My Style. How will I know? - YouLookFab Forum

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My Style. How will I know?

Marley

Veteran

I have accepted the fact that it is going to take me awhile to figure out what my style is because I have been all over the place in my shopping forays - buying everything from bohemian, to classic, to rocker chic, to gamine, etc. etc. For the past 2 1/2 months (wow! I can't believe its been that long) I have been SYC and really trying to sort out, and sort through, and get into my head what my style is and what I want it to be. I know it is too soon to put a label on it yet, but I'm wondering, do any of you have any tips on the "steps" (if there ARE steps) that I need to go through before I will get it figured out????? Thank you!

General

30 replies

Latest reply was from Aida

catgirl

Veteran

Marley, I have nothing to offer other than sympathy, as I am in the same situation myself. I look forward to seeing what others say here!

nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

You know i've been thinking about this the past few days because of a couple of different posts on here and at the end of it i decided i didn't want a label. I simply love clothes and I love all sorts of different styles. If I want to be boho one day and preppy the next, so be it!

So.....i guess i'm not much help lol since i decided to throw the label out the window.

Marley

Veteran

Una! You haven't got it figured out either? Well, that makes me feel a little less impatient because we both joined YLF at around the same time and I figured you were WAAAAAY ahead of me by now! OK girlfriend - lets see what the rest of the group has to say!

rae

(website)

Veteran

Everyone realllly helped me out with a similar question yesterday! Aida's list was super effective for me by enabling me to see all my "likes" in one place and identify an overall theme. Then Vix added a word exercise near the end. Brilliant ladies!
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....on-journey

catgirl

Veteran

Marley, are you kidding? I feel LOST. But I think it's the darkest spot before the storm clearing, to whatever that saying is...

Queen Mum

Veteran

I actually like seeing people in a variety of styles. I say if you can pull off everything from classic to gamine, go for it. It will keep life interesting.

Aida

Veteran

I've come to terms with not having one style, which is why I did the list thingie I suggested over in Rae's thread. I have no problem with this; as QM says, keeps life interesting

tarzy

Veteran

I feel your pain, Marley! To me, you always look like you know what you're doing, and your Sartorialist challenges were really fun to see. But if you don't feel like "you," it doesn't matter what others think.

Do you want to define your style to make it easier to get dressed every day, or because you feel too scattered? Or are there outfits you've worn recently that you didn't like, and that didn't feel right somehow?

Kristine

Veteran

Have you started collecting images for an inspiration board? Maybe you'll find a common theme. I was actually kind of surprised that my images kind of all fit together (clean lined, lots of crisp white and ocean blue, geometric shapes). It helped me start to identify a style (Modern Classic, moving towards a bit more Mod).

I've also heard the advice that if you feel like you're wearing a costume, you're not quite there yet. I think that's true to a point. There are some things I'll just probably never like on me (ruffles, puffy shoulders). But there's a fine line between pushing yourself a little and realizing when it's just not your taste.

I'm sure for most of us our style is a hybrid. Have you tried finding three words you'd like to describe your style? The three word idea really helps my shopping and planning.

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

What kind of clothes do you feel most comfortable in, when do feel confident in how you look and present yourself?
How do people percieve you, are there things that you wear that always get noticed as being particularly flattering?

I find that those with very varied styles are usually quite confident in that amount of variety- mood dressers. They have the confidence to play different roles (not literally but in a fun way) and are usually outgoing. This is very different than being undecided and unaware of style preferences. Many people are and need to experiment and get advice from people that are good at fashion (like Angie and all of the ladies on the forum). Everyone starts somewhere and there is no time like now. Maybe you are a person that will always need variety and never have a predominant style personna. Or maybe you have not yet discovered your best looks. Either way, this is the place to be!

catgirl

Veteran

Jean, you are someone I feel has absolutely nailed their style to perfection. I can identify a Jean look or item, yet you have so much variety and interest within a consistent look and color palette, and you are able to incorporate trends to suit you.

If I may ask: how did you get to where you are now? Where did you start?

Marley

Veteran

Thank you for the tips everyone. Rae - I missed your thread the other day - did you get your style sorted out? I think Aida's exercise will be helpful and think I will sit down tonight and try to identify those aspects. Tarzy, I was thinking that if I identified my style that it would help me when I do start shopping again - and also would just help me organize and streamline my closet. However, I really do like dressing in all different styles. When I was doing the Sart challenges, there wasn't a single one of those outfits that I didn't absolutely love - and I wore ALL of them out and about - some of them I've worn more than once. I get really tired/bored of dressing like everyone else and really like trying/experimenting with new and different looks. Yes, I also am a bit of a "mood" dresser - but sometimes feel bipolar about it and so I'd like to pull it in a bit! Oh well - I guess I've just got to trust the process!

