https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 09 May 2026 18:00:11 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-81259 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:25:49 +0000 Mac 81259@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Actually, I do find inspiration in some celeb photos. Not so much red carpet, etc., but when I see photos of them out and about, doing errands etc., it often shows me how certain "looks" are being pulled off by real people (albeit, skinny real people with very large bank accounts). </p> <p>Movies/ TV don't inspire me at all. I might think that certain movies have incredible fashion (talented Mr. Ripley had me dreaming of beautiful clothes for months after I watched it) but it never seems to translate into how I actually dress myself. I think it's hilarious when fashion buyers fill a store with clothes that are inspired by a movie, sure that REAL women are going to want to copy that look, only to be shocked when they all end up on the sale rack. I'm thinking of Evita and Moulin Rouge as examples, when many retailers seemed to think we would all want to follow those costumes. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-81064 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:15:05 +0000 Mac 81064@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've lived many places but definitely the women of Manhattan were my style inspiration when I resided there. That was the most fashionable time of my life. I find that when I'm surrounded by women who make an effort to look good. my natural competitiveness kicks in and I want to look my best, too. All the tall, smart, hot men in suits in that city also inspired me to pull it together : )</p> <p>I lived in Paris, too, but I honestly didn't feel at all inspired by French women. Not to say that they're not stylish, because many are! But they are generally extremely brand conscious, which I found limiting, and also place high emphasis on certain looks like Gamine and Bohemian which don't work for/ appeal to me at all. </p> <p>I don't feel inspired by Fashion Magazines in the least. They seem to lean very heavily toward certain extreme looks like avant-garde and seeing something that looks great on a 17 year-old anorexic model doesn't help me imagine whether or not it's something that could suit me.</p> <p>Come to think of it, I don't really have a style inspiration these days, which could explain the sorry state of my wardrobe. As a newbie, I'm hoping that this site will provide me with the inspiration to get my fashion radar back in shape and get excited about style for the first time in years. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-73956 Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:24:59 +0000 rivoli 73956@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi everyone! Newbie here :)<br /> I know that this is an old thread, but I couldn't start posting without talking about my biggest style inspiration. </p> <p>My biggest inspiration is a woman I knew about 25 years ago when I was a young teen. Memories of her inspire me to this day. She had spent time in Paris and had adopted that stereotypical "French wardrobe" style and had incorporated it very skillfully into her own life. </p> <p>She was a capsule dresser for sure. I even remember her colors: black, navy, red, and gold. She had a multicolored dress with a cloth belt that she sometimes wore as a scarf; a couple of pairs of dark wool pants and a couple of dark skirts; some solid silk blouses, and heels (which she claimed were extremely comfy) in black and navy. Her nails and many of her accessories were scarlet red.</p> <p>It was obvious she didn't have a lot of clothing, but everything she wore was very high quality and I know for a fact that people admired her style and talked about it.</p> <p>I remember one time we were talking about shopping and I gasped when I heard how much she had spent on a very simple skirt. But then she explained the whole cost-per-wear thing to me. </p> <p>I wish I had listened more. Unfortunately, I grew up in a household where I was discouraged from buying anything that wasn't on the clearance rack. It's hard to shake that habit. So yeah, my closet looks like a clearance rack!</p> <p>In the past I've wasted money on random cheap stuff when I could have been saving it for better quality, better coordinated purchases. The good news is, this year I've gotten better at the shopping thing. I've become more patient and more discerning. </p> <p>The comments about Indian fashion reminded me about another of my inspirations. I met my best friend from college, who was an Indian international student, as a result of admiring her fashion. It was winter in the 1980's and I noticed she had a fabulous "signature" look of big bold sweaters over dark skinny jeans. I complimented her one day and we got to talking and we are still friends to this day! The funny thing is, I later learned that her "look" was kind of an accident. She was difficult to fit and had simply bought whatever she could fit into because she needed sweaters. The "big sweater" look is what resulted so that's what she wore. </p> <p>As for celebrity fashion, I love the edgier look but could never wear it myself. But I'm a big fan of bold looks such as Tilda Swinton. I loved Natalie Portman's purple look at the Oscars this year too. I think the elements I tend to admire are high contrast and bold colors. