https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 01 May 2026 16:22:50 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1728034 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 15:35:29 +0000 Kaelyn 1728034@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><i>"The most stylish thing that you can do is love a style for someone else even though it's not for you, and keep your poison eye to a minimum."<br /></i><br />Hear, hear!</p> <p>I've enjoyed reading this thread immensely and seeing everyone's interpretations of "twee." &nbsp;I think there's a version of it (the positive connotation of it) for everyone. &nbsp;Sentimental touches are what make a look yours. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1728028 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 15:25:11 +0000 Anonymous 1728028@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Natalie</b>, I am so glad you jumped in, since you are our queen of Killer Twee.&nbsp; i liked your yin-yang coffee/sugar comparison with Una's.&nbsp; Brilliant!&nbsp; Clearly, twee is alive and well on here, and enjoying the celebrity it deserves.&nbsp; Thanks for inspiring us all to work some twee into our outfits.&nbsp; Vive le twee!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1728004 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 14:34:52 +0000 LaPed 1728004@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>&lt;3 this thread! Hooray for twee!</p> <p>And hooray for examining and reclaiming terms with negative connotations! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727977 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:51:46 +0000 goldenpig 1727977@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I love both twee and bad arse, Angie! That's why your killer twee moniker is perfect for me! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727968 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 13:41:09 +0000 Angie 1727968@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>GLAD YOU CHIMED IN, Natalie. Your twee style is Killer. And thank you, Janet.&nbsp;</p> <p>Twee can be VERY good. Pretty can be VERY good. Classic can be VERY good. Hijab style can be VERY good. Maximal can be VERY good. Modest can be VERY good. Minimal can be VERY good. Boho can be VERY good. OTT can be VERY good. The style world does not end at Hard Edge, Rock 'n Roll, Avant-garde, RATE and Bad Arse. </p> <p><i></i>The most stylish thing that you can do is love a style for someone else even though it's not for you, and keep your poison eye to a minimum.&nbsp;<i></i> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727937 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 12:46:57 +0000 Janet 1727937@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've always had the same negative connotations of "twee" as well -- whimsical, girlie, cutesy, taken too far, or at least far enough that no sophistication is evident. I have used the phrase "too twee" in the past, so I do think there can be a sliding scale, and what is "too twee" to me might be just right to someone else. Or what is "too twee" for work may be just right for play, etc. </p> <p>Interesting to take the negative out of it and just see it as a style. I agree, Natalie, you do Killer Twee to a T! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727923 Fri, 16 Sep 2016 12:30:02 +0000 goldenpig 1727923@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow, I heard someone calling my name!!! Love your post title--I'm a fan of punny titles too! &nbsp;I never thought about myself as twee, just because I've never heard it in anything other than a negative context (has anyone ever said anything other than "too twee"?). I've always had a hard time with wanting to not look too young, because my patients already think I look too young as it is. But I guess I am twee if you go by Angie's definition and just need to own it.&nbsp;I always have this irresistible attraction to matchy matchy (and hypermatchy like #1 with the bird dress, bird belt, bird earrings, bird necklace and bird earrings) and animals/insects and cutesy jewelry and purses. And I suppose if I'm doing the matchy matchy with my daughter (3) then I must be twee by definition! I love to do cutesy and then throw in a dash of edgy once in a while (6, 10-11, 17). Or here's a quick twee shortcut--take whatever outfit you're wearing, and just add a Kate Spade novelty purse. Bam, instant twee! LOL! Or add some cute but slightly subversive cartoon characters, like Tokidoki (16), Paul Frank (12-14, 16-17), Emily the Strange (10-11) and Totoro (15). I do like twee with a dash of darkness (yes to the Wes Anderson reference!). Like Una's spoonful of sugar in her black coffee, I like my cup of sugar with a spoonful of black coffee--we must be yin and yang! I didn't realize twee could be a style aspiration! Killer twee, I love it. I think that could be my new style moniker! Thanks for the revelation! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727602 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 18:35:13 +0000 Anonymous 1727602@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It sounds twee-licious!&nbsp; Let's have a photo.&nbsp; I adore the butterfly print, I could get lost in it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727598 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 18:32:17 +0000 catgirl 1727598@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So I'm wearing a top with this butterfly print today, with my citron j crew crops, a black cardigan and Topshop sock booties. Twee-lite? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727592 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 18:19:13 +0000 Anonymous 1727592@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks, <b>Kaelyn</b>!&nbsp; I'm with you on the twee-in-small-doses stance.&nbsp; It works best on me in very small amounts, but others embrace it wholeheartedly and manage to pull it off brilliantly.&nbsp; That's fascinating to me!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727589 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 17:58:14 +0000 Kaelyn 1727589@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I just want to take a moment to appreciate the title of this post. It made me smile.</p> <p>And I LOVE twee in small doses. I have a friend who I could easily call the QUEEN of twee because she never gets tired of it. Too much for me, but perfect for her, and I like a touch of twee here and there. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727557 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 16:09:20 +0000 Angie 1727557@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>High five, Diana. Go Team Pretty.&nbsp;</p> <p>Twee is <b>not </b>negative in my book. It's a style that can be adorable, refreshing and endearing.&nbsp;</p> <p>Ginger, you have a HUGE twee gene. And you rock it. </p> <p>Suz, Viv and Rachy, you have a fun twee gene too.&nbsp;</p> <p>As Sharan and Diana suggest, pretty and twee are NOT interchangeable words. I bat for Team Pretty all the way. Always. Forever. Bury me in one of my lace dresses with pearls.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727542 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 15:07:05 +0000 Anonymous 1727542@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I agree, <b>Diana</b>, that the word twee has connotations of a lack of sophistication.&nbsp; Quirky, if you will.&nbsp; Not that there's anything wrong with that!&nbsp; In fact, "killer twee," as Angie describes goldenpig's style, is quite admired on here.&nbsp; Nobody can say she doesn't look sophisticated.&nbsp; So yes, semantics once again play tricks on us.</p> <p><b>Ginger</b>, I can see it being a challenge avoiding twee if you're dressing in a retro/vintage style, since "quaint" is one of the descriptor words of twee.&nbsp; It sounds like you've really given it some thought, and have refined your style to be pretty!</p> <p>Nothing like a cuppa twee to enliven the day's discussion!&nbsp; :)</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727537 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 14:49:36 +0000 Diana 1727537@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Coming back to add that for me the word "twee" has a certain connotation of sweet/innocent/juvenile that I really, really want to avoid. It's similar to what ginger talks about above. I'm all for pretty and even cute, but I hope I manage to display at least a little sophistication. </p> <p>But I think this is mostly a semantic issue. I think that your (Angie's) definition of "twee" does not really have the same undertones and is more of what I consider "pretty" (which I'm fine with being!) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee/page/2#post-1727529 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 14:07:58 +0000 Ginger 1727529@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>"Twee" is a word that I only have negative connotations for; it's a word I've only seen online, usually in a British context. I've thought about it like <b>Firecracker</b> has - too much of a good thing.&nbsp; Too young, too girly, too silly. Trying too hard.</p> <p>My style is my own. It shares with the retro girls, and the vintage girls, and the rockabilly girls, and even somewhat with the lolitas.&nbsp; But it's not any one of those, so it doesn't get the "free pass" of being a truly alternative dresser.</p> <p>I admit I'm afraid of being called "twee." Because of those negative connotations. I've always been a "pretty," colorful, full-skirted, defaulting-to-matchy dresser in a world that values jeans and black and gray.&nbsp; Maybe it says a lot about my self-confidence that a casual, unsmiling glance from a contemporary (or younger) woman makes me imagine all sorts of judgmental commentary of myself. But these moments are few and far between. I <b>do</b> get an awful lot of compliments. (I was even called "the fifties girl!" the second time I came to my new choir rehearsal, though I have no idea what I was wearing the first time that looked that way. )</p> <p>There are things I eschew for myself. Some are natural, or changing, preference, and some are through discovery of something that works better.