Jenny Walton article - YouLookFab Forum

Irina

Veteran

Interesting article, thanks, Lisa!

11 months ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I’d not read her before but that’s a good piece. I do like the idea of developing one’s own style in a way that transcends trend. I like knowing what’s current and evolving and experimenting, but some things are evergreen for me, and I suspect they will always be — my blue-green color palette, structured jackets, denim, bootcut and flare pants, stompy boots, midi and maxi length skirts and dresses… This is what personal style means to me.

11 months ago

LJP

Veteran

She has money to spend on some really great pieces , that’s for sure , but being able to turn off outside noise and wear what you love - AND HAVE ACCESS TO IT - would be a dream come true for me .

11 months ago

kkards

Veteran

I think she could have left everything else out of the essay and just left this sentence

Yet what I would say to myself and to someone struggling with how to create their own style, would be to get offline and stop trying to be perfect or fit in and to instead start leaning into those things, those wonderfully unique eccentricities, that make you completely unique

Of course as you say, having access to (and being gifted even temporarily) pieces most of the rest of us will never experience doesn’t hurt either. But I think the sentiment still applies

11 months ago

LJP

Veteran

I tell you, I am SO tempted to shut it all down for awhile, not look at anything fashion related online, to stay out of stores, and just live life for awhile. I'm kind of sick of clothing and shopping , and feel no connection to my own self right now.

11 months ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Yes, kkards!

I don’t care if an item is from Prada or Target — a good item is a good item, and I love the creativity of how each individual mixes their own unique signature pieces to form their style.

11 months ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

As I get older (and older) I realize that what I saw as personality flaws have some advantages - no I don't always get why people do what they do, yes I make a lot of odd choices, but I also don't feel compelled to follow and fit in. I find social media and the internet feed my creativity rather than rob it - perhaps because I have always felt a bit too alienated to think I could possibly be like anyone else. And am always amused by epiphanies in one's 30s, although, of course, I had them too.

11 months ago

Carol

(website)

Veteran

What a great article, and I wonder if she is actually living in Milan? Because she does have that Italian flair. Bejeweled, stacked heels, for instance.

I agree that the most stylish people often eschew trends. I think there is a balance, because if all of us stopped looking at fashion, so many of us would end up in Crocs, sweats, and a Spongebob sweatshirt, which is maybe not where we want to be. But certainly some balance...to stand out a little bit.

11 months ago

Dee

Veteran

Hmm.. I'm like Jaimie, kind of chuckling at epiphanies at such a young age but hey, its great that she's discovering this much earlier than I did.

It took me this long (60 years+) to figure out what actually looks and feels best on me, and sure I might like to rock an oversized, slouchy outfit or perhaps a neutral minimalist look, but for whatever reasons they just don't suit me best. It seems my body frame is suited better to a more fitted and classic look, and cool colours look better with my coloring and my personality enjoys stripes, small geometric patterns and ditsy florals. So these will be some of the elements that I'll utilize for my own personal style.

And even though there's a whole host of trends being trotted out there on social media, I am not as bothered about whether I'm looking current or not but its more about whether these trends will actually serve my personal style.

11 months ago

Olive Green

Veteran

For the more isolated of us, or the ‘weirder’ ones amongst us, magazines and media are the way to pursue an interest in fashion or a niche style. Perhaps even feel understood, or seen.
So I think that while building a wardrobe that makes us happy with our look, we may refer to others already doing what we want to do. I found it a relief to discover older Japanese or Milanese or English women doing older women fashion without apologizing, and looking so interesting and current doing it.
But I agree, there is so much noise and very different and sometimes cruelly opinionated fashion commentary online and on other media. When it’s too loud or too body shaming or just too, we can turn most of it off. Thank goodness. It’s poison in large doses.
I hope you find a happy balance there. You look great, by the way.

