WIW -- Big on Neutrals - YouLookFab Forum

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WIW -- Big on Neutrals

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Here are some WIWs from the past month. Looking at them together, you can see how I shy away from colors, preferring neutrals with a touch of red here and there. Part of this is preference, the other part is that I (still) feel challenged with combining colors.

I was happy with these first two outfits which I wore when I was in LA earlier this month. #3 is nothing special but look at that fog! The flash actually captured the moving particles. #4 is another outfit I wore at home; I live in a rural setting and my home outfits feel "just OK" for some reason, not as great as when I'm in a city or even a town.

#5 was to go to see a movie but we ended up renting DVDs instead. Who does that any more? Blockbuster was almost empty.

Any comments or ideas how I can feel a greater level of happiness with my style when I'm at home?

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30 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Joy

Veteran

Denise, you always look so stylish and fashion forward, even at home.
Maybe you could change things up in your at home outfits by adding more color for summer. Color doesn't have to be bright or saturated. You might feel best in heathered colors with some grey in them.

Lyn D.

Veteran

Hi Denise. Love pic 3 with the foggy background- was it cold too? You remind me of a model in a bikini shoot mid-winter. Still looking Fab despite the conditions!
ALL FABulous here of course!!
My only suggestion for more happiness at home is going for comfort and cosiness rather than super-stylish. (The fur babies don't care what we are wearing- as long as we walk them , feed them and pet them, do they?)

catgirl

Veteran

Denise, everywhere I looked at Sundance I thought of you. You work these looks like no one else. When you say "at home" do you mean literally at home, or in your town?

MsMary

Veteran

So chic! And that red bag continues to blow my socks off!

amiable

Veteran

I love all of these! I may have to start going for "less color" looks myself, I seem to be admiring so many of them lately...

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Una, I have 2 casual capsule needs:

At home -- literally at home on our ranch.

In town -- we have a tiny town 3 miles away and a bigger town 25 miles away where my bf lives. I usually dress better even to go to the tiny town next to us. A lot of my dress is dictated by footwear. At home = lots of uneven terrain. Town = paved, can wear heels.

deb

Veteran

So very stylish. I love the jacket in # 2.

Anonymous

I really like these looks. Number 2 is my favorite. The asymmetry really works.

abc

Veteran

I admire your "at home" look - dare I say mine is not photo-worthy in the least. I have no suggestions because you are way better at this than me, clearly shown by your fab photos!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Denise, these are all such fabulous outfits. What is the jacket in #2? I love it. .And are those the elusive perfect grey jeans? (Hard to make out the colour on my monitor.)

I think your "at home" outfit is perfect. I understand the problem, though. I almost feel like I need two different casual or smart casual capsules. Work at home (where comfort is paramount but I tend not to feel so fab with my current choices and need to step it up somehow) and "in town," where I get to dress more the way I want to.

I don't really have suggestions for ways to step up the at home style; if I do as well as you are doing in your picture, I feel brilliant. (And so far, I almost never reach your level of fabness.) In other words, for at home days in winter, I tend to wear jeans plus a knit top or sweater. The more current or interesting the sweater's cut or the better its fabric, the better I feel. And that's about the size of it.

It's a lot easier on the "in town" days. I can wear footwear other than slippers -- that's a huge boost to an outfit!

rae

(website)

Veteran

LOOOOOVE 1-2. Even makes me want to bust out my two-toned and too-big moto jacket (non-exchangeable gift). You look great in pops of red, and as I remember from last summer you do pops of neon really nicely, too.

I wear pajamas at home, so not sure if I'm help. What is making you feel uncomfortable? The outfits themselves or how the do/don't fit into the small town?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You are SO FAB!! You shine from the inside out. Just look at that smirk peering through those blonde locks in that last photo - my best!

Loving the avant-garde of #1 and #2! A little Rick Owens meets Princess Shopbop. And your at home outfit is great! Don't think otherwise. You also look stunning in burgundy

You can do no style wrong in my eyes, Denise. *applause*

(BTW, we netlfix big time).