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-62723 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:17:43 +0000 Ruchi 62723@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My style inspiration is my sister.I love shopping with her.She has always been the best dressed person that I know.My mom would sew beautiful clothes for us but would never put that much effort into her attire.And lately,ylf has taken been the guiding force.I wish,I knew about this website earlier,when I was so lost after moving to US.I see a mention of Indians dressing badly.The style quotient in India is quite high.I am expected to wear embroidered chiffon/georgette sarees for even a run to the grocery store 'coz I might bump into relatives and friends.And they would judge my appearance and I am talking about a small town where my inlaws stay).I would like to share my experience.I moved to NH about 4 years ago due to hubby's job.I was to stay for a duration for 3 months and so packed a few jeans and trousers with tops/tees.How those 3 months changed into 4 years is another story.It was such a change from wearing formal wear and boy,was I happy...Since I was working in an MNC in India,my wardrobe consisted of office wear(dressy tops,shirts,trousers,well-fitted dark rinse trouser jeans) and silk sarees(which were appropriate for special occassions in the office).I have never worn a sweater while growing up in Mumbai and had to shop for sweaters here.I remember spending hours in stores looking for quality wool sweaters and cotton tops in my size.The good ones were beyond my budget.The most difficult part to find out my US size.So,I bought cheap acrylic sweaters and synthetic tops which didnt even last a season.I have realized that its better to have a small closet with quality pieces.<br /> I feel that most Indians(I am talking about parents visiting their kids here)wear sneakers for comfort.Most of them have worn a saree all through their life so its everyday wear for them and not fancy wear as perceived.I know that its not the best choice to wear sneakers with sarees.But since they go sightseeing,which involves a lot of walking,sneakers are better than leather footwear.I do agree that some Indians do dress up badly.I am also guilty of this,but my excuse was that no once cares here.I am glad that this has changed now. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58988 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 21:08:22 +0000 Maya 58988@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Shana, I've been to India many times. Didn't we discuss this once before with Sihaya? You both expressed some shock when I said I wore my regular clothes there, and that my entire family only wears saris/national garb on special occasions. Even my 90 year old grandmother has always preferred sundresses. </p> <p>Now for my position on Indian fashion within India:</p> <p>I mentioned that I prefer Indian women in Indian garb because they DO keep up with those trends, and it looks so glamorous and beautiful on them. They do not, however, keep up with western trends. Whenever I go there, it seems like all the western clothes they carry are caricatures of what people in the west really wear. They design clothes based on their skewed ideas of what "western" clothes are. That is why I never find anything when I go.</p> <p>This isn't universally true, but it frequently is. Elsewhere in Asia, from Hong Kong to Vietnam to Japan to mainland China, this isn't the case (in my experience), so I'm not sure why it is in India (at least in the cities). What I like about India: BOTH types of dress are acceptable. They have not abandoned their national dress and I certainly don't ever wish that to happen. I just wish the western fashions they were offered were more flattering and less cheap and tacky looking. It's nice to have both options because both types of dress seem to fulfill different purposes, and the standards of what is flattering and beautiful are so different.</p> <p>Now Indians in America:</p> <p>I think Asha summed up what I wanted to say: the Indian community I grew up near just doesn't seem to care. Even when they're dressed in Indian clothes, they were sloppy in a way that I didn't see in India. So many of the women were my mom's age (30's) and looked a solid 20 years older. </p> <p>Personally my favorite thing to do when I'm there is try to blend the styles. I love going to Benzer and looking at the indo-western clothes, but of course I cannot afford any of them! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58901 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:17:17 +0000 simba2737 58901@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My grandmother has always been my inspiration. She is always put together and classic. She reminds me of a movie star from the 40's. She is still beautiful and manages to look good in all she wears. I like how she she's always remained with the times and is great at choosing clothes that flatter her body. She has always managed to look more well-dressed than anyone in our family. I think this has a lot to do with her age and the above posts about suburban casualness. She is Canadian and has been living in central Jersey for quite a while, but I know from her pictures and her stories that people placed pride in dressing nicely, even while staying home for dinner. Even as a tomboy teenager, she would curl her hair and put on a cute dress after romping around the Canadian wilderness. </p> <p>As a current Boston resident, I've noticed how the city has inspired a style change in me. I came from New Hampshire prior to living here...NH at the time was all about low-waisted jeans, zip-up hoodies, studded belts, trucker hats, and "wife-beaters". Not much has changed since then. There is a more casual vibe there, so moving here I have taken inspiration from the women around me and learned to dress more 'grown-up'. I can see now that when I leave the city, I have a more city look.