https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016 Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sun, 26 Apr 2026 02:11:24 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1772624 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 21:23:00 +0000 Jane 1772624@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great thread.&nbsp;</p> <p>I learnt to keep a spreadsheet of purchases. Although the total sum spent is slightly of concern, I feel better for having recorded and therefore owning the amounts spent. I also feel better for having analysed the purchases a little, and recording my thoughts.&nbsp;</p> <p>I also learnt to be more comfortable with my body. Thank you YLF for letting me share my concerns, understanding and being kindly supportive.&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1772565 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 16:44:21 +0000 approprio 1772565@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The biggest advance has been in how I think about wardrobe content.</p> <p>At the start of the year I began applying a few different "rules" to how I get dressed. I began thinking more in terms of specific forms, colour combinations and silhouettes when putting things together. This helped enormously with integrating wardrobe updates, and made getting dressed a whole lot easier. </p> <p>More recently, I did a detailed analysis of the contents of my closet (see me Style Lab posts)&nbsp;which brought a more concrete awareness of what I'm trying to achieve and how to go about it.&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1772462 Sun, 29 Jan 2017 02:41:13 +0000 Caro in Oz 1772462@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I can relate to so many of these My biggie was to start thinking in complete outfits. There is no point in having the top if I don't have the bottom &amp; no point in having both if I don't have the shoes, jacket etc. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1772283 Sat, 28 Jan 2017 02:13:43 +0000 Barbara Diane 1772283@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>DonnaF</b>, thanks for your advise. I think hope springs eternal but I need to face facts. I may keep C as &nbsp;I really like it. I should try it on again as I do have events coming up. D and E really should go back. I am just so embarrassed as I have returned so much I purchased during NAS, and I feel guilty that a) I kept someone else from purchasing it and b) I kept Nordstrom from selling it. I may send my husband as he doesn't mind and he is happy to see the money come back.</p> <p>The woman at the pick up/returns counter now knows both of us by sight. Ugh!</p> <p>I also realized that a scarf I purchased but haven't worn is itchy. I must have tried it on over a coat, but that's not how I'll wear it. I went to wear it and couldn't stand it. So it needs to go back also.</p> <p>I am beginning to see a lot of purchasing patterns that don't work. I think I'll be wearing what I own until they all wear out.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770808 Sun, 22 Jan 2017 06:38:31 +0000 Sal 1770808@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My lesson is to be more picky on the fit and quality - to not get carried away because you like the pattern or colour. &nbsp;My mistakes were either ill fitting (too short, too tight in the shoulders, too loose in the waist) or poor quality (fabric snags quickly, or is too transparent).</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770647 Sat, 21 Jan 2017 17:48:12 +0000 Irina 1770647@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Lesson 1. Do not think you must buy clothes when traveling abroad. Sure, the exchange rate is tempting but there is no way to return items and never enough time to think. My success rate with such purchases is less than 50%.<br /> Lesson 2. Take pictures of the outfits beforehand. The combination might work in your head and not in real life. Don't wait until you are getting dressed to go out. Have a collection of pictures in case if you forget some nice ones!!! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770505 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 21:33:18 +0000 Anonymous 1770505@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My wardrobe really works for me, and I can keep wearing it if I want to. BTW, I keep getting compliments on that Marla Wynne cape that I bought on clearance a while ago. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770418 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 17:22:12 +0000 DonnaF 1770418@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Barbara Diane, I hope you return dresses C, D, and E since Nordstrom doesn't have an expiration date on returns. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770367 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 14:11:54 +0000 RobinF 1770367@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Such a great thread! I am even jotting down notes so I don't forget the things that strike me.</p> <p>For me, I think it has been to be pickier about what I buy and to have a specific items/items in mind when I go shopping, so I can focus better. I still don't do this very well but it's something to work toward. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770347 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:25:45 +0000 anchie 1770347@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Shop for the body I have now. Not the one I used to have, or the one I hope to have. Stop trying to squeeze in too tight clothing and admit to myself that I need bigger size. It was not easy lesson. But it actually helped me feeling better about myself.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770344 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:22:42 +0000 Bijou 1770344@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What I learnt in 2016 was to not buy more black, it is well represented in my wardrobe and is not the best colour on me, no matter how practical it seems. Ink blue is a much better colour on me and is just as versatile. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770342 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 12:05:57 +0000 Staysfit 1770342@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>1. Don't shop with my friends, it's always a mistake. I need to shop either by myself or with my daughter.<br /> 2. Online shopping is best for most everything except shoes and boots. Its best to try those on in person, and often there are many to try on before finding a good fit.