https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 20 May 2026 19:19:33 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-795503 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:48:56 +0000 rachylou 795503@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wait! It's all coming to me now!</p> <p>I had created a rule against yellow, but with Angie and Una looking so smokin' in citron... I tried it and have decided I like it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-795501 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:46:04 +0000 qfbrenda 795501@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I look forward to seeing that outfit, Elisabeth!</p> <p>I broke one of my rules yesterday. I'm pretty consistent with choosing artsy earrings daily and rarely wear my plain pearl studs. They usually feel way too girly for me. But yesterday when I was wearing a plaid flannel button down, a puffer vest, bootcuts, and heeled boots, pearls felt like the perfect thing to balance out all the boyish things I had going on. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-795479 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:10:39 +0000 cciele 795479@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Would love to see the outfit, Elisabeth (or at least the part with the pants and the shoes) It sounds like a great solution.</p> <p>I think one of my unstated rules is avoid "tight over tight" or "volume over volume." But I've found myself wearing those silhouettes for whatever reason (not a conscious decision).</p> <p>Also, I try not to wear "lamb" clothing, but I really like wearing short shorts and relatively short skirts, so have been wearing them about. Hopefully in a non "mutton as lamb" way </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-795476 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 21:03:51 +0000 rachylou 795476@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have a lot of rules. My mother tells me so. Fortunately or unfortunately, I'm not aware of them. Oh, I suppose there is the silky shirt rule I know of. I've broken down on that rule since being on YLF, and am learning to love them.</p> <p>Darling shoes!</p> <p>p.s. Anne, I love that assymetrical top! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-795313 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:14:34 +0000 Aziraphale 795313@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Charmain, I agree with you. How do we grow if we don't challenge our preconceived ideas? But some of my own personal style rules are there for a reason. In the case of ankle pants, they are notorious for making legs look shorter, and one of my figure-flattery priorities is to lengthen the leg line. But I think, in certain circumstances (i.e. tapered pant worn with a heel), it will work. And my legs are not proportionally short, which helps.</p> <p>Janet: I felt the same way about my first pair of straight leg jeans. I'd been wearing bootcuts and flares all through the 90s, so straight legs felt really radical! But now they feel positively baggy. I still have them, but wear them as "boyfriend jeans".</p> <p>Lyn, I do the same thing -- I match dressy with casual, like a suit jacket with jeans, etc. And in Angie's post today she talks about how the "defining thing" of this fashion era is to combine dressy and casual in one outfit. Bring it on!</p> <p>Deborah, Claire: aw, thanks for the compliment. :-)</p> <p>Denise, I'm not sure I get what you mean. Can you explain what "the stacked look" means? I popped over to look at your pictures with the red pants, and, for the record, you do not look "huge"! I think you have a knockout figure. I love the pear shape, probably because it's opposite to what I am (sort of like how all the curly girls envy the straight ones, and vice versa, lol). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-795269 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:27:20 +0000 Charmian 795269@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Of course! I think breaking rules (and discovering they weren't important to me anyway) is part of having fun with fashion </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-795180 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:21:01 +0000 Anonymous 795180@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Now you HAVE to post the shoe and cropped pants pictures for us! I think they probably turned out like a match made in heaven. I don't have anything against cropped pants. In fact recently I've tried to get the effect by rolling but I'm not sure how to make it work for me with my shorter legs and long torso. I agree that a dramatic shoe can really make the look sing. Maybe that's my problem. No dramatic shoes.</p> <p>LOLing at Suz's comment: "I am not sure I have any personal style rules. Try not to look like a hot mess, maybe." Yeah, me too! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-795075 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:41:52 +0000 Janet 795075@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Rules can be so arbitrary! My personal rules are being constantly challenged over the last two years since finding YLF. </p> <p>At that point I had just bought my first pair of skinny/straight jeans since college. Funny thing is, they're the same pair I wore yesterday, and even though I'm a size smaller and the jeans fit differently than they did back then, I look at the silhouette and it looks positively tame compared to the even skinnier styles I've embraced since! But I was stuck in thinking I could *only* get away with bootcuts because they were deemed to be the most flattering cut. </p> <p>I think that by testing the limits of our rules, we open the door to new style experimentation and evolution. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-795010 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:48:42 +0000 Lyn D. 795010@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>In recent times I have broken rules I had regarding matching my shoes with my handbag, and have been more adventurous and inventive with my outfits as a result.<br /> I.K.W.Y.M about not wearing certain items because they 'feel' too dressy- that used to be my no. 1 reason for reclycling certain things- especially dresses and jewelry. I purchased them for an imaginary and smarter lifestyle.<br /> I have now found ways to actually wear a lot of these things: dressy jackets with jeans, and dresses with denim, so think you will probably wear your lovely shoes with the shorter pant and enjoy! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794997 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:08:48 +0000 Deborah 794997@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Elizabeth what you have described sounds just stunning, and a great way to get some wear out of those gorgeous shoes. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794995 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:03:42 +0000 CocoLion 794995@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I wear ankle pants all the time, as in, pants that hit my ankle bone. I actually consider these a good length for skinny pants because I am particular about stacking. Either I'm really going for a stacked, almost ruched, look -- or I want a very sleek, unstacked look. The only way you can achieve this is by wearing ankle or rolled pants.</p> <p>However the shorter, grazer length that's somewhere between mid calf and ankle bone, is something I still haven't done. I still haven't broken this style rule after this unscientific case study from summer 2011: <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/keep-or-return-experimental-grazer-pants" rel="nofollow">http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....azer-pants</a></p> <p>I felt this look didn't work well on me. I think I look huge in these pictures, to be frank. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794977 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 05:33:05 +0000 Angie 794977@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Easy. You can read about it here:</p> <p><a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/just-broke-two-of-my-own-style-rules" rel="nofollow">http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....tyle-rules</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794956 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 04:49:08 +0000 Aziraphale 794956@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oops, Suz, just realized I didn't answer your question. No, it's still a little too cold to wear them comfortably outdoors with bare feet and cropped pants from about November to, let's see, probably the end of March. It depends on the year. So yes, I'd just swap my wellies for the shoes when I get indoors. That means I won't wear them as much as I could over the next while. The true test of whether they have been de-orphaned will come in spring, when it is warm enough for no socks, but not so hot that sandals are required. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794945 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 04:38:16 +0000 Aziraphale 794945@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Anne: that IS a cute top! It's not super-short, but I see why the asymmetrical hem makes it feel shorter. It's drapey, though, which I think is what makes it look so nice.</p> <p>Suz: I remember the olive ones. They have sort of light taupe straps, right? Very pretty. Have you figured out why you don't wear yours? For me, I think it's because the heels are narrowish, which makes them feel dressier, and the two-tone pattern seems fancy somehow -- like the shoes should be worn out at a swing dance club or something. (Which they probably could, because they're super-comfortable and wouldn't fly off my feet. Unfortunately, I haven't gone swing dancing for over a decade!). They seem to dress up every skirt and dress I try to pair them with (especially if I wear dark hose, because then the beige straps really pop). And my lifestyle is quite casual. So there's the problem.</p> <p>ETA: ah, we cross-posted. I think you've answered the question.</p> <p>Manidipa: FOUR style rules broken! woohoo! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794940 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 04:36:19 +0000 Suz 794940@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Mani - I couldn't wear them with opaque tights because they would look weird. Colour's not right...they are a light shoe that would look awful with a dark tight. Really, they end up being a summer shoe for me, and I don't wear shoes in summer! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794935 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 04:33:37 +0000 ManidipaM 794935@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Adorable shoes! They can't be orphaned. I'd love to see the results of this experiment.<br /> (For Suz, does wearing them with fleece-lined tights help any, in any season?)