Do any of you find style inspiration in non-style places? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Inspiration

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Do any of you find style inspiration in non-style places?

cindysmith

Veteran

Recently, Sunshine & I have been watching a lot of European series on Netflix. We started with "Occupied", a Norwegian series about Norway stopping all oil & gas drilling and Russia invading them on the downlow to make them keep drilling. Then we watched "Bordertown", a Finnish series about a special task force on the Finnish/Russian border. Currently, we're watching "The Break", which is a Belgian series about a cop that has a psychotic break and kills his partner. Our queue list is filled with other European (and particularly Scandinavian) series.

I'm finding myself inspired by these European shows, most especially the Scandinavian ones. It's more than just the obvious Scandinavian minimalism fashions. There's something about the landscapes and architecture featured in these shows that speaks to me on a deep level. There are chapels that are minimalist, bordering on brutalist. There are squad-rooms and offices that are both dark & forbidding and soothing & cool. The last four pictures are the best examples I could find since I couldn't find the exact rooms. The landscapes seem to be more greyscale than colored in these shows.

And of course, there's all that Scandinavian minimalism in clothing and makeup that we can all imagine, so I'm only including a few pics of that.

I've been seriously inspired by all of it. The color palette and minimalism is soothing to me. I've been pulled more towards the minimalist side of late, and feeling a bit less dystopian. There's no denying that these series are dark and a bit dystopian, but they're not as ragged and dirty as something like "The Walking Dead" or any of the other postapocalyptic series we've seen lately.

I was just wondering if anybody else felt their style direction start shifting or changing after watching a movie or TV series, or seeing beautiful architecture/ interior design, or even a comic book or art. Is it weird that I found style inspiration from TV series, architecture, landscapes, & interior design? Or do any of you guys find style inspiration in non-style places?

This post has 21 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

24 replies

Latest reply was from cindysmith

mtnsofthemoon

Veteran

My hubby and I LOVE Occupied....we binged/finished it a couple months ago. And yes I absolutely love to watch/observe the architecture, culture, wardrobes, interior and exterior design and overall location where the show takes place!! I think it's refreshing because we are in the US and not Europe - so I have not been overexposed to Northern European styles. While I am drawn to minimalism and simplicity (I love it) I can't quite incorporate in my life as much as I would like. It hasn't changed the way I dress, but it's pleasing to my eye. On a side note I feel the European television shows (we have also watched Luther, Broadchurch, Happy Valley, etc) seem to have more depth in characters, storylines, psychosocial, political issues, etc than American television. I also appreciate how all the actors are not all "genetic celebrities" like here in the US. It's more enjoyable and believable to see less than genetically perfect actors/actresses.

cindysmith

Veteran

I've been trying to get into "Luther", and I just haven't been able to. I'll give it another try, though. "Broadchurch" & "happy valley" are on the list, and I just started "shetland" on my own without Sunshine. I will say that even though it's influencing what I want to wear, I was already kind of "dystopian minimalist", so it's not a total about face or anything.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Several of these photos feel like a modern version of 1940s film noir. I'm absolutely influenced by things like this. And, as someone who is building my own product brand, I find myself having to restrain myself from taking everything...my house, my brand, my style in whatever direction is appealing at the moment.

K.M.

Veteran

cindysmith, YES! I love your post. And I love cross-over inspiration that goes multiple ways from clothes to design to architecture to food to movies to music to a certain atmosphere... (In the past I've tried to build outfits around my love for chocolate and vanilla).

The Cat

Veteran

Oh yes, I have found inspiration in movies, TV series, interior design, paintings ... I don't think it is weird at all. "Everything is connected with everything else," as the muti-genius Leonardo da Vinci said.

cindysmith

Veteran

Jenn, I definitely think I could nlbe happy if I took my house to a grey, brutalist place but Sunshine wouldn't allow it, so it's probably good that I have him to keep me in check so I don't take it too far in all the directions LOL

KM, an outfit inspired by chocolate and vanilla sounds dreamy, extravagant, and rich!

Cat, DaVinci was wise

Anonymous

You describe the settings so well I am inspired to seek them out and watch.

Numbers 15, 19, 20, and 21 all speak to me. Thank you for sharing.

cindysmith

Veteran

Sterling, aren't those churches and offices stunning in their simplicity? I love brutalist architecture and design <3

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I enjoyed the pictures and description very much. I am influenced by my environment a lot, especially in cities.

cindysmith

Veteran

Shevia, I hadn't really thought about it before, but I do dress differently when I'm in a city. Not just more dressed up. more... Well, maybe controlled or something, if that makes sense?

