Has your taste changed? - YouLookFab Forum

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Has your taste changed?

Katerina

Veteran

My taste has changed over the past few years. Reflecting on the possible reasons I tried to identify the parts that depend on changing trends and fashion as well as the times that we live in. Also getting older and the way my style evolves with age. I think my core style has been the same my whole adult life. But for some reason my taste is not, if it makes any sense.
The clearest example is jewelry. I have always liked quite classic jewelry. Bold and large in scale - it works with my appearance, but still classic with some modern design added to the mix. A few years ago, I started to like more modernist pieces. Things, that are not particularly pretty or polished, but very interesting and unique. I still wear all my jewelry and like my pieces, but I get excited about completely different pieces. Below, there are some examples - things I love now, but wouldn’t have liked in the past.

Has your taste developed or changed over time? Do you gravitate towards something different now than before? Has it affected your style?

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30 replies

Latest reply was from Jenni NZ

Vildy

Veteran

What a great question. I'm 74 and I believe my taste has stayed the same all the way through. Today I'm wearing as the basis of my outfit a knit mini skirt and short sleeved sweater!

Star

Veteran

First off I love the jewellery you have displayed. To answer your question - Yes, very much so. I always loved bright colour, patterns, bold outfits, bold jewellery. The last few years I am going in the complete opposite direction. I know it has a lot to do with letting my natural silver hair grow in as well as starting to wear specs instead of contact lenses. I feel like my hair and my specs are statements and now I am drawn to small stud earrings, no really bold necklaces, no pattern. I still love bright and saturated colour but am also really drawn to taupes and greys. Even before the hair and specs change I was going in this direction so not entirely sure of the reason. Anyway I like my new more subdued style. I never will be entirely subdued, I was wearing white snake-print pants tonight but my blazer was taupe ;).

Katerina

Veteran

Vildy, interesting! A knit mini sounds fabulous

Star, yes, a change of hair color and addition of glasses make a big difference - hence the adjustments. But the interesting part is the slight change of direction which started even before….

In my case, it is a shift in direction when it comes to the aesthetic… wonder if it will continue beyond jewelry…

Anonymous

Love the new jewelry for you!
My style evolves in pretty predictable ways generally, shifting with silouette trends- like longer skirts and wider pants now. But-my color scheme has shifted in the past couple years. Still Dark Autumn, but I've moved to much more neutrals, when I was wearing more combinations of brights pre-pandemic. Also, much more emphasis on natural fibers than before.

Katerina

Veteran

Suntinger, interesting. I have also started to appreciate neutrals more lately.

Irina

Veteran

My taste doesn’t change, I have always liked minimal details and a limited number of colors in one outfit or an environment. Any changes in my style I attribute to how much time I spend on fashion and shopping.

More time - more fashionable Also, some there is no longer a need to maintain a separate wardrobe for work and I enjoy wearing business casual clothes, it is more suitable to my taste and personality.
The most significant changes happened to jewelry- from not wearing earrings at all to fashion jewelry and then to fine jewelry. I used to resist a suggestion to wear refined, smaller pieces that are more suitable for a petite woman. I wore statement rings, it was my thing, although not easily found in size 5 or 4,5.

I recently changed my mind and now wear small, minimal every day jewelry and sometimes something bold.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Very interesting, Katerina. I think the strong, almost brutalist aesthetic of this jewellery creates a powerful juxtaposition with the more classic elements of your style and harmonizes well with your high contrast and strong features.

My taste has remained remarkably consistent over the decades, with small detours for experiments of different kinds. I have not always been able to find or afford what I like, however. But that's a separate issue!

Brooklyn

Veteran

I like those brutalist necklaces for you!

My taste has changed a lot, but a lot of it is related to trends. I definitely prefer longer skirts and baggy or voluminous bottoms now, but I was right into sheaths and pencil skirts about 7-10 years ago. I was also into more contrast, black and white in particular. Now I like low contrast, more muted colour combinations. I liked longer necklaces in the 2010s, now I like shorter. I used to wear big earrings. Now I don’t wear them at all. In the 2000s I wore lots and lots of dresses. Now I rarely wear them at all because I like the versatility/creative input I can enjoy with separates.

