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YouLookFab Forum » Topic: . https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:41:41 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php carter on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long/page/2#post-1728656 Sat, 17 Sep 2016 22:17:42 +0000 carter 1728656@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Sally, I know exactly how that happens! Good thinking on stashing some real clothes in your car. Sterling, thanks for checking in. It sounds like you're doing better than I am. I wore one of my items on Wednesday. I've completely lost Thursday. No idea what I wore or what I did. Friday was packing and a 5 hour car ride with the dog (and her toenails) in my lap, so just jeans there. Today I'm painting and cleaning, so when my husband forgot something at the store, I had to UPGRADE to an athletic skort and tank top just to go to Walmart. Perhaps I'm going backwards? Hopefully I'll have more success by Wednesday. Sally on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long/page/2#post-1728618 Sat, 17 Sep 2016 19:24:19 +0000 Sally 1728618@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I read this earlier in the week but didn't respond thinking yeah I'm pretty casual. Imagine my horror when I ended up in running tights, running shoes and a sweatshirt in a restaurant in the swanky part of town. How did that happen? I left my car in a car park and went walking in the morning. After that my SO contacted me to say he wanted to go and testdrive a car so he picked me up and we spent two hours looking at cars then he said let's grab lunch and pulled into a Thai place...I'd been before and knew it was not your foodcourt kind of place ...he didn't mind walking in in his cargo shorts, they didn't bat an eyelid at my running pants but I felt yuck....lowering the standard even for me. Maybe I need to keep an emergency kit of jeans in my car. Anonymous on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long/page/2#post-1728565 Sat, 17 Sep 2016 16:42:58 +0000 Anonymous 1728565@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I thought I would take the opportunity to check in.  I have been conscientious about wearing the items I identified as wanting to wear.  I also made an effort to increase my casual style quotient, but by Friday I was tired and resorted to the old standbys.  Habits are hard to change.  I will continue to make the effort.  I'll also check in on Wednesday.   Beth Ann on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long/page/2#post-1727288 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 23:42:14 +0000 Beth Ann 1727288@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm building a career capsule at the moment.  I'm up for a challenge once I figure out what I'm going to need! I love my athleisure/lounge gear, too!  I'm not wanting to get stuck in a rut, but I'm sure glad we have great choices when we need/wish to dress this way!   Barbara Diane on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long/page/2#post-1727266 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 22:20:21 +0000 Barbara Diane 1727266@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'll pick one too. Although I might wait to read everyone else's choice to see if I want my idea of someone else's before I pick mine. I loved the last one I did. I might pick a different challenge each week. I'll see. Sal on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long/page/2#post-1727264 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 22:18:34 +0000 Sal 1727264@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love all your looks!!  I do agree with Angie - wear your wonderful clothes.  I think we have gone too far if a swimsuit is okay to wear to dinner at an upmarket restaurant...  I am all for casual clothes but I think we need to respect occasions too....  I have this battle with the three males in my household constantly, mostly the younger two. I will think about a challenge - I have got out of the WIW habit a little - mostly because it is early spring and so changeable.  I am still wearing wintery/trans- seasonal clothing in the most part but I am quite bored with them - and it is the light tee with a topper time of year which I can struggle with to match proportions! Suz on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long/page/2#post-1727259 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 22:02:15 +0000 Suz 1727259@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ You look great in your end-of-summer outfits, Carter. And I'm with Angie -- these all look casual enough to pass muster as casual to me, even if some nutty folks are wearing bathing suits!! (SHEESH!!!) Or maybe the word is not casual -- but effortless and relaxed. You don't look like you are trying too hard (whatever that means). You look comfortable. I think that is key when trying to set the sartorial standard. As long as you look comfortable in your own skin, others are less likely to feel threatened by your dressing more nicely than they might be. If that makes sense.  Love your idea of a challenge as well.  I need to think a bit about what my personal one would be. September is always a busy social month for me so I have lots of opportunities to dress up a bit. I've started to incorporate some of my great NAS buys into rotation, too, so that is not an issue. So I will mull on it a bit and look forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with! carter on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1727249 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 21:33:10 +0000 carter 1727249@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Excellent! El Cee, yes please! I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone's challenge develops. Anonymous on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1727245 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 21:24:50 +0000 Anonymous 1727245@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Sounds great, Carter.   El Cee on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1727242 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 21:17:38 +0000 El Cee 1727242@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Sounds great Carter! If you would like, I would be happy to start a "Post Your Personal Challenge" thread next Wednesday. carter on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1727240 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 21:12:48 +0000 carter 1727240@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm so glad so many of you are up for a challenge! And I appreciate all the commiseration and solutions for life in a too casual world! The bar may be set exceedingly low these days, but it doesn't mean that has to be my standard.  