&nbsp; I don't tend toward true head-to-foot pastels; I prefer more saturated colors. I've never cared for classic twee designs like polka dots or cherries or bows. (I do sometimes wear a bow in my hair, but it's inspired by Rose-Marie and not Minnie Mouse.)&nbsp; I don't dislike ruffles, but I'm very picky about the placement.&nbsp; Round-toe shoes are good if I'm doing early 1940s, but only as heels or wedges, not flats. I feel elegant in pointy toe flats, but dowdy in an early-1950s-teenager way in round toe flats.</p> <p>Twee and pretty are comparative. Some of the "twee" I've seen described here sounds not at all like twee to me! . Which makes me fearful - how over the top twee am I really? Am I fooling myself by trying to find what I thought was a "pretty" medium?</p> <p>I'd be in good company on YLF as a twee dresser, but I'm not sure I really qualify. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727480 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 12:42:48 +0000 celia 1727480@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I do sometimes twee. I like pretty and have certain items that might take some twee tendencies when paired with certain items.<br /> However I do not see myself as twee, too many grown up curves for that. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727456 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 12:01:02 +0000 viva 1727456@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>For me, the essential part of twee is "quaint." It's a slightly off-kilter pretty or retro pretty. That's why Wes Anderson is so associated with twee, and Alice in Wonderland, and Zooey Deschanel, and all those old fashioned barber shops that are the rage with hipster dudes and my husband. Haha! For me, twee is definitely not interchangeable with pretty.</p> <p>And when we wear something quite young, like my dress or Sally's headbands, it can veer in the twee direction. IMO, anyway. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727446 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 10:55:46 +0000 Summer 1727446@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love the title!</p> <p>&nbsp;I have to admit that the word "twee" has always had negative connotations for me, but since Angie is using it in a positive way to describe her style, I'll have to reconsider!</p> <p>As an older woman, I think I'll give the twee look a wide berth, but for those who can carry it off, enjoy!</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727433 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 10:15:03 +0000 Suz 1727433@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love the title of this post!! You definitely win the YLF award of the day, as <b>Una</b> said!</p> <p>I do a touch of twee. For sure. I like <b>Janet</b>'s association between twee and gamine. My gamine (and my twee) is less ruffly, little-girly, rounded, Peter Pan, and a bit sharper &nbsp;-- a pixie or sprite vs. a fairy? Still pretty, definitely not RATE, but sharp or crisp at the edges. If that makes sense.&nbsp;</p> <p>I also like some Romantic dandy. Love the pussy bow blouse, and soft silk button up shirts.&nbsp;</p> <p>Also love a bit of whimsy now and again, like a kitty print.&nbsp;</p> <p>What I have to guard against because it comes so easily, and can look so dull on a woman of my age, is dressing too "nicely" in a boring &nbsp;matchy-matchy way. (Note: I don't mean like <b>Goldenpig;</b> as Angie says, she does it and it is fierce!!) On me, it ends up looking really dull &nbsp;but I was taught to dress this way growing up and it is a difficult habit to break.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727407 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 07:33:41 +0000 rachylou 1727407@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Maybe I *should* have a flashback moment and do a Zooey I love twee a little too much is my prob. I run the danger of becoming scary Baby Jane, lol. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727376 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 03:34:23 +0000 catgirl 1727376@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have no objections at all to anything about "pretty" - although as we've discussed in other threads, it's not a personal style goal of mine - but I think it's one of those words, like "fine", "nice" or "good", that has come to have either a generic or an ambiguous connotation in modern parlance.&nbsp; All you pretty fans need to keep owning and rocking it to shift that paradigm back to where it should be.&nbsp; Take Back The Pretty! </p> <p>I covet the bag below, for instance...&nbsp; but not the Kate Spade bags with little bows.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727364 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 02:53:33 +0000 Anonymous 1727364@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, <b>Firecracker</b>, I tend to agree that "pretty" isn't the same as "twee."