Providing Good, Helpful Feedback..... - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

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

Providing Good, Helpful Feedback.....

NDMom

I am always in awe of how you all provide such good, helpful feedback to each other. I want to hone my skills in that area and was wondering if you have tips on how to do that?

Lately, I will think on the question, look at the photos (if provided) and then formulate a response in my head.....before I see anyone else's remarks and opinions.

I guess my confidence level is just not there yet to feel qualified to give advice, but I really desire to be a helpful forum participant and not always just say, "you look great!"

How did you develop your skills and develop your keen eyes? Thanks for your guidance.....Paula

General

16 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Paula, a supportive, respectful, tactful and constructive response is always in style on this forum. Don't worry about feeling qualified to offer style advice. Your comments are fab, and we appreciate them. xo

shedev

Veteran

All comments, as long as they are polite, are appreciated.

catgirl

Veteran

What Angie and shedev said. Everyone's feedback is welcome and valuable.

amiable

Veteran

I'm chiming in to agree. I don't have a terrific eye, and have tons to learn. But I try to let people know when I especially like what they're wearing. And when I have time, I try to be more specific - that I like their boots, or that I think everything looks great together. I think people like even simple compliments - I know I do.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What Angie said.

And also...sometimes a person only has time to be brief, e.g. "You look great!" or, "My favourite is #2," or "I prefer shoe #1."

But if I have time, I try to be more specific, especially on K/R posts or those where the poster asks a question.

The more specific you can be, the more helpful it is. I sometimes have to go back to a post and look at the photos again, especially if I seem to disagree with the common trend of response.

I think what you're doing (formulating your response in advance of looking at others' comments) is a really great way to practice and hone your eye! And I know your confidence will grow as you begin to offer your opinions more frequently. It's like jumping into a pool. The water looks cold...but once you're in, it's great!

NDMom

Thanks for your feedback, ladies! I will keep on trying!

EveningMood

I can relate, NDMom, I am always in a rush and I feel that my comments will be worthless anyway because I lack the expertise. But in the end, I think even just "you look great" is far from worthless, and if my opinion is not knowledgeable people can ignore it, but I know that the spirit in which it was given is always appreciated

gryffin

Veteran

NDmom - I feel the same way you do. Totally unqualified to give advice. I agree with Angie, Amiable and Suz in that when I give feedback I always to try and be very specific about what I liked, the things I noticed..ie column of color, textural change, did the color make their skin glow, were the proportions flattering, unusual accessories. What is making that outfit work for me to say gosh that's fabulous. Sometimes I might ask if they've tried a piece a different way? Say what you would IRL if a really good friend wore an amazing outfit, you'd tell her why it looked amazing and what you loved about it!! Now you just have a lot more YLF BFF's to say it to!!

Sarah A

Veteran

Constructive feedback is so helpful, but for the most part I find myself a big cheerleader. And in my book that is okay too It is what that "Boost" button exists for so I must not be the only one who thinks this a valuable aspect as well. Becoming analytical and seeing proportion is a great tool, but I would recommend jumping in and just saying you like something or it looks nice if that is what strikes you. Formulating your response before reading comments is a great way to hone your eye

adorkable

Veteran

Cheerleading is good.

When I'm not sure, I try to ask rather than telling: "Can I see it tucked in?" "Have you tried it with brown shoes instead of black?" because I never know if I will actually like it better the other way until I see it!

Neel

Veteran

Just to add to everyone else's advice ... Saying you look great can actually make someone's day. So it isn't bad even if you chime in with just that. It's hard for an untrained eye to analyze why they like something or dislike something ... Like me. So I usually say, what I like in the outfit ..... May be the color combo, the shoes, the jacket, the fit, the proportion etc. But its hard to say what's wrong in an outfit! Why an outfit doesn't work is sometimes hard to analyze.....I think that is why many of us are here

rabbit

Veteran

Also just to say, when people tell me kindly that there is something that doesn't work as well for them about an outfit, or suggest a tweak, I find it very helpful. Even if I don't necessarily share the same opinion after thinking about it - a lot comes down to personal taste, it helps me see the outfit with a different perspective, or am able to take a look to a higher level, or I learn something to keep in mind for my next shopping trip. A variety of responses offer me a chance to grow.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I agree with the others - all opinions are helpful

Windchime

Veteran

Good thread topic, NDMom! I know just what you mean about sometimes feeling a bit inadequate or untrained to give great feedback on the Forum. Some YLFers are (figuratively speaking) in Fashion advanced graduate studies; I'm still in lower elementary levels of skill and understanding. I'm so appreciative of the feedback I receive on my outfits and K/R's and hope that with time I'll have more to offer with the feedback I give.

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

What a nice question to ask. It shows me yet again that we are not afraid to be vulnerable here and that even seemingly obvious things do not come easily to everyone.

Just be honest. I think we all appreciate honesty and would rather be told by our YLF friends what doesn't work, than discover it in real life. Also, feedback is also a matter of personal preferences - not only technically correct execution of the outfit. Feedback *is* part of the fun and the only way to learn and improve. The more varied, the more helpful it is.

Whether we're qualified to give advice is interesting question. You may express what variations may be interesting to you personally and that alone is constructive too.

I have discovered numerous times that other forum members see much more than I had when I actually put the outfit together. "Wait a minute - this is what I AM wearing, yet so-and-so explains it to me better than what I had imagined in my head". It's exactly those personal interpretations, everyone being tuned into what speaks to them, which gives even more character to the outfit and confidence in my own choices in the future.

unfrumped

Veteran

Yes, on my part I think getting a range of responses is quite helpful, even though sometimes painful or frustrating. So I hope that is true in reverse.

If I am not feeling I can say "oh, that is fab" and try to say how so or not so, it is very common for me to opine, hmm, I think that would look better longer (shorter, more this, more that, different color) only to find that the majority opinion is that it's just perfect as it is! So did that help in any way? Perhaps it is the say no for yes approach--if I am bothered, maybe that means it's on-trend!

One thing that some people do very well is ask questions. Even if they are very typical and asked over and over--how do YOU feel in it? What look are you going for? it's amazing to me how that still helps one stop and think. So there are all sorts of ways to be part of the process.