New lifestyle, new clothes! - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

New lifestyle, new clothes!

shiny

Veteran

Hi all,

I've been MIA as we've been in process of a move. We're all settled in to our new condo in Charlestown. I'm finding that the fashion here is much different than in my prior home. Much more casual!

For the past 20 years I was living in a high-end suburb where it was bad form to be seen at the grocery store or in the school car pickup lane without your makeup on or (horrors!) in sneakers. The only gear that was acceptable was yoga gear -- if you had just come from yoga. Smart casual was the name of the game.

Now I'm living in an area where smart casual feels too dressed up! It's surprisingly laid back here. There are still a lot of "yoga moms" but I am seeing my neighbors dressed far more casually in exercise tights, hoodies, sneakers, fleece, etc. I welcome this change but it's going to take me some time to add to this part of my wardrobe. Help! I need to build a "walking around town" capsule! How do I do this and still be somewhat fashionable?

To give you an idea, the EF skirted leggings are getting a real work-out as I've been pretty much wearing them all the time. Those seem to strike just the right note. Sporty but still feels like "me."

Suggestions?

Meanwhile here's a bonus WiW for you: outfit worn to a holiday party. AT jeans, Nine West giraffe pumps, Club Monaco black sparkly top, necklace from DD#1 (50th birthday present), red clutch from DD#2 (50th birthday present) and AT red coat, which I'm loving and have been wearing constantly.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Dressing

49 replies

Latest reply was from Inge

JAileen

Veteran

Your outfit looks great - festive and flattering.

Interesting observation about your two very different neighborhoods. When I need to go grocery shopping I have three stores nearby. One, in the most upscale neighborhood in town, I feel like I need to dress up. In summer, many moms wear tennis clothes. The second store is casual like me. I don't feel like I need to do anything different. The third store is in the hood. I actually saw a guy wearing an ankle bracelet. You know, the kind law enforcement puts on.

shiny

Veteran

Our new hood only has one grocery store -- a Whole Foods. It's an interesting neighborhood as it has more rough-and-tumble roots (watch the movie The Town), but is in the slow process of gentrification (hence the Whole Foods). Housing is quite affordable so it also attracts young adults & their families. When out and about you see a ton of moms pushing strollers, people walking their dogs, young women coming to and from yoga class, runners and other exercisers of all ages. What's more, everything is in walking distance -- post office, grocery store, drug store, nail salon, restaurants, etc -- so it's a highly walkable area.

rachylou

Veteran

No sneakers at the grocery? Gosh!

unfrumped

Veteran

Wow, that sounds like a fun challenge!
Are you able to use a lot of existing items if you "juxtapose" and dress them down, look more off-hand. As in, do you need more leggings/tube skirts or some great sneaks to go with existing jeans or may want a whole new style. "Sporty Luxe" sounds like it would work unless you need to go totally Normcore! But it's great your making observations so you can come up with a strategy for what would hit the right notes.

shiny

Veteran

Thanks unfrumped! I need to tell myself this is a "fun" challenge and not a chore.

Definitely think I need some great fashionable sneaks. Not sure about the jeans -- I just don't find jeans comfortable for long walks. Never have, never will. Regardless, I'm all set in that department right now.

Example outfits I've been wearing quite a lot lately, as we explore our new neighborhood:

1. Tunic (machine washable) over leggings with flat booties and backpack, with or without puffer (weather depending).
2. EF skirted leggings with cotton top or denim shirt, with or without a cascading cardigan, flat booties, backpack, with or without puffer.
2a. EF skirted leggings paired with 66 North hoodie.
3. Sweatshirt waistless shift dress (from Old Navy) over fleece leggings, and the above accessories.

All of those options I can and do wear around the house as well.

I'd love to add some more tunics, and more casual dresses, I think. Items need to be breathable and machine washable.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Is Charlestown in Cambridge, MA? If it is, that would be a lot more casual than the rest of Boston - in my experience any way. Which suburb were you living in before, Jennifer?

And to what extent do you want to adhere to your environmental norm?

Killer holiday outfit. That's the Shiny I know.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Love the holiday outfit! You have great taste.

I have the same questions as Angie. I looked up Charlestown and saw there was one in Indiana, Boston, and Cornwall. Pretty sure you're not in Cornwall UK!

shiny

Veteran

Yes ladies we've moved to Charlestown, MA - about 7 miles as the crow flies from our previous residence, which was in Newton (or Snooton, as my hubby calls it -- he grew up there).

