In my recent post about wearing volume on volume, I said that edgier outfits often forgo a little conventional flatter to be more daring, cool and different. The interesting question is, how far will you go to be edgy? 

I think our individual answers depend a lot on two things: what we perceive as a flattering outfit, and our figure flattering priorities. Personally, I won’t wear something that makes me feel unattractive just to be daring, distinctive and different. But I will wear an outfit that is less conventionally flattering because it’s fun, interesting and refreshing to step outside the box. It can feel liberating to go against the norm and be fringe. 

Here’s an example: A pencil skirt, straight leg jeans and a tailored blouse are conventionally flattering choices because they create the so called ideal hourglass silhouette. I will wear these silhouettes, but sometimes I’ll sport edgier silhouettes like drop-crotch harem pants, jodhpur jeans and billowing waist-surrendering blouses because I feel great in them too.

Another example: Dressy skirts and frocks are almost always paired with heels, which is without doubt a very happy marriage. The combination lengthens the leg line and accentuates the calf muscle. But I’ll often wear dressy skirts and frocks with flat footwear like boots, ballet flats and high vamped oxfords because I find the combination more comfortable and more edgy. Less flattering in a conventional sense, but still fab in my book.

Here’s the flip side. Maintaining a regular or long leg line is one of my figure flattering priorities. So I will not wear outfit combinations that make me look and feel short in the leg, no matter how edgy and cool the vibe. This is where it gets interesting because our perceptions can vary a great deal. I’ll wear flats with dresses and skirts because I don’t find that combination leg shortening. But I am extremely weary of cropped pants because, to my eye, it’s a leg shortening silhouette.  

Do you wear less conventionally flattering silhouettes and outfit combinations in order to look more edgy and different? If so, what are these items and combinations? Or do you always feel your best when dressed in a more conventionally flattering way.