Carol -- that is fascinating what you say about feeling stylish and free and non-chalant in college. I think you will be able to capture that feeling again by sticking with YLF and the help of Angie and the forum.
Denise aka CocoLion

Welcome, Carol! I think you can see by the answers to your question how helpful and generous the members of this forum can be. Your response to Cocolion's thoughtful question is very telling--and very typical--I think: in our early twenties, slim-waisted and light-hearted, it's easy to feel attractive, whether concerned about fashion or not. I've watched my daughters go through this inventive phase, and as they get older, they, too, are becoming more tentative and self-conscious. Fashion "rules" are often stultifying, though fashion tricks can be useful and fun. Angie's advice about keeping the joy and emotional satisfaction in dressing has been liberating to me. It's all about reconnecting with and expressing your essential self, rather than trying to fit any pattern. You will find lots of encouragement for that here.

Cardiff giro, we usually hang the empty garment over a target or tree or something and I stand back and watch. Also, I whoop and holler like an overgrown idiot LOL

Cindysmith, now, that is what I call having fun with fashion!!

Don't let your clothes boss you around, Angie always says.

Carol, 37 is a great age to return to having fun.

Hi Carol - I'm around your age and one thing I've noticed is that life is full of shifts that feel awkward for a while. Like shifting from one's college style to professional, or losing / gaining weight. Things get thrown apart and then settle back down eventually.

I think my current style is defined, distinctive, feels like me. But 20 years ago I'm not sure I could have imagined that. In high school I was an outcast albeit with interesting clothes (the grunge era was kind to me). In college I happily wore men's jeans and tshirts. It wasn't a bad look but very different from what I wear these days. The first big awkward transition was college to grad school (2002). My grad school roommate basically staged an intervention. She got me some modern jeans (fitted, boot cut, not men's) and I finally started wearing a bra!

Anyway, I just kept on shopping at consignment stores and honing my style, with more hits and fewer misses over time. For the past 5-10 years I've felt really comfortable in my wardrobe. There was no one moment when I felt like I'd 'made it' though. (To be honest, having a bit more money helped...)

I developed my style by analyzing other people's clothes and browsing shops. Your path might be different - maybe your art student style is intuitive and you'll refine it with nicer items and more editing. Maybe you'll go back to the freewheeling student look with no problem. But in any case, it can be a lot of fun!

Recently, I found a new quotation by which to live, "Do not compare your behind-the-scenes to everyone else's highlight reel." So true...and yet so inevitable that it happens! I am always catching myself thinking that people who do things well just somehow have effortless talent, but that is unfair to those people because it cheapens the effort that they put in (maybe recent, but maybe over a lifetime) of honing their craft to get to the point where they are now.

Greyscale, do you still shop at consignment stores? I do at least half my shopping at thrift stores.

I'm sorry I can't respond to each and every one of you--you all had words of wisdom and encouragement.

But I did want to say, Joy, that I loved reading your stories! It sounded like a Charles Dickens novel about a teaching assistant.

YES I HAVE lol Yes I'm yelling. For me it is an ebb and flow. Welcome to the boards. I take inspiration from the ladies here as well as Angie. I still stay true to who I am. I left the Army and had no clue so that is why I came here developed my style and then 10 years later had a baby had to get through my no maternity wardrobe at 43 now I'm trying to find my mama vs me style. You are certainly at the right place

Yes I do! I see that you're in LA so you have many of the same stores as me (San Francisco) -- I shop at Crossroads Trading and Wasteland. But over time I've become much pickier, and now I usually only look in the designer section. I do find that my thrift purchases are more likely to be failures, though. I'm trying to be good about really evaluating whether I want the item or I just love a bargain. Same goes for Nordstrom Rack.

I find a lot of good stuff at the thrift stores here, because it's LA--there are rich people who get rid of great stuff. You do have to wade through a lot of junk, though.

Welcome Carol - I think we've all had periods of time where we felt like that. I did after I had my son. Dressing a new body, so tired. Agree there is no effortless. The great thing about YLF is it's a place to figure out your personal style. Whether it's following fashion, a personal vision or something in between. But effort, thought, experimentation, are part of the process. Effortless is the outcome of tremendous work when your wardrobe actually works for you and makes you happy. But like an impromptu, no one will guess the angst, work, calculation, and persistence that was required to make it all "effortless!"

I have to say, a lot of days it doesn’t really quite come together for me. It’s the shoes. Practicality wins. YLF always has the answer tho: the FFBO - the fast fall back outfit. Saves the day when I can’t think

Ha! Rachylou, I saw that acronym on another post, and couldn't figure it out. Thanks.