Tell me about your mistakes - YouLookFab Forum

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Tell me about your mistakes

Synne

Veteran

The last couple of years has been an amazing style journey for me. Especially after finding YLF. I feel I am getting better at dressing, keeping inventory of my wardrobe, wearing what I have, knowing what to look for. My outside is slowly starting to resemble how I feel inside and how I want to convey myself to the world. I am also a better shopper, I'm learning what suits me, what works for my life and climate, and what I love wearing.

But I still make mistakes. Ugh. Expensive ones at that. I have had to eliminate thrifting, because I end up buying up a storm because it is "ethical" and "affordable", and therefore doesn't count as real shopping. I also have spent a fortune on coats and hats, which I love buying (ehm...) and look at, but seldom or never wear. I have also bought weird ultra-trendy statement pieces, that just doesn't work for my style when I lack so much of the building blocks of a wardrobe. If my wardrobe was a pyramid chart, I have been shopping from the top down. I guess being aware of my mistakes is a first step to sort this out.

What mistakes did you or do you still make when it comes to fashion and style? The bravest ones can feel free to add pics!

Shopping

50 replies

Latest reply was from DonnaF

Jenni NZ

Veteran

It’s still shoes Synne, for me I am getting better, but even in 2 years of YLF I have made at least 2 shoe mistakes. The too-tight flat black sandals were $50 and had 2 wears only. They are gone. And the lovely boots with splashes of red are not way comfy so I tend to avoid them...

nemosmom

Veteran

I keep repeating the same two mistakes: 1) shopping for a previous lifestyle; 2) not wearing things because I don’t want to mess them up or ruin them.

I feel like it was easier at a strict corporate job, but most of my days are spent working at home on a computer, running after two small boys, or working on house projects. I don’t want to wear athleisure, loungewear, or ratty paint spattered clothes every day. I want to look put-together and stylish MY WAY, but really struggle with what that looks like.

As a result, I have bought the wrong pieces (hello fancy skirt and ugly couch blazer) that I don’t have real opportunity to wear, or things that i love and CAN wear, but took so much work to find or fit that I’m afraid I’ll ruin them (favorite jeans, cute shoe, great fitting acket, versatile trouser).

Oh, duplication has been another costly mistake for me, but I’m getting better at that...

Synne

Veteran

Jenni NZ: Oh no! I've come to realize also that my most expensive pair of shoes is also a mistake.. they are so good on paper, but I never reach for them. On the bright side, your two shoe mistakes in two years isn't bad at all!

ChristelJ

Veteran

My mistake is buying solitary pieces that I think will revolutionize my style, but end up being closet orphans because i have nothing to pair with them. I recently bought some ultra high-waist wide-leg flowing pants and have not been able to find a single top that looks right with them. All my tops are for narrow, mid-rise bottoms. I still have an image in my head of myself waltzing about elegantly to lunches and art openings with the softly billowing trousers and a cute cropped top and wide brimmed hat...made a similar mistake with a high waisted midi skirt last year.

Synne

Veteran

Nemosmom: that is interesting. I believe part of the reason I keep buying the wrong things, is becouse for many years I was, or believed I was, a "soft summer" on the colour analysis spectrum. I now am more of a "soft autumn", mainly due to hair colour changes, but I keep returning to that other palette out of habit.

Synne

Veteran

ChristelJ: haha, yes! That reminds me of the so called Brand-New-Me-Syndrome. If I buy this garment, my life and personality will magically transform into x, y, z. I am definitely guilty of that same mindset.
(Sorry for typos, am on a new device here withouth my beloved auto correct!)

LaPed

Veteran

Like Jenni NZ, I'm very good at trying on shoes and telling myself they'll be comfortable enough once they break in. Never the case! I'm finally learning to box the shoes back up and walk away if there's any hint of discomfort during the initial try-on.

I've done the same thing with pants, telling myself to take the smaller size because they might stretch out. In fact it's almost always better for me to pick the larger size and have the waist taken in, because I can't stand pants that are snug through the thighs or calves.

April

Veteran

Synne - my mistakes often involve purging things too fast. I realize I'm not wearing something constantly and I let it go, then I find the perfect way to wear it after I no longer have it.

Now that I have abundant closet space, I'm going to try to take Angie's suggestion of creating a "holding zone" before letting things go.

anchie

Veteran

Not being patient enough and settling for less than perfect things.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

GREAT thread.