MsMary

Veteran

I'm surprised that you're in any kind of distress at all about your style, Marley! I would call your style "Eclectic Chameleon" and just embrace it!

rae

(website)

Veteran

Marley, there's a saying that it's easier to pull someone back a little bit than to force them to come out of a shell, so I think you are farther ahead of the curve than you know! You always look amazing -- perhaps you are the Ultimate Eclectic!

After doing the exercises suggested to me, I ended up dubbing myself a Utilitarian Fashionista -- blending my love of tough, uniform-like elements (leather, boots, classic lines) with my love of color, shopping, and silhouettes that show my feminine shape. This even seems to resolve my seemingly-opposite work and play wardrobes! There was more overlap than I knew -- I have a sneaking suspicion that the same might be true for you...

rae

(website)

Veteran

Hehe, I must have read MaryK's mind just now - Eclectic! Eclectic!

MsMary

Veteran

Rock on, Rae!!

"Utilitarian Fashionista!" Love it!!

Marley

Veteran

Isn't Eclectic just another word for Fragmented - or, All Over The Place (I know, that's 4 words) - but you get what I mean??????

MsMary

Veteran

Let's look it up, shall we?

— adj
1. (in art, philosophy, etc) selecting what seems best from various styles, doctrines, ideas, methods, etc
2. composed of elements drawn from a variety of sources, styles, etc

— n
3. a person who favours an eclectic approach, esp in art or philosophy

So it doesn't mean just all over the place, it means SELECTING THE BEST of different styles. Which is totally what you do! Every single one of your outfits is killer-diller, no matter what style you are. And the second definition fits your style, too. It's not that every outfit is itself eclectic, but your overall style is eclectic because it is "composed of elements drawn from a variety of sources, styles, etc."

And you definitely fit the third definition.

I am firmly on Team Embrace the Eclecticism!

taylor

Veteran

MaryK..You are so fun!! I love your approach!

Marley!!! You are FABulously YOU...You don't need a name tagged on to your style...As MaryK stated... No matter what you wear it is undeniably you whether eclectic, tailored, boho or artsy...it all has your fabulous spin...why get boxed in!!

MsMary

Veteran

How about "Fabu-clectic!"?

catgirl

Veteran

Marley, back when Angie asked us to describe our styles, the only word I could come up with was "eclectic". She questioned it at the time, but I'm pretty sure it's correct. Maybe you and I are in the same eclectic boat! Although I've never seen you post an "off' look, and I've posted plenty.

AJ

Veteran

I've been here over a year now and it was just recently that I was able to come up with the words to describe my style: playful, casual, feminine.

I finally came up with this after figuring out what I was not so thrilled about wearing: masculine/androgynous or strictly classic looks. I realized that I really like to have some sort of feminine frill (sometimes that could be just playing up my curls) and I needed a playful aspect instead of conservative or glam sophistication. Plus casual suits my lifestyle.

I can still try a mix of looks but my three adjectives helps me tailor it to suit me.

Marley

Veteran

Oh my goodness - you have all given me such good tips and suggestions - and thank you for the compliments on what I thought was NO style! It sounds like maybe I DO have a style, I'm just not sure how to put it into words - but I know it when I know it - know what I mean? I FEEL it - and that works for me right now - and eclectic is the best word for it, whatever it is! Thanks again!

Rae - you perfectly fit the Utilitarian Fashionista style - LOVE it.
MaryK - I know you've named your style - but I'm forgetting it - something to do with Glamour girl isn't it?
Una - from what I've seen of your FAB posts, you definitely have some eclectic funkiness going on!
I agree with Una about Jean - she is always true to her style - and yet still able to incorporate trends effortlessly.
AJ - you have nailed your style with those 3 words - everything that you have posted fits with playful, casual and feminine.

Ok - gotta go now and do Aida's exercise! (I'm excited!)

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Marley -- these are the words I use to describe your style:

Fashion-forward. (Does the word fashionista mean fashion-forward?)
Playful.
Elegant.

Thinking about what I've seen of you since I joined, you are consistently these things, and you are memorable. The looks you've posted have more style consistency than perhaps you see yourself. If these are your best looks, how you feel the most confident, then that is your style.

Aunty

Veteran

LOL If you are telling us that you do not know what you are doing. I am going to hide under the bed, because ther is no hope for me!!
Variety is the spice of life!

Lynne

Veteran

I think MaryK was Business Bombshell. Suits her perfectly.

Marley your style looks sporty, fun, and sophisticated to me.

Barbara

Veteran

Marley,

Eclectic to me means fun and interesting! I would hate to be boring.
To me your style is classic-sporty with some funky (eclectic) thrown in for fun.

And fashion is ALL about fun.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What Mary said by about a million percent.

MsMary

Veteran

Yes, mine is "business bombshell." I love it!

How about "California Sartorialista" for you?

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