What Designer Embodies Your Style? - YouLookFab Forum

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What Designer Embodies Your Style?

shell

This past weekend, hubby n I went to the mall of America for a fabulous shopping bonanza. We of course made our way into nordstrom, seeing as how we don't have one in our neck of the woods. (side note: I found the store to be very overwhelming and couldn't find any of the brands I had my heart set on. Sad bc I love shopping their website).

As we walked onto the second floor, I saw agorgeous white and black polka dotted top w a flower of the same material right in the center at the lowest point of the neckline. Making a beeline straight to it, I exclaimed to my husband "This is SOOO shellys style!". I then took a peek at the label and was pleasantly surprised it was from my favorite designer - Kate spade!!

I guess it just validated to me how much I love her design aesthetic. It's one thing to see her collection and say u love her designs, but to actually spot a piece n fall in love with it without realizing it's your fave designer? Well that's just fab

So,which designer speaks to you? If you can't think of one, how about just a store or brand?

Shopping

31 replies

Latest reply was from Vani

Sarah

(website)

Veteran

It's really hard to say because my style just evolved a little bit recently. I'd say either Robert Rodriguez or BCBG. Today.

Barbara

Veteran

This is easy: Ralph Lauren: designer of all things sporty, outdoorsy, classic AND feminine. He consistently combines all of these elements in a truly brilliant way.

shell

Ooh, good responses! Can't say I'm really surprised by your responses, though! I imagine that will be the case with many other YLFers!

I should probably add why I love Kate spade so much! I love her use of bright colors with classic shapes and silhouettes. She also tends to add a quirky element to her pieces, whether it be a fun pattern, unexpected color, or tastefully placed adornment. She also has a vintage/retro bend to her designs that just sings to me!

catgirl

Veteran

Although I do not wear DVF, I adore her styles. Same with Missoni (my sweaterdress today feels a little Missoni-esque to me).

BCBG, Tahari, Theory - oh, and there's a big designer whose dresses I love, and the name is escaping me right now.

Isabel

Veteran

I love this question. I don't emulate anyone's style because my life is pretty mundane. I read recently that you should buy clothes for Tuesday afternoon, because most of us lead Tuesday lives and not Saturday, on the town, lives. I LOVE that.

With that said, I also love DVF and Carolina Herrara. If I led their lives, I would love to go DVF. I also really like Catherine Malandrino's style.

Do any of you remember Huggie Bear from the original Starsky and Hutch ? OK, so he was an informant pimp, but man, he had style ! Does that count ?

Jonesy

Veteran

Right now, I would say Dries van Noten, hands down. I also really love elements of Marni (Consuelo Castiglioni) and Prada, and also Derek Lam, Marc Jacobs, Duro Olawu, and recent Rodarte (Kate and Laura Mulleavy). If I had a zillion dollars and a job that required me to stand around looking fab, I would invest in Alexander McQueen. I love pattern, color, interesting juxtapositions, and clothes that don't take themselves so seriously (so, an element of kookiness or wackiness).

Auburn

Veteran

Though I don't love ALL of her items, Tory Burch is a designer that I come back to again and again. Her things are very feminine, functional and incorporate trends in a way that is conservative and subtle--perfect for my more conservative aesthetic. Plus, her pieces fit me like a dream.
I also gravitate to DVF dresses and definitely snap them up when I can find them on sale!

catgirl

Veteran

Okay, because I think I'm falling into eclectic I'm going to throw in Catherine Malandrino, Marni and Burberry, and the dress designer I was thinking of was Tadashi. None in my price range, though!

rute

Veteran

Karen Millen! All the clothes are perfect to houglasses! The style is powerful, perfect for the office but also trendy!

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

I would absolutely love it if someone would undertake to answer this question for me. I don't know what most designers' styles actually look like, so I can't respond to them in the same way you all can. Does my style make anyone here think of a particular label?
Fun thread, Shell!

Steph

Veteran

Mine is definitely Nanette Lepore. Every time I go into a department store, I walk into a dressing room with a pile of dresses, and somewhere between 90 and 100 percent are Nanette Lepore. I love that she does classic styles with quirky additions, and a lot of her dresses fall into the bombshell category (which I also love).