<br /> 3. Stick to color palette. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770283 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 04:50:26 +0000 Barbara Diane 1770283@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Just because you are excited by shopping NAS for <b>clothing</b>&nbsp;for the <b>first </b>time, <b>and </b>you get really excited about NAS because of the buzz on this new to you thing called <b>YLF</b>,<b></b>&nbsp;<b>and</b>&nbsp;you find out that a new style of dress fits you, <b>and </b>said dresses have sleeves <b>does not mean</b>&nbsp;that you need to buy almost <b>all</b>&nbsp;the ones that work, especially the two one size smaller because you had special events in January/February and wanted to have something special to wear (note-weight loss did not continue as projected/expected) <b>especially </b>when you do not wear dresses that often and you still like your old ones.</p> <p>Details for anyone still interested:<br />NAS dresses:<br />Dress A worn twice<br />Dress B worn once<br />Dress C not worn yet<br />Dress D &nbsp;same as dress C but one size too small, not worn yet<br />Dress E not worn yet, one size too small</p> <p>In Jan/Feb. I expected to wear D and E, but I wore A, and maybe C will be worn.</p> <p>I planned on purchasing <b>one </b>navy dress that I could dress up and down. Instead I purchased 5 distinctive dresses. I planned on purchasing two skirts to go with my existing tops to expand my wardrobe. I didn't find either.</p> <p>Lesson, buy for real life, mostly stay on plan, and do not get carried away at NAS. </p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770274 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 04:03:30 +0000 bj1111 1770274@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The main lesson--I still don't know how to shop effectively. </p> <p>I wear different items I bought this year in different combinations that manage to look like the exact same outfit I wore yesterday. So lesson learned, just wear the same outfit two days in a row if you work in two different places. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770252 Fri, 20 Jan 2017 02:16:28 +0000 AM 1770252@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Merchandize your closet. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770232 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 23:23:11 +0000 Gaylene 1770232@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great thread! </p> <p>I can relate to so many of these insights, but my most valuable lesson this year was to realize I truly prefer a tightly edited wardrobe of textured neutrals which I can mix and match to my heart's desire. My wardrobe orphans and culls are always prints and colored items. I like color and prints in theory, and on others, but I've finally realized I don't want to wear them. I'm a neutral minimalist--and It's time to pay attention to MY preferences instead of thinking I ought to have some color or pattern in my wardrobe. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770211 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 21:31:30 +0000 Emily K 1770211@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm really enjoying this thread and keep rereading it--it reads like a relatable &nbsp;a chapter in Women in Clothes.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016/page/2#post-1770199 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 19:56:59 +0000 Jenni NZ 1770199@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>And that's so funny, Merwoman! The Canadian retail economy will just have to cope without you buying the same type of thing over and over, and the NZ retail economy will have to cope without me doing it! I won't lose too much sleep over it. The older I get the more I realise they are just trying to get me to part with my money. It's MY money not theirs so they only get it if the items are REALLY right for me! Cheers Jenni </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770197 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 19:45:19 +0000 Jenni NZ 1770197@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well the biggest lesson was to read 2 websites and learn! You Look Fab, of course, and also Recovering Shopaholic. Hours of reading and of insight. One example- "splitting my wears". Why did I always buy things that were essentially the same? My fave black Capri pants from 2014 have just died, got those tiny loose bits of elastane coming through on the black, so annoying as still good otherwise but it looks really bad so out they've gone. So now wearing the 2012 black Capri pants which are still fine. But honestly, why had I bought the 2014 ones in the first place? They were on sale, doh! They are so similar that no-one but me could have told they were different I reckon. These insights have all helped slow the pace of my shopping. Thank you all! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770182 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 18:34:59 +0000 LaPed 1770182@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>1. That I don't like tight pants, even if they fit. I'm happiest when my pants have some slouch and volume.&nbsp;</p> <p>2. That solid colored garments (especially tops) aren't inherently boring. Solid colors can be versatile and add interest. I paid a lot more attention to texture than to patterns/prints in 2016. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770171 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 17:10:20 +0000 texstyle 1770171@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think mostly I learned to relax and enjoy my clothes. I have a decent handle on what I like at this point (for my lifestyle) and have a good selection of things in my favorite colors - neutrals are a big part of that. I learned that sorting my closet by color is my best option as that's how I usually choose what I want to wear on a given day. I also learned that I need to routinely check my closet for things I may have forgotten about so I will wear them - it's not the largest space and lighting is less than optimal so I may change that this year if possible. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770162 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 16:02:55 +0000 Gail 1770162@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Shop for the life I lead ! I rarely need dressy clothes and dressy shoes. I also need to shop for comfort, I've purchased way too many things that look good but then are totally uncomfortable after an hour of wearing.