000000 multiples!!! And then they never get worn and clog up the closet!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Amy, you are such a great sport! I love all the pictures you and Mary and Natalie have shared!

Agree with Claudia 100% about the woman in that awesome cowboy hat!

Interesting that fit comes up again and again as a problem area. This is where I think the photos we take of ourselves are SO instructive. It's just so easy to miss that stuff in mirrors. Whereas if we get it in digital form it is hard to erase from our consciousness.

RandomThoughts (Andrea)

Veteran

I'd say my worst (relatively recent) fashion faux pas was jean-camel toe! I have a pair of jeans that I love but if I don't wear the right belt with them I have to hike them up higher than they are supposed to go and... And yes, I left the house that way. (And posted a photo here!) The good thing is that I DID take a photo so I could look and see, yep, looked as bad as I had a suspicion it might. It's weird but I sometimes see things in photos that I miss in the mirror.

Over all, my biggest mistakes are buying things that I like but don't LOVE because they are cheap and/or I am in a rush to buy "something". Then they languish. I have a couple of skirts that suffer from this. Also, they often end up as orphans.

I also bought an Anthro sweater on sale which I really like and have worn a few times (precluding a return). However it is difficult to style because I am beginning to realize that I don't think it fits me right. It's this one.

I am still trying to focus in on and hone my personal style. I've got a good handle on my dog show fashion "persona" (haven't come up with a name yet, but it's a little edgy, a little trendy and tailored) but I feel like my casual style is still blurry. I'd like to be able to really wrap my head around it this year so that my shopping can be more focused.

DeniseP

Only since joining YLF about five months ago, did I realize my entire closet was a mistake! Well, not the whole thing, but it does seem that way now.

Reading everyone's comments on this thread, and the other YLF posts, have helped me recognize my problem areas as well.
Because while reading the posts, I'm nodding my head, "Yep, me, too!
That's one reason, of many, that I LOVE this fabulous community here!

I've finally figured out:

No more ballet flats! They're cute as a button on others, but not me.

No more cardigans or twin sets for a long time...my closet is filled with them and they're not elevating my style.

No more tee shirts if a woven top can substitute.

No more black color on the top, unless it can be toned down. It's not my color.

No more buying sale items just to save money, but end up with something I don't love.

No more chino pants, or "khakis." I'm done with that.

I"m adopting Angie's PPP mantra, too, for 2012!

On another note -- if I purge my closet of all these "mistakes," what am I going to wear?

jayne

Veteran

Great thread. I cannot contribute yet. Still on the wrong side of the line I think.

Amy

(website)

Veteran

Andrea, have you shown us a picture of you wearing that sweater? It looks cute in the website photo.

Irene

Veteran

Wearing baggy clothes. I still do, sometimes, but in a very different way. Now they flatter me. Buying things I won't wear, although sometimes I start wearing them a lot later (2 or 3 years, later, even), when I actually feel comfortable in them. Some shoes I've bought hurt my feet but oh were they pretty.

And that's it, except for some specific examples. I don't take risks, that's true as well.

I guess I started being interested in fashion at a very young age (17 or 18) comparing it to some of the ladies here. I can totally remember arguing with my mom about clothes by the age of 12, but I didn't have any knowledge nor good taste back then, so it doesn't matter.

RandomThoughts (Andrea)

Veteran

Amy, no I haven't. I don't take enough pictures! Next time I do, I'll post. I'll do one that I'm not sure about (but would LIKE to make work somehow), and then show the way I've been wearing it.

lynn

Veteran

I have bought some very expensive dressy clothes that I maybe wore once. We don't do much that we need to really dress up so it was wasted money and sometimes not even my style or very flattering. I have also participated in some trends that were a little young for me. I can get carried away when Angie suggests something that I don't need at all. This group is helping though! I'm trying really hard to streamline my wardrobe.

mm88

My biggest fashion mistakes so far are:

1. Trying to hide my body in baggy clothing instead of choosing clothes to bring out my best features

2. Not dressing my age. Up until recently, I still owned and wore screen printed t-shirts from Bluenotes! i.e. it belonged on someone a decade younger!

3. Occasionally buying impractical items that don't get much wear. Case in point was a black shift dress with a decorative bow and ruffle down the left side from RW&Co. On one hand, it was cute but too plain to be an evening gown and too ridiculous to wear to work or business casual event. I did eventually return this dress and bought a far more practical one from Esprit....but still. How silly of me!

I'm sure I'll learn and discover more as continue on this journey!

Ginny

Veteran

My mistakes have been buying items "that will do" and not buy for fit. now I buy for fit and more my size not shapeless tops.And getting realistic about buying items that are realistic for my lifestyle!!

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

My biggest fashion mistake was being too afraid to try something new and giving up too easily when the first thing I tried didn't work. I make a mistake now and again but it's better to try something new than wear all black all the time!

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