https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:52:18 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1288446 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 17:53:44 +0000 rachylou 1288446@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hearing how all your thought processes go is really helpful (yep, Shiny! :)) They're new paths for my mind to go down and new things for the ol' eyes to see. </p> <p>Actually you know, come to think of it, that's another very helpful thing about YLF - it's a community to belong to and thus a source of identity. A lot of things in this world are completely invisible to a person because the person doesn't identify with them in any way, shape or form.</p> <p>Oh but to answer Shiny's question: <i>Why do you need to be stylistically consistent?</i> ... I personally feel a need for style consistency to a) give people a better understanding of what I'm like and b) have the right clothes on hand. My life is definitely focused on select things and activities. In the past, I've had what you might call too much fun with fashion. Lots of outfits that had nothing to do with anything.</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1288282 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 14:30:21 +0000 Transcona Shannon 1288282@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>First of all, wow - thanks for the outfit shout out Rachy - very sweet :)</p> <p>Yeah, lots of black can be harsh and intense, but I'm fortunate that black is a good color on me.</p> <p>I'm a bit of a "gut reaction" kind of gal when it comes to shopping and dressing. Yes, I tend to stick with silhouettes that work for me (hence my new found obsession with Eileen Fisher) but I'm also very open to trying just about anything on and if something shouts out at me, I'm gonna listen. There's no commitment in trying, right? Thanks to Angie's encouragement, I've no longer say never when something new comes along - now I say "maybe, if I can make it work my way". </p> <p>For example, the sneakers with dress trend. I'm going to wear white athletic sneakers with a dress - that's not me. But today I'm wearing Vans with a dress and I feel great in it. I will see an outfit and then take that inspiration and head to my closet.</p> <p>Just have fun </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1288269 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 14:07:52 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 1288269@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Really interesting discussion. I feel I could get more inspiration from photos. When I actually create an outfit that is inspired by someone else's outfit, I am usually starting with an item I have that is similar. (So it's good to hear Anna say that's what she does--I think of her as so creative!) Often I end up wondering if I haven't just totally missed out on whatever made the original outfit noteworthy in the first place--some combination of elements, proportions, a current look, etc. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1288258 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:50:31 +0000 shiny 1288258@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Why do you need to be stylistically consistent?</p> <p>I come here and browse the WiW's whenever I'm needing inspiration (I prefer looking here than at fashion media, because here is *real* women wearing real clothes). But yes, it usually starts with what I already have in my closet.&nbsp;I may copy cat or more often than not, just borrow a single gem of an idea.&nbsp;</p> <p>When I looked at Anna's inspiration photo, what jumped out at me was "denim short shorts with black booties" - I didn't notice anything else. I don't have denim short shorts in my closet so it's not a look I'd personally try, for that reason alone. However I did have a knee-jerk reaction -- "I can't wear&nbsp;black booties and bare legs" -- but then I found myself questioning that, why does it work here, and I came to the conclusion it's because it's a LOT of leg. So maybe I could also wear black booties with bare legs -- if with a dress or skirt that is shorter/above knee.&nbsp;</p> <p>Then I started thinking about the top half of the outfit, and how it is quite preppy. Even conservative. So what works with that outfit is the unexpected juxtaposition of preppy on top, with denim short shorts. But maybe the same outfit combo would work with shredded faded boyfriend jeans.&nbsp;</p> <p>Then I look at Anna's interpretation and the red piping with the red handbag is such a cool detail ... and a brilliant gem of an idea... which gets me thinking about my closet and if I have anything like that I could do the same. Not as head-to-toe copy cat outfit ---&nbsp;just that one brilliant detail.&nbsp;</p> <p>That's my thought process, if it helps. I'll just add that anytime I find myself rejecting something -- having a knee jerk negative reaction -- I often surprise myself down the road and embrace whatever it is. So it can be helpful to follow not just the styles that make you happy, but the styles that give you a knee-jerk "no." It's one thing to reject a style because you've got very good &amp; thoughtful&nbsp;reason. But often the knee-jerk "no" is emotional, and may map back to fears or self-defeating thoughts. Embracing the no and playing with it awhile is... well... it can be like therapy. Self-discovery.&nbsp;Liberating. Ultimately you may still say no.... but maybe you'll surprise yourself...