Personal Styling Techniques - YouLookFab Forum

Angie's post from today got me thinking about how - and why - we wear certain things in a certain way. For example I have a friend who wears everything untucked. But then, she's always running hot.
I found that looking at my own WIW pics revealed styling techniques and preferences that didn't come to mind when simply thinking about it.

This is what I noticed:

Casual footwear: I seem to like to make outfit mine by wearing them with
unexpected, yet ultra-comfortable footwear: ankle boots with soft dresses or skirts (#4, #5) white tennis with long pencils (#1, #6, #7), espadrilles-loafers with A-lines and midis (#8, #9, #17) and flip flps with floor grazing flares or wide legs, à la Jane Birkin - even though I don't have her physique (#3).
These pairings create a surprise and transform an otherwise more constricted
outfit into something you can wear to walk for miles. . . Very useful when
visiting Montreal, for example. (=functionality).

Full tuck: I have a long torso and a high waist while being petite and
short. So waist definition completely changes everything (#10, ... #13) . (=proportion).

Headwear: looking at my pics I realized many of them feature some kind of
head complement, cap, brimmed hat, scarf... (#14, #15, #16, #18, #19). (=personal preference).

How about you? If you look at your pics, what do you notice?

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5 years ago

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I m so glad that you are posting again,you are the true definition of having fun with fashion and looking great in the process.Yes photos can be revealing can’t they.l always seem to be in the same thing in my photos,puffer if it’s winter,raincoat if it’s summer but maybe that’s because I m out when photographed usually.

Elizabeth P

How interesting. I never thought to look for trends... will do that some rainy day! And what a treat, seeing all these photos at once, your sense of style really comes through.

And oh my goodness, I love #11. WOWZERS.

Bijou

Krish - this was very good advice to look at photos. When I read Angie's post I thought "I don't really have any styling techniques" but of course when I looked at photos, it told a different story.

I noticed:
1. Waist definition is important to me, through tucking or wearing clothing that highlights my waist such as sheath dresses.
2. I like to lengthening my leg line - through either heels or shorter lengths in skirts. Tucking also helps with this.
3. Bookending my hair with lighter coloured footwear
4. I like a column of colour and will often wear this
5. 3 is a number of colours I like to wear in an outfit - I like matching up colours, but not too much.

krishnidoux

Cardiff girl, thank you! It's funny you mention where to take pics as I was just thinking I should start taking my WIW out in public places, in settings where IRL happens, instead of in front of my mirror inside my bedroom. Of course it would require asking somebody else to take it. But I think it would be more accurate. I think we have to make it happen, and not wait for others to take pics otherwise, as you say, we'll be in our coats as people tend to take pics outside.

Elizabeth, thank you. #11 was actually part of a series where I tried higher waisted pants and had an epiphany. After years of the low-rise reign in jeans, rocket rises are welcome for long torsoed + high-set natural waisted girls lke me.

Bijou, so interesting what you came up with! I never thought of counting the number of colors in my outfits and now I will pay attention. From these above I am surprised to find that I seem to go for 2 (sometimes 1) colors, including neutrals, and include a print containing the main color. May I ask, are you long torsoed too? or is your natural waist high?

Janet

(website)

Interesting observations. This is a good exercise in analysis, isnt it?

I almost never tuck anything anymore (unless it’s a semi-tuck) because I’ve come to realize it does not look good on my short-waisted self at my current size/weight. It didn’t even look great on me when I was 20 lbs smaller, if I’m honest with myself. So untucked or partially tucked tops are my styling method for the foreseeable future.

I also realize I usually prefer my outfits *gently* following the contour of my body for maximum flattery. I don’t look my best in straight up and down styles, and too much waist emphasis just emphasizes my shortwaistedness and makes my hips and boobs look too big. I’m usually seeking to not really straighten out my curves (not really possible anyway) so much as to sort of contain them a bit.

jussie

Some brilliant outfits here Krishnidoux. Yes you are partial to hats aren’t you? They look cute on you too. All you’re outfits have something unexpected/cheeky in them, either a jaunty hat or some funky shoes or an unusual juxtaposition.

Jane

I am impressed with your analysis and being able to pick out the different elements. I am nodding along with the flat shoes, and also waist definition. I also like the variation within your wardrobe, but the consistency in style. The shoes in 11 look super peaking out from the wide legs.

Janet, thank you for sharing this. It's most eye-opening for someone like me, who has often cursed her long torsoed body and wished or a shorter waist and longer legs. When I look at your WIW, I see such an elegant, slender, long-legged beauty.

Jussie, thank you for this feedback! I don't realize this, but yes, and I think it must stem from my formative years in Montreal.

Jane, Thank you! The pointed flats in 11 are high end bought in 2014 and they don't get nearly as much wear as they should. I find it a little bit of a challenge to wear smart patent flats, somehow. I either want to "suffer" in heels or, when in flats, be able to walk for miles.

L'Abeille

Here is what i gravitate to. IT tending to apple; long torso with long waist and long rise, with proportionately shorter legs.

Balance fullness on top with narrower fit on the bottom, or vice versa.

Avoid cutting silhouette exactly in half, also avoid torso-lengthening looks. This may involve adding or removing a belt, or playing around with tuck/untuck/semitucking.

Colour: Almost always 2, one of which is black or white. A third is often added as an accent somewhere (shoes, scarf, belt).

Contrast is vital especially near my face. Eyeglass frames and eyebrows. If the top is midtone or pale, add a scarf or contrasting collar.

I feel exposed in low necklines. Lots of use of scarves to fill the real estate between wide shoulders, high neck, and smallish bust.

Balance of masculine and feminine elements: a girly silhouette with masculine footwear. A menswear outfit vibe with loose long hair and more feminine shoes.

Windchime

You have a wonderful style! It’s fun to see all of these photos of your outfits. Great use of accessories and variety of footwear!

Now I’m wondering what I would notice if I looked at a series of my pictures. Unlike you, I have intentionally not tucked for several years. I used to all the time, when I was younger with a different figure. Now I gravitate toward tops that are more flowing and elegant.

L'abeille, most intersting! I never realized it, but I too use the same techniques, especially the first two you mention. I never knew why I didn't like cutting the silhouette exactly in two in the middle but now I realize it's a question of IT proportions. Can I ask you why you find contrast near your face so vital?

Windchime, thank you! Could it be that you have come to appreciate movement in your clothes as opposed to boxiness? You are reminding me here how much of a good tool movement is in an outfit for appeal or approachability.

Krish I am neither short or long waisted, using Angie's hand width technique to determine whether I have a short or long rise, mine was symmetrical. However, I am pear shaped and if a skirt starts to get tight on my hips the waistline can ride up and make me look short waisted.

Ah, I see Bijou. So that's why you are reluctant to cut horizontally right in the middle, I get it.

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