Style Goals 2020 - YouLookFab Forum

I'm a bit late on this because I've had a lot going on and because I wanted to be very deliberate with this list and with my planning in general. Here's what I've come up with:

Top 3 goals:

1. Embrace my eclectic taste by creating unexpected combinations and wearing different styles together.
2. Be intentional with shopping--check items off that to-buy list and don't get too distracted by shiny things.
3. Work on adjusting day to day look to be a bit more professional for graduate school or work.

Describing my style:

Professorial
Witty
Punk
Professional

To me, these are very different styles, but they can work together.

Professorial to me is an element of nostalgia and dressing the way I imagined college professors dressed when I was a kid--tweed jackets and all that jazz. It also means wearing things that are relevant to my areas of interest. I want people to look at me and think "Yep, they study psychology." I've got a "brain waves" tee (a skill with ocean waves in it), and I've got my eye on a neuron tie. This is all about dressing for the job I want and celebrating the fact that academia typically allows for a great deal of self-expression and individuality.

Witty means incorporating elements of humor in a subtle but impactful way. Graphic tees with puns and amusing enamel pins are the main ways I include wit in my outfits. I want to play with this more in 2020 and find new ways to express my wit through my style.

Punk can mean a lot of different things. The archetypal punk has wacky hair, wears a lot of leather and studs, stompy boots, creative layers, and allusions to favorite bands. All of these are elements I enjoy, but the most another is the DIY aspect of it--adding your own influence to your clothes, modifying them however you see fit, even if you don't know much about sewing and such. I hated a patch that came on a pair of jeans last year, so I ripped it off. My old combat boots lost most of their rivets, so I ordered some to replace them. I've been working on decorating a denim vest. I want more of this in 2020 because it's fun and it lets my inner artist have some fun. Another important thing is expressing political attitudes--I advocate for a lot of causes, and I want to keep wearing them on my sleeve, figuratively and literally.

Professional is another term that can mean a variety of things, depending on one's profession. I have to figure out exactly what it means to me. Trying to follow professional norms hasn't worked for me historically, so I want to find MY version of professional. It definitely includes menswear, which feels more natural to me than a lot of professional clothing meant for women (and has slacks with actual pockets!), but not exclusively, because I also enjoy flowy blouses and other soft touches. It includes varying levels of formality depending on what I'm doing (suit for interview or conference presentation, perhaps slacks and a shirt and tie for teaching if I become a TA, and dressy jeans with a tee and a smart blazer for attending classes and working on research, for a few examples).

- SHOPPING -

My shopping list may change based on the climate of wherever I end up living; I have applied to six graduate programs, each in a different state and region of the country, and I won't know where I will spend the next five years until I hear back from them. Successfully adapting this list is a goal in and of itself.

A major goal is to stick to this list, barring adaptations I make based on genuine needs. I will allow myself ONE "ooh, shiny!" purchase per season. I want to shop very intentionally this year and focus on filling wardrobe holes I noticed last year.

Specific items:

Charcoal gray suit
Several collared dress shirts
Waterproof sneakers
Backpack or laptop bag
Leather flats
Trench coat
Dressier jeans
Oxfords in a couple colors
Brown or olive jacket
Smart watch (?)

Desired colors:

Blue
Gray
Olive green
Dark brown
Lavender
Red

Desired patterns/textures/materials:

Pinstripes
Tweed
Leather
Floral (?)

- REFINING -

Once I've determined where I will be living, I will research the climate of the area and start adjusting my wardrobe to work well with that climate. I'm from Metro Atlanta, so I'm used to hot weather for most of the year, unpredictable rain in the winter, exceptionally rare snow, and having to drive more than walk.

My first goal is to get rid of most items that don't suit the climate of wherever I live (but hold onto some things because I expect to visit Georgia regularly to see family).

My second goal is to tailor my new purchases within my shopping list to that climate. If I'm staying in Georgia, I need to focus on things I can wear when it's warm. If I go to Seattle, I need more waterproof stuff. If I go to Chicago, New York, or Wisconsin, I need better stuff for winter. If I go to Los Angeles, I... need to learn more about the climate there, because I've heard mixed info.

- DRESSING -

This year is all about elevating my everyday style and expanding my professional capsule for graduate school (or employment if I don't get into a program) in a way that is true to me.

I want to continue mixing masculine and feminine clothing within my wardrobe and within outfits.

I want to seamlessly marry old-school college professor, queer punk rock, and quirky and laid back aesthetics in my style.

I want to experiment with makeup when I feel like it and play with theatrical looks for special occasions. I want to keep going without any makeup for my day to day life.

- BODY -

I want to maintain my current hair style and color. I may change my mind, as I frequently do about my hair, but I think I'm more likely to try a new color than cut.

I want to get an updated prescription for my glasses and keep the same frames I've had for the last couple of years. (I'm putting this under "body" because the prescription is the key part--things are starting to blur, so I really want to get an adjustment.")

I want to take better care of my skin and teeth (2019 saw huge improvement in hair care!).

I want to exercise more, particularly by hiking. I want to work toward my ideal body, which is strong and capable of getting me anywhere I want to go.

I want to get my first tattoo, and perhaps a second, money and time permitting.

----

So, that's it for now, I think. A lot about my life is up in the air right now, so it's hard to make a detailed plan or to be certain about some of my goals, but what I've written is intended to be flexible. I will make adjustments over the course of the year as needed.

Any advice from people who have been in similar life situations (not knowing where you'll end up living for a stretch of time), I'm super interested in hearing! I'm a person who really likes to have a solid plan, so this has been challenging, but I'm working on being more flexible this year and rolling with whatever happens.

4 years ago

Cardiff girl

Veteran

You have obviously done a lot of thinking about your style and how you want to support and develop it through the coming year.l am abit in awe really being a slap dash kind of gal myself.This all sounds so well thought through,l look forward to seeing the results of such careful planning.