Shell, if you like Kate Spade, you should look at some Nanette Lepore as well, because I think they have some similarities (although Kate leans a little more toward traditional). I also love Milly, which I think is in the same vein.

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

Michelle, this sounds like a great idea for Angie's future blog post

I came across this book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Lo.....038;sr=8-1
at my local library a few days ago and thought it might be a fun read, which it really is. It gives very basic description of various designers' styles and made me think I actually knew a thing or two about those designers, just wasn't aware I knew it.
And it gives some practical tips how to create those styles...

...which makes me think even more how I'd love to see Angie's take on some of those, perhaps along the line of doing a series of posts she had a while ago "Global challenge" with references to London, Hong Kong...

Shall we see "Angie does designer challenge" sometimes in the future?

MsMary

Veteran

I love Nanette Lepore, too, for the same reasons as Steph! Her clothes are too expensive for me retail, but I have snagged a few pieces at the consignment shop and love, love, love them!

taylor

Veteran

I am going to say Ann Taylor for every day. LOVE the AT line.... add a splash of Burberry for investment pieces.

Steph

Veteran

(Mary, I don't know how expensive is too expensive, but Saks currently has most of its Nanette Lepore dresses at 40% off, and a few are 60% off. If you're near a Nanette Lepore standalone store, they have tons of stuff at 50% off as well. The first three dresses in my dressing room post are all half price. Sorry for briefly hijacking the thread, but I had to help another Nanette lover!)

Laura

(website)

Veteran

I like Taylor's recipe!

I am going to start with a base of Marc Jacobs, add in some flourishes of Max Studio and a good sprinkling of Club Monaco on top.

Steph

Veteran

Michelle, I think you are kind of a Tahari woman. Their styles are very classic, and tend to work well for an hourglass. The fabrics are always beautiful, and the pieces are well-lined. They have a heft when you touch them and just feel pretty. Similarly, I think that Ann Taylor embodies your style, as she also has classic shapes and clean lines, and often has clothing that is particularly good for those of us with an hourglass shape.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Such good responses and so accurate!

Ellie, I love a fashion challenge.

Shell, you are SO a Kate Spade gal!

I guess for me it's Chanel, Prada and Valentino meets Karen Millen, Ted Baker, Theory and Club Monaco.

Becky

Veteran

I wouldn't know a designer if I saw one! Truly, I can't even envision what the style of most of these designers looks like, apart from Coco Chanel and DVF.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Becky, you are adorable

shell

Steph, I love Nanette Lepore, as well! I love the unexpected elements of her garments, especially jackets!

Of course, I couldn't exactly afford either designer brand, which just makes me want to go buy fancy fabric and make my own pretty skirts and blouses!

Kari

Veteran

High five to Shell from a fellow Kate Spade girl!

(Looking at Kate Spade's actual designs, I guess her fashion doesn't embody my current style so much as the style I often wish I had. However, nearly every time that I practically fall head over heels with the appearance of an adorably awesome handbag, it turns out to be a Kate Spade design. I don't gravitate to her bags by choice - I know they are too far out of my price range to be realistic!)

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Alexander Wang, Vince, Rag and Bone. I run hot and cold on Marc by Marc Jacobs.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I am pretty much with Jonesy. I love Dries van Noten in particular. I am more and more drawn to interesting shapes and Japanese design as well.

Maya

Veteran

I don't think anyone, really. I don't typically buy designer clothes except for the odd find at a consignment store.

I just don't think my style is really represented by any designer. That's not to say I'm sooooo original. More like I'm too unoriginal to represent a gifted designer's work.

Kristine

Veteran

I don't know a lot about high end design either, but Calvin Klein is one of my favorites. I like the simple but strong lines, the emphasis on neutrals (with some surprises in color) and the fit.

Desmo April

(website)

Veteran

Even putting aside the financial aspect of affording actual designer clothes it is still a moot point for me because no major designer makes anything in my size.

As a fantasy though I'll take Rick Owens with a smidge of Anna Sui.

cciele

Veteran

Interesting question and responses!

I love the designs by Vena Cava and The Furies for their graphic, unique look. For more everyday, probably something along the lines of Graham & Spencer/Velvet and Ella Moss.

LeahJanes

Either Vivienne Westwood or Marc Jacobs.

I also love Kate Spade but she's sometimes a bit too preppy for me.

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