</p> <p>I do watch those celebrity news shoes on E at times. I like to watch how the celebrities dress, but I wouldn't say I ever copy their styles directly. I know that Hollywood and movies impact what many people wear..seasonal fashion and what is currently hot is primarily determined by designers and movie stylists, and filters down to what the public translates as wearable. I watched a great documentary On Demand on either Starz or HBO about fashion in movies..how Hepburn was really one of the first to bring about movies as a fashion influence to the public. And I love What Not To Wear. Stacy and Clinton are hilarious. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58699 Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:35:10 +0000 BlondeAmbition 58699@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm with you Brianna about avante-garde. I'm much more engaged by Tilda Swinton's style than by Jennifer Aniston's (always pretty but so what?) and Eva Longoria (puke) although Tilda swinton is always on the worst dressed list it seems. I would like to add funkiness into my ward robe but really feel that i need to master the basics first before I can venture. </p> <p>Oh phewy we're all influenced by hollywood, let's face it. Funnily enough I was watching the Ghost Whisperer last night which is a show I love to watch but I realized that the only real reason I like it is because of the main character's style. She has a bohemian yet classic and conservative style with virtually no accessories besides coats, purses, and her overly styled hair. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58552 Sat, 04 Apr 2009 01:00:51 +0000 Ariadne 58552@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I follow very few fashion blogs, but the ones I do follow inspire me immensely. One is a blogger I mentioned in an earlier thread about small closets; unfortunately, her blog is not public. I also love the blog for Totokaelo, <a href="http://www.totokaelo.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.totokaelo.com/</a>, and would be over the moon if I could afford those clothes! I also love Garance Dore and simplyolive.</p> <p>I love avant-garde, unusual, edgy clothing that some people would probably consider strange. I don't have much of it in my wardrobe yet, because it's usually quite pricey. Right now I'm focused on paring down, making room, and earning money via consignment. Eventually I'll start to slowly buy only a few pieces a year that I love. This process has been hugely influenced by sites like YLF and the ones I mentioned earlier.</p> <p>In real life, my inspirations are my friends (I'm a writer and my friends, who are also writers and creative professionals, are usually very creative with their clothes, especially two particular friends) and my sister, who is very classic/modern with a bit of trend but is very mindful of what she buys and doesn't over-accumulate stuff. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58532 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 23:24:11 +0000 Asha 58532@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Shana, I agree that style isn't only defined in Western terms, and there is a TON of amazing fashion in India. I didn't mean to imply that Indian women couldn't dress, only that the women I grew up around only seemed to prioritize it on special occasions. It wasn't merely a difficulty with Western dress ideals - the women I knew also would not fix their hair, take care of skin, etc except for special occasions. And all of the women I knew in India did prioritize all of these things on a regular basis.<br /> I suspect it had much more to do with coming to the US and becoming very hard working full time moms and full time employees than with being new to Western culture alone. When I grew up, nearly every Indian mom I knew worked very hard, sometimes 2 jobs, worked nights, AND still cooked every meal and helped their kids with homework. That was the main "inspiration" for me - that when I got to that point in my life, I'd still prioritize myself. With my mom in particular, she was very fashionable before kids, while in America. She dressed very stylish, by any country's standards - in her case, it wasn't being an Indian immigrant that caused her struggle with dressing dowdy. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58516 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:37:56 +0000 shana 58516@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well, I for one will admit that I am inspired by celebrities or other public figures (e.g. Michelle Obama). Yes, I know that they have an army of stylists, hairdressers and other people working on them but that doesn't make them any less inspiring. And frankly, these people are often the early adopters of many trends that trickle down to us regular folk (if not the trendsetters themselves) so it would be disingenuous of me to say that they don't influence me (especially in our media blitzed world). </p> <p>Other than Angie, of course, the women on this board have been really inspirational to me and have probably had more of a direct impact though. Being able to see how real, everyday women wear clothes shows me how to fit &#38; flatter by own body and how to translate some of these trends to my real life. </p> <p>Asha &#38; Maya, I would be careful judging Indian women by western standards. Like Violet, I am gen 1.5 so I have my foot planted in both cultures. My mom never wore a sweater until she came to America so of course she didn't know the difference between cashmere &#38; merino &#38; cotton &#38; arcrylic sweaters!! She had a hard enough time adapting to the weather and the language and the culture - I don't look down on her for not adapting to current American fashion trends on top of it all. But ask her about silk and she can rattle of the minute differences between Kanjeevaram from different manufacturers. Don't forget that you grew up in America which probably gave you 20 years more than your parents too absorb pop culture, fashion etc. They may not be up to par with their western dress, but many of these ladies are totally on top of fashion trends in India - using their trips back home to bring back the newest styles of salwars, saris etc.