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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Newbie here! Wondering how best to "get started"

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Hi all,
I been getting Angie's blog updates for ages, and occasionally come and lurk at the forum, but not a lot. But I've reached a point where I really really really want to do something with my "style", or lack thereof, so want to get more involved. I see a lot of posts about how YLF has helped people define and refine how they dress, so I figure this could be a great place to be. I also see some great feedback on what people are wearing, which I'd love to have. Another group I'm part of seems to be more about telling people how great they look, but not really helping fine tune things, nor are they "style" experts.

The post about the "happiness factor" really rang true to me, so I'm ready to figure things out, and put some effort into this. How do you suggest getting started? I'm not even sure what kind of a "look" I want... all I know is that almost 10 years of pregnancy and focusing on kids has resulted in me feeling quite bored with my clothes. Which, up until a few months ago, seemed to all come from Costco :).

Dressing

29 replies

Latest reply was from Elizabeth P

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Welcome!! I would say the best way to get started is just to hop right in! Start posting on others' threads. Give your own feedback. And then, as soon as you are able to, snap some photos and we'll help you figure out your body type. Or snap pics of yourself in some favourite fall back outfits and tell us your own thoughts -- we will respond. You need to contribute to others' threads a few times before you "graduate" to being able to share photos; information about all this in contained in the "Backstage" section of the site.

Anonymous

Welcome!
I think you have several options. You can start fine tuning your style by posting outfit pictures, With What I Wore posts or WIWs. Those are often tricky and I know what you mean by often not getting feedback on how to fine tune things. Sometimes that is not what people are looking for, so the advice is not given. However, I make a personal promise to you that I will give you my "amateur" opinion, if you ask for it. You need to be an active member, as per Suz's response above.

You can also tell us about yourself in terms of what your activities are and what do you need to dress for. Is it for work? Are you a stay home mom, etc.

Other ideas: Create a pinterest page by collecting looks and styles you aspire to. You can also go thru the archives and look for MOTG - mom on the go- formula posts. Angie has brilliantly put together outfit formulas that are easy to do, for mom's on the go.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Welcome from me too! This is going to be a fun process

Great suggestions from the gals.

First things first - professional bra fitting, hair appointment and specs assessment if you wear eyewear.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Thanks everyone!
I've actually been taking WIW photos since January, because I knew I wanted to do this, and it's amazing what the camera sees that you don't! Like, I wear too much black. People have described me as "elegant, sophisticated", but that's not what I want to dress like!! I'll post some of my favourite looks once I'm "allowed".

I do go to an office - it's not super dressy, but do need to look professional. I just feel boringly professional. Weekends I tend to wear yoga pants :(., then can't be bothered to put something nicer on when I need to run out (which is usually just an activity drop off or groceries, I do dress if we go out to eat or something!). What I really admire are people who look pulled together no matter what they are doing. And at just the right level. Sigh.

I've also been through a bit of a process over the last few months discovering what colours look best on me, what design lines, etc. So that's a step in the right direction, but now I"m ready to step that up a bit to get more of an overall "look" I like.

I do have a pinterest board, and am finding that VERY helpful. It's funny what themes start to emerge!

Angie... I think I'm okay on the bras... and have just had my hair cut/coloured to better fit "me". I'd love something a bit more fun/edgy, but really need to be careful that it fits with lifestyle and grey maintenance. ie I need/like to be able to pull it back. I'm sure I could do more here - once again a bit stuck with boring. I will have a chat with my stylist next time I'm there. And I DO have new awesome glasses (only need for reading/computer work). So check, sort of check, check on that starting list!

OK enough about me ... must go comment on some posts

Anonymous

Welcome! Just jump in -- sounds like you are ahead of the game in the sense that you have been taking photos, and figuring out what works for you. If you do post WIWs, I have found them really helpful, especially if you have questions about specific items.

abc

Veteran

Welcome. I am pretty new here, too. I have learned a lot by coming to the forum on a regular basis and just reading others' posts, especially WIWs and the feedback they get. I have slowly started posting myself and just did my first WIW. Terrifying but helpful. As you said, the camera really does not lie, you get to see how you REALLY look!