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770140 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 15:01:31 +0000 Anonymous 1770140@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Actually I take my earlier one back, I learned a more important lesson about authenticity last year. I always feel like I have to dress in a certain way for certain occasions (like if I go to a concert, I have to dress "cool," even though that's not my usual style). Of course I end up feeling really uncomfortable and even more self-conscious. Last year I had a milestone class reunion. I agonized about what to wear. I tried on all kinds of stuff I don't normally consider, like jumpsuits and maxi dresses. I ended up spending far too much on a new dress and accessories. I went to the reunion and... people looked like themselves. My alternative friends were wearing Chucks with their dresses. The women who always dressed to the nines were dressed to the nines. Others were in jeans or slacks. And no one cared. Or actually, it was so much better than if we all put on what we thought a generic person "should" wear to such an event.</p> <p>So that was a lesson learned far too late for me, but it landed pretty firmly, and now I'm officially over this idea of putting on a "fashionable woman" costume instead of dressing like myself. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770124 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 13:25:03 +0000 Janet 1770124@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm a quick study in many ways, but I can be slow to adopt new habits. 2016 was a year of slipping up in many ways -- my workout routine suffered and my weight went up as a result. I'm dealing with the aftermath of that now and trying to get back on track. It was a year that got consumed by a lot of stuff I didn't anticipate (for one: cleaning up a rental house vacated after 15 years and then deciding to sell it, resulting in more work). It hit home to me last year that my hardest working wardrobe items are CASUAL. Even with the house project done (but renovations planned on our home this year), my life is messy, unpredictable, and active. My shopping habits need to better reflect my needs. No more dressy skirts. No more blazers (I have four and they are rarely worn). No more high heels that I can't stand for more than a couple of hours. </p> <p>Part of me *wants* another pair of beautiful embellished booties or another long jacket, but the truth is I have to work to find reasons to wear the nice things I already have. Pretty much any event or occasion that might pop up in my life, I can pull together an outfit from what I have in my closet. </p> <p>So it hit home to me last year how much I don't want to rely on shopping for entertainment. I'm tired of closet churn, of taking bags to the Goodwill every so often. A couple of years ago, I got pretty good at "one-in, one-out" but now when things go, I don't want to fill those empty hangers so much. I like having plenty of choice in my wardrobe, but there is such a thing as having too much of a good thing. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770123 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 13:13:28 +0000 merwoman 1770123@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>These little nuggets of wisdom are wonderful to read.<br />I have a hard time &nbsp;being patient for the 'perfect' item, and perhaps just as important, how to know when I've found 'the one'.<br />So my lesson has been,to ask myself the following question: &nbsp;if I buy this, will I stop seaching for various iterations of the same item?&nbsp;<br />I am also guilty of buying items similar to what I already have. Again, another question: is there something I will stop wearing in order to wear the new purchase?&nbsp;<br />I feel I am getting better at resisting impulse purchase, but sadly the Canadian retail &nbsp;economy is having to suffer </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770121 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 12:52:13 +0000 Anonymous 1770121@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Shop for my <u>climate</u>. &nbsp; If I shop for my climate, there are entire categories (coats, heavy sweaters, flannel, boots) that I need not shop or buy because I will never wear them (at least not more than once or twice). &nbsp;The boots were a surprise. &nbsp;I love the look of Uggs. I bought not one pair, but two. &nbsp;They are so warm (bordering on hot, hot, hot). &nbsp;I haven't worn the first pair (black); I make myself wear the second pair (grey). &nbsp;Yet I see them everywhere. &nbsp;I do see people in my city wearing them. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770098 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 10:47:19 +0000 Sisi 1770098@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Avoid emergency purchases.&nbsp;&nbsp;But&nbsp;I know&nbsp;I will make this mistake again and again ... The emergency purchase is a trap from which it is impossible to escape. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770074 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 05:23:09 +0000 Emily K 1770074@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I learned (ahem....am learning...) not to buy items for the same wardrobe niche. &nbsp;There are some things I just love--like black or black+pattern d'orsay flats or slides and I just keep buying every pretty one that comes along. &nbsp;They steal wears from each other and only one can be my very, very favorite anyway. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770069 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 04:43:10 +0000 Gigi 1770069@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I learned that to expand my style and not just buy more of the same, I really need to sit down and plan before I shop--what items will really make a difference in my wardrobe? And then I stick to that list, even if I see other cute things that I would otherwise buy.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/your-biggest-fashionstyle-lesson-of-2016#post-1770061 Thu, 19 Jan 2017 03:42:44 +0000 Jaime 1770061@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My second hand shopping skills are in a constant state of refinement. This year I think I came to understand better how to a look at a garment apart from the label and what a designer label does or does not tell me. </p>