https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:10:36 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2380131 Mon, 10 Feb 2025 21:56:11 +0000 Sal 2380131@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes I hope so Helena.</p> <p>I think it's the economic downturn that makes neutrals a safer bet for clothing manufacturers.&nbsp; It is making <b>not spending</b> easier for me right now! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2380083 Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:28:04 +0000 Helena 2380083@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't think the heels in these inspiration pictures are essential to the outfits - you should be able to get the look with your preferred heel height I would say.</p> <p>Neutrals rule supreme at retail here too, with the except of some pale blues sneaking in for northern-hem spring. Great idea to check second hand for colour!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2380048 Sun, 09 Feb 2025 20:51:38 +0000 Sal 2380048@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks Jaime and Helena.</p> <p>I think the first one is a bit aspirational in terms of heels - I like the colours mostly here that are worn in a non- traditional way.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>I did a bit of online browsing and the colours at the major retailers here are black, white, chocolate, taupe......so I think except for real essentials my best bet is either second hand or boutiques.&nbsp; Which is one of the reasons I am trying to buy less pieces because my price range is creeping up....... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2380037 Sun, 09 Feb 2025 14:14:12 +0000 Helena 2380037@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sal, you know I'm a huge fan of your style! I love your plan for 2025 and your inspo pictures are perfection (excepting maybe the height of some of the heels since I associate your look with movement ... But that's just my own pet peeve about so many outfits being shown with high heels!!). As Jaime says, the colours and energy is spot on. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2380020 Sun, 09 Feb 2025 00:59:56 +0000 Jaime 2380020@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Your inspo pics are on target! I can picture you in any of them - even the poses remind me of you! Love the bold yet compatible color combinations for you too. Some Patagonia pieces look more gear than others to my eye so no comment on that. Also no help with bicycle gear but do admire your sportiness! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2380009 Sat, 08 Feb 2025 22:21:06 +0000 Sal 2380009@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks Sisi - fine sweaters are hard to find!! I totally agree.</p> <p>Excellent questions Brooklyn. What I liked about these images were the boldness, the relaxed relatively practical nature of them -bar the first which is slightly more fantasy life- the colours which are clear - mostly - but not entirely predictable. I like both tonal and contrasting looks - but you are right that I will need to add colour carefully. I also see a luxe element here. Neutrals are everywhere here so it may be a challenge to even find the right pieces.</p> <p>Thanks Dee - I did a bit more drilling down and have a few more ideas around slightly unusual colours and luxe but relaxed. </p> <p>Thanks Sarah -good observation re colour. I like bold bright colours but I did like the slightly off tones here. </p> <p>Thanks Angie. Yes I think we like and wear many of the same colours but you are much more disciplined than me in sticking to your palette. And yes Patagonia is very practical gear - I know myself though that this will be worn to the movies and the odd bbq though for a casual occasion. </p> <p>Thanks Suz - I would get a new dress but only if it can be worn to work. Sleeves, not floral, works with sneakers or boots, good in transitional weather. I have enough weekend and party options for the rest of the year…. The cycling gear will come - there’s a fair bit of it around in NZ - I may as well wear it for my training too.</p> <p>Robin - it does look like that!</p> <p>Thanks Lisa - I love colours but have added lots of neutrals too. It’s a fine line for me!!</p> <p>Rachel - I am a very recreational cyclist - to work, occasional trail and mountain bike…DH and friends are avid cyclists and much better than me. But I will try….. It doesn’t really matter the balance between gear and clothing - I just want to be honest with myself haha.</p> <p>An exercise I could do through is to recreate these pictures from my own closet and see how I go. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2379951 Sat, 08 Feb 2025 00:59:27 +0000 RachelNZ 2379951@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You seem to have a good handle on your style and needs Sal so this seems like a very reasonable approach :)</p> <p>I keep my gear and main wardrobe very separate but I think you will inherently know how you feel comfortable thinking of this split.</p> <p>I'm not a cyclist so no suggestions there as I think cycling gear tends to be very different to running but everyone I know who's gone on a cycling tour has enjoyed them! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2379948 Sat, 08 Feb 2025 00:05:52 +0000 Lisa 2379948@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You have a solid plan for the year and you’ve picked some lovely and colorful outfit combinations. As a fellow fan of color these made me happy! I find wearing colors is very uplifting.</p> <p>I have no bicycling suggestions but wish you luck with your tour, sounds fun! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2379928 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 20:46:13 +0000 RobinF 2379928@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Looks like you are craving color! Such pretty looks!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2379926 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 20:44:02 +0000 Suz 2379926@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, I love those inspirational pics, <b>Sally</b>! I can see you in versions of any of these combinations but especially in 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6. 3 emphasizes your sporty side. The others, your more glam grown-up Charlie's Angel side. I like Brooklyn's suggestions for digging down into the reasons these appeal and considering how to divvy up the purchases between seasons.&nbsp;</p> <p>A tiny caution -- I think you do need/ want to replace a dress this year, right? But also -- did you not remind yourself to be careful about dress purchases recently?