And of course Angie's daily blog posts seem to resonate in a really relevant way, almost every day I am thinking, "how did she know I needed that info?"

Enjoy your time on the forum. You will learn and have fun and make mistakes along the way, but in the end as long as your style is progressing it is all worth it, right?!

abc

cheryl

Veteran

You have already received a lot of great advice so I just want to say welcome

jayne

Veteran

Welcome! and although that first photo is usually hard to post, you will soon find it interesting to see things through everyone else's eyes. Just remember to take all comments as a point of view of a different person, some may suit your life and style, and some may not! But we love to see pix!

Inge

(website)

Welcome Elizabeth! And good job, you have already checked three very important factors off your l ist (bra, specs and hair:-) I'm looking forward to getting to know you and your style better. Don't hesitate to post questions as often as you like, we are to help.

catgirl

Veteran

Tell us about YOU! Lifestyle, climate, work environment, what designers or styles you enjoy... You're going to have so much fun!

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Is this the place to tell you about me?? I wasn't sure.

Anonymous

Yes, why not. We are reading this now!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yup - We're listening! Or you can start a new thread if you prefer.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

OK. I live on the east coast of Canada, so see all the seasons. I have two active little girls, aged 7 and 9, and work full time. My office is fairly casual, but I do need to dress at a reasonable level of professionalism, cuz you just never know...

Last summer (actually through a random comment I read here while thinking it was time to revamp my wardrobe) I discovered "Dressing your Truth" and have gone through that program. On top of a journey of self discovery, it's given me great insight into what design lines look good on me, what colours I should wear, what metals etc. I was actually not far off in a lot of my existing clothes, however in my desire to spice things up had made a lot of mistakes, gone in the wrong direction. So now I know far more about why things I have don't get worn. But that's another story. This is why the blog post on "happiness factor" brought me back here... DYT is all about dressing to best enhance who YOU are, and not to let the fashion industry dictate what you should wear. Sure, modernize based on trends that work for you, but don't be come a slave to it. This seems to be the attitude here, so I hope I'm right on that.

What I'd like to do now is take my knowledge from that, and make it my own. Put some style into it. Figure out what that is. The colours I look best in are saturated hues - red and cobalt blue are my best. For neutrals, I love black, navy and white. Simple design lines. High contrast. Bold. Silver.

What style do I like? I don't even know what half the "styles types" even mean... On the weekends, I like the idea of looking "effortlessly put together." Jennifer Anniston style. Black boots, jeans, big comfy sweaters. For work I tend to wear a lot of dress pants and cardigans, but I am getting very bored of that. I want to add some edge, some funk, to my look.
Also love Kate Middleton's look, but don't really need to be that dressed up very often!

I actually really like Angie's style (as well as approach), which is why I stuck with the blog posts for so long. Our colours don't always jive, but she has a simple, clean structured look I like. Just need to figure out how to make it my own!

I think the colours I wear can take me into a "high fashion" look really easily, which I don't want.

Here's my pinterest board, if anyone is interested in seeing what has sparked me there. it's fairly new, still evolving!
http://pinterest.com/elizabeth.....spiration/

OK,that's enough for now. Will post some photos soon!

Hil

(website)

Veteran

Hi Elizabeth - welcome - I am pretty new here too but I am loving the process and feedback I have been getting. My kids are the same age as yours, 7 and 9 and it's time to find me again!!! I look forward to getting to l know you!

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Welcome - sounds to me like you do have a great handle on your style - posting photos will really help refine it imo:)

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yay - another Canadian! Sounds as if you have a pretty clear idea of what you love. Looking forward to seeing your style.

catgirl

Veteran

Well, your pinterest looks are very clean, fresh classic outfits to me - lots of stripes and colors and jeans. It sounds like you need to start posting some WIWs since you already have a bit of a handle on your style preferences.