We've purchased a penthouse condo with a fabulous 180 degree view of the city! It's also closer to the airport (for my frequent business travel) while still being in bike-commute distance for the hubby. The place needs some reno's but we've already contracted with an interior designer and are excited to see what he comes up with!

Angie, I do want to conform to the environmental norm. It's important to me to "dress the part" -- which is why I have so much fun living in Boston, because each neighborhood here has it's own dress code. (Also why I have fun with my job traveling all over).

That said, it's also important to me to be true to myself. I suspect somewhere there is a compromise, considering I do favor comfort above all else. I just still want to look fashionable too! And I will not compromise on fit.

Mostly I am wanting to be able to slap on some comfortable, serious walking shoes and stretchy clothing that enables me to walk, walk, walk... there are lots of hills here, so sweat a bit too... in my last environment I'd put on exercise gear for daily walks. In this new environment, walking is a part of the day to get things done, like shopping for groceries. I am finding the outfits I reach for the most since we moved are the same clothes I packed and wore the most when we traveled to London.

Does this make sense?

Another example: that red coat has been absolutely perfect for the current mild temps here. But when I put that on to go walk around our neighborhood, I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. Everyone else is in cute fleece toppers or lightweight puffers.

unfrumped

Veteran

You would relate to the previous poster (?) who talked about different approaches, change clothes to go on errands, or wear what you have on, but be thinking what that would look like! So it's great you see that you are more the latter. That might mean the comfy tunics and leggings but changing from comfy home shoes to some sporty but stylish warm boots, fun but snazzy coat, scarves, and maybe the new style handbag-backpack. Being comfortable, warm, and convenient will make it more likely you'll take advantage of the urban walking lifestyle.

I am following some of these wardrobe-lifestyle threads with interest because I have a goal of wearing more things at home that make me feel active and energetic--there's a big psychologic component to getting too comfy and lounge-y, if it's still early in the day or evening--, and sometimes that needs to cross over to gear-ish items, for me because of the association with energy and activity. What I mean is, some of my aspirational lifestyle is not always a distinct "exercise time" vs not, but being more active throughout the day and week.

shiny

Veteran

I hear you on that unfrumped! But I don't like to lounge in gear. Exercise bras are strangling, exercise tights don't allow circulation if you get my drift. If I dress in exercise gear first thing in the morning, I'll be way more apt to exercise... but then I have to change out of the gear. I can't sit in it all day long. Maybe I just have sensitive skin? I like natural fibers. But I think you can do natural fiber loungewear that doesn't look sloppy.

I'm like Ginger Tea in that I am apt to change my outfit throughout the day. I'm perfectly okay with that -- though yes it would be nice to have some outfits that I can both lounge in and go outside in.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Have you checked out Kit and Ace? They might be a little long for you but style wise seem to straddle the line between workout gear and regular clothing.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

No advice, but the new neighborhood sounds fantastic and you look great!

crazyone

Veteran

Shiny, I didn't realize there were any neighborhoods in Boston where makeup was required! I feel that living in New England has made me forget that makeup is even a thing. Enjoy your new neighborhood in Charlestown!

Isabel

Veteran

You look great ! And the view behind you ...swoon. That is so interesting regarding Newton. I know several women who live there and they all wear sneakers. Though Newton is very "particular" in the way women dress. Coincidentally, I was just at a party on Friday where I met the most wonderful Spanish woman living in Mass now. She always looked great yet not fussy. And she told me that she doesn't own a pair of sneakers. Only walking shoes. I f ind that so intriguing !

catgirl

Veteran

Hey, I'm from Newton! It's going to turn out we grew up together or something. It's a far cry now from when I grew up there in the 70s and early 80s... Do PM me!

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I don't have advice on your new wardrobe needs, but I love your holiday outfit! It's so pretty on you, just the right level of dressy, and you look at ease in it.

Greyscale

Veteran

Half my friends are from Newton! The other half are from Lexington. I agree that Charlestown has a very different vibe, but I haven't really been around there since the early 2000s, and I known it's changed a lot.

Anonymous

I'm afraid I haven't got much advice to give you re dressing for your new neighbourhood, but I wanted to say how much I love your wiw photo. What a gorgeous red coat!

shiny

Veteran

UmmLila, Kit & Ace looks promising. I'll have to check that out. Cross fingers it fits.

Newton is very large and made up of 10 different villages. Not all areas are the same. There are more casual areas and less casual areas.