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

And I fixed all my typos.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

These are all great looks CL. I can't see how you could improve on them. I'm not sure if you are saying you feel these looks aren't working or if it's when you take your heels & jackets off that you start to feel the need to improve - if it is the latter then I sympathise but have not (yet) discovered a solution.

Anonymous

I love 1 and 2 in particular...I love seeing your outfit combinations.

Deborah

Veteran

Denise these are all just so fab! The jacket in #1/2 is gorgeous and as Angie says so Rick Owens (my latest design crush). I mlove the drape of your outfits and the "neutrality". You have mastered your look and wear to perfection.

Anonymous

are you kidding me right now??? these are amazing.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Love your style. I learn a lot from your WIW, even though our style and look are quite different. Color is one element to style, but there are many. Using color less allows silhouette and texture to shine. And that's beautiful!

Jjsloane

Veteran

I always love your styles. You dress much better "at home" than I do some days "out". 3 is my favorite, but you had me at the fog.

We have no Blockbusters anymore. Redbox rules around here. I also haven't been to an adult movie in the theater in over 8 years? (we do have a movie projection thing and big screen in our basement though - no lines at the bathroom, cheap snacks and I can pause whenever I want -heaven)

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Love all of these! And I want to put in a word for #5 because that one especially captured me.

Debora

Veteran

My gosh, Denise! I am blown away by your style. Each and every look is amazing, and I am especially swooning over the first two. You are so FAB!

Sarah A

Veteran

To me, your outfits look fantastic. Perhaps your style is about to find a new direction and hence your are feeling a bit out of sorts with your clothes?

Carrying a really fashion forward look off in a small town is hard, IMHO. Now the town 3 mi from my place is 10,000 and 25 miles away is 85,000 pop. Is this what you mean by small town? I remember living in a one stoplight, one grocery store, one restaurant, record voter turnout was 67 people kind of town. I didnt care about fashion then and probably wore gear or jeans 99% of the time. I can see how there is no fresh vibe in some places like that and there is judgement by the limited circle of people you see daily for caring about fashion and that would feel very hard to me... i think i am totally rambling now.

So anyway, i love #2 and #5 and 3 with the stripes and fog it is lovely. Another netflixer here.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Thank you!

Caro -- you nailed it! It is the lack of heels and jacket that take away the fab feeling. I feel I have come a long way since wearing loungewear though.

#2 was inspired by one of my pins (see below). It is the same jacket as seen in #1, from Urban Outfitters. What gives the jacket a different look is that I have a cashmere waterfall cardi on that I pinned to look asymmetrical.

http://pinterest.com/cocolion/dressing-ideas/

Angie and Sarah -- I'm a Netflixer too. I love a good episodic TV binge. I worked in home entertainment for many years, the industry was very good to me and I am sad it's dwindling away. Whereas home entertainment used to be the money-making cash cow for studios, it is now cable tv. At least for Disney where I used to work. ESPN receives $5 from each cable household, whether you watch it or not.

Sarah -- The town 3 miles away has 1800 population; the town 25 miles away is around 10,000 (well, it's several towns combined).

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kellygirl

Veteran

Denise, I am at a loss for words. You are so freakin' stylish. You look like a model and you wear skinnies like nobody's business. I love every one of these. I can't pick a fave. Even when you are just hanging out at home, you manage to look so strikingly put together! So cool, so Denise!

jayne

Veteran

I loved 3, and the secret red from the back in 1...a little surprise

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Ah I'm with you. I was thinking of just wear silk peignoirs from now on:) Don't know how the satin slippers would work on rough ground though.

Anonymous

My screen has just frozen over from the coolness exuding from it! Seriously, they are fab looks. I love the unusual pinning of the waterfall cardigan/jacket and your pops of red are perfect.

Raisin

Veteran

Denise you are so stylish and cool! I love all your uber cool, neutral outfits. #2 is making me want to go buy each of those pieces and copy it right now!

Vix

Veteran

Hi Denise --

No help with you not feeling as good in your home outfits because a) I think you look great and b) they seem appropriate for the setting.

Maybe your discontent is a sign that you need to travel to where there's more action more often? [easier said than done, I know]

I'm another huge fan of #2, though, so think you need to visit the bright lights/big city as much as you can!

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