YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Is good taste the same as style?

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Is good taste the same as style? https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sun, 26 Apr 2026 02:07:09 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Barbara Diane on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1771260 Tue, 24 Jan 2017 02:12:49 +0000 Barbara Diane 1771260@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Tulle, I love that. tulle on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1771254 Tue, 24 Jan 2017 01:56:50 +0000 tulle 1771254@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Absolutely not the same, but not mutually exclusive, either.  My mother always dressed with exquisite taste, and a disciplined sense of her own style. My husband's Auntie Mame-ish aunt had somewhat somewhat questionable taste, but oh, what unmistakably fabulous style!  Both are role models for me. rachylou on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1770217 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 22:19:45 +0000 rachylou 1770217@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ That's interesting, the difference of usage, Lisa. I wonder if I say a person has good taste if the thing is nice, whether or not it suits them. Lisa on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1770191 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 19:20:14 +0000 Lisa 1770191@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ To me these terms are used interchangeably so often, I'm not sure what the correct answer is.  I'm going to say that I use the phrase "she has good taste" when I notice the person has picked out something that suits them and I use the phrase "she has good style" when the person has assembled an outfit that looks well put together. Archer on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1770082 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 09:05:34 +0000 Archer 1770082@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Nil - disagreement all round. Totally subjective but quite closely correlated. rachylou on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1770031 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 01:19:52 +0000 rachylou 1770031@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh and don't make me talk about my chevron hampers! Lol. ...can good taste become stale? Because I hate my hampers now. cindysmith on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1769949 Wed, 18 Jan 2017 19:44:51 +0000 cindysmith 1769949@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Gaylene, very insightful! And yes, I have been guilty of picking some basic mcmansion/trendy finishes before, loving them in the moment, then looking back wondering what I was thinking LOL Gaylene on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1769947 Wed, 18 Jan 2017 19:29:52 +0000 Gaylene 1769947@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Another vote for Barbara Diane! I'm not sure a stylish outfit necessarily equates to being a tasteful one, or to its wearer being lauded for her "good taste". I'm particularly thinking of an older TV anchor woman who did an important interview on national television wearing ripped jeans. Her outfit was certainly current and stylish, but was lambasted for being "tasteless". And saying someone "has good taste" has always seemed to say more about the commenter's aesthetics than the person being described. Don't we all think we have "good taste" when we buy our chevron wallpaper, subway tiles, or granite countertops. Suz on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1769718 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 20:47:34 +0000 Suz 1769718@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm with Barbara Diane and like those distinctions.  LaPed on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1769691 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 18:49:23 +0000 LaPed 1769691@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Yes -- being "tasteful" and having "good taste" -- two different things, I think. Tasteful implies a certain conservatism to me -- being able to choose something that will keep up appearances and not rock the boat. Someone who has good taste knows herself well enough to find things that suit her and are also stylish. FWIW, I think a lot of us choose home fixtures a little differently than we choose our wardrobe, since you have to factor in if/how it will affect the property value. If you plan on selling in 5-10 years, hardwood floors and granite counters are probably good, albeit boring, choices -- durable and "timeless" more or less. Chevron wallpaper and shag carpeting, not so much. (Of course, maybe this is just me, and other people are like "Whatevs! Self-expression is all!" I do strive for durable and timeless in my wardrobe as well.) Also -- I think being "in good taste" carries a totally different meaning than "having good taste". The former is wearing something simple and black to a funeral; the latter is rocking a pearl choker and culottes before the magazines start telling you to.  rachylou on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1769682 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 18:02:47 +0000 rachylou 1769682@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Don't make me talk about subway tile for the kitchen! And that shag rug with diamonds! ;) I have to think about good taste and currency being a component of a stylish outfit. And I do think tasteful is different than good taste, now that y'all mention it. cindysmith on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style/page/2#post-1769616 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 15:18:59 +0000 cindysmith 1769616@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ OMG Janet, preach! I've been looking at design ideas for our small house. Now, granted, I have some pretty weird tastes even in home design/decor (RATE, dystopian, minimalist/brutalist, rich dark colors). However, so many of the things I see out there as suggestions/ideas just look like builder grade macmansion finishes, with no originality to them; they look so bland and formulaic to me. For kitchen, stainless steel appliances + marble or granite countertops + hand scraped hardwood floors = tasteful kitchen that appeals to the most possible buyers; but it just seems so cookie cutter to me. Granite or marble countertops can be quite tasteful, but everybody is doing them and they've become so ubiquitous that they're kind of boring to me unless it's a slab with a lot of motion/interest in the veining. I should hop down off my soapbox now and go have more coffee LOL Angie on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769613 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 15:15:07 +0000 Angie 1769613@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Both terms are extremely subjective - taste and style lies in the eye of the beholder.  Taste - like fashion - are components of style. Personally, I think a stylish outfit is always a tasteful and current one.  Janet on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769593 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 14:01:44 +0000 Janet 1769593@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Archer, I agree that there is often a correlation, but I don't think of the two as synonymous at all. Maybe because I'm looking at a lot of home decor at the moment, I can't help but think of some interiors I've seen that incorporate tasteful items but are completely forgettable. I just can't see much "style" in those designs, tasteful as they may be. harmonica on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769579 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 13:26:16 +0000 harmonica 1769579@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Very interesting! I'm with Janet, Rambling Ann and Echo. And, culture, class and personal preferances all play a part. Staysfit on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769527 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 10:02:02 +0000 Staysfit 1769527@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm with Lisap, Archer on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769510 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 07:37:20 +0000 Archer 1769510@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Hmm - I see the two as almost synonymous really. In my paradigm if you exhibit good style there's a pretty high chance that you have this as a strength. It indicates good taste - i.e. that which is alignment with the viewer's aspirational taste. Taste suggests an ongoing characteristic and Style suggests more margin for experimentation and success through risk. Gigi on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769503 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 06:24:44 +0000 Gigi 1769503@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I like how Janet put it. One can have good taste simply by knowing what kinds of things work well for their venue and their body type. But they might not have any style in the sense that may not dress themselves in a way that is particular to who they are as a person inside. rachylou on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769494 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 05:17:39 +0000 rachylou 1769494@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have to think deep and hard now. 