</p> <p>Maya, have you been to India (for some reason I did not get the impression that you had)? Anyway, there is a wide range of styles in India and you will definitely find many stylish women on the streets of bigger cities like Mumbai, Madras or New Delhi (not just the ones that the Sartorialist thinks are stylish). Oh, and don't even get me started on how fabulously people dress for parties and formal events. Believe me, you're not going to find an Indian woman wearing a sari with sneakers. I agree that things seem to go awry when they are trying to emulate western styles (and there is a huge pressure to do so with "globalization"). But style is not something that is defined only in western terms and there are many amazing &#38; creative Indian designers out there at the fashion cutting edge.</p> <p>Getting off my soapbox now... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58502 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:54:26 +0000 shiny 58502@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>If I could wear a beautiful sari OR a kimono - without looking totally all wrong in it, seeing as I'm so friggin' white, blonde, blue-eyed - I would in a minute!! Jealous. :-(</p> <p>Thanks JewelryGirl... I am tickled to be someone's style inspiration ... never thought that would happen in a million years. </p> <p>Asha - I agree with you 100%! I only wish I had had these revelations when my kids were younger. I was a total style mess, and did let myself go. But only for awhile. Today, I like to think of myself as an inspiration for my teen girls. And their friends, apparently: I've been told that I'm known as "most stylish mom" among their friends. I even get asked for opinions and advice on what to wear. Which is so cool. But I still fret about being that mom who dresses like a teenager - I knew a mom like that when I was a teen. So no graphic tees when I'm out and about with the kids. Those are reserved only for when they are with their dad. </p> <p>My own mother has an enormous closet. She was definetly an inspiration growing up. I remember as a young child, sitting on her bed, watching her get all gussied up to go out on the town with my dad, and smelling her perfume. She would try on a zillion outfits before settling on just the right one. Nowadays, she is much more casual, probably only wears about 2% of her closet, and sadly had to give up wearing heels and anything other than sturdy sneakers, because of foot problems. </p> <p>And one of my grandmother's was known to never, ever go out without pearls, a mink, perfume, blush and lipstick. This, in rural Kansas. Until she died at age 97. She would have had an apoplexy over how many young women dress these days!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58475 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:31:26 +0000 Violet 58475@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Maya and Asha - I can definitely relate to what you are saying about Indians and fashion! I am fron India, but I've lived in the States since I was 3 years old. I imagine it must be difficult for women to come to a new country and adjust to a different style of fashion.</p> <p>The majority of the people that I work with are contractors from India and the fashions for both men and women are pretty bad. Although sometimes I do see women wearing salwar kameez to work. I am going to India this summer, so I'm interested to see what the street fashion is like over there.</p> <p>Luckily, my mom has always been pretty stylish and still is. We've even shared clothes in the past. I love saris. I think they are so beautiful and graceful. I remember when I was younter, I would watch my mom getting dressed up for parties with her sari and Indian jewelry. There are rarely any occasions where I can wear saris, but I do enjoy wearing them every now and then. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58403 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:20:03 +0000 Laura 58403@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow, this is a really honest (and pretty depressing) take on the American suburbs. And motherhood, too. </p> <p>My husband's grandmother lived until 102, and died just a couple of years ago. Here's one piece of advice that she always said to my mother-in-law, and I intend to follow it: "Never let yourself go." </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58394 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:42:31 +0000 BlondeAmbition 58394@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Maya,<br /> I know exactly what you mean about relating to your Mother! Until I was 10 we lived in Greece. My Mother then was super super stylish like most european ladies (trends really do move along there for most people), and I look back on early pictures and videos of her and thing WOW!! But once we moved to mainstream America in the 80's my Mom's off the shoulder sweaters and tall boots didn't have a place among the other Moms of our neighborhood. So she started to blend in - sweat pants, sneakers, and those godawful sweatshirts with flowers or teddy bears on them.