Gaylene recently started a great thread in the YLF forum about how she is singing a different tune these days when it comes to the fit of her clothes. This is how she put it:

“All this talk of “slouchy” has obviously influenced my style goals without my knowing it. More and more I’m passing up on my skinnies for a looser pair of jeans these days and relegating my slim pencil skirts and shrunken jackets to the back of my closet. And I think there is more to it than my just wanting to indulge and make merry over the holidays.

Somehow those skinny, body conscious looks that I wore constantly last season just seem so unexciting now. I’m not really going for the full on over-sized, baggy, slouchy look, but clothes with a touch of ease and volume seem more appealing these days. Sizing up instead of sizing down just seems to be the right choice more often than not”.

Gaylene’s words really resonated with me. I bat for Team Looser Clothing no matter what the fashion trends are. That’s not because I want to hide my shape, but rather because something about a slightly looser fit looks more modern, luxurious and “no-nonsense” to my eye. The visual effect is also more tomboyish, and since my style is equal parts Boyish and Ladylike, this fits. I still wear form fitting turtlenecks but that’s it for body con fits. I dabbled in a few body con frocks and denim jeggings last year but the trend was short lived for my style. Even my tailored fits are looser than the norm because I think they look more flattering that way, not to mention the added level of comfort.

The thread produced interesting comments that are well worth a read. Like me, some felt the same way as Gaylene. Others felt quite the opposite. For example, some felt that they finally have a handle on wearing form fitting clothing after sporting clothes that were a couple of sizes too big for years. So wearing looser clothing would feel like a style regression. Some are worried that wearing looser clothing means that they might “grow into them too easily”. In other words, form fitting styles motivate them to stay at a particular weight. 

I’m not overly concerned with “growing into my looser clothes more easily” because my weight does not fluctuate very much. But I have reached the stage where I pop on skinnies and they feel SO TIGHT, yet I am at the same weight and size. So although they look the same, they feel very different. That’s what frequently wearing baggy and slouchy jeans and trousers will do to your impression of wearing skinnies. 

Oversized clothing, whether slightly or very oversized, is on trend and, for now, there is no stopping the look. In fact, volume is possibly the biggest trend on recent fashion shows. So each season we are likely to see the trend feature a little more strongly at retail as it filters down from the runway.

I am interested in how the oversized trend is affecting your perceptions of fit. Is your eye adjusting to the look of slightly looser clothing? Do you prefer the comfort of the baggier fits? Are you a tailored or body con gal at heart? Are you worried about oversized clothing potentially leading to weight gain, or is this of no concern?