https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/essentials-and-a-small-epiphany-long Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sun, 12 Apr 2026 17:42:42 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/essentials-and-a-small-epiphany-long#post-1998386 Sat, 02 Feb 2019 16:31:15 +0000 LaPed 1998386@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sterling, I've never been a die-hard jeans person. I need them, but I style them in particular ways. They don't go with everything to my eye, and they also aren't my favorite option for very hot or very cold weather, which limits their utility even further.</p> <p>Bijoy, yes! So excited for fitted/ribbed tops to tuck into wide bottoms. Very 90s and one of my favorite silhouettes.</p> <p>Elizabeth P, this is what's so tricky. I wear a fair amount of pattern and texture, and it is necessary to the way I dress -- but are the pieces themselves essentials? I will not run out to replace my olive polka dot dress with another olive or polka dot dress when it dies. What I would be looking for is a short-sleeve dress in a sturdy jersey material in one of my preferred almost-neutrals, with some visual interest. Could be pattern, texture, a graphic, color blocking, etc.</p> <p>Thanks Angie. Yes, playing around with pattern mixes for sure! :)</p> <p>Nemosmom, the Thursdays are a perfect example of chunky/streamlined. They have substance, but they aren't aa stompy as Docs (which don't fit me well at all, alas). I like how clean they are -- no zippers/decorative buckles -- but they still have presence. I'm such a picky shoe shopper. :D</p> <p>I don't always wear pattern, but in an outfit with no third piece (topper/scarf) there is a strong likelihood that I'll choose a pattern or a graphic somewhere. Summer is easier, because of the visual effect of bare arms/legs. I'll often end up in very plain black tank/olive bottom outfits in the summer and am not bothered by it. This is why I love vests so much too -- good way to break up the blob! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/essentials-and-a-small-epiphany-long#post-1998383 Sat, 02 Feb 2019 16:14:34 +0000 Anonymous 1998383@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have been loving color-blocked tops with patterned pants. This week I wore the NAS plaid Kut Donna jeans with a color blocked Calvin Klein knit top in black and shades of grey with a topper of a poncho in the same colors. It was an all neutral outfit but felt interesting.<br /> A large color block does not seem to fight with patterns in similar colors.<br /> I also wear a black and white color blocked sweater with black and white patterned bottoms. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/essentials-and-a-small-epiphany-long#post-1998373 Sat, 02 Feb 2019 15:18:44 +0000 nemosmom 1998373@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><div>What a great list! Nodding along with your fit requirements for the fitted knit tops - you must be excited to see ribbed turtlenecks in stores this season! Chunky-yet-streamlined footwear makes total sense - your Thursday boots seem to fit that description, no? I bought them in 'natural' which is a tan color and they have been total workhorses - thank you for the rec - I LOVE them! </p> <p>Your epiphany about patterns is interesting; do you ALWAYS wear a pattern either on top or bottom? No solid columns of color (monochrome blob)? I too find myself craving pattern or pattern, but not having much of it... <br /></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/essentials-and-a-small-epiphany-long#post-1998370 Sat, 02 Feb 2019 15:16:16 +0000 Angie 1998370@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I like the term "neutral glue". Good one.&nbsp;</p> <p><b>La Ped,</b> you NAILED it. Very nicely done.&nbsp;</p> <p>Nodded along with why you like wearing patterned pants. Me too! (And bright pants). That introduced a new essential - good job identifying it. Perhaps you'll wear some of your stripes with the patterned pants.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/essentials-and-a-small-epiphany-long#post-1998368 Sat, 02 Feb 2019 15:09:49 +0000 Elizabeth P 1998368@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Your question about plaid tops is one of the reasons I’ve struggled with this concept for so long. What I”be decided, is that essentials and necessaries are two different things. Essentials are a backdrop, the glue. Necessaries are things you need to be dressed, and maybe are often statements, even if they don’t make a statement. For me this is coloured sweaters. I think they are statement, yet I don’t feel like I always wear them to MAKE make a statement. Dresses are the perfect example of this. Your olive dress doesnt’ make a statement, it’s a lovely casual dress, but it’s not essential. But you need it. Or variants of it.</p> <p>I feel exactly the same as you re patterned pants. I’m new(ish) to them, and love them. As a result, more essential, plainer tops have made their way into my life. Hmm, better go edit my essential post that I just made! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/essentials-and-a-small-epiphany-long#post-1998360 Sat, 02 Feb 2019 14:58:22 +0000 Bijou 1998360@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So interesting to hear how your style has evolved and also your solution to dealing with having to wear a coat and practical footwear in winter - patterned pants! I have fond memories of fitted knit tops from the 90's and so will be adding one or two into my winter wardrobe.