</p> <p>Eventually we grew accustomed to this sort of loungewear. When we'd go out to dinner or shopping we'd contimplate "what to wear" and my mom started saying things like "why dress up? Who's gonna see us anyway? It's not like we're looking for a groom or anything! There's no one to impress." Believe me, say that to yourself a few hundred times and it sticks. So I'm constantly having to battle that ingrained mentality.</p> <p>Kudos on celebs. I like seeing what Katie holmes is going to wear or Gwen Stefani's rocker look, or Gwen Paltrow's effortless simplicity, but it's unreasonable to try to look like these women and fashion magazines tend to be too avant-garde for me to relate to.</p> <p>Luckily my parents moved back to europe and now my Mom is super stylish again, more than I can ever hope to be probably. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58360 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:29:48 +0000 Maya 58360@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I can relate on two counts Asha:</p> <p>-Living in NYC. DEFINITELY made a huge difference for me. The other day I went out to run some errands in my slouchy boots and black trench and I just felt weird because I'm in the suburbs now, but that's how I used to go in the city and I wouldn't think twice about it.</p> <p>-Bad style among Indians! I find this to be true both within India and among Indian Americans. What Indians in India perceive to be "western" boggles my mind. The outfits are usually very forced, like they are trying too hard, and are often 15 years behind the times. I find Indian women SO much prettier in their own traditional garb, though I do not prefer it for myself.</p> <p>Luckily in more recent times things seem to be getting better and I even saw a few cute outfits posted on the Sartorialist, but it goes without saying that most people do not dress that way. </p> <p>And how about this: women wearing saris and sneakers! I just HATE that. It's a CRIME! I live in northern NJ and there are lots of large Indian communities all around and I always used to see this look growing up. It made me so embarrassed :p</p> <p>My family is not very traditional, so I did not grow up with these issues, and I suppose we're not "real" Indians anyway But I saw so much of it growing up, especially when my mom used to take me grocery shopping at Indian grocers. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58340 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:33:04 +0000 Asha 58340@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Maya, your post totally resonated with me, because that is what I thought of when I read this post - all of the people who inspired me NOT to look like them (as awful as that sounds)!<br /> Growing up in the Indian community, I always went to a lot of cultural functions, and I would see so many women who looked gorgeous and elegant in saris, but who dressed so dowdy and frumpy in their everyday clothing choices. Or even worse, some would wear these beautiful saris and cover them with cheap, pilly acrylic cardigans. I remember thinking before I was old enough to wear a sari myself that I'd never ever do that - that I'd translate the glamour and feel of wearing a sari on special occasions into my everyday clothes. I wouldn't just be stylish on special occasions. I wanted to feel glamorous, stylish, and true to myself every day.</p> <p>When I look at pictures of my mom over the years, she was stylish before kids, and over the years let herself go. Recently, in the past few years, with some prodding from me, she has done a 180 and looks amazing, dresses for her cute apple shape - stylish at 60+. Seeing how good she feels now, and thinking about how she could have felt that way all along - plus all the other moms I know and grew up with - I knew that I might have that natural tendency to let myself go after having kids. I've made it my personal mission not to - in fact, when I put effort into putting myself together every day, I realize something. I am a better mom because I am stylish. I've talked to other moms who think that sounds vain or foolish. Yet, it's true. I am more confident and happier - and I can communicate to my daughter (and my son), that although I love them and would do anything for them, I value myself as a person, and I am worth the time and energy I spend on myself. I take better care of others when I take better care of myself - and in my book, dressing your body in a flattering way, having your hair cut, wearing makeup if that's what works for you - that is part of taking care of yourself. I see style in a similar manner to eating healthy and exercising. If I had to choose between them, I'd definitely choose eating healthy and exercising first. But since I don't have to choose, style will always be a part of my self-care routine. And it will keep me a happier, more confident, and giving mom.<br /> Ok, off my soapbox. :)<br /> I am generally not inspired by celebrities, for reasons others have mentioned, but also because most celebrities don't dress as modestly as I would.<br /> I am definitely inspired by so many of you here at YLF (and so flattered that you would mention me Maya!). I love to get ideas from other fashion bloggers, but if I had to cut down to one fashion blog, it would definitely be this one.<br /> My other huge inspiration would have to be NYC. I was born and raised in NYC, and although I don't live there now, it will always be my hometown, and people watching in big cities is one of my favorite sources of fashion inspiration. