YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Calling Out To Suz

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Calling Out To Suz https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calling-out-to-suz Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Thu, 09 Apr 2026 04:17:01 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Maneera on "Calling Out To Suz" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calling-out-to-suz#post-1549002 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 16:18:48 +0000 Maneera 1549002@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh that's a brilliant answer, Suz! Thank you so so much for making time to answer my question. I've got exactly what I was looking for 1) I needed advise on home wear because while quality is non-negotiable, " fit" for home wear casuals and outside wear casuals does differ for me. I like comfort at home, like you mention, so needed another factor to improve here. You've made it abundantly clear that colour-flattery comes to play here! *light bulb moment* - Why the hell didn't I think of that?! ;) 2) I like some structure in my clothes when I'm going out as well. I do not wear shorts outside either.....I much prefer skirts, trousers or mostly dresses. So all the tips apply to me as well, hence help a lot. 3) I like knits and some of them (especially Breton stripes) I love. But I confess, I prefer woven tops when I'm going out too. They just drape and fit better. And I like the fact that they look a bit 'dressier'; hence I can wear prettier shoes to compliment the outfit You've helped clear my confusion. Thank you so much! As for your style being work-in-progress; I think you've got a very good handle on your style. And it's good that every year your preferences and style needs change, so you hone your style some more. That's exactly the kind of journey I want for myself too Time to get started! Suz on "Calling Out To Suz" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calling-out-to-suz#post-1548997 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 16:01:39 +0000 Suz 1548997@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks for the shout-out, Maneera! I am honoured and flattered.  As for helpful advice, am not sure I can offer a lot, because I'm definitely a work-in-progress, so to speak. Every year I discover a few more nuances to my own preferences -- and every year, those preferences and needs change a bit along with different weather conditions, a slight change in my work life, different travel needs, different outings with friends. So nothing is fixed in stone.  But here are a few of discoveries that I think hold true for me in my current work-from-home life.  What I need/ want from my clothing inside the home is a bit different from what I want from it outside the home, especially (for me) in winter. That said, there is a ton of overlap. So, when you ask:  When you buy say a T-shirt or a pair of shorts, how do you decide which category it will fall into, especially when all your clothes are comfortable, good quality and fit very well? ..the answer is, I don't really (as a rule) decide what category it will go in. Many, if not most, items cross categories and I could potentially wear them for anything but house cleaning, gardening, or other "dirty" tasks. But the reality is that I have some distinct preferences and tend to wear certain kinds of items in some situations, and others in...well...others.  ;)  Indoors for work, comfort and colour flattery rule. In winter this means cozy knits (including cardigans which are easy on/ easy off). In summer, this means shorts and cooler woven fabrics, sleeveless tops in silk or cotton and linen knits. (I don't have air conditioning).  I like to wear colours that make me feel happy. Especially in our long, dark winters. (Shudder).  Outside the home, I really like more structure and often drama in my outfits. So I wear my more tailored items -- blazers and other jackets, for example, when I go out. Sometimes they are the "third piece" that gets added at the last minute before I go out the door -- along with jewellery and footwear and my bag.  I tend to wear knits and cardigans much less in my outside the home life.  Tees and shorts for me are pretty much "at home" wear. I do wear shorts out of the house in summer but will do so mainly if I'm on my way to the gym or going for a walk -- that type of thing. If I have an appointment or meeting, I'll take that opportunity to wear a dressier item, like my sarong shorts (sort of like culottes) or one of my tube skirts.  I do wear jeans both inside and outside. I don't wear them often in summer because it is too hot. In winter they are both at-home and going-out wear for me. I also wear trousers both at-home and going out, but I confess I wear them less often at home.  Does that start to answer the question? Basically, I kept track of what I was actually reaching for each day and made a note of it. I have a sense of the overall proportion of time I spend in each type of activity and try to use that to guide my purchasing decisions -- but I have to admit that I far prefer "smart casual" (i.e. going out wear) to "regular" casual -- so have a tendency to buy more smart casual than (strictly speaking) I probably "need."  Maneera on "Calling Out To Suz" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calling-out-to-suz#post-1548980 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 15:31:06 +0000 Maneera 1548980@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Dear Suz, I read your reply on Cerinda's post and I could really relate to you about your lifestyle. You said: "My entire life is casual, pretty much (except when I decide to dress up on purpose.) But my work-at-home casual is different from my go-to-the-beach casual is different from my meet-friends-at-pub casual. It helps to be really analytical about your needs." This is where I need your help. How to get really analytical about your needs? Can you give me examples? My life is very much like yours. I choose to dress up occasionally but don't have any real need for it. I do it because I enjoy it. My lifestyle is also extremely casual. And while I have stepped up my 'casual wear' to match my lifestyle needs, I still struggle to make the right choice from time to time. How is your everyday home wear different from meet-friends-at-pub wear or movie-night or casual-dinner-hosted-at-home? When you buy say a T-shirt or a pair of shorts, how do you decide which category it will fall into, especially when all your clothes are comfortable, good quality and fit very well? I ask because I like to have different outfit formulas for different occasions. I don't love the idea of wearing anything anywhere, though one could with an all-casual-lifestyle. So how do I create different gradations of casual wear? Thanks for all your help in advance!