</p> <p>I broke three of my personal rules this year, and was happy to have dared---button-down shirt for casual wear, sleeveless top for work and generally going out (as opposed to lounging at home), coloured *and* skinny jeans (ok, that's two-in-one, so a total of four). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794905 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 04:12:48 +0000 Suz 794905@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have those shoes in olive green!! </p> <p>They are one of MY few closet orphans, too. I have only worn them about 4 times. </p> <p>Hmm. Maybe I need a pair of ankle length J. Crew Toothpick jeans. </p> <p>I'll bet these look terrific on you, Elisabeth! </p> <p>But will you wear them in winter? This is one of my problems with shoes. My feet would freeze in the winter....I know it is warmer where you are, but say you want to wear this outfit....would you wear the pants tucked into boots outdoors and then switch into the shoes indoors, or what? </p> <p>I am not sure I have any personal style rules. Try not to look like a hot mess, maybe. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794885 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:52:38 +0000 anne 794885@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well when I look at it again it may not look that short or boxy, but it was still a departure for me. I wore it for the fuschia challenge as per pic and again today with boots and a longer sleeved top underneath. The back doesn't cover my bottom and that makes it feel short. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794858 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:08:39 +0000 Jaime 794858@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I bet the jeans look great with those shoes. I sometimes try to wear things that I don't think work on me either categorically or individually just to see what happens. I would never wear something I feel totally uncomfortable with in terms of being super body con or skin revealing. Not sure if I have rules beyond that! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794855 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 03:04:03 +0000 Aziraphale 794855@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Isabel: thanks! I'm determined to wear those shoes more. And yes, I believe you're right: cropped pants must exist at least in part to show off your shoes. They don't exist to make your legs look longer, that's for sure. Although there is something alluring about showing ankles, so maybe that's part of the appeal, too.</p> <p>Anne: Yep, a boxy short top would be a real departure for me, too! Did you find that you wore yours a lot? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794825 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:15:06 +0000 anne 794825@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Just wanted to say that I Love the way those shoes look low vamp but act high vamp!! I need to look out for something like that.</p> <p>Breaking own style rules? I bought a boxy shortish top last summer - that was pretty radical for me </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794823 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:12:27 +0000 Isabel 794823@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>OMG ! Those shoes SHOULD be shown off. Isn't that the whole reason for cropped pants ? I break my style rules all the time..for lack of discipline. LOL .</p> <p>I am dying to read what Angie's experience is. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-and-others-ever-break-one-of-your-personal-style-rules#post-794814 Thu, 13 Dec 2012 02:06:57 +0000 Aziraphale 794814@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I did it. I took in my brand new J. Crew toothpick jeans, which were not quite long enough on me to be regular pants, and had them hemmed to ankle length. And I felt like I was committing sacrilege. Ordinarily, when faced with ankle pants, I make the sign of the cross. You know, because I'm not six feet tall. But there is method to my madness.</p> <p>The reason I bought the pants in the first place was because I had this idea that I might be able to wear them with one of my few closet orphans -- a pair of black-and-beige maryjanes that, paired with a skirt, always seem just a little too...I don't know? Dressy? Showy? But I really like them. Here they are:</p> <p><a href="http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w=family%3ABellevues&#038;p=5&#038;pp=1&#038;view=detail&#038;colourID=3123" rel="nofollow">http://www.fluevog.com/code/?w.....ourID=3123</a></p> <p>I feel far less dressy in jeans, of course, but these shoes really don't look great with normal length jeans of any cut. But they do look cute with rolled-up jeans, although the roll ends up being really thick and bulky. So I thought I'd take a chance and actually hem a pair of jeans to above my ankle bones, for sleekness when wearing the orphaned shoes. And it doesn't look half bad! For one, the jeans are very tapered at the hems (with a name like "toothpick", you'd think so, eh?), and for another, the shoes have straps that blend right in with my whitey-white girl skin, giving the illusion that they're low-vamp, which helps elongate the leg line. </p> <p>It's an experiment. I'm thinking that I will in fact wear the shoes if I can casualize them this way. What do you think? I've read the "Angie guidelines" for wearing ankle pants.</p> <p>As a bonus, the toothpick jeans actually look really cute rolled up (a much less bulky roll, with the shortened hem) and worn with ankle boots. </p> <p>To everyone: Have you ever broken one of your own "golden style rules"? </p>