Biggest styling challenges? - YouLookFab Forum

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Biggest styling challenges?

Mander

(website)

Veteran

I saw yet another nice top that turned out to be sheer today, which got me thinking about challenging items. I have two sheer tops, which seemed like a great idea when I got them, but in fact I find them really difficult to style because they are *too* sheer. Everything you wear underneath them is fully visible, and they are knit, so they cling as well, making it hard to wear them under cardigans and such.

The other thing I have found surprisingly difficult to wear is a black jersey maxi skirt. You'd think such a plain item would be very easy but I seem to be lacking the right tops and toppers.

Do you have items that you consistently find hard to wear?

Dressing

26 replies

Latest reply was from AnnieMouse

Anonymous

I find any maxi skirt hard to wear and would not buy another. You have reminded me that I have a summer maxi dress that should go to the tailor soon to be shortened before the weather gets hot.
If something is too hard to style, I get rid of it.

Vildy

Veteran

Every time I try out the white shirt "staple", I give up in defeat. I wear vanilla very well but otherwise I want a crisp true white. Most shirts are too dingy white for my complexion. Otherwise, they are too sheer. I put my hand behind the fabric and don't want to see too much nude color through it. And then there is the button gaping issue - I end up with a small safety pin, applied small snaps, a stitch or two.

Found a white shirt in the thrift store yesterday that is actually white, doesn't gap, isn't too sheer and has french cuffs. Now going to make attempts to wear it and see what I think. I usually have no problem styling clothes but I haven't experimented enough with white-shirt-wear to be able to make easy outfits.

Thistle

Veteran

For me, it is full skirts. I love them, and I feel they flatter my figure. However, I do not tuck in shirts. I am full cheated, but the actual starting points the girls is low. As such, tucking in shirts makes me look like I have no torso. I have been playing wi the suggestions Angie posted.

I really like the way dresses and skirts look on me, so it is a hallengei want to master!

i have other styling challenges I have shelved as the challenge revolves around body shape. For example, button down shirts are just hard. I have not found one that fits, and i have returned shirts from about 6 different makers this year looking. I know my issue is bust to waist ratio. I know there are makers that can deal with it, but I am not yet ready to spend $200 on a shirt I am not certain I would know how to wear!

Kalli

Ah, nothing is too sheer if you are a grandma like me and wear camisoles.

Things that are hard to wear... High heels because I love how they look but they are so impractical even at my 10 hr sitting job I need some height and pencil skirts look better with a slight heel.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Cropped pants! I really want them to work, but it is hard.

annaj

Veteran

Oh - I agree on the high heeled shoes! I am Team Flats all the way!!

I also struggle with waisted/belted dresses. I have no waist, so to add a belt just makes me look really thick! It's not a good look, but so many dresses are waisted and I love the idea of them!

bj1111

Veteran

Mander, i love your new avatar!

Mander

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, BJ! I just decided I should pick something new, since my old photo was very old indeed...

The trouble with my long black skirt is that I really like it. I'm one of the few here on YLF who really likes the maxi dress/skirt trend (provided that it has sensible straps, anyway). Perhaps I need to find a longer black tank with a drawstring waist to wear with it to give it more of a "dress" look.

Gaylene

Veteran

Anything girly or ladylike. I just tossed a couple of J Crew Liberty print shirts into the donate pile that are practically brand new because they just seemed so odd on me, even if I was just wearing them with jeans. And don't get me started about how many Chanel-style jackets I've tried on in a vain hope that somewhere one exists that will look OK on me. I think it's my broad shoulders that make them look, and feel, ridiculous.

lyn67

Veteran

Wow, Mander, your new profile pictie is more than gorgeous! Did you meet the Queen, alrteady:-)
As for Vildy, for me is the crisp white button down, too- the bright whites, the gapping, the maintenance, and all. I think it's impractical for me, even I am an executive at a small company and so work in an office, and have some meetings-but our industryy is a bit on a more creative side, so I guess I can live without. Thus I would like sometimes to have an impecable stiff white collar peaking out from a sweatter, or a fromal dress but then, I'm not at all comfortable on layering with double long sleeves:-((. meh.
Sheerness usually can get by with some camis-and don't mind for some printed summer (short sleeve) blouses, but that's it.
Maxis are hard. I own one maxi dress for summer, but not much outing, other than one barbecue party or so. Maxy skirt is even harder, IMHO.

fashioncat

For some reason I've found black more and more difficult to style, especially black bottoms. I feel the need to wear shoes that are mostly or all black, and after that it's hard to find the right color top and accessories to match all the black on bottom.

Cropped pants are definitely hard, since my legs aren't particularly long and slender. I usually don't mind stumpifying myself a bit for the sake of a good outfit, but I think I'll sit the cropped pants trend out.

pollylou

Member

I agree with the sheer issue... I hate when I have visible bra straps and a cami... So much stuff going on up there! I also find black bottoms to be hard lately. Usually colored denim or navy is easier for me- but that could change once spring finally arrives and I can wear black heels again. I can't wear crew neck anything- an exception is a graphic heart sweater I got at Old Navy, but since I am very smal busted yet somehow broad shouldered, a crew neck of any kind makes me look weird. And not to be too personal, but I can not wear anything that I would sweat through... Light gray anything is the worst! My shirts need to be natural fibers and dark or patterned to work. (Considering Botox for underarms so I can finally invest in some thin knits!)