Buying perforated cognac booties at the NAS last year. Extremely comfy and look great. I love the colour too. BUT: I don't wear cognac in Summer, and wearing these with socks in the Autumn is not my thing. I would have worn them in the Summer if they were white. I passed them on to a good home after wearing them once.

Dolce Vita Dolce Vita Tommi Perforated Bootie (Women) | Nordstrom

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Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

I make mistakes kind of like Angie’s, above- I buy something that is perfectly nice but doesn’t fit into the appropriate capsule or season. For example, I bought some khaki pants that were intended to wear to work, but upon wearing them I realize they actually look really casual. But they’re the wrong color to fit into my casual capsule. I’m still deciding what to do with them.

Joy

Veteran

YLF has taught me to be a much better shopper, but my mistakes are often items and accessories that would be better on someone taller or heavier. I reached my adult height of 5’4” early and tend to think of myself as tall. Thus I end up with too much fabric or big jewelry that overwhelms me. I also, for some reason, am attracted to boat neck tops.
But they bunch up horribly under a topper. Also cowel necks. These days they bookend neck wrinkles...not a good look.

Christina F.

Veteran

I kept a twist front shirt from NAS last year because I loved the color, even though the fit was off and the twist gapped open a bit. Had to pass it on after one wear.

I also am about to narrowly avert a mistake. I bought a dress for an upcoming event from BR. It looks pretty good, and was about to go to the tailor for the finishing touch, but at the last minute I decided I don't love it and was settling of a 7 out of 10 instead of a 9 or 10 out of 10. I'm fortunately just barely within the return window.

As for the event... it's an annual work event and I have some dressy separates that will do if I don't find anything else.

ETA- I also just passed on a lace short sleeved top I got last year. It looked great and was an underrepresented color in my wardrobe (Tiffany blue). But it was seasonally confused for me, because the fabric was not breathable for warm weather, and it didn't look good under a topper, which I need in my office in warm seasons. It would have been relegated to somewhat dressy occasions outside of work, but I decided that it wasn't going to pull its weight enough that way and passed it on. I am being much more picky about the fabric of warm weather tops this year.

Lesley

Veteran

What Anchie said! I have a leather jacket that I hunted for for years. I finally found one I loved online, and ordered two sizes. The smaller size looked awesome, but it looked too tight when I zipped it closed. So I kept the larger size. No shock—it just looks too big to my eye now, and doesn't have that edgy look that I wanted from a leather jacket. A later discussion online with Angie made me feel like I should have gone with the smaller—it is, indeed, rare that I close that jacket. But I had tailors in my family, and I had it drilled in my head that if I can't close a jacket, it doesn't fit, despite whether or not I'd ever close it.

I wear it anyway, because I can't stomach starting the search all over, plus the cost (although this one was under $200, so at least it wasn't a $500 mistake). But if I were to see another leather jacket that fit me better in my travels, I'd snap it up for sure.

Sisi

Veteran

You name it, I made it. Thanks to YLF I finally learnt to avoid my two main mistakes: buying for a fantasy life (statement pieces, high heels) and for a non-dominant season (I live in a 4-season climate but since I love Summer I always bought too many Summer clothes and sandals). And since I hate shopping, sometimes I buy too hastily, without paying enough attention to fabric or fit.

Anonymous

I'm still shopping out of a need to fill some hole , or without a plan.....which means I'm often/usually shopping to acquire something I don't need. I go in spurts when it comes to shopping : I don't have a ton of time to browse, so when I see something I really like, I buy it regardless of any need for it. I also avoid trying things on in stores - thus ending up with things that aren't perfect, unless I take the time to return them. A lot of this is my own emotional baggage that I carry around regarding clothing and fashion .....

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Oh gosh,how long have you got?It is somewhat reassuring to note that even a shopping pro like Angie makes mistakes,l think that it’s the nature of the beast.Hopefully I’m making less now than I used to but I suspect it will always happen to a degree because life is just not that predictable.

Lesley

Veteran

This conversation is inspiring me to maybe prioritize a new mid-season jacket next year... in leather or not!

Bonnie

Veteran

Buying dressy clothes when I need casual clothes. I'm getting better but I have to keep reminding myself to stick to my plan which is to enjoy wearing what I already have in my Out and About capsule and add (especially cardigans) to my At Home capsule.