April

So thorough! As a former (overwhelmed) psychology grad student myself, brava to you for giving your goals the attention they deserve.

Kaelyn

Cardiff girl--thank you so much! Funnily enough, while I am a very careful planner for my life in general, I've never been one to put so much thought into my clothing purchases. I've been working on that for the last three or so years and it's been helping a lot.

April--thank you! High five for psychology. I'm really excited to start the next chapter in my life/career, but I know it's going to be a crazy few years.

nemosmom

Such a well-thought out plan! It sounds like all of your goals point to FUN and isn't that what it's all about!? I hope you will share your journey as you go through the year!

Anonymous

Wow- very detailed, but flexible plan! Couple recommendations:
Etsy for fun science themed things!
Waterproof shoes, not wellies but things that look like regular shoes (Aquatalia, Blondo or similar) even if you don't move to Seattle.

slim cat

Solid plan - great analysis. I'll be waiting for later updates - it's all sounds fascinating. Good luck!

kkards

Very detailed it's clear you’ve put a lot of thought into this. And i like how you’ve married your style and professional goals. One call out regarding regionality, just as climate changes, so can what is considered professional. So I like that you have built in some flexibility.

rachylou

Well defined(!) I’m thinking about colours, imagining outfits... because when I think of tweed, I think brown...

Style Fan

Great plan. Lots of details. The climates of the possible locations where you might be living are so different. I also think the interpretation of professional would be different as well. Very interesting to research these.

Bijou

Kaelyn - you have fabulous style, it is fun to see it evolve from being an edgy student into your new professional / professorial roles without losing a sense of self. Your style descriptors are spot on for your evolving style.

Your purchases list sounds very cohesive and will work in a variety of climates. If you find the perfect charcoal grey suit, please pounce on that one, it will be a winner.

nemosmom--definitely! And I hope to find more time to share this year. I'd like to start taking at least somewhat regular outfit photos that I can post.

suntiger--thanks for the recommendations! I definitely want regular-looking shoes instead of rain boots. Right now I've been defaulting to wearing my old combat boots or my new Docs when it rains (or sometimes my hiking shoes), but I want something less clunky. Etsy is great--I'll definitely spend some time browsing for science stuff!

slim cat--thank you! I'll try to post more regularly, I miss y'all when I'm away for long stretches. School is tough!

kkards--absolutely, and I'm going to keep that in mind. When I know where I'm going to end up living, I am definitely coming to the forum to ask for advice from people who live there or have spent a good bit of time there. I know I'm covered for Seattle, having read Angie's blog for a few years!

rachylou--thanks! Yeah, brown is the first color I think of, too, but I have seen it in other colors as well. I want a variety. The texture of it is just so lovely. I used to have a rainbow tweed jacket and if I ever find another like it, I'm snapping it up immediately.

Style Fan--yep, they're all pretty different. I've at least been to half of those places (Georgia, which is where I live, and New York and Chicago at a couple different times in the year) so I know what to expect, but I've never been to Wisconsin, Seattle, or Los Angeles, so I'll have to do some serious research (and probably some trial and error).

Bijou--thank you for the compliment! I'm having fun trying to work everything out and enjoying the evolution. I know I'll find a great charcoal gray suit at some point and I'm so looking forward to it.

Suz

(website)

Kaelyn, I'm so delighted to read about your goals and to see how carefully you've set things out here. It sounds as if you're really clear about your style direction and I love the image this puts in my head. If I saw the person dressed the way you describe here, I'd want to talk to them and get to know them. You know what you want, know what will work, and also you know when you don't know, if that makes sense. Being an incredibly weather-dependent dresser myself, I think it makes sense to wait on some major purchases until you're sure where you will land up. Your needs for outerwear would be completely different in Atlanta or Seattle or Chicago. I do understand how hard it is to live with that uncertainty, but you'll probably get some answers within the next few months.

I have a non-binary kid who is just starting to get interested in developing a style but is a bit unsure where to turn for ideas. You'd be a great role model.

Suz--wow wow wow, thank you so much! Looking interesting and approachable is a goal because the more comfortable I get with who I am, the more I find I enjoy talking to people. I'm going to try taking more pictures this year and posting more regularly. Please feel free to share with your kid if you'd like. And if they'd be interested in any advice, I'd say that the best thing about being nonbinary is that you're free to take inspiration from anyone and everyone, and the only rules are the ones you set for yourself. I like playing with combinations of feminine and masculine clothing and playing with different sizes and fits. It's taken a long time to figure it out but it's been so worth it. I wish them the best!

DonnaF

Your plan sounds great! If you plan to break up that charcoal suit sometimes, first try the jacket with various pants. Sometimes suit jackets don’t transition to sports coats; they just look odd.

Would you consider wearing a vest (waistcoat/weskit) as a third piece? Maybe a leather one and a tapestry or needlepoint one? I am thinking a “third piece” when wearing a blazer or jacket would be too formal, too constricting, or too warm. A vest would add a bit of gravitas and set you apart from undergrads. My sense of academia is that you will command more respect if you aren’t mistaken for an UG. (Not that I agree.)

DonnaF--that's a really good point. I do like the way vests look, although I've never worn a formal one before. I'll definitely consider it! The suit would mostly be for interviews and presenting research at conferences. I'll pay close attention to how professors and grad students dress for the ones I'm going to this spring. I already tend to go dressier than most undergrads because I enjoy stepping it up for events that require a level of formality. I'll keep your advice about trying the suit jacket on with different pants, too. I've never owned a suit before, just separates, so this is really helpful!

Kaelyn, thank you so much. I will definitely share with them. I know it will be meaningful and helpful to them as they figure out their own style.

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