Help me update my style words and moniker? - YouLookFab Forum

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Help me update my style words and moniker?

Helena

Veteran

Hi friends,

A glorious morning at home in a quiet house, so it's a perfect day for me to be able to tackle the blog assignment!

Angie remarked the other day that I have a very consistent style. She's quite right! When I look back on favourite outfits, there is a very clear thread that honestly goes back as far as I can remember. So it makes sense my "classic polished casual" style words have worked consistently; similarly my "suburban Kate" moniker has served me very well. But, I feel it's time to revisit - whether to confirm these are still right or to try something new (I'm feeling the latter but open!)

My style words
There is no getting away from classic & polished. I think these are just intrinsic to my way of dressing.

Casual as a third word has been a function of lifestyle and practicality, but it does not inspire. What third word can I use? I have ideas but am open to others - and of course I don't have to limit to 3:

Contrast: Might be worth revisiting. In retrospect most of my favourite outfits include elements of value contrast, either within the outfit, or playing up the contrast with my lighter skin and darker hair.
90s: 90s minimalism (think the minimal looks of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, early Friends Monica crisp contrasting styles and Rachel's modern classics) are my true fashion loves.
Modern: A reminder to myself to keep it moving ... I observed as I looked through my WIWs that at some point the silhouette became stifled, and it was a relief when I could the movement to more relaxed shapes start. It's not natural for me, but I do want to be in line with what's current, even if I'm at the conservative end of it.

Stye Moniker
Suburban Kate worked great when she was in her early Princess-mom era, since she wore a lot of casual styles that provided realistic (if elevated) inspiration. As she is now in Future Queen mode, her style has become more formal, and as much as I love it, there's less that inspires me for my own life. I believe Classic Ease was one I used as some point, and this isn't bad - sort of a reminder to take my innate style sensibility but relax it all a little. Modern Classic works but is a little boring. I am open to suggestions here as I'm not the most creative with these!

Phew, thanks for reading if you made it through! Any and all thoughts appreciated - what am I missing? What do you think? Thank you one and all! xx

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General

19 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Star (Lise)

Veteran

Polished Classic Minimalist? I like the Ease, or something similar for you because although you are polished and Classic your outfits are not uptight IYKWIM.

Dee

Veteran

HELENA- when I think of your style, I see classic, understated, elegance. Maybe Suburban Luxe, or The Polished Minimalist.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Star, what is an "uptight outfit"? I'm curious as a kitten

It's fun to see that Star and Dee came up with Polished Minimalist right away. Very consistent! Identifiable signature style.

Helena, "classic- polished" perfectly describe your style! I was going to suggest the addition of '90s so VERY fun that we are on the same wavelength! It reminds you to follow your instincts, which bodes well for you. If you'd like a 4th - I'm suggesting CURRENT.

Moniker: Classic Modernist

A modernist favours:

A modernist favors:

Clean lines and simplicity
Function over decoration
New materials and techniques
A “less is more” approach

Think minimal ornamentation, bold experimentation, and a rejection of historical styles. BUT! With the word CLASSIC next to the word Modernist, you temper the rejection of historical styles and bold experiments because you DYOT thereby anchoring your signature style = strong '90s influence.

Star (Lise)

Veteran

ANGIE haha just my own lingo. What I mean is her outfits are perfectly polished but still look relaxed. You have the same super power. Sometimes perfectly polished outfits can look stiff or 'uptight' to my eye.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Helena I will try to put my mind to a different muse for you as I agree that Kate may no longer be quite right. But you possibly could do without one. I was using Jamie Lee Curtis for a while, mainly because of her hair, but for the past several years ( a good 4 years I think) I have not felt I needed someone. Just myself and my own image of how I feel best, in my head.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

This may be way off, but Minnie Driver looks a little like you- you look younger than her but I think you are a bit younger as well- and she looked really amazing in her Golden Globes dress.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I love Angie's suggestion. Or if you want 3 how about Classic Modern Minimalist?

Your style is incredibly consistent and that is a good thing! I'd know a Helena outfit anywhere.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Perhaps your third — or fourth — word should be something more driven by your personality: how do classic and polished express your self-perception and presentation?

