Multiple Style Personalities: Special Events VS Day-to-Day

MsLuna

We are having a Christmas party in a few weeks in our company and I was trying to decide what to wear. Based on my recent style discoveries, I would say that I have an uncompromising balance of comfort and style, mixed with romantic frilly soft elements with harder more "rock and roll" edgy elements. I got rid of many dresses I have worn in previous weddings because they were not quite "me" anymore, so I knew I had to purchase a new dress.

Before setting out to buy the dress though, I thought about staying true to my modern classic/comfy chic/romantic/edgy style... Yet all the outfits I could come up with in my head just weren't me. I tried going on Pinterest to look for inspiration but somehow I just could not get inspired.

While Pinteresting and contemplating about my outfit, I found that I gravitated to the bombshell style: Slim sheath dress, curves, demure hemlines, platform heels, and a lower yet not too indecent cut neckline to show off statement jewelry. So I set out to go shopping yesterday, tried different styles, and walked out with a bombshell-esque dress that was somewhat late 1950's-early 1960's inspired.

I recall past weddings and events and have always felt "comfortable" in bombshell mode when dressed up. It's odd, especially coming from a comfort fanatic who loves to play with soft/hard elements all the time. Whenever I dress my usual casual/romantic/edgy self, I just don't feel "right".

I also noticed this in my choice of business casual outfits. I don't like wearing pants for business casual: I gravitate to slim dresses as well but with much more modest necklines and just-above-the-knee hems to balance out the shorter (2 inches) heels I wear. It's basically modern classic with a lot more edge than romance, and I believe this is to offset the bombshell-esque structured dresses.

Have you experienced this before? Has the environment/occasion affected your style personalities?

10 years ago

Dressing

11 replies

Latest reply was from Vix

MuseumGal

Veteran

I definitley have several different style personas. For instance, my every day persona as ABD (all but dissertation) grad student is a mix of bohemian, tough, and classic. When I teach or go to conferences, I up the professional quotient a bit, but the basics stay the same. Yet when I go functions with my husband, in my guise as "the professor's wife," I'm a more conservative and somewhat ladylike dresser - classic takes center stage and tough and bohemian fall to the wayside. When I hang out with old friends from college, it's all boho all the time. These personas are all genuinely ME, I'm not putting on a front, but as different situations draw out different aspects of my personality, I will make different style choices.

10 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

I tend to stick to classic looks for a special occasion such as a wedding. I like to repeat my outfits for these types of events so I want a piece that will last year to year.

10 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

Isn't that part of the fun when dressing up? To me, it's the perfect opportunity to express a repressed(?) side of my normally classic, somewhat conservative, style. I love wearing my tuxedo jacket over a lacey, feminine bra so I show a hint of it when I move around. Since I'm normally covered up, I feel more dangerous and slightly risqué when I wear something that revealing on top. Short skirts, stiletto heels, and bodycon clothes make me uncomfortable, but a flash of an undergarment is just right. Plus my husband adores it...

10 years ago

rae

(website)

Veteran

Yep, I definitely think different events can and should bring out different aspects of our personalities. You don't want to feel or look the same way at a ball as you do at work.

10 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

My opera capsule is VERY different than my day to day wear.

10 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

Easy, peasy! You like to be 'hugged' by your clothing!

I've had the same issue. Trending towards conservative, but I hate crisp button downs. My go to work outfit is a pencil skirt and knit top. But I don't consider myself bombshell, and am actually somewhat conservative (ie knee length, please.)

It took a while to figure out, but FWiW, weekend, work, or fancy event, I want to be embraced by my clothes. This equals comfort, but also a sort of body con bombshell-esque presentation.

Recently I have been reading about sporty-glam, which has elements of body con and comfort, but I prefer a 2 inch pointy toe vs wedge Converse so don't find the style descriptor accurate for me. However, it is worth considering?!

I don't think you have different style personalities, but rather Might be a more sensate dresser vs visual?! (Feel free to disagree!)

10 years ago

Vix

Veteran

Hi KatieKat --

SURELY you just forgot to attach a photo of you in this gorgeous-sounding dress, right?! Glad you found something that felt right for you + the occasion.

It's interesting that your split happens pretty cleanly between occasions. Makes it easier from a shopping/dressing perspective, too!

I have a couple of style personas and while they're not *terribly* far apart (so...not demure classic and provocative goth) I find there's no particular rhyme or reason as to how those want to manifest. My Persnickety Bohemian side is as likely to want equal time during a work week as on vacation, ha.

