Sophistication - 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

Sophistication

Joy

Veteran

After reading Angie's suggestions to Tanya about what to wear to her conference, I have a question. What is sophistication and how do you get it? Are there some people who just can't pull it off? I'm at loose ends as to what to do to appear polished, sophisticated and still look friendly and approachable.

When I hear the word, I think of a thin woman dressed expensively in a neutral color (probably black) with hair and makeup done, but I know that isn't the whole picture. I have no role models in this area. What is your idea of sophistication and what do you do to achieve it?

General

15 replies

Latest reply was from stacychen

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Looking sophisticated is within everyone’s grasp. I think that there is a difference between looking severe and looking sophisticated. The women you described could look fairly severe. Lets hear what the others say before I continue.

Julie

Joy - this is a great question. I don't have an answer, but I feel like I'm always striving to be more sophisticated. I often feel very young and too cute and would love to have a more sophisticated look. I love color and I don't want to dress in all black or neutrals all of the time, but then I feel I lose some sophistication.

Tanya

Veteran

Joy, this is a wonderful question indeed, but one I have no answer too. I think the answer will be different for different people. I know this is a cliche, but for me it's Audrey Hepburn's look in " Breakfast at Tiffany's".

lisamartin

Angie's pics from Paris looked sophisticated. Ana and Tanya both have sophisticated styles. Same with Kyle and Patience.

Antje

Veteran

Not sure whether sophistication is the same as polish but I'd say they are at least highly related. This was a good blog entry on polish:
http://youlookfab.com/2006/07/27/perfect-polish-2/
I definitely think you can look sophisticated with some color in your outfit as well, not just in neutrals.

Tanya

Veteran

Thanks for the lovely compliment Lisa! Antje, I agree with you on that article, it's a great one.

Sihaya

Veteran

To me sophistication is when you are polished and well groomed. And when you are totally comfortable in what you are wearing and how you look. No matter how expensive your outfit - if you're not at peace with it, it won't look sophisticated.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I a echo these thoughts. Sophistication is not about neutral colours. When Michele Obama wears a bright purple suit, she is the height of sophistication. Today’s blog entry uses Cate Blanchet as the height of sophistication – I agree. She wears every colour under the sun and pushes the fashion envelope to the extreme. But with the utmost polish and confidence.

“Feminine but not frilly, seductive but not showy, you live for luxury but are allergic to bling. Grace Kelly is your ideal.”

There is an element of simple sleek streamlining to a sophisticated look. A boho style cannot be sophisticated in my opinion. But a very boho style can be stylish. Does that make sense?

Joy

Veteran

I can see that sophistication doesn't need to be neutral colors. However I know a couple of women who are beautifully groomed, even polished, who wear clothing they love, but don't look at all sophisitcated to me. One is tiny and dresses as much as possible, it seems to me, like a little girl. Her style at age 65 includes puffy sleeves, high buttoned up necklines, ruffles on skirts, mary jane shoes, lots of frilly details. The other wears lots of bling and embellishment even on jeans..a real Chico's girl usually in sequined flipflops. Another wears expensive ladies' golfwear all the time. They are comfortable in their styles, so that's fine. I just don't think of their looks as sophisticated. As Angie said, they are missing "an element of simple sleek streamlining"

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Lisa, thank you so much for the compliment!

I'm not sure how to define sophistication, but I like Angie's post above and the example of Grace Kelly. That's probably what I think of when I think of someone looking sophisticated. Elegant, clean, polished and confident.

Anonymous

My idea of sophistication is changing and I am so glad. A month ago if asked I would have said a sophisticated person has a tailored jacket, matching skirt and pumps, full makeup, very styled and sprayed hair, all the jewelry she can get on.
Now I think it is a style that is unfussy and comfortable, yet clean and refined.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You are spot on, Joy. A cutesy, whimsical style is not sophisticated. I’ll blog about this soon. Ana is on the right track!

Rosie

Veteran

Not everyone *should* be sophisticated. It just doesn't fit with some people's personalities. In my opinion, that's ok! To me, sophistication is almost more about how a person carries herself than it is necessarily about the clothes. BUT, dressing like Cate B., Gwyneth, Audrey or Grace certainly is externally sophisticated. A bubbly person with an eclectic style might feel stifled in "sophisticated" clothing. It's all about personal style, right? That said, I do think that almost any style type can immediately add some polish by adding sophisticated elements.

I, too, however, am constantly striving to add a bit more sophistication to my style. Perhaps sophistication has something to do with refinement of style. I often feel all over the place, which makes me feel my wardrobe lacks sophistication. I try to determine my fashion personality and can never really figure it out!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

100% Rosebud. Looking sophisticated is NOT a stylish necessity. Boho, eclectic, arty-farty styles are just as stylish – just different. How one carries one self does have a lot to do with it. It’s the cherry on top.

stacychen

(website)

the dress always important .The jewelry is to wear a University asked a lot of time it even more important than the clothing itself, the well-worn, like the finishing touch. How to play this jewelry inherent charm and the power of this?
http://www.worldchen.com/fashion-accessories.html
http://www.worldchen.com/jewelry-wholesale.html