11 months ago

RobinF

Veteran

Great read! She is unfamiliar to me. I love her take on fashion and style. I get tired of all the influencers wearing the same things. It becomes boring after a while. But I do wonder how different my style would be with more funds at my disposal

11 months ago

Kim M

(website)

Active Member

I agree with LJP in shutting it down for awhile. Maybe I'm backing myself up by saying I like looking at different looks and seeing what I already have that can be worn other ways to feel updated. Agree with those who pointed out the 30-something epiphany. Ha! She will have many more of them in the coming decades!

11 months ago

Joy

Veteran

I have never heard of Jenny Walton or Substack, but Angie gives us the same message. One way is to mix high and low and have fun.

11 months ago

LJP

Veteran

Jenny Walton was Scott Schuman’s partner for many years . She’s an illustrator and clothing collector living in Milan . And clearly making lots of $ doing so

11 months ago

LaPed

Veteran

Interesting article, definitely curious to read more of what she she has to say about Milan!

Her observation that, "There is a balance that can be struck between minimalism and eccentricity, but this requires knowing yourself and taking some risks," really stands out to me. I think most of us here on the the forum are trying to find that sweet spot. For me, it would definitely not be a column of light neutrals plus mega-bling -- but there's no one correct formula. On JW, the quiet neutrals plus OTT jewelry reads kind of arch and cheeky (although I do wonder if the fact that it's all "the real deal" is a factor), whereas I'm pretty sure I would look like a kid playing dress-up in grandma's closet. But I can guarantee you everyone has their own version of this, an outfit that nods to trends but also winks.

I will say, I do take a lot of cues from the older generation where I live, a region that was an epicenter of the back-to-the-land movement in the 60s-70s, so a lot of older folks here dress entirely in paint-spattered Carhartts and hand-knit sweaters. It's a lot more interesting and authentic than what the crowd my age tends to wear -- lots of Lululemon or other athleisure, past-their-prime skinny jeans, and anonymous corporate-casual pieces from Loft or Talbots as a sort of "necessary evil" worn only on office days. Most people in their 30s dress around work and kids -- JW clearly doesn't have those constraints to contend with!

11 months ago

judy

Veteran

I enjoyed the piece you posted. Though I'd seen photos of her over the years, I didn't know much about her. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/.....n-profile/

11 months ago

Sal

Veteran

I like your original link Lisa and Judy’s subsequent one. What fab style and a great attitude. She has panache.

If I didn’t look online I would miss seeing so much. Whilst there are lots of stylish people where I live - my everyday life is either at work - not stylish - or exercising - I don’t get much street style like you might in a big city. And she is part of the online presence - and earns money from it. Without people being interested in her style she would get a lot less Prada collabs.

Thanks for sharing.

11 months ago

Sally

Veteran

I don't look at fashion magazines online or buy fashion magazines or any magazines where I might be be exposed to trends, unless you count pinterest and social media such as facebook and instagram as a source of trends. The only ideas I get are here on this forum when I get time to come here, or from movies/tv. I don't live in a particularly fashionable suburb, and I don't visit malls to look at the shops and its only the rare trip into the centre of the city when I see what others are wearing. In saying that, I do think I get influenced somehow even if it is what is available when I go to shop. I have moved over to looser fit trousers after years of wearing skinnies.

11 months ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Ah, to be 33 again! And to live in Milan...

Love her precise, polished, retro style, though I cannot imagine dressing like that myself for my actual life. Of course it is her job to be performative -- every outfit is an event. I view this the way I might have seen the magazine spreads in the old days when I read fashion magazines. It's inspiration for some, aspiration for others. Fantasy-land.

I have been almost entirely off social media for a year, apart from rare things I have to "promote." (Quotation marks because you cannot promote if you don't engage and I don't any more, ha.) I was never on there a lot but leaving it aside has opened up more space and I like that.