L'Abeille

Veteran

Welcome Elisabeth! Yay another Maritimer! That makes 3 of us, soon we can have our own YLF meetups!

Your style descriptors so far sound similar to mine (colours anyway). I look forward to checking out your Pinterest board.

What helped me the most was figuring out my style icon is Katharine Hepburn.

Anonymous

Wow, your pinterest looks a lot like my closet! I do love jewel tones, black and white prints, creams, black, lots of what you showed. I am looking forward to your photos, even more so now!

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Thanks everyone! And thanks so much for taking the time to check my pinterest. Now I"m looking forward to searching out posts from you guys - esp the ones that say you like stuff like I do!

I find it's fairly easy to find things I like that are more casual - I love jeans - but it's harder to find things for work. Or at least, I tend to grab the same ole same ole for work. So I guess that's where I need to concentrate.

L'Abeille... where are you? I'm in Halifax. Who is the other Maritimer?

L'Abeille

Veteran

Near Moncton. Raisin is the other one that I know of.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Welcome, Elisabeth! You've already made great strides toward an personal style. My only added note: Most of us try to comment on people's first WIW posts with encouragement. Since you are wanting fine tuning, I find it works best to say: Do you prefer the styling in photo 1 or 2? Or, would this work better with........? Or, sometimes I say, "From these outfits, is there something I should wear more of? Something I should pass on?

My point is that giving people a simple query to respond to sometimes gives you more suggestions, in addition to positive feedback! This forum is excellent at being specific and helpful, and the more we know a members style, the more helpful we can be.

Aziraphale

Veteran

You know, I have yet to post a WIW photo, and I'm not the type who likes to be told what I should and shouldn't do -- I'm more of the "I'll work it out for myself, thanks" type -- but still, I have been inspired SO MUCH by this blog and forum. Somehow just contributing to the discussions, viewing the outfits of others, and mulling over what has been shown and said is invaluable for focusing my own style. Maybe it will for you too. By all means post WIW photos (that's probably the most sure-fire way of getting results), but simply participating is a good place to start.

ETA by the way, good name.

rholmes27

Welcome! I'm sure you a a busy gal, but I recommend spending some time in the archives, both blog & forum. It's easy to do a search on a particular topic.

From what you posted, you are far ahead of where I was when I joined.

carolbee

Veteran

Welcome, ditto what Elizabeth said. I'm fairly new here but have learnt a lot. Have just taken some photos the last couple of days and am still getting over the shock (I've never liked being in photos). If you've been taking photos all month you are ahead of the game.

Loves Tea

Welcome! I'm also new and trying to figure things out wardrobe-wise. One big thing for me was coming up with a color palate. I always gravitated towards boring neutrals because I was afraid to try anything too bold. Finding out what colors make me happy and seem to flatter my skin/hair/eyes was a big step. Good luck.

Molly L-R

Welcome, Elizabeth! I'd agree with you that Dressing Your Truth is useful up to a point. It helped me figure out what colours best suit me, but I went over the top buying rather plain T-shirts and cords in my colours without giving much thought to the "style" I wanted to achieve. Thus, I ended up with a wardrobe full of flattering but, IMO, boring clothes. That's what brought me to YLF, trying to find out what I really like and discovering my style for myself, not being prescribed to. The folks on this board seem really welcoming and knowledgeable, you're going to love it here!

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Thanks again everyone, you really ARE welcoming! Love that

Molly... that's where I'm at now. It's really help me understand the "closet orphans", and do a ton of purging. But I've been buying things a bit chaotically, just because it's "my type". So I started this journey to de-boring myself, and I'm afraid I'm just going to be boring in different colours So while I do want to stick to those principals, I now need to figure out how to add "oomph" and style that feels like ME. It's easy to look good, not so easy to look good AND stylish!