Reading questions. - YouLookFab Forum

I'm reading through Angie's advice. It's making a lot of connections for me, but sometimes I don't know enough to understand. This thread, which I'll revisit as needed, is where I'll ask those questions. When it's over a page, I'll start another. If there is a better way to do this, please let me know.

What kind of shirts have welts or waistbands? (#2 on https://youlookfab.com/2014/01.....uffin-top/ )

I'll cross this bridge when I come to it. Assuming I'm working in an office with some kind of business dress code, I assume I'll need to add sleeves to go over my sleeveless dresses. Sheath + blazer sounds like the best option to me, for when I get there. Angie says the jacket chops up the line of the dress, but I think of it the other way around: assuming you have to wear a blazer or other topper, a sheath gives the longest; sleekest line possible. This article deliberately downplays business looks. Are there posts that discuss this further, or that talk about more professional looks? Again, not a burning issue, because I don't need to be adding clothes now. https://youlookfab.com/2014/06.....heres-how/

Still thinking about closet organization: I have a lot of knit and cotton ponte. Some of those things would probably be better off folded than hung. Others could be hung, but aren't the kind of woven fabric that wrinkles easily when it's folded. I like seeing the ends of folded things, like a stack of sweaters, more than things on hangers. I think I'd do a better job taking care of things if I just had to fold them rather than hang them. (I know that's idiosyncratic) So I'm going to pull out my old hanging sweater organizer, and pick up some shelves at Ikea today.

So I'm putting off the bra-fitting til tomorrow, but am skipping the shelf bra in favor of the real deal, maybe even with dress #4 from batch 1, maybe even with that blue-green scarf.

6 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

A welt is like the ribbing at the bottom of a pullover sweater, a band that pulls the sweater in a bit at the bottom. Sweatshirts typically have this band, too. But it's used as a design detail quite often on tops of different fabrics.

Jenn

(website)

Here's a blouse example. See the band around the bottom?

Nordstrom

FRAME Smocked Ruffle Blouse

View Info

Top Pick

Emily K

When I read the sleeveless dress + jacket post, I thought it related best to more formal looks. In fact, I think I found it having followed a link from someone's question about adding a coat to a formal evening or cocktail dress. IMO, business-style sheath dress plus blazer is very streamlined and effective.

Stagiaire Fash

Emily, I agree with you that a formal evening or cocktail look is what she's talking about, and adding warmth. I'm thinking of a different kind of formal, where ambient temperature may or may not be an issue, hence my request for other articles.

Some people thought the recent bill about women covering arms in congress was silly. I think it reflects the reality that sleeveless might cause your work to be taken less seriously. There are many issues where things should be different than they are; while we can work to build a different reality (sleeves honestly are not a big deal to me when men are required to wear suits, but other things are) but we still live in this one.

rachylou

I think if the sheath dress is plain, the jacket is not so much a visual interrupter. But patterned dresses, or esp ones with stripes down the side, the jacket can seem like something you just threw on because you were cold. Not quite polished.

I'm not sure what field you're in, but I just wanted to caution you about assuming a sheath dress sort of business dress code wherever you end up. I recall Angie mentioning recently that a lot of her clients have seen their offices transitioning to business casual environments, the only real exception being law offices (and Congress...my brother is a lobbyist and does wear a suit every day.)

Rachylou, I probably shouldn't spend so much time on the fantasy wardrobe (because sheaths have no place in my life now) but when I do, it sounds like I'm on the right track. My two sheaths are both in my finds. One is blue and the other gold & black in an all-over pattern that looks like chain mail, for want of a better description. I'm going to refrain from shopping now, but don't you think they'll both be good with a blazer or structured cardigan?

Firecracker and Jenn, thanks! I wanted to reply with a picture of me in a shirt with a welt at the waist because, silly me, I have one and didn't know the word. I somehow was thinking of the pleats some shirts have between your shoulder blades, which is obviously very different. But I can't find it right now, so I'll just say thank you.

Jenn, good point. I'm not buying any more "work" stuff until I have work. Yours is a very good reason why!

I'm going back and forth between style definition (which requires looking at my clothes) and a closet edit (which requires knowing my rules for my style) at the same time. My closet is plenty big, but lots of things are spilling out of it, #6 on this list is draped over a chair at the dinner table, and more clothes are draped over a desk chair. I need to figure out a process for this and give everything its place. How have others done this? Have you set up these six piles? What have you added or taken away? https://youlookfab.com/2012/08.....t-editing/

Liz

You can start the closet edit without knowing style guidelines, and I'd start there. It sounds like you're overwhelmed with the number of clothes you have and that you have piles of them in various places in the house (and garage?).

I'd start by pulling out everything that is for the fantasy life where you're a) working in a job you don't yet have, b) living in some other climate, c) have a different body than your current one, or d) have a different social life than your current life. Put all these clothes into one place and deal with them later. That should leave you with the clothes that are suitable for your current lifestyle and your current climate. For now, do Angie's six piles just on that smaller set of clothes.Then, when that set is finished, you can deal with the other set (or sets) one at a time.

Barbara Diane

I like Liz's idea. Just concentrating in one area of your closet the clothes that work for your current climate and size and life should help.

Liz & BD, that part's done by default--the clothes I wear often don't even get put back into the closet, which is full nonetheless. Now I'm diving into the great unworn. I've avoided that part of my closet so long that the foulest stench is in the air, the funk of forty thousand years. Getting it done would thrill me more than any ghoul would ever dare try. (Can you believe that song is over 30 years old? Yikes!). The point of doing this is to lighten the load, physically and emotionally, freeing me up to take other steps in my life. (If you're reading this on my blog, check out the "about" sidebar). I can't/don't want to put it off any more.

This is more of an "aha!" than a question, but I want to say it because I'm excited. It's a simple little idea, but I think i just solved the "fantasy life" dilemma. It's pretty easy, really: capsules and timelines. Some things will work here and in cold climates, for my suburban life and getting back to work/being my own transit, but a lot of things for "that" life don't work here. I'm not going to stock up needlessly--any buying I do will be for things that work now and could work then. But I'm also not going to pitch things needlessly, not when a major reason for the style and wardrobe defining is getting ready to move. So I'll create capsules of summer/Florida things, versitile items, and work wear for a four-season climate. As I've lost weight, I've intentionally bought things too small to motivate myself, and then evaluated them for return/keep just before the deadline to return (3 months). I keep saying I'm doing this step with work and moving "soon". One way to push myself is with a wardrobe-related deadline: if I don't get things reorganized, get a job in a more desirable location, and move there within a year, then I'll accept that it isn't going to happen and will dissolve that wardrobe capsule. It sounds easy, but accepting this as a permanent reality would take some serious adjustment. Passing on those clothes would be a very tangible way to do that. And I sure hope it won't be necessary!

DonnaF

Have you already passed on the items that no longer fit and flatter plus those that aren't quite right for other reasons (scratchy, overly fussy, etc.) and those that have seen better days?

Donna, I've done some of that, but some of those things you mention will be part of the weed-out. I don't buy anything that's scratchy or uncomfortable, but who knows how all these things fit or what's "seen better days"? Did you see my new blog post?

Category