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58336 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:26:41 +0000 JewelryGirl 58336@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What an interesting thread! Mine is a little like Maya's in a roundabout sort of way... </p> <p>Other than that, 2 dear friends of mine (both named Patty ironically). They are both stylish in their own way. They both hold high level corporate jobs but each dress differently. I would describe them both as smart casual or business casual most days. Patty1 as I'll call her is very polished. Everything looks good on her &#38; she's more on the business/business casual side for work. I get a lot of color combo ideas from her. Patty2 is more eclectic. She's about 10 yr's older than me maybe &#38; is a cross between a good friend and a mom figure that I don't have anymore. She's not afraid to try anything &#38; can really layer on the colors &#38; the looks (jewelry included). For example, she was wearing many graphic t combinations &#38; had me into those before we started discussing on the forum. They are both a ton of fun also &#38; love to shop so I'm sure that helps! :)</p> <p>On the forum....I hope you ladies don't mind but Shiny &#38; Kari - I love seeing your weekly posts. I think they were both one of the first things I noticed when I found this site. Although I'm probably a bit more on the casual side than either of you are, I'm incorporating new ideas &#38; trying to dress things up just a notch as I learn from you. </p> <p>Angie, I so love that you do the pics on the blog now also. For visual people like me that's extremely helpful! </p> <p>Antje, I watch the other style bloggers as well. I just discovered some of this so I don't have a lot of the sites. Academichic, &#38; Sartorialist are 2 I check regularly though. I'd love to know the sites of the others you mentioned. I think the exposure to multiple sources is extremely helpful as well. </p> <p>What Not to Wear, Oh my gosh - I used to be addicted to that show because that was one of the only outlets I had. I don't watch it so much anymore because a lot of it seem repetitive or is re-runs. I like it; however, I don't get as detailed &#38; instant/personal feedback as I do on here. </p> <p>My daughter, she's just about to turn 16 &#38; extremely casual. But once in awhile she will really surprise me with something. I get the biggest kick out of watching her as she's not afraid to be her own person &#38; has her own sense of style. It was a little rough for awhile, I still remember when she wore her leopard pants (she cut off herself into capri's) with a purple shirt &#38; rainbow toe socks. Oh my, I'm glad those days are gone! :)</p> <p>I also get a lot of inspiration from simple little one-off threads like this that catch my eye. I absolutely love the fact that you can get a multitude of different views in an instant. Each one helps give you a glimpse into how others in the world see you. </p> <p>I'm a people watcher as well, I love to do that! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58292 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:57:23 +0000 Antje 58292@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>OMG, Shiny, I'm blushing all over I am so flattered and stunned! Thank you so much for the wave and calling me out as an inspiration for you. This is amazing considering you are such a sharp dresser yourself!!!!!</p> <p>I love that regulars on the forum inspire each other. I do sometimes put on an effort thinking that I look forward to posting it on YLF because of a topic/style/item that was recently discussed and thus contributing to our shared style evolution on YLF. I get tons of ideas and inspiration from all of the YLF members, including those whose style is very different from mine. E.g., Jean/Greenglove's style is more urban than mine but I love picking up ideas for things like what types of boots to combine with what types of dresses. Ana's style is more feminine than mine but I get great ideas for playful accessories from her pictures. Shell inspires me in terms of color combinations. Kyle is one of the bravest in terms of combining items to stunning effects that I would have never put together in my mind and thus nudging me to experiment more. Tanya is a wonderful blouse layerer, Maya finds unique pieces, Shiny is the cardi queen, Sarah (sarbear) inspires me to wear more dresses, Patience inspires me to look harder for great shoes... And Bella's photos are always a particular inspiration for me because she looks smart and stylish in a way that I aim for myself, so I get great new ideas from looking at her outfits. And of course I forgot tons of other regular posters who inspire me, sorry if I missed you!! I love looking at YLF photos and getting inspired! You all have no idea how many things I picked up from each and every one of you over the months.</p> <p>My other major sources of inspiration:<br /> - Angie herself- of course. She's had a DRAMATIC impact on my personal style by educating me, increasing my confidence about fashion and style, and by modeling such fabulous style herself every day. I've stolen many ideas/looks from her, known and unbeknown to her...<br /> - Other fashion and style bloggers, e.g. Kasmira from WhatIWore2day, and -newly- Academichic, Sartorialist, Fashionista, etc.<br /> - Women on the street. A little bit here in Seattle (though it's not too fashionable of a city), but especially when I'm in Europe or traveling in other US cities like San Francisco, Chicago etc., which I got to do a lot through work in the last couple years. I am ALWAYS watching other women in the streets, in airports, in restaurants, at events, in malls, etc. looking at their outfits and picking up ideas. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58258 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:27:00 +0000 Violet 58258@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have gotten a ton of inspiration from Angie's blog posts and the pictures that people post here of their outfits. I find personal style blogs to be the most inspirational.</p> <p>Celebrity fashion is too out there for me sometimes. I rarely read fashion magazines any more. Even those seem out of touch with reality sometimes. I really enjoy seeing real fashions on real people.</p> <p>So overall, I would say YLF as a whole has been my biggest inspiration. A lot of new items I have added to my wardrobe have been as a direct result of the suggestions I've gotten from here.</p> <p>For example, I never would have thought to wear skinny jeans, but now they are a wardobe staple. I wore them at least once a week in the winter, tucked into boots to stay warm. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58251 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:43:55 +0000 Maya 58251@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh I forgot about Bella and also Shell. I sense that Asha is going to be a huge inspiration for me as well. I already felt invigorated after seeing her first set of pictures! What would I do without YLF!</p> <p>Hanna, I actually just cut my hair again and went even shorter. It's now more of a graduated bob. The shortest layer hits a bit above the top of my ear. A few months ago I would have flinched at the thought of going so short, but here I am and it's probably the best cut I ever got. I can see why you would be scared of doing it though--there is nothing wrong with your long hair (there was with mine), and yours is much longer than mine was. I don't think I would have been able to do it if mine was as long as yours. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58249 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:31:33 +0000 hanna 58249@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>(sal being sal at alreadypretty.com. not just some random sal...) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58246 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:25:54 +0000 hanna 58246@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>okay, now i have time to get to this thread properly. thank you for the little shoutout maya! i got the warm fuzzies reading that line...</p> <p>okay, my list:</p> <p>- my sisters. not so much when i was growing up, because they're 11 years and 8 years older than me respectively, so when they were in their trend-crazy teens, i was still watching sesame street! but as i get older i find that while our styles aren't always similar, they can always be counted on to give me an honest opinion, no sugarcoating. and i LOVE shopping with them.</p> <p>- i'm with maya on the idolizing celebrities thing, because it's so often unrealistic, but i do like rachel bilson's style and find that it's easier to try and emulate with cheap pieces than a lot of other celebs.</p> <p>- on the forum, i take my style cues from antje, shiny, tanya, bella and ana. i covet maya's sassy new haircut but i'm too afraid to do it myself! </p> <p>- in the blogosphere, i try to take lessons in sass and fearlessness from kasmira at whatiwore2day, everyday elegance from the academichic ladies and jess from whatiwore, and sal's sense of humor and grace. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58234 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:08:43 +0000 Maya 58234@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is going to sound terrible, but I think for much of my life, the people around me have been "enablers" when it comes to bad fashion.</p> <p>-My dear mother. Love her to bits but she dresses terribly, and doesn't really care much what she's wearing anymore. It's part confidence, part apathy. Unfortunately as I get older and I have more and more of the same fit issues as her, I can understand her feelings. Like her, I have come to hate shopping, and also like her, I especially hate shopping for tops.</p> <p>-My best friend. I'm aching to give her a makeover. She is a year younger than me but dresses like a middle aged woman, or sometimes like a hippie. She has this one pair of tiedye pants that I want to tear to shreds, and her shoe collection is the saddest i have ever seen. Yet I always feel like she is judging me so I usually find shopping excursions with her to be rather tense.</p> <p>-My roommate in college. She lived in pajama pants. When I lived with her, I was also a bit of a slob. </p> <p>-When I went back to school, the style quotient definitely increased, possibly because everyone was older (average age was 26). But there were still some outliers. One of my good friends wears lounge pants tucked into Uggs and always has a hat on because she wouldn't bother with her hair, which I concede is very difficult and unruly. But she is 30 years old and really should step it up.</p> <p>If anything, I became more interested in style and fashion because I realized that I DIDN'T want to look like any of these people. So I guess they are inspiration in a roundabout sort of way--they inspired me to look better than they do! I told you it would sound terrible, but that's the truth. </p> <p>I don't bother with celebrities for inspiration. How are you supposed to take any style cues from them? They're much skinnier and richer than I'll ever be, and can also tolerate much more painful shoes!