I mentioned in my last outfit post that I recently came across the phrase 'feminine but not fussy,' and it instantly resonated with me. (If you don't have any interest in reading my novel, just skip to the bottom, where I've bolded the questions I'd love to hear your replies to.) I think it's making the same point as Angie's girly tomboy descriptor, but somehow I connect with it more easily. For me, this means while I wear feminine silhouettes or fabrics or details, my outfits are ultimately practical: I could go racing through a forest, even climb a tree if necessary, without worrying overly much (clearly, I'm some kind of dryad in my fantasy life, lol). Interpreted for my real life, I can go for walks on the little dirt trails, popping off to explore something interesting, crouching down to take a photograph, with an excited dog occasionally jumping up on me with her own dirty paws, without worrying about it. Ditto to cooking, taking my niece to the playground, etc.

At the same time, while I occasionally play with more gender ambiguous looks, my outfits are never what a man performing straight masculinity in the US would feel comfortable wearing. My masculine inspiration is more that of the historical dandy, incorporating fine fabrics and a frill or two. Most of the time, I'm more clearly feminine: full skirts, decorative little blouses, cardigans, 'girly' patterns like small florals & polka dots, and I wear pastels/mid-tones as often as more serious darker colours.

However, I quickly found myself doubting whether that phrase could be applied to my outfits. In my own mind, an outfit's only fussy if it requires me to change my behavior to protect it or if I'm constantly having to adjust it throughout the day or something about it is uncomfortable/awkward. In other words, fussy outfits are those that continually remind me of their existence. But what is fussy to outside observers? Might my penchant for bows (large & small) and (small) ruffles and even waist belts, none of which require any tending throughout the day on my part, *look* fussy? What about all of my silk and silk/cotton blouses; I don't take special care of them while wearing (and just wash them all on the machine's hand wash cycle, then air dry) but do they appear to be fussy? And the little details I like to add to outfits: brooches, matching spots of colours, etc.: might that be seen as fussy too? In this day and age of ubiquitous skinny jeans, does a full skirt seem overly fussy, despite giving me full range of motion?

I don't know. Which is why I thought it'd be interesting to discuss it on the forum! What does fussy mean to you, both as someone wearing an outfit, and someone seeing others' outfits? Does the phrase 'feminine but not fussy' automatically exclude any visual details or is it on a person-by-person basis? Is 'not fussy' somehow related to effortless style or something else entirely?