YouLookFab Forum » Topic: WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:43:47 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php rachylou on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679380 Wed, 15 Jun 2016 15:52:49 +0000 rachylou 1679380@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh, I agree about the zippy colour! Janet on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679369 Wed, 15 Jun 2016 15:14:51 +0000 Janet 1679369@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love that dress and it looks gorgeous on you. I prefer the print you purchased -- very cool! Angie on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679363 Wed, 15 Jun 2016 15:07:39 +0000 Angie 1679363@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Got it. You also have the option of sewing the keyhole closed with a seam.  Vix on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679347 Wed, 15 Jun 2016 14:35:34 +0000 Vix 1679347@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Sorry not to get back to this yesterday but I see I missed some interesting discussion re prints! Eliza and RobinF -- thank you! One of my favorite dresses had a similar "tropical colors" feel and I missed it, so...happy to have this version! I can never quite decide if a straight dress on my relatively hip-impaired/straight figure is a do or don't for me but I tend to gravitate toward them anyway! Peri, Chris987, and Shevia -- glad you know what I mean about some combos just not feeling quite "you" even when objectively they work and appeal. And thank you! Retailgirl -- you kicked off some interesting comments re grey hair and prints; thanks for getting us all contemplating and thanks to Angie and Suz for chiming in again! I agree Firecracker is a master at picking her prints. For me it's more a case-by-case thing since so many other factors (color, color combos, print shapes, contrast) all bias me toward liking a print on someone. But I can see why the variegation might seem like too much print/pattern. I feel like I've had the opposite experience since letting the grey slooowly emerge -- in the past tonal prints in my deeper shades were favorites and the ones incorporating lighter tones were bought more for practical reasons (transitioning to warmer weather when I'd have more skin showing). But now I feel those are my best ones. I'm kind of hoping once the hair is less ombre this sensation will wear off! ps Angie, it's not about the strapless, it's about the blouson + keyhole combo. From photos taken when wearing the rental out and about I realized the damn keyhole shifts up-down-sideways with results that are hardly scandalous, but not really a 100%-for-all-situations level of coverage for me personally. Hence not sharing them on YLF. For a fancy event, fashion tape will probably work and for beach trips etc it's a non-issue. And that's all I'm gonna say about this zone in a public forum LOL. Jaime on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679196 Wed, 15 Jun 2016 02:35:22 +0000 Jaime 1679196@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ The new dress is gorgeous and right for you. Interesting we have similar coloring but, perhaps, different personal energy. Too early to over contemplate this though. Suz on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679162 Wed, 15 Jun 2016 01:25:42 +0000 Suz 1679162@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh my heavens does she ever!!! And shapes also mirror her waves. She's genius at that. Pure harmony. Angie on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679156 Wed, 15 Jun 2016 01:15:41 +0000 Angie 1679156@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Suz, that makes perfect sense. Firecracker Sharan wears patterns that pick up the colours of her glorious salt & pepper locks particularly well.  Suz on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679115 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 23:45:34 +0000 Suz 1679115@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Yes, Angie, I agree. I think that is why I am craving white/ silver in the patterns I am enjoying most now, and why I am liking myself more in black/ white patterns or silver/ white or charcoal/ white (etc.)  I don't mind some pattern mixing either. Or some variegated "texture" effects. But some feels too "busy" for me near my face. So that is the other issue -- pattern placement with variegated hair. I always had this issue to some degree because of lots of colours in my blonde, as well. I recall that a variegated spec felt far too "busy" with my hair and esp. in combo with a patterned top.  Angie on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679092 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 22:27:58 +0000 Angie 1679092@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Vix, why don't you wear the bra that you're wearing in #4 with the new dress. It's that easy!  Suz, Vix and Retailgirl, since I like pattern mixing, I like salt & pepper hair with patterns. It works especially well when the colours of the hair are reflected in the pattern. I see that happening in Vix's patterns here.  