</p> <p>Here on the forum, I can definitely agree about Antje. Also Tanya, Shiny, Hanna, and Ana (who I miss very much). I can't usually copy what they're wearing, but they inspire me to at least keep trying, and not give up! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58226 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:19:08 +0000 BlondeAmbition 58226@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh thanks! Sorry, it takes me a while to figure out tech stuff. You're right shiny, Antje has great style I'm glad I got a chance to look at her pics. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58195 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:28:28 +0000 hanna 58195@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>blondeambition, antje usually password protects the photo album and gives us the password right below the link. in the latest thread she posted, the password is 'youlookfab.' hope that helps! antje is definitely inspiring </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-58194 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:22:01 +0000 BlondeAmbition 58194@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I tried looking at Antje's posts but I can never seem to open her photo links. Photobucket always asks for a login so I don't go past that point. Am I doing something wrong or not everyone privy to opening links posted? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-57688 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:53:51 +0000 shiny 57688@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>You mean other than Angie? ;-)</p> <p>I would say my girlfriend Jane. She's always so put together. She is 10 years younger than me and I watched her slowly build a wardrobe over the years when she first entered the workforce. She has a very small but workable wardrobe. I admire her taste and how she thinks through each purchase to ensure what she buys works with everything else. I also admire how she flaunts her height - she is very tall - which makes me stand straighter myself. It was also through shopping with her that I started to figure out the importance of dressing for body type, as she and I are exact opposites. What looks good on her does not on me, and vice versa. </p> <p>However, even if I copied Jane's wardrobe down to every last piece (assuming I found items that adapted for my figure), it wouldn't be MY style. It would be Jane's. I would probably have an amazing wardrobe, but I wouldn't feel myself in my clothes. </p> <p>So, more and more, I'd have to say Antje is quickly becoming my number 1 inspiration!! (Waving to Antje). </p> <p>I adore Antje's creative style and often borrow ideas from her for myself. The goal isn't to be a carbon copy of Antje, but she inspires me to experiment and shows how I can get that funky, fun edge while still looking polished, professional and age-appropriate too. </p> <p>I have watched Antje take pieces that I would've/had passed up for being too ho-hum conservative, and turn them into something amazing. I love that. It is such a talent! Especially since I am mostly relegated to petite shops, which can veer into the ho-hum boring zone quickly. Watching Antje has encouraged me to take more and more risks, to play, to have fun. Sometimes those risks don't pay off, but when they do, I feel more like "THIS is getting closer to my style." Does that make sense? </p> <p>It was kinda revealing to me when we responded to Angie's post about personal style, and Antje listed many of the same adjectives I'd have listed for my own self. With some differences and nuances. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/whos-your-style-inspiration#post-57681 Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:16:04 +0000 BlondeAmbition 57681@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We all get inspired by the people in our lives, strangers walking down the street, the music we listen to, the movie star's glamorous lives. But is there one particular real life person that seems to have their fashion act together, and can pull things off you might not ever think of on your own?</p> <p>The one person that has always motivated me to think about style is my aunt. She's in her 50's but she dresses very hip and edgy. She's the type of person who can pull off a watch, a bangle, and 2 tennis bracelets on one arm. The type of woman that can wear jeans and a t-shirt and still look more put together than me wearing my best dress.</p> <p>Here's an example of her mind-boggling sense of style. We went shoe shopping together and I bought sensible black sandals. She bought a pair of neon green flip flops and the thongs were made with rainbow colored fuzzy wild threads and had little jeweled mirrors on it. They sound horrible I know, but they were quite pricy and well made, but the kind of shoe that looks extremely avant-garde in a "who would ever wear this?" sort of way. I was dying to see how she was going to "wear" this shoe so I watched her incorporate it in her look that evening. She paired it with a cream linen dress with spaghetti straps (right below the knee, simple shift dress), big hoop earings, her usual number of bracelts, and a woven basket-like handbag. On our way out the door she pulled out a scarf that had a rainbow color motif and stuck it in her handbag just so that it could barely be seen from the opening of her bag. And out she went, fully accessorized with fuzzy neon green flip flops looking amazingly put together. I think about my aunt every day when I get dressed... is this something she would wear or approve of? </p> <p>Who's your style inspiration? </p>