&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1288180 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 11:59:03 +0000 Mona 1288180@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I often wonder about that too, rachy. Good to know that I am not alone in this. I think creative people can draw inspiration a lot easier than others. I don't feel great when I copy someone's outfit as it does not feel like me. I have to put my own spin on the outfit to be happy in it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1288143 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 10:43:46 +0000 Anonymous 1288143@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Some great insights here. Anna is right about thinking 'do I have the bare bones of this outfit?', but I guess even just one of the items already in your wardrobe could spark off an idea. You know, I've been thinking too, that I must get ideas subliminally from looking at so many fab outfits on here. I bet you do too, without realising it. It could surface a couple of months after seeing an outfit and then you could&nbsp;think 'ah, yes, it's a bit like what's-her-name's outfit'. The mind works in mysterious ways. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1288093 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 06:20:19 +0000 Adelfa 1288093@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Um, the way I open my mind is to read Angie's posts....</p> <p>I have a long history of saying, I could never wear x, y, and z, and also of saying, I *would* never wear a, b, and c.</p> <p>I think I'm learning to say "never say never" while also staying true, however temporarily, to my current preferences.</p> <p>Small example. When I moved to LA (someday I'll stop saying that) I noticed that nobody but me wore dress slacks with silk shirts to work. But I decided not to change anything too quickly. While saying, "Well if there were a client emergency it just wouldn't be right to handle it in jeans" which is what a lot of coworkers were wearing. I kept saying that, kept wearing my same clothes, while wondering what it would look like for me to fit in a little better.</p> <p>Then I realized that smart casual (as opposed to business casual) can convey authority and trustworthiness if it's *very* smart and if you're in a super casual environment. So I gradually started wearing more casual items to work but kind of up-styling them to the max. Great shoes, jewelry, and hair. Super tied-together looks but with casual fabrications and styles. Or doing the high-low, mixing jeans with a suit jacket and great shoes. You know what I mean. It was fun, but I wasn't doing it for fun. I was doing it to speak the language of my new people!</p> <p>Anyway I know what you mean, that feeling of not being flexible enough to encounter great style aha! moments. I have it every day and I am working on it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1288064 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 04:44:12 +0000 Ledonna N. 1288064@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>sometime actually have to go back and revisit the outfit. I know sometimes my perceptions and I love and inspiration from different people in the visual inspiration is even better I have poison eyes to some things and I tried to really take what elements of the Style Iove the things that I wear. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1288008 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 02:58:05 +0000 MsLuna 1288008@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I was going to write a similar post - at least in the same spirit :)</p> <p>I haven't read all responses, but Angie NAILED it about openness. When I embarked on my wardrobe minimalism project, I was so adamant about being an exclusively frock girl. I even mentioned in previous WIW's that the pants outfits are blah! Later on, I tried some of Angie's formulas (surrendering the waist - OMGGGG!!!) and got inspired by other Fabbers, particularly Deborah, Shannon and Aida (I got a semi-tuck/button down flares outfit coming soon, girl ;)). I started making time to go "shopping" just to try these looks out and after a few tries, I made them work for my style!</p> <p>Midi skirts were a HUGE poison eye for me but after observing the midi masters here, I managed to find a way to make the style work. Now I own a VC midi </p> <p>Anyway - as far as vision and aesthetic goes, I tend to appreciate different styles on others, but I won't often like some styles on me. Thus is the beauty of fashion: you can look at all these pretty clothes on people and just enjoy them </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287998 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 02:43:40 +0000 Gigi 1287998@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting post, Rachy! I am like this too. I like Anna's approach: does the foundation for this type of outfit exist in my closet?</p> <p>I have a medium-sized closet (I would say I'm on the small side of medium), and that has to span four seasons. I sometimes wonder whether a person needs a pretty good-sized wardrobe to be able to carry off some of these copycats. So often I have wanted to copycat something, but I can see that what really gives the original outfit "zing" (a flared midi skirt, for example) is not in my closet, and there is nothing comparable to replace it with. So I feel defeated before I even get going! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287983 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 02:22:28 +0000 Deborah 1287983@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Brilliant conversation Rachy.&nbsp; I agree with Angie:)</p> <p>YLF has been amazing me for me in terms of really opening my mind to differnt fashion ideas and styles.&nbsp; I have always been very black and white about fashion. I would make snap decisions about whether something worked on not with little consideration for whether it suited the person, what they were wanting to achieve etc.&nbsp; Now I see everything through very different eyes and I no longer filter everything through "would I wear it"! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287969 Thu, 26 Jun 2014 02:08:52 +0000 Jaime 1287969@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Pretend I said what Suz and Angie said :-)! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287744 Wed, 25 Jun 2014 21:51:09 +0000 rachylou 1287744@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Me too, Diane! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287660 Wed, 25 Jun 2014 19:55:22 +0000 Anonymous 1287660@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hmm, I'm glad you started this thread as I struggle a little&nbsp;too. I seem to want to be too literal. Great tips here. I will be popping back... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287645 Wed, 25 Jun 2014 19:40:31 +0000 rachylou 1287645@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, that's a good strategy, way of looking at ensembles, Anna. Eliminates the distractions factor right from the start. I admit to starting with style - my style/not my style. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287640 Wed, 25 Jun 2014 19:34:40 +0000 annagybe 1287640@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Awww, thanks for the shout out.<br />For me, I seek out outfits that I at least have the bare bones essence of in my closet. And then go from there. I rarely do exact copy cats. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287637 Wed, 25 Jun 2014 19:24:59 +0000 rachylou 1287637@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks&nbsp; Angie, Mo, Suz for your quick replies! Man, the alligator mind bites so fast, you can't see it. Y'all have me thinking now about how to slow down, how to get away from exact-copy attitude. Maybe everytime I say "bleh" to something, I can take it as a sign. Maybe I can try to copycat it with a quirky-waif-the-country-punk-remix flavour. For the exercise. Maybe I'd develop a better sense of outfit "bone structure" and not be misled by friperous parts. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287610 Wed, 25 Jun 2014 19:00:36 +0000 Angie 1287610@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Rachy, here's my tip - and thanks for posting your honest and interesting&nbsp;musings:</p> <p>It is<b> so </b>important to keep an open mind in fashion and style. Don't write things off too soon - ever. Try&nbsp;to keep your poison eye to an absolute minimum. Something might not work for your style&nbsp;as it is represented on the wearer&nbsp;- but it woks beautifully on them - AND it will probably spark off an idea for your own style. (Perfect - that makes the look YOURS).&nbsp;Or you can help someone else on this forum with what you saw on the original wearer. It's all a win-win thing if you choose to look at it that way.&nbsp;</p> <p>(Furthermore, Shannon's outfit was broken with white - so to my eye - it was not black from head to toe).&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Slowing down your decision making process is an excellent idea. xo </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287603 Wed, 25 Jun 2014 18:54:58 +0000 Suz 1287603@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, I just copy you guys. &nbsp;:)&nbsp;</p> <p>Also -- contraints.&nbsp;</p> <p>It's a paradox. We think complete freedom will lead to greater creativity. But it often works the opposite way. So...not having the exact piece to match the blogger's outfit leads you to precisely the twist the <b>MAKES</b> the look -- or makes it your own.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287586 Wed, 25 Jun 2014 18:46:04 +0000 Mo 1287586@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, man, I don't know. &nbsp;I think I have to narrow my vision honestly lol. &nbsp;I do have trouble sometimes getting my closet to say what my mood wants. &nbsp;But I'm not sure how to get around that. &nbsp;When it comes to dressing for the day, I think I'm too utilitarian. &nbsp;Not often lately do I wear whatever the heck I want just for the fun of it. &nbsp;Nor do I do copycats hardly ever, so there's that. &nbsp;I am quick to write off some stuff for myself as you mentioned, though. &nbsp;Maybe too quick? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/todays-musing-attitude-and-effects-on-personal-style#post-1287575 Wed, 25 Jun 2014 18:35:01 +0000 rachylou 1287575@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So first thing up, prompting my musing for today, is <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiw-625-nordstrom-blog-inspired" rel="nofollow">Annagybe's WIW</a> today and <a href="http://blogs.nordstrom.com/fashion/street-report-crystals-back-in-nyc/" rel="nofollow">the inspiration</a> for it. Second thing up is <a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiw-ankle-pant-pseudo-suit?replies=18#post-1287554" rel="nofollow">Shannon's pseudo suit.</a> I think both outfits are the bees knees (yes, the bees knees!).</p> <p>...And I think I would personally have missed out on both ideas, without their good example, because of bad attitude. Annagybe's outfit inspiration pic - I confess there's nothing about it that stands out to me. The crest on the tee also kinda rubs me the wrong way. But look how Anna has done it. She's got the red piping on her blazer, shinier aviators, and a good lip colour. Her take has zing! Now why couldn't I have seen the good foundations in the inspiration pic? I'm probably too literal. I mean, who cares about the crest? It's not <i>de rigeur</i>.</p> <p>Shannon's psuedo suit reveals more bad attitude on my part. I'd have been *oh, all-black* is too intense. That's got to be pure nonsense on my part, no? Esp. considering I'm working in the City. What is a city if not PIB country?</p> <p>I don't know. I need to be, IMO, stylistically consistent but not so rigid at the same time... I need to slow down my decision making processes. Which realisation is funny - because I knew I had this problem when it comes to combing the shop racks. Now I realise I also have it putting together outfits!</p> <p>What do you guys do to expand your vision? Tips?</p>