Did you have a fantasy outfit (for the "you" you wanted to be) in high school? - YouLookFab Forum

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Did you have a fantasy outfit (for the "you" you wanted to be) in high school?

April

Veteran

I was in high school in the early 80s, and what we were actually wearing was skintight "designer jeans" with disco spike heels and velour Jordache tops.

But somehow I had a fantasy outfit of a completely different sort: charcoal-grey-and-white pinstriped trousers, black pointy-toe pumps, and a white angora V-neck sweater. I think I felt this represented some classy future incarnation of myself.

I can still see that outfit so clearly, even though I never did assemble all the pieces.

How about you? Did you imagine an outfit for your future self when you were in high school?

General

21 replies

Latest reply was from Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I actually had an alternative outfit. It was a lavender and white striped shirtdress with self belt, quite short after I'd grown a year or two having it, and grey slide heels. The rest of the time I was in tight jeans and concert tee shirts and flannels, bandanas worn as bracelets or belts (back when my waist was bandana sized lol). I was in high school in the mid 80's, same time as Angie.

bj1111

Veteran

I spent high school in flammable plaid skirts, white collared shirts and acrylic sweaters.

I always admired the 80s powersuits esp anything by donna karan. I wear those now, without the shoulder pads and the neon eyeshadow.

April

Veteran

Ha -- I was in college by the time the bandana thing came around, Mo (okay, I was probably married before it left entirely) but I can picture what you're describing very clearly.

Was the shirtdress your image of grown-up Mo? Or something different?

April

Veteran

bj -- LOL "flammable plaid skirts."

Mellllls

Veteran

Not sure if this is what you are getting at. There was a time in the 90s where girls wore knee highs with short skirts in high school. I wasn't in high school yet and miss ed out on this look but I always enjoyed it.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Not sure April . . . maybe it was my 'buttoned up' or sexy secretary version? My ladylike alter ego? (the levi's and tees were unisex after all)

April

Veteran

Mellllls, I remember that look too.

I was actually thinking about, when you were a high school student, did you have an outfit that you envisioned wearing as an adult? Did it say something about who you thought you would be?

I clearly had thoughts about being more elegant than I was.

carter

Veteran

Ha! Well, I was in high school in the late 70s, and I was a year younger than anyone else in my grade. My goal was to someday have enough curves to dress like Olivia Newton John in Grease!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

When I was in high school, I imagined myself wearing faded slightly distressed jeans, a blazer, a turtleneck, and cool footwear. I didn't wear any of this at the time although I did have some Levis 501s.

My adult version of myself was urban and urbane. Not suburban and dull and clueless (as I felt I was, back then, probably correctly.) I had a feminine streak, too.

The minute I could afford it I went out and bought a striped silk shirt dress by Calvin Klein and then ran off to NYC with a few workmates for a weekend. It was fun....and I felt elegant.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

My high school had a dress code. I, In the early 1980s, had a few off school pieces that I thought were the cool me pieces (a Norma Kamali flippy sweatshirt mini, Girbaud jeans with low slung pockets and a tapestry jacket.) I am pretty ruthless with my closet but for some reason kept that jacket. I just dug it up and tried it on. It looks like this massive David Byrne thing on me (my husband was laughing). And I found 50 Egyptian piasters in the pocket, which leads me to believe I must have kept wearing it through my college junior year abroad!

But, speaking of the "ideal" me outfits, I had strange ideas about how I would be dressing in college and in fact insisted on getting a pearl necklace before I went to college because I thought that was the sort of thing girls would be wearing. I am not sure how I confused the 1980s with the 1950s! That necklace, I still have, and still wear!

em

The first TV show I ever saw was Brideshead Revisited on PBS and I was certain that when I was an adult I, too, would go to Paris to buy my annual wardrobe.

Anonymous

Yes. Oh, yes. I found an outfit in a magazine decades ago and it spoke to me so strongly I ripped it out and kept it all these years as "my style guide." Oddly enough, I think it is even more on point today than it was the first time I saw it.

From memory (because I am too lazy to get up and find my fashion notebook), the outfit was silvery (or grayish silver). It consisted of really well fitted silvery slacks that were slim fitting and ankle length. The model was wearing a fuzzy cropped silvery sweater (the sweater met the top of the slacks so there was no skin showing, just really great porportions). The entire outfit just looked "comfortable," like you could dress stylishly, but in fabrics that were soft, embracing, and comfortable. And I am realizing now that it had a timeless look to it. High heels, but no jewelry. Just the juxtoposition of one texture on another texture in the same color. I adored it.

Gaylene

Veteran

Growing up in the 60s meant that my friends and I really embraced the whole Twiggy, "Mod", look of long, straight hair; colorful, mini-skirted, A-line dresses; patterned tights; and platform shoes, interspersed with fitted, ribbed, "poor-boy" sweaters and flared pants. I think I even wore a headband across my forehead at one point!

