How much do you like informal dressing? - YouLookFab Forum

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How much do you like informal dressing?

rachylou

Veteran

So right. Finished up my last big project and am at home right now. I really enjoy my relaxed Saturday capsule, but now everyday is sorta... funkalicious. It's like I work in a boutique. Or in some creative-type office. I'm not sure how much I like it. Where is the militancy? Lol. I'm thinking of maybe dressing like a nun - black or white A-line skirts/dresses, little cardigan, orthopedic shoes.

Anyways, I'm feeling a need to somehow be more uptight. What is an uptight at-home style? And how much do you really like informality, and how often?

It strikes me that you can have dressy informality and dressed-down formality... and I really prefer the latter.

Dressing

31 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

AM

Veteran

Are you reading my mind? Scary.
There is only so much elegance you can add to casual/cozy.
Waiting to hear from others. But you are scary psychic.
And maybe we just need warmer weather.

Anonymous

ROFL, Rachylou! I guess I have to be uptight right along with you. Personally, I prefer dressy informality for home and work, and dressed-down formality for special occasions. I don't do down-home casual or super dressy well. You'll find my style somewhere in between those two extremes.

So let's see... uptight at-home style... hmmm... for me that would be dressy trousers paired with a nice blouse or sweater, dressier jewelry (I love a chunky gemstone necklaces set in sterling silver with coordinating earrings and a nice wristwatch) and dressy shoes. Made-up face, too, of course; I rarely go without makeup. And yes, I dress that way on weekends. I did that last Saturday, as a matter of fact, and we didn't go anywhere. I just wanted to look good because when I look good, I feel good. Also, to me the outfit I just described is informal dressing.

Doubt I'd ever dress like a nun, LOL!

trekkiegirl

Veteran

Button down shirt and trouser jeans. Or like you said, a nun robe

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I think winter has me feeling too cozy. I feel like I look my best after a good long hike with some color to my cheeks. I feel kind of awkward when I dress up lately. But I *feel* stylish enough in my jeans/shorts when they seem current, fit well and when I have on a flattering comfortable top in a favorite color (often navy, white, wine or charcoal). Maybe a belt and a long pendant necklace, or a few bracelets. Rolling the jeans "just so" probably doesn't count, right? I nearly always do my hair and makeup, of course most people can't tell I'm wearing makeup so I'm not sure I should bother so much.

I guess uptight-at-home style for me would be anything that required ironing before putting it on, or anything that I truly felt would get ruined beyond repair if I splashed something on it in the kitchen since I'm usually cooking at home and aprons feel uptight. ;-). Or wearing white jeans - those sometimes feel just too uptight for me.

Alassë

Veteran

Dressed-down formality - that's a very interesting concept. Would that be something like a button-down (buttoned to the collar) plus nice trousers/skirt? Plain, unadorned, but inherently more strict components?

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I can't think of a straight answer so what about a pants suit or cocktail dress made of fleece?

K.M.

Veteran

caro, that's funny!

rachylou... what a riddle. I don't like informality, yet I find myself always casual. It wasn't so before I became a mom, but now I feel overpowered by the circumstances...

Would sporty luxe be dressy informality? I would picture a dressed down formality as: trousers with a silky t-shirt (instead of a button-down). A wrap dress with flats. For home, with fuzzy slippers.

Anonymous

Your choice of the descriptor "uptight" makes me doubt your enthusiasm for this project. Mix in some uncomfortable sexless clothing that needs constant readjusting?
Maybe you would consider upping the elegance factor instead? Blocks of strong color, black, white, blue, red, well cut shapes with ease and drape, with relatively few well executed statement like details? Leggings with tunics, boots and a cocoon coat?

Anonymous

Dressy informality for me would involve a cocktail dress and heels, with appropriate jewelry and shoes. Just sayin' - and that's as dressy as I get. For me, uptight would be Spanx, LOL. I always buy dresses that are lined so I can eliminate the need for a slip.

rachylou

Veteran

'Plain, unadorned, but inherently more strict components' - I like that.

Yeah, was just looking at my terms: dressy informality and dressed-down formality. Rather hard to parse. Haven't nailed it down really. But yes, I feel there's some sort of inherent plainness and strictness to formality (which is reflected in the difference between movie stars and royalty in evening wear).