Sounds like you were a little surprised that you were still skewing bombshell for this event given your recent style explorations, though?

Now that I can identify with--I ended up much more Sparkle Barbie for a recent fancy wedding than I'd expected...it was like all my 3 style personas collided...but like you all the stuff I saw or tried on felt very ho-hum til that dress.

Hope the party lives up to your dress!

10 years ago

MsLuna

Veteran

Thanks ladies

The reason why I ask is that I tend to want to strive to be as authentic as I possibly can. I used to be a mood dresser myself, so I understand the different moods I go through, depending on what's happening and the occasion. What I've attempted is to try and dress as the more "dressed up" version of my modern classic/romantic yet tough look, but for some reason, it just doesn't resonate with me in events like cocktail parties. It's almost as if I turn to a completely different person, though I still have common elements that tie in to all my moods/looks such as the colours (black/magenta/purple/deep red), jewelry, and makeup (black eyeliner with a mini wing).

@MuseumGal: Well said. There are definitely different aspects in our personalities and it gets expressed in certain events and situations. And when I think about it - I do think dressing to express these parts of our personalities in different situations is indeed a lot more authentic.

@Gaylene: Hey at least you still have an opportunity to really express your repressed side, right? Better than being completely repressed!

@RunCarla: Slim-fitting, I think may seem bombshell-esque, but I don't think it is necessarily so. You can actually have slim-fitting clothes and still be considered conservative/classic, IMO. And I know what you mean by being embraced by your clothes! With regards to comfort, notice how most of my clothes have been skinnies/leggings and anything that pretty much hugs the body yet conforms to my every move? I think you're right there's a certain comfort to body-hugging clothing.

I heard of sporty-glam and actually considered this as a style persona. However, like you - I'm just NOT a sneakers person. If I were to wear some kind of casual flat.... PASS ON THE DOC MARTEN BOOTS! I still prefer looking more "tough" than that clean-sporty-casual look.

@Vix: You will see this dress as soon as I get to the Christmas party! The dress is at the tailor's right now to have an alteration done to accommodate my short torso.

With regards to your styles, I think I've only seen you in your modern classic looks. I have not seen much of the Bohemian yet! Care to share some links?

Skewing bombshell is indeed a surprise, but when I think about it, it should not have. There are some elements of romantic that cross over to bombshell. For instance, my love for large vintage-inspired statement jewelry. they would look fantastic on those classic late 50's-early 60's inspired dresses with necklines that narrow at the shoulders and swoop downwards to a larger scoop. Often too, I associate bombshell with "glam" and I have a tendency to be drawn to "glam and glitzy" accessories.

I'm curious about the sparkle Barbie dress!

10 years ago

Liz A.

Veteran

OMG epiphany! I'm with you and Carla on preferring to be hugged.

10 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

This is a good thread. I like how people are saying that when they dress differently for different occasions, it's not that they're pretending to be someone they're not but that they're being authentic to a side of themselves that doesn't "get out much."

I too like form-fitting clothes for the same reason, KatieKat--it feels like I'm being hugged. I think this is also why I am very sensitive to how different materials feel too. I think you said once that you hate the feel of polyester against your skin, so you are a very tactile person also. :^) Team Tactile all the way! (Don't know if Angie has a Team Tactile...)

10 years ago

Vix

Veteran

Hi again KKat --

>The dress is at the tailor's right now

Well I can't shake my fist at a woman who's getting her look perfected, ha! This will be a knockout for sure.

>There are some elements of romantic that cross over to bombshell. For instance, my love for large vintage-inspired statement jewelry. they would look fantastic on those classic late 50's-early 60's inspired dresses with necklines that narrow at the shoulders and swoop downwards to a larger scoop.

Absolutely. You and I share a love for vintage statement jewelry...wonder if our tastes overlap as well?

Also agree about the potential for crossover between romantic and bombshell. I almost wrote that my Sparkle Barbie dress was a romantic classic dress but my original "Old Hollywood meets Bollywood" descriptor still wins out.

Photo of that dress below, and more in this thread of both dresses (reception + morning ceremony + closeups of the mostly vintage accessories (there's an earlier thread too..I was spamorama but hey, special occasion!)

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ly-wedding

You're so right about my base being modern classic!

But I do have boho luxe leanings and end up with Barely Boho outfits -- a few examples below. Generally it's a formula with lots of knotting and draping; scarves worn as belts, around hats, and as loosely tossed scarves; and stylized florals prints or Missoni-by-the-yard fabric.

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10 years ago

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