DeAnna

I just love sweaters, all types, pullover, cardigan etc. The problem is that I live in a warm climate. It's warm from March thru November. We don't get much snow, and the office is to warm in the winter really wear warm sweaters. So they just sit in my closet, or they are so poorly made they pill out on the first wear. And don't get me started on Tee shirts, now you wear it once and it has a hole in it

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Jackets, sweaters and other toppers that just don't get much wear in my climate. I have a weakness for them I guess. Even light weight ones don't work because then they need the perfect (read "thin" and "fitted") top under them and I don't like thin, fitted tops.

Three examples here. UGH! I AM going to try and wear the light linen blazer over a simple heather grey tank (not too thin) and see how it works. I think I've overly conscious of material on my small but still *there* belly. lol. The deep raspberry utility jacket is a lovely color but feels a bit "masculine" or something and I don't wear dresses or skirts or even floral tops so it's tough to make it feel more feminine with what I have in my closet. I may try to work it out with jewelry and a simple v-neck tee. The camel sweater blazer is perfect for my coloring and feels really good on - but only over a simple more fitted tee. Again, not something I love to wear on it's own and if I have to take off the sweater I'm not sure how I'll feel in just the tee. A sleeveless silk top might work but I live a VERY casual life so silk just doesn't feel so "right" these days.

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Swing Utility Jacket

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Linen-Blend Blazer for Women

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karen13

Veteran

Seeing thing on YLF that work well for others and coveting them! No, YLF has really helped me (like you, I am finding I often have the "right pieces: in my closet for most occasions now) but I still buy things that are 1) for my fantasy life, 2) don't have a supporting act in current wardrobe, or 3)duplicates in another color, but don't like as much.

I'm trying on a self imposed shopping limit of 3 items a month year (average) which is helping me be more disciplined. And yes to Jenni and La Ped's shoe fit points. With a hard to fit foot, I am really trying to be picky about perfect comfort immediately.

Also, tapping the collective YLF wisdom on sizing/fit is very helpful.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Cute embroidered shoes that don’t go with my mostly patterned tops. Patterned scarfs that don’t go with my patterned tops. Ignoring the one aspect of an item that doesn’t work and talking myself into buying it. But occasionally the items I love most are the ones I wasn’t sure about, so this is tough for me.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

And the occasional because it was on sale purchase combined with the “There’s only one thing wrong with it” issue.

Lesley

Veteran

Barbara Diane, YES... I have had "meh" try-on items turn into my favorite workhorses. It becomes a dangerous fact when trying to decide whether to settle or move on!

rachylou

Veteran

The mistake that has come to my attention currently is what I’m calling ‘too much of a good thing.’ As in buy one pair of ankle boots, fall in love, and then decide a pair in red, leopard, orange, tan, etc. is a great idea! Except still only one pair of feet and seven days in a week...

Runcarla

Veteran

Compromising on fit has resulted in my biggest purchasing mistakes. Usually choosing a size too large, and then not loving the bagginess - especially bottoms made with fabrics that 'grow' with body heat. Then, failing at PPL on full length pants. I USED to be tempted by size 10 footwear when that was all that was available, but I am a true 9.5. Every time I bought a 10, I ended up regretting it. Inserts weren't enough. Haven't made that mistake in about 3 years, now. If it isn't available in 9.5 I walk away.

After fit mistakes, it's tinkering with an item and ruining it in the process. Half the time I love the change (hacking jeans to crops, altering the heel height of a pair of boots by 1/4in, removing logos or detail) and half the time I hate it (hemming an item too short). I still regret trying to shorten an asymetrical T-shirt that had a dark silky floral front and jersey back. Loved the dark floral so much...but didn't have the skill to modify.

Liesbeth

Veteran

I’ve made all of these too. I also found I’ve become a better shopper thanks to ylf, but there are still some mistakes that I often make.
1) not being patient enough and settling for a not so great item ( and then almost immediately starting the search all over with less budget then the first time around.
2) not using HALT in brick & mortar stores, thus impulse buying when I’m hungry, angry (about not finding what I wanted in the first place), tired or sad and spending money on unnecessary or even flat out wrong stuff that crowds my wardrobe.
3) buying online in stores without free returns - no matter how lovely or cheap something seems, it can always turn out wrong for you!
4) otoh, buying completely with the brain and for my style goals and losing touch with the emotion of clothes and dressing.

Gretchen

Veteran

Nodding along to so many of these!

My 2 biggest are:
- buying the cute top then not planting it in the wardrobe. After 1-2 wears it becomes clear it doesn’t work and should have been returned.
- deciding I need something new for an event, and then settling for something I don’t love, or will never wear again. Way too many cocktail dresses have been treated like bridesmaid dresses.

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