Some things I’ve always liked. Particular colours: teal, rust, dark green and burgundy. Particular fabrics: cotton, velvet, wool. Heavy soled shoes, especially boots. Big rings.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Interesting, Katerina! Those items look like a stunning juxtaposition with your modern classic and modern retro looks.

My tastes have stayed very consistent for the 52 years of my life! ESPECIALLY my favourite colours.

There have been changes too, though:

No more black (not even in a pattern)
No more hard edge, and not in any sense
No earrings (not for 26 years!)
I now wear beiges well, thanks to my new hair colour!
I go with the trends on the bottom, so that DOES change
I used to not like boho, but boho-lite tops have grown on me over the years because the items can be very pretty. And I like a good dose of "pretty" in my outfits

That's all I can think of right now.......

LJP

Veteran

I love this jewellery Katarina !

As to the question - yes, my style preferences have changed over the decades but I’d be surprised if it didn’t ! The more I see, learn , experiment with etc, the more changes I make . Like many though , I’m limited by what’s available in my price range . I’m also susceptible to the distraction of beautiful textiles / prints / colours , and can easily be swayed into looks I don’t actually want . I’m getting better at that tho .

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Brooklyn and Angie remind me that despite remarkable consistency, there are changes, and like Brooklyn, mine relate to the trends.

Angie has said I am "trendy on bottom" and it sounds like Brooklyn might be, too -- so I used to wear and like skinnies, tube skirts, pencil skirts, sheaths -- and now prefer looser, baggier silhouettes on bottom for the most part.

I never wore sneakers as regular footwear until maybe 6 or 7 years ago. So that is something relatively new.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

ETA:

I go with the trends at the bottom so that DOES change

Knew I forgot something!!! Thank you for reminding me

rachylou

Veteran

I’m finding this a hard question to answer! Some things have been remarkably consistent. Some things have changed due to moving environments. I don’t appreciate kitsch as much as I used to, nor glam….

Joy

Veteran

My taste in jewelry, especially, has changed many times. Keep all jewelry you have because your taste could change back. I think mine is partly determined by what is popular and that changes all the time, from bold to dainty and back again. Many women look best in one or the other and should stick to what looks best. I like bold necklaces and bracelets but dainty watches and rings. I am small so some things overwhelm. DSIL looked great in heavy silver pieces. But she was a big woman. Good Luck.

Katerina

Veteran

Thank you very much, everybody, it is such an interesting and helpful read. Thanks for sharing. It helps me see and figure out some changes in my own style over time, as well as the constants.

Trends are definitely affecting the way I dress - it is unavoidable. In terms of taste though, I have always liked the “same” things regardless of the trends or current fashion. I did not necessarily wear them at the times they were “out of fashion”, but it was due to the environmental norms, not my taste. Typically, I have always loved wide leg full length trousers and worn them even when they were not trendy. I have always loved bold 80ies jewelry - this I worn in smaller doses until it became trendy again. Brooches - a constant I always wear. Although they are trendig sometimes, I have honestly never seen them being very mainstream. At least here where I live, they have never been so commonly used. Scarves - always have and always will wear them. I change styles, sizes, paterns etc. but in terms of taste, I love them all. Recently, I gravitate more towards abstract, more “arty” patterns, but it is surely thanks to the current trends. I wear my traditional printed silk squares less now, but I love them the same.

Katerina

Veteran

LJP - I agree with you, the more I see and learn, the more I change. I would like to believe that these are improvements - like I am getting better at working with textures, shapes, colors, understanding trends and what they come from etc. I can also be tempted by beautiful items which turn out not to be the best for me and my style. But I have improved. Being here on YLF has been very valuable in terms of learning, inspiration, knowledge, experience of others.

Angie - thank you sharing the changes to your style and how you adopt trends (or not). You are extremely good at understanding all these questions. Being here on YLF is invaluable.

Katerina

Veteran

Another reflection regarding my changing tastes - sorry for the long rumination. I have more and more moved from liking what is the most flattering on me and I am drawn to pieces which are beautiful and interesting as such. This applies particularly to jewelry. The scale is the same as before, dainty pieces do not work on me at all, unless stacked. But the styles are so different. Less “pretty”, less kitch, less “cute” or whimsical. Less commonly flattering. They take room, are heavy, strong, not playing well with others Like they do not care who is wearing them, if it makes sense.

pirouette

I haven’t noticed much change in my style preferences except for jewellery. I only wore silver but now I like gold as well. Not bright gold but more muted and also brass on belts and hardware on bags. My colour palette is very limited and black has always been my favourite and that has never changed.