So, yes, I agree that (if I've got it right) 'dressy trousers paired with a nice blouse or sweater, dressier jewelry and dressy shoes' is 'dressy informality' and that a 'button down shirt and trouser jeans' is 'dressed-down formality.'

And adding 'fancy' to informality and taking away 'fancy' from formality can bring them closer together - even though they're very different.

Hmm. Maybe I need to work on defining "uptight" too - beyond *I know it when I see it*...

Anonymous

So I have it in reverse, Rachylou, or do I dress up more than most people? I'm trying to define my style, so please help me out. Where does my cocktail dress fit in? I figure it's not formal like an evening gown, which is why I placed it in the dressed down formality category. In my mind, there are various levels of casual and dressy.

rachylou

Veteran

Of course, a fleece cocktail dress really appeals to me, caro, in a totally off-topic way... lol

KM... I do think sporty luxe would be dressy informality.

That's a good thought, Isabel, on upping the elegance factor. I'll have to think about ways to do that. Sidebar on uptightness... sadly I was raised by very uptight medieval-style traditionalists. Enthusiasm is not a factor: If you don't like it, you can drink gin. I am now uptight, lol.

betty... Haha. For me, Spanx is just tight...

Anonymous

rachylou, uptight or upright? There's a British designer called Margaret Howell who makes what I'd call upright, Gentlewomanly clothes ... probably too boring for most, but perhaps hitting the "nunlike" mark in their simplicity.

rachylou

Veteran

Tricky tricky, bettycrocker. I'd put your cocktail dress in 'dressy informality.' It's true that there's a dress code for cocktail parties, and it's not what you'd call as dressed-up as black-tie / evening wear - but there's less decorum involved with cocktail parties.

I think you called it right, by all accounts, when you said you go for dressy informality. You slide the lever up on the fancy, which it brings it more on par with the formal. So... yes, on Team Uptight (mwahaha ;))

Anonymous

Just put me in Spanx, and I'm uptight. I mean, my facial expression would change and I'd truly resemble a nun, LOL.

rachylou

Veteran

Oh, Margaret Howell is very interesting, gauche. In the nun arena all right. Also the preppy and utilitarian.

AM

Veteran

Margaret Howell is great. Just checked out the site.
My current winter uniform is 100% Cozy. (50% Cardi/50% Legging -- pretty close to that equation). I'd have to replace 50% with structure. So trouser or blazer/shirt. Oh, that feels painful just saying it.

Vildy

Veteran

I like to screw up the formality. Seems to me the only way to dress up informality is with luxurious fabric. So, say I wore some cashmere sweats. You guys might eyeball them as cashmere but I'm never going to run into anyone who's going to think, "That lady has cashmere sweats!" I don't think people can identify cashmere the way we often suppose they can. I have some black and some chocolate brown pull on velvet pants. They're not silk velvet. Again, if they were, I don't think I"d encounter anyone who's ever seen silk velvet.

deb

Veteran

Rachy, just add a hat. Hats change everything.

rachylou

Veteran

Lol, deb. But would that be weird indoors? Lol.

Vildy - you could also wear heels with the sweats... a little *Candies*, but hey!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Of course! A hat! An unfancy formal one though - none of that casual millinery for you!

deb

Veteran

No, women and men wear hat indoors all of the time. Consider it a fashion statement.

rachylou

Veteran

I think I need a pilgrim bonnet.

Anonymous

A wimple.

rachylou

Veteran

Yes! That's the ticket!

old chic

Just putting on some jewelry -- particularly pearls or rings -- adds formality to leggings or other comfy hang-out wear. And I definitely feel more uptight when I substitute shoes for slippers.

Anonymous

FlyLady (the cleaning expert) advises women to "get up and get dressed to lace-up shoes right when your feet hit the floor in the morning." No slippers or bare feet at home -- helps with discipline, feeling in control and getting things done. That's actually her 2nd "baby step" for frazzled women who don't like to clean. (As I type, I'm sitting in a recliner looking at my bare toes.)

Style Fan

Veteran

I need to buy lace-up shoes. Then maybe I will have a cleaner house.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Fun slideshow link on casual celebrity fashion here (at least I think so). It helped me see looks that are clearly close to my style and ones that I loved on others but were clearly not my style.

http://www.look.co.uk/pictures.....rence-team

ETA: rachylou, I saw many outfits that fit the uptight-at-home look in my eye.

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