JuneBug

Veteran

Mander, like you I too wear maxi skirts and dresses. I wear the skirts with a slim (not exactly fitted) cropped top that ends around the top of the skirt and if I don't get a good proportion I either belt it with a skinny belt (so as to not create another visually breaking layer with a wide belt) or tuck in the top, which is foolproof most of the time. Also I consider it mandatory to wear some sort of a heel, no matter how low to give the outfit an airy look so that the ground is still visible under me- basically not a floor trailing look which I feel frumps it a bit!

My closet orphans that I struggle to style and don't bother with too much are midi dresses. I like the length of them but in this cold weather (still!!) these are the least layer friendly as they don't work too well with the tights and boot combo and are just alright with pumps! I'm sure I'll have more luck with them once it gets warmer though.

Vildy

Veteran

Here's what I keep thinking about:

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Anonymous

The replies reminded me that black shoes are hard for me to style, but I hang on to them for the few times, like funerals, when they seem the best choice.

Anonymous

Heels are hard for me, I am wearing wedges or stacked heels or 1.5 inch heels

Yet I think I look better in heels, taller slimmer. It's a conundrum lol

rachylou

Veteran

I have this one silk tunic, maybe it's Oscar de la Renta or something. From Nieman's anyways. It's well made, so I don't give it away, but I probably should. I don't know how to make it not fusty. Being well made, it's lined etc. etc., and thus heavy and stiff. Which seems totally wrong for me when it comes to tunics. It's also got this bit of gold chain that closes the V-neck, and sort of screams *WASP in Corfu* - well, confused WASP, because I'm sure it's too hot in Corfu to wear something as heavy as this tunic. The last thing about it, is that it's long and wide-shouldered. If socialites were football players, this is what they'd wear as a jersey... except that it's too hot for playing football in...

qfbrenda

Veteran

Of what I currently own, it's a purple blouse from Gap. I love the color and the fabric is fine. But it has tiers down the front that look almost ruffle-like and I hate ruffles. The sleeves are sheer so it looks kinda dressy, so I would love to pair it with some casual jeans for contrast. But the hem is straight, so leaving to hang loose doesn't look quite right. A half tuck is awkward because it isn't loose enough to hang much in the back. Anyway... I think I've worn it once. But my desire for more blouses and my love of the color has kept it in my closet for now. As for maxi dresses/skirts, I don't own any anymore. But my first thought with those is always a denim jacket or vest.

Liz A.

Veteran

For me, it's oversized anything. It just doesn't work on my curvy figure. That's why it drives me bonkers when my pants bag out!! Oh, and it doesn't help that belting at the natural waist gives me serious anxiety.

Thistle, have you tried BR tailored shirts? They have more room in the chest region while remaining fitted in the waist.

lyn67

Veteran

Hah, Vildy!:-) I had once this kind kind of thing already-a fake button down collar can be usefull so many ways, but still, it's not the same:-((.

MsMary

Veteran

Flat shoes! I love the flat oxfords so many of you rock so hard, but mine just never felt right and I ended up giving them away. I love my pewter boat shoes with casual pants, but other than that I need at least a bit of a heel!

Anonymous

I've culled it now, but I had this grey midi skirt that I loved, but could only wear with flats. It came off looking terribly frumpy no matter what I put on top. I can only manage heels for special occasions, but somehow a grey midi skirt didn't feel very "special occasion". It looked like it would be very tricky to shorten, so I donated it.

As for your black maxi skirt, how about a white tank/T and a denim jacket on top?

Anonymous

The oversized trend is hard for me. Many oversized tops don't have a defined shoulder line, which is what works best for me. I end up feeling sloppy and frumpy. I can do the *right* kind of oversized top, but it takes some work to find the right one.

On the bottom, I feel like volume emphasizes my curvy hips and thighs in an unflattering way. After trying on about 10 pairs of boyfriend jeans, I've decided this isn't my trend and I'll find a cute pair of cropped jeans instead.

Oh, and I won't be replacing several pairs of ballet flats that are wearing out. I've realized my feet are much, much happier with a high vamp and I've never been able to wear ballet flats for more than a few hours without being in pain.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

For me it's dresses. Always has been. And it's really more of an emotional choice I think. I used to wear *some* dresses, but always more casual ones, or non body con. It's not a figure issue as I've always been in good physical shape. I have 2 casual dresses in my closet that I've never worn but thought I'd push myself to do it. One is a longer jersey sundress going to a beach trip with me just in case. I think it's the feeling that I am not as "strong" wearing a dress. Going to formal events is definitely more of a challenge due to this. For a wedding later this year I've tried about 8-10 different dresses. But I'm planning to wear textured deep blue pants with a deep blue lace top. And I feel SO much more me in that outfit - even though I love the idea of wearing a dress.

Kristin L

Veteran

For me, it's belts with dresses. I'm trying to figure out exactly what I should do or how I should wear it. Every time I wear one, though, I just feel awkward.

AnnieMouse

Veteran

I always find it odd that people have a difficult time styling maxis - I have three in my capsule, in black, fuschia, and grey! *laugh* I'm wearing the black one today with a white v-neck and a long grey cardigan belted over top, with mint oxfords. Fuschia often gets paired with grey or black fitted tees or turtlenecks, with a fitted blazer or utility jacket over top and ballet flats or tuxedo flats.

Like Vildy, I cannot for the life of me work out the vaunted white button down. For that matter, MOST button down shorts. I buy them, they languish in my closet, I end up donating them EVERY TIME. I'm a pullover girl. I keep trying, but I always feel defeated by them - if I tuck, I get frustrated because the lines get rumpled too quickly, but left untucked, I feel sloppy.