It sounds as though we all have varying things we'd like to accomplish, so I vote we each develop our own challenge and report weekly. Ok with you? As I mentioned above, mine will be to incorporate the 25 items shown into regular rotation during the cooler months. In order to do this in my currently-very-casual life, I'll have to take advantage of every opportunity to dress up a bit (well, that's relative I suppose...what I really mean is to wear something nicer than athleisure). I'm hoping that I can incorporate a "wear it!" item at least 10 times in the next month. (Meaning I may wear 1 item three times, 5 items once, and 1 item twice, etc) I started today because I had somewhere to go;-). Feel free to start when ready. Perhaps each Wednesday anyone participating can start the check-in thread. Good? Laura (rhubarbgirl) on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1727142 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 16:37:26 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1727142@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm up for a challenge, since it's finally starting to cool off here. When were you thinking of starting? (I'm laughing a little at the restaurant dress codes: "don't wear a wet swimsuit" is probably the loosest dress code ever, aside from "please don't come naked".) texstyle on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1727106 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 14:32:58 +0000 texstyle 1727106@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ It is SO easy to get into this habit, especially in laid back, retirement/vacation oriented locations. I live in one myself and I have to make a big effort to dress even slightly dressier casual. I do have a weekly lunch date that encourages me to dress up a little - and the cold AC in the restaurants pretty much force me to wear something more than shorts and a tank. We also try to make a trek into the city about once a week and I use that as a reason to dress better. I look for "events" to go to as well and those are times to dress up more. Even though many of us have very casual wardrobes, I think we all have items that we feel are our "good clothes." Maybe part of it is the fear of messing up those "good" clothes? I know I'm learning to be more and more relaxed about my "good" clothes and just wear them. They won't be good if they sit in the closet and go out of style, right? Today I'm wearing my white linen button down over slim light jeans rolled up once in a large cuff with gold sandals and a stack of mixed metal bracelets and a pendant necklace. I wear makeup everyday so that helps polish things up. The white linen always feels just a little "dressy casual" to me and adding jewelry always helps. I'll carry my navy tote bag with gold hardware. Aquamarine on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1727032 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 12:35:31 +0000 Aquamarine 1727032@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Sigh. I understand the dilemma. No one dresses up anymore. I really dislike going out to eat at nice restaurants and looking around at baseball caps or gear. And I don't live in a resort area. It takes away *my* enjoyment in dressing up when no one else does. Style Fan on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726987 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 09:59:14 +0000 Style Fan 1726987@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Your outfits look great Carter.  I live in a resort town.  Part of the appeal of the area I live in is the laid back atmosphere and with that comes very casual clothing.  I do find it hard to wear nice clothes when I spend a lot of my day doing Yoga and hiking, etc.  How many times am I going to change my clothes? I will think about a challenge for myself.  Sisi on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726984 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 09:33:34 +0000 Sisi 1726984@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ First of all I want to tell you that you look lovely in all your outfits. I have no suggestions for a challenge, but I think you have already done the right thing: keep "at hand" the prettiest things. This way you will be encouraged to wear them. Don't care what others do. I think it is nice to stand out. carter on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726894 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 01:20:50 +0000 carter 1726894@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Sterling, I love that you included the necklace! Firecracker, congrats on the new job! Your situation is somewhat similar to mine. When I retired, many of the pieces I loved and wore to work saw very little wear, even though they're not things I couldn't wear anytime. I'll look forward to how your challenge unfolds. Firecracker (Sharan) on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726885 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 01:01:59 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 1726885@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Your outfits in slide 1 are all great, Carter. You look relaxed and casual, yet still chic and put-together. In the next couple of weeks, I'm going to be starting a job where I won't be able to wear the clothes I make (I'm going to be working in a boutique where I'll where the clothes we sell). So suddenly I'm going to have a huge selection of day-off clothes. My own challenge is going to be wearing those clothes that I already own and love, during the half of each week that I'm not working. It will be interesting to see what my tendencies will be--default to a few easy favorites, or start mixing in some of my nicer, previously work-oriented things on days off. I hope I will be motivated to wear things I like, regardless of whether I feel a little over-dressed for the day. Anonymous on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726882 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:50:55 +0000 Anonymous 1726882@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ It is a necklace. My Mother left it to me and it is my most sentimental piece of jewelry, but I rarely wear it. carter on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726880 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:46:45 +0000 carter 1726880@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm counting on it, Angie! Great plan, Sterling! I love the sleeveless knit...a definite step up from a sloppy tee! Have you worn #1 with #4? I think pink and/or red tops would also be great with the pants.  