Gigi

Veteran

Interesting post. I will definitely admit to being influenced by movies and TV. More recently, I've actually been thinking about this in the reverse way: Given my style of dress, how would I decorate my home? It's fun to think about, even if you don't have the money to redo everything.

Desmo April

(website)

Veteran

Music. Musicians. Live shows.

I go see a lot of bands so that seems to influence most of my style.

The Cat

Veteran

It may interest you to see some of the capsules which Janice Riggs of theviviennefiles.com have collected based on inspiration from art. At her home page, when you click on "Start with art", you will see links to countless examples. There are also a few links to capsules inspired by nature.

Mel

I absolutely love the outfits from BBC's "Call the Midwife" series. Gorgeous tailored dresses, cute skirt outfits, twinsets, fab heels. The women wear lively prints and colors and you can see their real womanly shapes. However, I think the outfits look even more beautiful and crisp because the background is a poverty-stricken zone of postwar London, for the most part gray, brown, and crumbling. The women in the series are like sparkling jewels in a crude and dirty jewel box.

Irina

Veteran

Love Bordertown and Occupied. The Scandy movies, fashion and style are my favorites. I watch French shows on Netflix and pay attention to the way women dress. Not even fashion itself interests me but rather colors and overall esthetic.

cindysmith

Veteran

Cat, I'll definitely be checking that out to see this capsules inspired by art. Thank you!

Mel, call the midwife is getting added to my watch list, thanks for the tip.

Irina, yes yes and YES! It's more the overall aesthetic of the shows than any particular outfit or any single setting. Lots of darkness/shadow, without overusing black. Lots of soothing straight lines (I really like straight lines, they calm me). Lots of soothing colors, tonally similar enough to almost read monochromatic. Love it

rachylou

Veteran

Well, to be honest, I haven't felt moved since Blade Runner, lol. I found my movie and I'm sticking with it. I bought the latest Bazaar because they did a Blade Runner inspired photoshoot, lol.

But I do love all things Scandinavian. My mum yells at me because I order Oak magazine from Denmark. And for the last three+ years I've cooked nothing but Scandinavian, hahaha! I mean right now, I'm eating herbed dumplings. And there's my whole Swedish Milkmaid clothing capsule...

cindysmith

Veteran

Now I have to go look up Oak magazine from Denmark

harmonica

Veteran

As a Scandinavian this outside perspective is sooo interesting!

As for your question, I'm a bit on a inspiration block mode bc my first priority is to wrap up my phd thesis. And taking care of the family, of course. Seems like I can't take in and process too many sources right now, but I enjoy the seasonal changes in nature and music. I don't consiously translate it to my outfits, though. To some degree, I am inspired by Scandi minimalism. And I like natural fibres, birch wood furniture and the juxtaposition against hard, cold materials and surfaces.

cindysmith

Veteran

Wow, harmonica, that's a lot on your plate. Good luck with that thesis!

harmonica

Veteran

Thank you, cindysmith! You got me interested in Bordertown. The culture and history of the High North is so interesting and full of contradictions and hybrid cultural identities. Really fascinating.

Style Fan

Veteran

Da Vinci was right. Everything is connected. I felt very at home in the American Southwest. I loved the colours of the landscape and the architecture. I also felt that way in Spain. I tend to like colourful mountainous landscapes. I am sure this influences my style.

Runcarla

Veteran

Not a place, but a time.. I've always loved the 1920's - Art Deco, Biedermeier, dropped waist dresses, cropped hair. Downton Abbey and Fantastic Beasts set me to dreaming though very little has been incorporated into my closet. I have added a lace tank top (I have 3) and blush chinos for a bit of romance.

Not a place, but an event. I'm on a big red kick, and fighting to not go down the athleisure rabbit hole. I'm participating in a sporting event and representing my country - Canada - in September, and just ordered my team uniform. I've got red trousers and red sneaks, and now I want a red cardi and red sweatshirt. Then there were these cool black trousers with a red stripe down the side....

Possibly a place. I'm looking forward to some travel after the event mentioned above, and I am sure my time in the Netherlands, and what I see will inspire.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

cindysmith

Veteran

Style Fan, those are wonderful places to be inspired by. I love it.

Carla, you almost have ME inspired by art deco and running! Like, I can feel your pride and excitement over representing Canada at an event (CONGRATULATIONS, btw). That's definitely a cool inspiration!