Suz on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679091 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 22:14:10 +0000 Suz 1679091@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ retailgirl, that is so interesting. I will have something to say on that when I finally post. I think in Vix's case, it is more silvery grey in front and dark in back so more a colour-block effect than print, perhaps? But I hear what you are saying and think to some degree it applies to me. Of course some will depend on a person's feelings re pattern mixing. Chris987 on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679074 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 21:26:51 +0000 Chris987 1679074@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Both dresses look really beautiful to me...but totally get what you mean by one being more your thing than the other. I sometimes feel that way about blues....some are perfect some are not.  It's great when you have some "rules" in your arsenal that you can fall back on repeatedly. retailgirl on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1679070 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 21:07:53 +0000 retailgirl 1679070@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thoughts on gray hair and prints: I think gray or salt and pepper hair reads as a print and looks busy with print clothing. Just my own personal observation, graphic prints or stripes are OK. But I love that last dress. Vix on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678928 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 14:26:49 +0000 Vix 1678928@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Good morning! I wasn't expecting so much activity last night -- usually it's just the Aus/NZ crew who are up! [waves to Caro and Kiwigal] JAileen -- Glad you like it too! The name of the new one is kaleidoscope, which appeals to me on several levels. I may wear it to the wedding, but that's in the fall and this feels pretty summery to me. I bought this more to replace my 16 y.o. silk maxi since they're a summer staple for me.  Suz -- I keep waiting for this post of yours. It makes sense you want to repeat the white/grey tones in your "new" hair and that you need to fiddle with contrast levels (so pastels are dicey in large quantities). To you and Vildy -- Yes, I probably wouldn't have committed to buying the floral but I really am a sucker for that style of print so renting was ideal. The background shade was a neutral lavender (so a bit too warm) but mostly it's still needing some deep/dark mixed into my prints I added photo #5 which has a *lot* of dark mixed with muted but you get the idea. Kiwigal, Firecracker, Caro, and Alaskagirl  -- Thank you! I'm feeling more zippy than ethereal these days so the new vs old print definitely appeals more! Caro, I can't quite picture you in prints [hint hint] but bet you look amazing in the ones from your palette done with the right contrast. [That's how I felt about color til I stepped away from the BRIGHT high saturation jewel tones people were always forcing on me.] Lyn and Angie -- Thank you both for chiming in; I see it's bandeau-over-bra love/hate here! Angie, for better/worse this is what it is. I was fit for new strapless this summer and choices are limited due to band/cup/personal characteristics. You'd just see glimpses of a plunge bra [ETC,ha!] without it. If it makes you feel better it's less noticeable at certain times and I'll skip the bandeau in more beachy settings.  I had my tailor sew the keyhole an inch smaller but couldn't close it completely shut due to lack of fabric unless I went 2 sizes up then altered (complicated, spendy) since the hips were the best fit in this one. I pass on a lot of styles I love due to bust/bra issues but didn't feel like missing out on this one!  RobinF on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678916 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 14:05:50 +0000 RobinF 1678916@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I love the style of these dresses and agree that the more vibrant print looks best on you. Eliza on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678915 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 14:03:07 +0000 Eliza 1678915@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Love that dress on you. The colors are beautiful on you and it showcases your shoulders well.Enjoy it.  Peri on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678914 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 14:03:04 +0000 Peri 1678914@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I usually get a feeling about things like this, but can't articulate why I like one thing and not another. I like the way you've explained this. And I really love the print in the last picture! Angie on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678906 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 13:48:48 +0000 Angie 1678906@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ The dress is killer beautiful on you, Vix. WOW. May I suggest another set of foundation garments. The teal bandeaux is taking away from the beauty of dress to my eye.  lyn67 on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678887 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 13:03:11 +0000 lyn67 1678887@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ 1-3 is indeed your  high energy print and  contrast level and looking just gorgeous! BUT l I do love nr 4, too!:-) It all depends on your mood, or the event. The floral print and lower contrast level in nr 4 feels a bit more soft and feminine, still very very elegant and would look fab  for the appropriate   event, too! Oh, and, thank you Vix for