Una, I didn't grow up in MA -- I was born in Missouri, and grew up in PA. Moved to MA when my DD#1 was a year old. My husband has lived his entire life in Newton.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Dressing comfortably is ace. Wearing Sporty Luxe is ace (or Athleisure as the look is also referred to) - and I have many posts of how to create that look. But unless you have pics to help me come round - wearing gear like leggings and yoga pants with fleece tops, exercise tops and running shoes as every day casual wear, is my poison eye. Perfect for working out but less than stylish on the run.

I like these looks for ultra casual:

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Anonymous

I'm sure Angie can help you with this.

There are women and girls walking around in leggings and yoga pants here where I live, too, but I don't like it. I think people should make the effort to wear regular clothes when out and about. I always feel dressier than most people, even though by online blog standards I dress rather casually. I have this feeling that you're going to feel this way, too.

shiny

Veteran

Angie, the first look would totally work -- except that sneakers like those always look goofy on me. Maybe my eye just has to adjust.

The other two are great but the heels appear too high for walking a lot. (To clarify, the area I live in is on a big hill... in fact, it reminds me of San Fran in a lot of ways... whenever I go out, I am walking DOWN then back UP a big big hill). I like my boyfriend jeans but I fear they do require heels to pull off.

I suspect what I need to do is to start from the shoes up?

shiny

Veteran

You know what else I like about those looks, Angie? I could easily wear those to travel too. I like to dress up on the plane because I frequently run into my coworkers at the airport, yet I still like to be comfy.

shiny

Veteran

I hear you Betty, but I also don't want my clothes to restrict my activity. If shoes (even flat shoes) are uncomfortable/pinchy, or I'm starting to work up a sweat while wearing better clothes, or clothes are too structured and don't allow freedom of movement, or bag or tote is becoming too heavy on my shoulder, I'm apt to become fussy, slow down, or want to turn around and go home too soon.

Also keep in mind at 5' my legs are shorter than my hubby's... so for every step he takes, I need to take 2 or 3 just to keep up with him. What is a slow stroll for him (and pretty much everyone else in the world), can be a workout for me!

We are aiming for longer and longer walks -- by late Spring we hope to be able to walk all the way downtown. Hopefully I've got this sorted by then.

abc

Veteran

I hope you get the closet sorted for the new area. As an observation it struck me as really interesting how "dress codes" could be different around town but I guess it makes sense. I've been outside the USA for 5 years now and where I live anything goes so I dress for myself and find it liberating but I can see how socially you'd want to do your own version of what's cool for your hood. If I may ask what part of Mo? I am from there too cape girardeau now a long way from home in Mexico City

Anonymous

I totally get it, Shiny! I'm only 5'2" myself. The older I get, the more my body demands comfort, so I'm always trying to figure out how to look stylish without sacrificing comfort. I think it's doable, but it takes a lot of time because you have to hunt for the perfect items in a big sea of deal breakers.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Jennifer, those pics are for inspiration only. You know I'm all about comfortable footwear! YES, start building the outfits from the shoes up.

Diana

Veteran

Congrats on your move! How exciting! I don't know Charlestown very well but it seems like a really fun place to live.

So, I'm probably not the best person to ask about this, because a lot of the time I DO stick out like a sore thumb and I enjoy that. But that's one of the things I like about living in Cambridge (and I suspect Charlestown in similar). As Angie says it is more casual than Boston but I think it's also more tolerant/quirky. You see everything here. Formal wear, PJs and everything in between.

I think the idea of starting with shoes is the right one. For the record I walk everywhere and I almost never wear sneakers. Aside from workout sneakers, I have a pair of slip on floral sneakers and a pair of converse wedges and that's it. Most of the time I wear boots or oxfords. (And flat sandals, particularly gladiators, in the summer). I pretty much don't have any everyday heels over 2" any more.

Lisa's suggestion of kit and ace is a good one. There is a big new store on newbury. It's too sporty for me but if you like that aesthetic I think you could do well there. Also the less gear-y athleta stuff.

Elle

Veteran

Congratulations on your move.

I think the idea of starting with shoes is a good one - many of the "comfort" brands now look reasonably fashionable (taos, naot, mephisto) and you can walk for miles in them. They look casual but not too casual. As far as stretchy bottoms, I like NYDJ pants and jeans because they feel like yoga pants but look like normal pants.

Someone (not me) could do the splits in them.

On the lower priced end, the Old Navy Pixie pants or the Nordstrom teen brand Jolt are both incredibly comfy. With more casual bottoms, you could wear a more dressy top from your existing wardrobe.

12