My aspirational outfit, though, was worn by a French teacher who breezed into our smallish town when I was in grade 11. She was tall, slim, and had actually spent the last three years in France. I remember the day she wore a slim, green, sleeveless sheath dress with kitten heels and a cuff bracelet. With her cropped hair and touch of makeup, she looked so elegant and sophisticated, she stood out in our crowd of long-haired, mini-skirted teens. I remember thinking that is exactly how I want to look when I get older!

Emily

Veteran

Goodness yes! The one that sticks out most clearly in my mind is from when I was 10-ish, actually. My dream ensemble at the time was:

-a velour short-sleeved mock-neck top
-slim black maxi skirt
-chunky black heels like everyone was wearing in the late 90s/early 00,
-pierced hoop earrings (Key! I was trying to convince my mother I should have pierced ears at the time...)

In my minds eye that look was the height of grown up sophistication! I did get my ears pierced (thanks, grandma!) and the velour mock neck top...

JAileen

Veteran

I think I saw someone wearing this and I wanted to be her. Anyway, my dream outfit was a real Irish fisherman sweater and worn Levis 501s, with a white shirt. I think it was a bit androgynous, with the jeans fitting in a BF kind of way. When I was in high school I was able to wear 501s. I did not have the sweater I wanted, but ended up knitting one. Now I have several of them and still love them, but don't wear them. I cannot wear 501s. My hip to waist ratio makes this utterly impossible. I didn't realize what a great figure I had in high school.

Anonymous

Great question!

I don't think I had a specific fantasy outfit, but definitely dreamed about when I'd get to wear real adult clothes, which I'd obviously be wearing to my glamorous city job doing something vague but impressive. I especially couldn't wait to wear long wool coats, pumps (or just any non-sneaker shoes), and silk scarves. And suits, especially vintage-looking ones that nipped in at the waist and were made from rich fabrics with interesting names. Which I think came from reading too much historical fiction.

Melllls, I remember the short skirts and knee socks! I wore that a few times, although it probably wasn't a great look for me since I was already short and young-looking.

Staysfit

Veteran

Umm, High School? Late 70's early 80's. We were all imitating Grease and Charlies Angels. What can I say? I was an Olivia Newton John wannabe! I was also a bit of a tom boy. Let's not forget Brooke Shields and her Calvin Klein Jeans. We all had Jordache jeans, Calvin Klein jeans, and a big pink Goodie comb sticking out of our back pockets. Why, I will never know?! I couldn't even get a comb through my very unruly wavy frizzy hair. Yes, I tried to have it feathered like Farrah Fawcett. So did we all - what a disaster! In terms of the clothing I coveted, I loved Olivia's leather leggings at the end of the movie, her jean jacket, her hair, her dancing, oh just about everything. If I could sing I would have done that also.........

E

Veteran

What a fun thread to read.

When I was in high school, I imagined being lawyer (and eventually a Supreme Court Justice, obviously, in which case I'd wear the awesome robe) or diplomat, so my fantasy outfit was an exquisitely tailored, high quality suit & silk blouse with classic pumps. My hair back in some fancy but no-nonsense business updo. And a strand of pearls around my neck. At the time I loved suits, and genuinely looked forward to being able to wear them all of the time for work. hehe

Rather unexpected considering my current style, isn't it? I'm pretty sure I've spent the last decade learning to become younger in my mindset, not older!

April

Veteran

These are such fun to read!

I also had an image of sleek hair in a French twist with pearl stud earrings and a slim clutch handbag.

Clearly I thought there was a moment in my future when I would wake up and find I had become Catherine Deneuve.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I think I imagined that if I continued to try, I could end up with an old-money preppy look. I kept wearing fair isle sweaters and corduroys and Bass shoes. I think I imagined myself wearing wool skirts, button-down shirts, and soft, expensive wool cardigans as an adult. The whole preppy thing never quite worked out for me--I always looked like a wannabe. Ha haha!

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

My fantasy outfit started in the early 80's, when I was still in junior high, with the advent of MTV. Anyone remember the song/music video "Always Something There to Remind Me" by Naked Eyes? I was twelve years old when the video came out, and I LOVED the 80's-does-'40's looks in the 'courtroom drama' shots. I would watch the video, waiting for that moment when the woman runs out the door, hopping on one foot trying to get her black pumps on, and she has that draped, very fitted skirt and black hosiery. I reeeeeeally wanted that outfit - at least, the parts of it I could see! Skirt, shoes, hosiery. And the very end of the video, when she walks past in this killer outfit as he is bending down to pick up the paper. The woman in this video reeks of mystery and intrigue. I wanted to be that woman.

I always, always loved that sort of severe glamour look. It continued with Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love", and George Michael's "Father Figure" Dark, fitted clothing and sheer hosiery, pencil skirts, high heels, red lips.

I knew better than to ever ask, let alone try out, any variant of this look - my mom wouldn't have let me out the door until college!

I was able to sneak some of that into my wardrobe my junior year of high school, 1987-88, in the form of higher heels and lacy tights, but most of my stuff was candy-colored pastels. LOL.