posting the "bandeau over a bra" trick for diminishing the va-va-voom effect of a bigger keyhole! It never occurred me to do that and avoided the keyholes on front like plague-now it seems, for nothing:-). Vildy on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678875 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 12:36:57 +0000 Vildy 1678875@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ To my eye, the one you bought has much more movement in the print. Reminds me of flowing water. I wonder if you'd like florals better if you discovered a print where the flower heads were wind tossed? catgirl on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678793 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 06:30:17 +0000 catgirl 1678793@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Love your print! I feel exactly the same about print colors which is why I posted about everyone's print styles last week. Often its the colors rather than the pattern that make the difference for me. The RTR is very batik in color to me. Caro in Oz on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678769 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 04:13:16 +0000 Caro in Oz 1678769@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Very interesting - I see what a difference the "high energy print" makes & I love the dress on you. For me it's the opposite, I never really liked many prints but since switching to the soft autumn tones I love them. I believe this is because I'm now choosing low contrast ones :) Firecracker (Sharan) on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678767 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 04:11:35 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 1678767@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ What a difference a print makes! Your new dress is gorgeous on you. Sal on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678757 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 03:45:20 +0000 Sal 1678757@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Great dress, I love the print! Suz on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678751 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 03:27:26 +0000 Suz 1678751@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ That's fabulous on you, Vix -- I really love the vibrancy of the new print! Great decision! I can see how the other print (while beautiful) might feel too washed out and faded, somehow -- too "watercolour" in a way? Fascinating comparison.  I have a post to write also about print and my new grey. I have a theory developing, but I haven't been able to test it because the camera is still in DD's hands. I want to compare before and afters wearing the same print with different hair. My hunch (from looking in mirror) is that I am not as happy in prints that are all colour no neutral; that I am more "at home" in brighter and deeper colours from my old palette and even less at home in the more pastel tones of that palette (which never looked as good on me as they theoretically "should" have in any case.)  Also, I look for/ want/ need white somewhere in the print now.  This might be different for you because you have a higher contrast colouring to start, and your hair includes dark and light now. Having said that, the print you chose includes white and vivid colour. And it looks beautiful on you. I hope you have some occasions to wear the new dress.  JAileen on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678745 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 03:02:33 +0000 JAileen 1678745@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I prefer the print you bought, over the rental print. I really like it. Are you going to wear it to the wedding that you were testing out dresses for? Vix on "WIW/Bought: This not that, or picking prints that click with personal energy" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wiwbought-this-not-that-or-picking-prints-that-click-with-personal-energy#post-1678743 Tue, 14 Jun 2016 02:50:40 +0000 Vix 1678743@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Hi YLFers -- I've been riding out the (recent, now swapped for rain) PNW 90-100 weather in stuff you've seen or stuff no one should see.  Some of you may recall my sharing one of my Rent the Runway numbers -- a floral maxi (photo 4). I absolutely love this type of print and the colors in it were pretty good for me. But when I wore it I felt a little too demure (despite the larger-than-realized keyhole opening, ha). Having seen the dress also came in a high-energy print in my favorite flattering colors, I did a price watch. And when it went on mega-sale for Memorial Day weekend, I bought. And made the keyhole smaller. ;) Funny how those overall contrast levels and/or color combos make such a difference -- this felt instantly right when I put it on. Don't know if anyone else has experienced similar? ps Tall YLFers may want to keep an eye out for the Parker brand: unfortunately I didn't realize my RTR one was several inches shorter so this one had to go off not just for keyhole reduction but also for 4 INCHES of chopping despite 2.5 inch heels (I'm 5'4).  Photos 1 - 3: Owned dress, including lace bandeau over strapless since I get irritated trying to keep sides and more from showing 4: Rented dress, now back with RTR [ETA] 5: Example of a recent favorite -- delicate floral print with a mix of muted and deep tones