In the old days I used to read a few other fashion blogs but pretty much stopped after finding YLF. (This is one stop shopping, LOL.) I never followed any fashion influencers and only learn of them from the forum. I don't read fashion mags any more, except online occasionally -- mostly to look at what's trending. I do like to watch bits of the shows for inspiration each season.

And that's it. If I subscribe to a store's mailing list (and I do that) I immediately have messages sent to junk so that I only have to look at them when I feel ready to shop, look for sales, etc. When I'm not actively shopping, I don't browse sites or even think about clothes except how I'll wear what I have.

Not saying that's good or bad. If I had more time to devote to it, or felt less overwhelmed by the sheer abundance and clamour of SM, I might do more. But it jangles me.

Still, I don't think I've developed a style in isolation -- I don't know if that is possible. We're social! And I wouldn't want to ignore trends entirely, because an awareness of the trends is what helps me feel plugged in and current. I love vintage -- and Jenny Walton's high-end designer vintage is amazing! -- but realistically, I can't source such items in my price range or get them fitted -- at least not often -- so to make them the foundation or fulcrum of my style would be impossible.

JW's calm neutrals in that outfit are lovely. The pile-on accessories and statement shoes together with those calm, classic neutrals reminds me of Jenna Lyons' approach (though she'd usually have gone for colour + pattern, as well -- but if not colour and pattern, then she'd definitely do the bling). Nothing wrong with that! I'm a fan. Just not for myself.

10 months ago

ChristelJ

Veteran

Just want to say I really enjoyed the substack article and also the harper's one. I used to enjoy the Sartorialist, but I'm not on Instagram and don't keep up with a lot of style or fashion online content, so had never heard of Jenny Walton. I really like the retro aspect of her style. I also admire Italian taste in general and would get a kick out of going to Milan and seeing the older ladies there.

Lots of great, interesting comments in this thread from everybody. Most of the time, I consider my lifestyle so far removed from that of style celebrities or influencers that they have no everyday relevance to me, other than those times when what they wear qualifies as art, and can affect me as such. I am curious now about LaPed's older folks in Carhartts and hand-knit sweaters...I could see aspiring to something like that.

10 months ago

Joy

Veteran

What Suz said. I don't have the time or inclination for fashion magazines, Pin-trust or Instagram, but remember when what was shown in shop windows in Milan would take 2-3 years to get to my medium sized city in the USA and then a moderated version. I remember seeing lots of embroidery years ago, which was odd to my eye. Two or even three years later it appeared and I wish I had bought or made some when I had the chance. Angie's predictions also take awhile to reach my area. They are often marked down first.

10 months ago

quietloud

Active Member

Love the article, and thank you for linking to her substack!

I've followed her for some time on instagram, and while my style is not at all similar to hers I do find her inspirational. She seems to have a very joyous approach to fashion.

10 months ago

lyn67

Veteran

Wow, that was a really good read.
My fave quote from her here would be:
:-"it’s quite liberating to see how the items I’ve acquired over the last ten years, are, finally, finding their way onto my body as I come into myself. (...) Their combinations, which I could have never imagined when buying the items separately, are often surprising even to me."
That's the reason I like to keep my old things forever as I so many times experienced this same AHA moment but with my poor older items from my own wardrobe. Not designer for sure but if any piece I loved, has a good cut, a good fit(often DIY personalised) and decent to higher end execution-then, that's a forever piece for me.

Also, I'm with Jaime here as I also "find social media and the internet feed my creativity rather than rob it - perhaps because I have always felt a bit too alienated to think I could possibly..." (Jaime's quote ended here!).... fit (size-and body shape-wise) all what I possibly like from within my shops (budget permited and regional available) or media promoted.
Thanx for the thread, Lisa.

(And yesss, I also used to admire older italian ladies from their bigger cities. Will seek to find some of my picties taken while lurking them during our vacations there. But even sans picties and many years past their looks are still strongly engraved in my visual memory -so fab they looked!)

10 months ago

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