'In bad taste' does seem so not the opposite of 'in good taste.' Something done in bad taste implies some kind of tragedy to my mind...a failing bordering on moral failure. Also, I have to think about 'there can be no argument.' I mean barring my brother and uncle, who can and will argue anything, I might secretly feel this is true. On my mind now is this man I saw once selling CDs out of the back of his car. Only his car was a presidential blue convertible with sparkling white seats. And while he wore loud blue plaid, it was PERFECTLY cut and tailored and his fedora was pristine snow white. He was flash and had style in spades, but he came to a perfect stop a hair before gaudy. If he'd been gaudy, I think he would have still had style, but the execution was so exquisite - I think he may have also had taste. But then I'm not sure. Can you tastefully cell CDs out of your car boot? Jaime on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769473 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 02:32:16 +0000 Jaime 1769473@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think style requires a defined taste. To have great style the person has to have a certain independent clarity for what is good or bad to her eye - that is what makes style individual and outstanding. Whether that taste is good requires further definition - good by traditional societal standards (and which society) or good in the mind of the observer?  There is a saying in Hebrew which I will paraphrase: about taste there can be no argument. I sort of disagree; I think taste can be cultivated and trained. That is another topic though. deb on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769469 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 02:09:50 +0000 deb 1769469@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Ok, I read this earlier but had to go think about it. I think they are different. If someone picks out and item, be it for the home or their wardrobe, and shows it to me, I may think, "Oh, she has good taste". That is, if I like it. Style on the other hand, is how a variety of items are put together. It can be bad or good even if all singular items are in good taste. AM on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769468 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 02:06:52 +0000 AM 1769468@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Barbara Diane brings interesting points regarding background and age. For my generation, I've seen a definition that does include class (one that does reflect past definitions/wealth/accessibility to design) but now includes a definition that reflects DIYers, Ikea, Target, thrifting, recycling, home depot/lowes garden projects -- design in small spaces, design on a budget.  Barbara Diane on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769459 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 01:50:40 +0000 Barbara Diane 1769459@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think taste, tasteful, stylish, and style are all different. But maybe my view reflects my age and class and background. I always imagined that there is a certain persona that is described as "having good taste." With an implied level of money and status and a level of conservatism in dress.  I think of tasteful as  appropriate. Wearing the appropriate item at the appropriate time. It implies being appropriately covered-up, wearing non-flimsy non see through material, of the appropriate length, sleeves if necessary for the situation, etc. But what is considered appropriate can also vary by culture and age. Stylish can be seen as being in current style or current. Or it can mean a bit more, maybe being at the front of the curve on a style. But having style means that you appear authentic in your dress and presentation. With a certain verve. And self assuredness.  Emily K on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769458 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 01:49:37 +0000 Emily K 1769458@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Nope. Style is like flair--the result can be really well done but not necessarily tasteful. unfrumped on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769455 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 01:39:24 +0000 unfrumped 1769455@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Well- does " style" always mean GOOD style? She's got style- does that mean automatically you love her style if just that you can recognize an individual style? And " in bad taste" seems more than just the opposite of good taste. It's worse somehow, more offensive. cindysmith on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769449 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 01:20:27 +0000 cindysmith 1769449@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Came here to say similar to Janet and Echo. A person can have great taste--pick all the best garments and accessories; without style, it could very easily become just a bunch of really nice things piled on a body with no rhyme or reason, no method to the madness. And I actually have looked at style blogs/street style/etc and thought "now that's some serious ugly right there". It isn't because it doesn't mesh with my personal taste. I can sit here and look at all y'all's outfits and appreciate how good they look; I can appreciate the harmonious nature of the ensemble. I can see that y'all have taste and y'all have style. But some of these outfits I see on "it girls" and "style icons" make me scratch my head and go "hmmmmmm" AM on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769447 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 01:19:04 +0000 AM 1769447@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ In the very specific context of "She's got great taste." -- I believe that the word "taste" and "style" may be "the same".  I think people mean that their (her) selection of pieces (within fashion, interior design, landscaping, entertaining, etc.) and their arrangement of those pieces show exceptional talent. Not necessarily about quality but about composition. And yes, subjected. "Tasteful" is another animal. Aziraphale on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769444 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 01:13:35 +0000 Aziraphale 1769444@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Hmmm. LisaP, I'm sitting here trying to think of all the people I know who have great style, and they all have good taste, too. Not sure if it works both ways, though. People who have good taste -- i.e. who have an eye for quality and good design -- are more likely to have style, too, I would think. But maybe it's not a guarantee. Style Fan on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769439 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 01:03:09 +0000 Style Fan 1769439@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I am going with Janet and Echo.  Not the same. Anonymous on "Is good taste the same as style?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/is-good-taste-the-same-as-style#post-1769436 Tue, 17 Jan 2017 01:00:53 +0000 Anonymous 1769436@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I define taste as Rambling Ann quotes above - the ability to discern quality and design ..which is totally objective though.  Can you have both?  Hmmm - I say you can, but's that not a given.  Mutually exclusive but a great pairing if you have both?