ChristelJ

Veteran

What a good way to describe your new jewelry. It's beautiful and does command attention in a great way.
I'm another one whose core taste has remained the same, even though I experiment with trends a bit. I've always loved pretty patterns, soft and flowing silhouettes, denim and flare pants, as far back as I can remember. My main change was giving up wearing solid black when my coloring faded. I used to wear large earrings, and now I wear larger necklaces and small earrings. I used to wear a watch, but haven't for several years. Now I'm thinking of going back to it, though! Watches have gained an almost retro appeal to me now.

Star

Veteran

I also stopped wearing watches 8 years ago when I retired. I had many and wore them as an accessory as well as for function. I have also been thinking of going back to it like ChristelJ but probably won't. It is kind of freeing after wearing a watch for a tight daily time schedule as an interviewer for over 30 years.

Katerina maybe your jewellery choices now are a reflection of who you have become over time, without trying to go to deep ;). You know for some people getting older means less trying to fit in and being very comfortable being individual even if it comes across as interesting but a bit abrasive, a take me as I am attitude. I have always been like that. As a youngster and younger woman I always wanted to be different, with dress and attitude. As I mentioned earlier I am doing the reverse, I am a little more muted and even I could say less abrasive, with age and hopefully wisdom.

Katerina

Veteran

Thank you, ChristelJ.

Star, that is very well expressed. Perhaps I am going in the opposite direction - getting a bit more abrasive and I kind of like it.

Dee

Veteran

I think my tastes have remained fairly consistent. I’ve always dressed in a fairly classic way, although my current lifestyle has it skewing even more casual than previous decades.

However, I’d say my jewelry and watches are moving from a more classic or antique style to a more modern, sleeker aesthetic and I no longer wear any earrings now that my hair is styled in a chin length bob, because frankly no one can see them anyways.

slim cat

Veteran

My tastes have not changed much - still love graphic tee and jeans ( with some topper - shirt, cardigan or light jacket ). The offerings are still slim in my size and budget - so I've got some size up tops out of necessities . Cropped or short jackets are the only change I embraced fully instead of full length blazers or long cardigans that were a staple years ago.
Love your jewelry!

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I think the core of my style is the same, but details change. Although at least one long dress I wore at 17 wouldn’t make the cut these days. A bit too young/girly girly. Which was an outlier in my wardrobe even then. Although I am now tempted to see if I kept it in my memories closet and see how I would feel if I put it on again.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

This is a great question Katerina and something I have been thinking about lately. But first the jewelry pieces are gorgeous - just my taste and I have a collection of more brutalist and modernist silver that I need to break out. Please inspire me by showing us wearing them!
As for my taste changing yes very much in some ways but no not in others. So there is a clearly some consistency in what I have collected through the years (even if I haven't worn all of it), but some things have changed quite a bit. A classic example for me is pointed shoes, which I remember disliking but now are my favorites. This ties into some recent insights, so thank you for posting!

Carol

(website)

Veteran

I have become more and more confident in a classic style...I was an art student so tended to dress more edgy/bohemian when growing up.

I also find I do easy cuts in clothes that allow for movement. Not necessarily loose clothes, just simple cuts. I used to always feel like I needed to show off my body, but now I see the body can look just as good with a simple cut.

Sal

Veteran

Lovely jewelry! I can see this suiting you very well.

Like others my taste has moved a bit over the years. There are constants, things that fluctuate to and fro - and then the evolution due to age and growth.

Constants for me
- simple long lines with little layering
- relaxed easy classics
- older jewelry - antique or vintage
- dresses

To and fro
- lengths of trousers
- silhouettes
- colours - I had an orange and coral phase - now I am into lilacs - some of this is trend led.

Evolution
- away from retro to more contemporary
- away from boho towards classic
- away from pattern to more solids

It’s fun!!

Katerina

Veteran

Thank you for reading my musings and for sharing your taste evolution. It is very interesting indeed.

Sally

Veteran

Interesting question. I think there have been slight changes but the main style ideas have remained the same. I have always tended to wear practical clothes that would have tended to be more tomboyish and have always loved jeans, even in my gothic with lots of make up phases and any girly phases I went through in my 20s.

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