Maybe a big floral print would be nice with them. What is the item in #3...a necklace, or maybe a brooch? unfrumped on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726879 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:45:12 +0000 unfrumped 1726879@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I hear you for sure. What helped me a few times was having a simple and very comfortable outfit hanging ready including accessories ( minimal). Shoes must be very easy/ comfortable. Also had to not worry about repeats of the " good" outfit maybd the next weekend, as again, the effort to create a new outfit on the run after a busy day would be enough to make me default to whatever I was already wearing. This may be much less and simpler than your challenge goals, but maybe is in the spirit of it. Anonymous on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726878 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:38:35 +0000 Anonymous 1726878@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I will pick ten pieces and gradually post them as I decide how I want to proceed.  The pieces will represent things I love and want to wear more often.  None of the items I pick will be fall-back-items.  In fact, my challenge goal will be to cease wearing my normal fall back items for the next few weeks to a month.  First challenge piece.  A white button down blouse that I truly do love but struggle with what to wear it with.  I would like to make a point of wearing it a minimum of once every three to four weeks.   Second challenge piece.  A linen sleeveless knit that I adore.  It will replace my fall-back option of tee shirts.   Third challenge piece.  A piece of jewelry that I struggle to make work with my style.  I will have to decide to wear it.   Fourth challenge piece.  New slacks.  I only wear them with white blouses.  It might be nice to find some other ways to wear them.   That's it for me for now.   Angie on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726877 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:33:49 +0000 Angie 1726877@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I will keep my eye on you, stylish lady.  carter on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726874 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:07:30 +0000 carter 1726874@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Yay! I'm thrilled some of you may join me! As several of you mentioned, I'm not into anything that feels restrictive. I want something instead that encourages me to wear the things I love and feel fab doing it. I'm open to most anything that accomplishes that. The 10 item challenge, as I envision it, is very loosely based on katberries 10x10 challenge <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.katberries.com/2015/06/10-x-10-mini-summer-capsule.html">http://www.katberries.com/2015.....psule.html</a>. She takes 10 items and makes 10 outfits out of them through out the season. I would tweak this a bit. Perhaps take 10 items, and use them in 10 outfits (incorporating other items from your closet as you wish) that reach "10" on the happiness scale throughout the month. As I said above though, I'm wide open to other options. Angie, I agree with everything you said. I just need a bit of refocusing to make sure I don't develop any new bad habits;-0. LaPed on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726873 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:04:47 +0000 LaPed 1726873@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh, dressing when you're in a vacation town is so difficult! I've lived in a couple, and I'm always amazed at how sloppy-casual some people (okay, Americans) become on their vacations. You look so fab in your photos, and not overdressed at all. And there's nothing wrong with being the best-dressed person in the room. Someone's gotta be. ;) Looking forward to seeing what you decide on for a challenge... I may even try to play along. I have a couple special fall/winter pieces I'd like to work into regular rotation. JAileen on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726870 Wed, 14 Sep 2016 00:01:09 +0000 JAileen 1726870@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ When we went to Hawaii a couple years ago, mostly we ate in (three little kids including a preschooler in our extended family). But one night we went out to a fancy restaurant. We had to wait a little while for our table. What I noticed: the women were dressed very nicely, in dresses and pretty sandals. The men? Hawaiian shirts, naturally, shorts, and flip flops. It seemed so odd to me. Elizabeth P on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726869 Tue, 13 Sep 2016 23:50:28 +0000 Elizabeth P 1726869@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I would also love to do a challenge, I always find they make me be more conscientious about dressing.  I think I'll see what you come up with, and see how it fits.  I say that because anything that restricts clothing items (10 or 30x30 or whatever) is not great for me... I have a large wardrobe and those type of challenges make me feel like I'm not wearing things I should, rather than getting good wear out of my favs, kwim? I think you look great Carter, in the outfits you posted.  And I think you can definitely dress up more than a "dry bathing suit" for those restaurants!  That can be your personal challenge... once the weather cools a bit, dress for you, not the rest of them. El Cee on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726854 Tue, 13 Sep 2016 22:59:32 +0000 El Cee 1726854@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I, too, will follow your lead Carter. I am intrigued by the idea of a 10 item mini-capsule challenge. Would that be for one week? I also like Jenn's idea, which sounds practical and less restrictive than a formal 30X30. But I will go along with whatever challenge is selected. Angie on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726850 Tue, 13 Sep 2016 22:56:01 +0000 Angie 1726850@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I enjoyed reading your musings, Carter.  I'm going to keep it short and sweet - YOU set your own dressing standard. You have the power to go to the effort to "dress up" each day - and should. You have wonderful clothes, Carter - which all look casual to my eye anyway - WEAR THEM. There is no need to wear gear when you don't want to. And certainly not because others are (and no one is working out).  Bring on the challenge! You dress beautifully, Carter.  UmmLila (Lisa) on "." https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-slippery-slope-and-how-to-stop-the-slide-long#post-1726849 Tue, 13 Sep 2016 22:54:40 +0000 UmmLila (Lisa) 1726849@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love to dress up. And I also love to be at the beach. For me. beach probably trumps everything because of some kind of smelling the ocean air and being warm internal happiness level. TBH I think I need to be some kind of 90 year old Palm Beach socialite in my next life.