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/essentials-and-a-small-epiphany-long#post-1998329 Sat, 02 Feb 2019 13:59:07 +0000 Anonymous 1998329@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm glad you purposely said "casual pant." &nbsp; It is a far better description for my wardrobe and I had been missing that distinction. &nbsp;Thank you. &nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/essentials-and-a-small-epiphany-long#post-1998325 Sat, 02 Feb 2019 13:45:05 +0000 LaPed 1998325@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Using the term "neutral glue" I've honed my list down a bit from where it was last year. It's aso possible that my dressing is more formula-driven than it was a year ago! Images and examples at the end. :)</p> <p>Essentials:</p> <ul> <li>Fitted knit tops in black and navy. In the winter this means turtlenecks and crewnecks, and in the summer it’s tees and sleeveless tops/tanks. They are HEWIs because I want them to fit close to the body without being body-con, and the fabric needs to be substantial and natural-fibre. The summer tops are easier because bare arms break up the expanse of solid colour, but the long-sleeve winter ones absolutely need some texture or detailing: rib knit, buttons (like a henley), tipping or piping, etc.</li> <li>Straight-leg mid-to-high-rise casual pants in black, blue and olive. I’m intentionally listing casual pants instead of jeans because, while I do need some denim, having some variety is equally important to me. I feel like good cord/canvas/chino pants are some of my biggest HEWIs because it’s difficult for me to get dressed without them (I’m a stodgy old prep at heart!). I do like to have a range of denim washes from very saturated to very faded, but no heavy distressing/rips/holes/patches.</li> <li>Chunky-yet-streamlined footwear in black and dark neutrals. Black is the footwear colour I use the most all year long, followed by burgundy and navy. I’m leaving this somewhat open-ended as I’m thinking about adding some chocolate brown footwear in the next year. There are very specific aesthetic/design/comfort elements I look for in a shoe and the best way I can think to describe that is “chunky-yet-streamlined” but I’m not sure if that makes sense to anyone else. Does it need to, though? ;)</li> <li>Loose linen bottoms in blue, olive, and black/grey (I don't love black linen but have ended up with some of it anyway; I think I'd like to swap it out for something lighter). My preferred alternative to jeans for hot/humid weather (¼ to ⅓ of the year for me). Silhouette ranges from mid-thigh shorts to midi skirts to full-length pants.</li> <li>Navy puffers. I have a long one and a short one, worn day in day out. My black and olive wool coats receive an equal number of wears; is “longish wool coats” a separate essentials category? I have two and have a perceived need/desire for a third, which would probably end up being a statement color and/or silhouette. I also would not say no to statement puffers...</li> </ul> <p>Maybes:</p> </p> <ul> <li>Casual patterned dresses. I have a handful of FFBO summer dresses, striped or polka-dotted, that I would have a hard time doing without. The fact that they are patterned, not blocks of solid colour, means they offer enough visual interest without accessories/toppers/etc. That makes them super useful on very hot summer days. But are they statements rather than essentials?</li> <li>Breton tops. I have three, all different colour combos. I feel no need to duplicate colour -- that would split wears. I also feel no need for a classic navy/white breton. Am I wearing these as statements? One is oversized, one is cropped and boxy, one is red. They tend to be spring/fall items for me, for days when I know it will be too warm for a topper by the afternoon so I want my first layer to have some visual interest.</li> <li>Menswear-inspired shirts with low-contrast pattern. I have two pinstriped oxfords, two printed chambray shirts (blue on blue), and about half a dozen muted plaid shirts (black watch, navy/burgundy, etc) in various weights and sleeve lengths. Year-round it would be hard for me to get dressed without these. Some can be worn on their own, while others are good layered, either open or buttoned-up.</li> </ul> </p> <p>The Small Epiphany:&nbsp;</p> <p>I would have considered all three "Maybes" essentials as recently as a year ago. The wrench in the gears is that I have added quite a handful of patterned trousers (plaid, leopard, polka dot) which necessitate solid-colour tops. I just didn’t have many, or any reason to reach for them, before the introduction of patterned pants.&nbsp;</p> <p>I used to spend almost everyday wearing some variation on solid bottom/patterned (or graphic) top. Now I sometimes invert that, usually in the winter: bottoms are visible underneath a coat, so the addition of pattern on the bottom is a solution to winter boredom. If I wear black or dark blue pants underneath my black or dark blue knee-length coats, I feel like a big monochrome blob. Having patterned pants, even if the pattern is subtle and neutral, breaks up the visual monotony in a more effective way than a patterned top does. This also explains my love of patterned and textured tights and hose, and why I don't reach for my opaque black or navy ones very much.&nbsp;</p> <p>Patterned pants still feel more statement-y to me than patterned tops, but am I wearing my striped and plaid tops as statements on days when I want to do without a topper? Maybe I am.</p>