&nbsp; Two different styles, in my mind. </p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727341 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 01:54:46 +0000 crazyone 1727341@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I like a bit of twee, I prefer the word "whimsy" though. &nbsp;I don't think of Angie as twee or whimsical in the same way I think of Goldenpig or Zooey Deschanel as being. &nbsp;</p> <p>I'm glad that Angie values pretty--sometimes it has a negative connotation as the euphemism for "not beautiful enough". &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727339 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 01:48:49 +0000 Angie 1727339@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Firecracker, I saw your sweet comment in the blog post.<i> Thank you</i>. I think many think of twee as a negative style to emulate - half of my clients do - but I &nbsp;don't! That said, many clients fall into the camp of, "I like twee on others, but not on myself". I expect that to be the same on this forum.&nbsp;</p> <p>High five, Jen. (I have been doing that a lot these past few weeks. Great to have you back on the forum).&nbsp;</p> <p>Janet, you make an interesting correlation between gamine and twee. For my own style - that makes sense.&nbsp;</p> <p>Smittie, I expect to see some twee in your style right away.</p> <p>Diana, you definitely have a twee style gene. So do Tanya, Aida, Roxanna, Vicki and Mary. (There are others, but I am drawing a blank).&nbsp;</p> <p>Xtabay, I don't think of myself as a spokes model for twee - but I will &nbsp;stick up for the word pretty till my last breath. I am bored with people giving the word pretty a bad wrap, and thinking of it as a euphemism of sorts. You aren't weak when you look and feel pretty. That in itself is a dated stereotype.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727329 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 01:18:37 +0000 UmmLila (Lisa) 1727329@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Self aware twee is fine, but accidental twee could be another story. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727325 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 00:48:08 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 1727325@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This thread is really interesting, because I thought "twee" had a negative connotation. As in, the style equivalent of treacly. Angie's definition says "excessively or affectedly," which suggests to me that twee is by definition too much of what some of us obviously think of as a good thing. So twee is not a look I aspire to at all. "Pretty" is a look I'd like to achieve, but I don't want to look "cute," which I think doesn't really work with my features.<br />To confuse matters further, I don't mind it if someone says my outfit (or shoes, or whatever) is cute, as I don't really take it literally. I just take it as a general compliment. If someone said I look twee, though, I would probably not repeat that outfit. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727319 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 00:32:45 +0000 Anonymous 1727319@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I like RATE and I also love twee, pretty and whimsical. I nod yes to things both Una and Angie like.<br /> I have always been as apt to like studs as rainbows and glitter. I also feel a bit of what Diana said because no one ever thinks I am in my 40s, sometimes I question being too girly but ultimately, I am who I am and I wear what I like. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727312 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 00:21:55 +0000 Anonymous 1727312@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hmmm, that's an interesting comment you made Janet, about gamine and twee.</p> <p>I like twee a lot, and lI *think* I can pull it off. I don't need to look that serious at work, and I don't mind people thinking I look young (which doesn't happen that frequently anymore anyway!)<br /> I like scalloped hemlines and miniature florals on a light background. Round collars.<br /> Pink is good too. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727311 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 00:20:19 +0000 Carla 1727311@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>i wonder if it is the influence of Alice in Wonderland, Anime/Manga. Maybe a little cosplay infiltrating the real world? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/to-twee-or-not-to-twee#post-1727310 Thu, 15 Sep 2016 00:19:13 +0000 Style Fan 1727310@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am not twee.&nbsp; I don't feel like me.&nbsp; I prefer a different style.&nbsp; I do have some pretty clothes but I don't wear them.<br />I never wore anything close to twee when I was working.&nbsp; I was more RATE. </p>