&nbsp;</p> <p>With respect to crossover clothing -- like <b>Angie,</b> I consider anything with a prominent (or impossible to hide) gear logo as gear. For me, another feature/ factor is <b>cut</b>. Some gear clothes are more body con than I would usually wear as fashion. Some gear coats are cut in a less stylish way -- they have ample space in the shoulders / arms (good for movement) but can be more snug around the hips (for me at least) and/ or through the middle, which is to say, they are made to layer with lightweight gear layers, not fashion laters. This is not true across the board, of course. But for myself, despite a very active lifestyle, I tend to keep my capsules separate. I do on occasion wear a quarter zip merino gear top as work-from-home wear -- but usually only if I am planning a bike ride in a few hours -- that kind of thing.&nbsp;</p> <p>This may depend on the type of gear clothing I have -- mostly for hikes or jogging and kettlebells/ weights. I can imagine a golf shirt, for instance, working for regular wear. (Or even golf shoes!)&nbsp;</p> <p>I don't have much advice on biking gear. I do have some but bought it on sale several years ago and since I'm more of a bike commuter than a serious tourer, I tend to wear my regular clothes most of the time for biking, with some modifications, for example since I was hit by a vehicle, I always wear a VERY GEAR reflective vest!&nbsp; :)&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2379917 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 20:10:34 +0000 Angie 2379917@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good plan! You will follow through marvelously and effectively like you always do,<b> Sal </b>:)&nbsp;</p> <p>To answer try question: I think of anything Patagonia as gear. The logo is front and centre.</p> <p>Like <b>Brooklyn,</b> I can see you sport all these looks <i>your way.</i>&nbsp;You are craving colour! As a Warm Spring like me - I get it. #6 looks the most "Sal" to me. That's your shade of yellow!&nbsp;</p> <p>I'm sure you'll get fun new cycling togs too.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2379897 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 18:21:48 +0000 SarahD8 2379897@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thoughtful post with good conclusions! I really like your inspiration images. I see a sourness to those colors -- in a good way, a la Angie's sour brights -- that I think will blend well with your neutrals. Maybe really dialing in on making sure items are *exactly* the right shade will help your purchases go the distance? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2379877 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 13:16:38 +0000 Dee 2379877@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love those images you've shown, they look perfect for your natural style. I agree with Brooklyn about getting into the nitty gritty details about why they appeal to you so much. This could provide you with a more accurate blueprint of what you might be after.</p> <p>I too, blend a lot of sportswear gear into my everyday style. It's still clothing after all so why not have it cross over if it works. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2379869 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:52:51 +0000 Brooklyn 2379869@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sounds like a good plan. I think you could wear any of these looks. I would analyse them in terms of what it is you find appealing. Is it the colours? The silhouette? The patterns or lack thereof? And try to make a plan from there. In terms of colour, 1 and 5 look tonal to me. The others are more contrasting and colour blocked. The big thing I notice is that none of them are neutral. I think if it is the colours you find appealing, quite a few of the 12 pieces should be coloured items, not neutrals. In which case, you might want to consider choosing a warm weather palette and a cool weather palette in advance (taking into account what you already have), so you can make good choices. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2379867 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 10:25:25 +0000 Sisi 2379867@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good plan! If you find a fine gauge sweater let me know (it's one of my HEWIs). The images you posted are beautiful - I can see you very well in outfit #4, 6 and also 2.<br />No suggestions for cycling wear, sorry!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/2025---refining-my-style---goals#post-2379861 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 08:24:24 +0000 Sal 2379861@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Better late than never, I want to keep working on my style in 2025, but keeping fashion and clothing fun!</p> <p>I do however want to buy and spend less than in 2024.&nbsp; I am looking at adding 12 or less new pieces in to my wardrobe this year.&nbsp; (last year I added 22 new pieces, three second hand pieces plus gear).&nbsp; I want to shop in person for the clothing, either in my home city or when travelling.&nbsp; </p> <p>In the 12 I am not including sports gear/active wear.</p> <p>I have a short list of pieces so far </p> <ul> <li>new jeans- blue denim</li> <li>Coloured sneakers -&nbsp; not white</li> <li>bright trousers&nbsp;</li> <li>fine gauge sweater - for work</li> <li>spring jacket - this is a HEWI</li> </ul> <p>If I can buy something second hand that is a bonus piece and this can be online or in person. </p> <p>So far I added one item - a Patagonia sweatshirt.&nbsp; I did also add a second hand coat and was gifted some sports sunglasses by my Dad (my choice though).</p> <p>What I have realised though is that my active wear and main wardrobe do cross over substantially.&nbsp; The sweatshirt will get worn to and from yoga, walks on cooler summer nights but potentially for errands during the weekend too or maybe to the market?&nbsp; Is this clothing or gear..... I think this is the main wardrobe.</p> <p>I am not going to try for one each month, but try to get them in small groups of three or four pieces together to ensure cohesive shopping.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>We have a large work project on the go this year which will take a lot of time and money this year, and we also have a vacation involving cycling planned.&nbsp; I will need some new cycling clothing to get through eight days of cycling - my cycling gear is getting pretty tatty after a couple of falls.</p> <p>Here are some images I saved that are aspirational for different reasons.&nbsp; I think (with tweaks given I am not a model nor in my 20s) I think they could work on a Bright Spring, Kibbe Natural type person.&nbsp; Any of these looks that you think are slam dunks for me?</p> <p>Thoughts and ideas are welcomed - especially any ideas for cycling gear for women (20-40 miles a day in a tour).</p> <p>Thanks for looking!</p>