Sometimes I confuse myself

Transcona Shannon

Does anybody else wonder how they can love two totally different styles?

I love dresses with tailored jackets and pencil skirts with booties but I also love slouchy menswear inspired looks and Doc Martens. To me these are quite opposite. I'm not complaining or anything like that - I just find it interesting.

Anybody else?

13 years ago

Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from Gaylene

Glory

Veteran

I think you are speaking directly to me lol. I just had this same thought while I was at the gym of all places. I love a tailored look but then love a rugged, kind of look as well. So glad to hear I am not alone

13 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

Sure, I'd get bored of the same style all the time.

13 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

I'm a crazy dresser. I want to be consistent, but I get so bored!

13 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Interesting. To me dresses or pencil skirts with jackets/ booties and menswear inspired are not (necessarily) opposite. Opposite to me might be...say....super bombshell flat-out-intended-to-be-provocative vs. extremely modest and covered up. Or extremely rugged and RATE vs. light, delicate, refined.

Okay- I guess those are extremes.

But in your example, Shannon, it feels to me like just liking a change of silhouette. The overall style direction can be quite similar. True, if you wear a dress with those pretty green retro pumps, that would feel much more feminine. But even then...your menswear inspired looks usually include ladylike touches, whether a clutch, some jewellery, or even just bright lips!

13 years ago

(website)

Veteran

Um pink and ruffles in one top - leather and zippers on another?

13 years ago

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

How boring would we be if we always looked the same

13 years ago

Anonymous

You had me at 'confused' lol

I thought it was just me because I didn't have my style defined. I like all different styles but I think classic looks best on my shape...or maybe I'm a big chicken to bust out anything else

13 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Did you see my two looks on 1/5?

13 years ago

Day Vies

Veteran

I agree with Suz, I don't see slouchy jeans and men's wear inspired dressing as total opposites. I see them as a continuum of men's wear inspired styling. I certainly love a pencil skirt (tailored) and a slouchy BF jean but both are structured even if they aren't fitted -- if that makes any sense.

13 years ago

rae

(website)

Veteran

I like both those looks, and I love mixing them! I think that in a way, points and counterpoints create contrast and interest - sort of the way light and dark colors do.

13 years ago

Nicole D

Veteran

There must be some unifying quality in both of those two looks that appeals to you: both are modern, for example, both have a menswear inspiration as Suz and DayVies mentioned.

13 years ago

Deborah

Veteran

I see them as similar but different. Clearly both styles share style elements that you relate to and are consistent with your style.

13 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

I think consistency is over-rated, if by that you mean dressing the same way all the time. Instead what you've identified is that there are several "looks" and fits from out of thousands of possible styles that you really like, look good in and feel comfortable in. And somewhere in there are probably unifiying themes of what's in it and what's not such as no puffy sleeves or ruffles or strappy stilettos, but a simpler and more tailored (with a range of fits for tailored, as Angie has been referring to recently).
Also some color and pattern themes.

And I think we can have different style personas for different activities, and that doesn't actually mean we have a split personality. It might mean that in certain settings (work vs. fun vs. athletic pursuits) we are able to indulge certain fashion tendencies more or less.

Plus you like experimenting with styles and fits so you've identified a direction that you like (for now) and you've posted some other "experiments" that you've decided aren't right for you. You have the ability to identify what is consistent with how you want to look in several different settings. So rock on!

13 years ago

tarzy

Veteran

Very interesting! This discussion has me thinking now about what unifies the conflicting looks I like. Similar to you, I love a tailored blazer, dark wash jeans and sleek boots ... except when I love a slouchy sweater and chunky moto boots, lol. But, as others have pointed out, there IS a connection. Even when I crave a rugged look, I never really go too RATE or rough and tumble. I always try to achieve a certain amount of sophistication & pulled-togetherness (That's a word, right?) I don't like too many different things going on (patterns, colors.) I do like a long, lean line - even in flats (yeah, still working on that one!)

Thanks, Shannon! This has been very helpful!

13 years ago

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Fantastic points ladies and much to think about - I always love reading other people's thoughts on MY thoughts - I learn so much that way.

Suz - you really hit on something that resonates with me. You mentioned that even when I wear something menswear inspired, I always have a ladylike elements somewhere in either my clutch, red lip, etc. and I've often mentioned that I am very drawn these days to outfits with juxtaposition. So I never go truly "manly" thereby always keep that feminine element that I adore in my dresses and pencil skirts present in my outfit. This ties in with Rae's comments re: points and counterpoints creating interest.

Rita - it would indeed be boring if we always looked the same. No fear of that with me though - lol!

Tarzy - so you never go full on RATE and I never go full on masculine! and yes, in my world "pulled-togetherness" is a word - lol!

13 years ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Agree with the above that these are two aspects of one thing - I will call that thing Shannon Style and it is fantastic and recognizable in both pencil skirts and slouchy trousers.

13 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

Menswear and Tailored classic/retro both carry their own kind of authority. A menswear look is dressed down, but confident and strong. The more femnine look carries its authority through strong color, confidence and polish.

13 years ago

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

What Suz said!

13 years ago

ManidipaM

Veteran

I think... we've been here before??

I know there has to be a reason I like pencil skirts and dress pants as much as bohemian tunics and tights. It'll all make sense just as soon as I figure out what's common to that!

But as for you, Shannon, didn't you already figure it out last year when you drew up that rubric? I think, helpful as rubrics are to dress for (personal stylistic) success, they are also a fab distillation of our preferred elements --- and *that's* what ties your contrasts together.

13 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

Most of us have different facets to our lives and personalities, so why shouldn't that be reflected in our clothes. As kids playing "dress up", we all knew that putting on different clothes could magically transform us from cowboys to princesses. Why shouldn't we have some of that fun in our grown-up wardrobes?

13 years ago

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