Sal

Veteran

Someone who you might want to look at is Jennifer Garner - she has a very natural and sporty style. Maybe not, just an idea.

And I can see the 1990s thread with Monica from Friends or Carolyn Besette Kennedy. You could steal the "Grown Up" from my moniker and be "Grown Up Monica" or something similar.

I think the three words should represent what you feel best in and at times the tension between them is where the best looks are. In your case Classic and polished are you, but what is the added factor to make you feel 10/10 not just 7/10. I don't think casual is the word even though of course you do sometimes dress casually. Maybe 1990s, or modern or minimalist or something colour related.

I have changed breezy out of mine and moved to unfussy. Even my dressiest outfits are unfussy. Or I feel best if they are that way. And my very best outfits are bold, elegant and unfussy.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Modern Monica? I do see a through line with Monica from Friends and your style - neat, classic and attractive. And she is also high contrast in her coloring. I agree that Kate's lifestyle might be moving too far away from yours, although her earlier looks were great inspiration for you. Fun to think about!

Helena

Veteran

Thank you so much everyone and I'm so sorry I disappeared; I had to work late tonight! Love all these ideas ... I'm going to sleep on them and come back with thoughts!! It is really affirming to read everyone's comments ... You all definitely get my style xx

Star (Lise)

Veteran

SAL 'unfussy' is an interesting style word. I think that is what I am trying to say with 'not uptight' ANGIE.

Helena

Veteran

Okay, so I wrote out everyone's suggestions and noodled it all around. I also revisited Allison Bornstein's three word method to help me think through how I will use these words this year. As many of you observed, I have a very consistent style so the purpose of this exercise for me is twofold:

- affirmation - to help me stay focused on my own style in a sea of options

- troubleshooting - when things aren’t working, I have a quick checklist to help me assess

Classic - my homebase. I believe ‘polished’ is inherent in classic so I’m going to assume that’s covered here too.
Modern - my aspiration. Not in the sense that it is new or unfamiliar to me, but rather in the sense that this is the one I can forget about, comfortable as I get with uniforms and outfit formulas. I intuitively feel off when I’ve strayed too far from what’s modern, but am slow to diagnose that as the problem, so this is a good reminder.
This one was trickier. 90s was a very strong contender, but that’s one specific style that I love (much as I love it the most!). Minimalist was strong too, but sometimes I do like a bit of superfluity in the right context (even if I’m hardly a maximalist by any definition). I love black but would feel uncomfortable in it if the entire room was full of bright colour, even as I would feel uncomfortable in brights in a sea of black. What I came to based on these thoughts is Harmonious. This is how I like to feel in my clothing. In harmony with my environment, probably a little quieter. I don't want to be invisible, but I definitely don't want to stand out.

So, I am going to have a crack with Classic - Modern - Harmonious and see how that goes.

For a moniker, I landed on Angie’s suggestion, but flipped - Current Classicist (v. Classic Modernist). I swear I’m not being awkward by doing this hehe I think the current bit is more the modifier, and I also like the catchy alliteration I feel it’s missing something but that’s okay - it works for now and I can evolve it if need be.

Finally, for a muse, I think I have a cast of characters who all have variations on Classic Modern style, which is perfect because then I can choose which inspiration is most harmonious for the day - Jennifer Aniston’s 90s redux minimalism, Princess Kate’s formal looks, Reese Witherspoon’s colourful classics, etc.

Thank you for reading and all your input, and always open to thoughts and critiques! xx

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

You have thought this through beautifully and I think you have sharpened your self-image to boot!

Sal

Veteran

I agree with Jaime - well done!!

And why not have a cast of characters to draw from.

Star (Lise)

Veteran

Current Classicist sounds dead right to me.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

ooooh! Fantastic, Helena! Current Classicist is spot on

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Perfect! I think you have really relaxed into your style these last few years, you seem less concerned somehow in your posts. And you used to say that you over-edited and I don’t think you do any more.
I love the cast of characters too. I didn’t think I could find the right person to inspire you when I was Googling actresses so having a group is great. In the end the feeling like yourself is in your own head.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Star, I missed your replies - thanks for explaining!