rethinking "effortless" style

While working my rear off the past couple months (and neglecting YLF a bit, I've spent some time thinking about the idea of "effortless" style. Angie has a couple blog posts on the topic from 2008: http://youlookfab.com/2008/09/.....ess-style/ and http://youlookfab.com/2008/10/.....ess-style/. And I've been spending some time looking at the style statement book: http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B.....raddons-20

I seek a style that is approachable, confident, minimalist, modest, natural, polished, practical, and understated. Never fussy, overdone, or showy. I think these are all consistent with being effortless.

However, both in fashion and in life, I also try to be composed, contemplated, deliberate, mindful, purposeful, refined, reasoned, sensible, and thoughtful. These things take effort! Even if I throw together an outfit in the morning without a lot of effort, I've put a ton of effort into picking out pieces that are flattering, versatile, play well with others, reflect my personal style, etc.

Am I getting to caught up in semantics? Has anyone else rejected the notion of effortless style?

14 years ago

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I think it's like medicine.

As one person said to me, to be a doctor is like to be a duck. You look all calm and composed and relaxed. The duck is just sitting on top of the water and looking wonderful. However, under the water, the duck is kicking up a storm, you just never see that part!

So I think effortless style just -looks- effortless ... but actually takes a lot of effort!

MsMary

I agree. I don't think anybody ever thought that "effortless style" was going to be achieved without a good amount of, you know, effort. I think in this context it's a synonym for "unstudied" or "clean and simple" or "not fussy."

Me personally, I don't really mind if my outfits look like I put a lot of thought into them. Although I will say that sometimes the most "effortless" looking are the ones I thought about the hardest! :p

I think the term is being used as an antonym to contrived, personally.

contrived (kənˈtraɪvd) adj :

obviously planned, artificial, or lacking in spontaneity; forced; unnatural

I don't think anyone truly thinks effortless style is effortless, but rather it looks unforced and more natural.

Kim

Effortless to me means not having to fuss with it (much) once I have it on. It may take a ton of effort to get it "just so" but then I shouldn't have to think to much about it once I'm wearing it out and about.

Just my take, I like the other versions as well. Looking "effortless" does take work! LOL

Barbara

"Effortless style" is an oxymoron. You do have to work at it! My method is to have pieces that work together so looking fabulous IS somewhat effortless. Possessing a confident, carefree attitude translates to others perceiving your style as effortless.

Queen Mum

I think it actually takes more thought to look effortless that it does to look effort.. full(?)
To me, looking effortless is looking seamless, harmonious, everything flowing from head to toe...and to achieve that look requires attention to every detail down to which necklace you wear and which hose you choose.

I was actually thinking about this the other night when hubby and I went out to dinner at a wine bar in a fairly affluent town next to ours. So many girls came in looking "overdone" and contrived. Designer jeans, designer handbag, flawless make-up, every hair in place (and freshly bleached)... To me they looked overly polished rather than stylishly relaxed and approachable. Almost fake looking.....

taylor

I think to look effortless styled one must put alot of effort in forethought to achieve all the right elements that blend effortlessly without looking too contrived/complicated and you must absolutely look comfortable wearing these items..
knowing your style and pulling those elements together time and time again help achieve and efforless style

I agree with Kim, forced and overdone never looks efforless.

tarzy

Yes, sort of like "natural beauty" ... that takes an hour of putting on makeup to achieve.

san

This is such a great topic.
I think one has achieved effortless style when one looks totally comfotable in what she has put together to wear. She looks like she is having no effort in wearing it, not that there was no effort in putting it all together. If I wore high heels I would not achieve effortless style.

That's a great definition, San!

rosee

I really like san's definition!!! If I responded earlier I would have come up with something similar to that. It's more about the wearer's attitude and comfort than the planning and forethought put into the outfit.

Lynne

Kate, I love your style descriptions - they sound wonderful. And, as the others have said, effortless refers to the look, not the thought that went into planning. It's like a nice meal or nice decor or a great theatre performance or sporting achievement - it can look effortless but we all know that planning and work went into it!

eta - I'm sure that with practice it does become 'more' effortless to achieve :).

Scarlet

I think effortless to me is how I look when my style is in harmony with my person. It doesn't mean to me that I didn't take effort to get there (getting there being hypothetical in this case). I agree with what Queen Mum said. I think true style has a lot to do with knowing yourself.

RoseandJoan

I wish to look effortless in the sense that once I'm out of the front door I want to pay little attention to what I'm wearing. I feel I can only do this if I'm comfortable and appropriate for the occasion.

Aida

QM, San, and Scarlet said what I feel on the term, San's definition especially. When I see someone who appears to have "effortless" style, I know that they most likely put a fair amount of effort into what they're wearing. It just looks harmonious, cohesive. Has a lot to do with the person being the one to wear the clothes, and not the clothes wearing the person.

Kate

Thanks for all of the thoughtful comments! I really do like the idea of separating the effort that went into the outfit from the lack of effort needed to maintain the outfit over the course of the day or how well the outfit fits with the person wearing it. Thanks for helping me to see effortless from a different perspective!

thimblelina

Effortless style = fewer mistakes... and to get there takes some effort (and some making of mistakes!) L

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