Jean, I'm so glad you started this conversation. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all the comments and have learned from them as well. For me, I'm finding KILLER to be a combination of how I feel in the outfit and how others perceive the outfit. I need to feel good in it - comfortable, well fitting, good colouring. But it also should strike a chord with those looking at the outfit - is it visually pleasing, contains interesting elements, etc. I think this relates to the type of compliments that mean the most to me - instead of someone saying "what a beautiful blouse" I would rather hear "that blouse is beautiful on you".

Best thread ever. I loved reading about the psychology behind the ultimate compliment!

Killer worthy for me seems to be first a visceral reaction (upon the first look, a smile appears or a jaw drops) which leads me to examine the outfit more closely to see how all the elements were put together to create that WOW effect. I wholehearedly agree that when Angie endorses an outfit, it DOES trigger me to scrutinize it very well and figure out how it earned the honour!

I trust Angie's eye because she's been successfully dressing people for years, and has been on the front lines of fashion where she can assess the hits and misses first hand. I've noticed a lot of naturally visual people here on YLF too who have a similar gift and have really helped those of us who are not so visually inclined. I love having that guidance - because I'm more of a kinesthetic person (feeler), I tend to haphazardly assess my outfits by how I "feel" in them, and it's often a hit or miss, but I'd MUCH prefer to have a trained, expert eye help me KNOW why a outfit works or doesn't work. I love style and fashion, but I'm learning so, so much here!

I didn't manage to get back to this thread because I was with a client all day, but I am SO impressed and also so very grateful for your insights and understanding into the "killer-phenomenon". You are all very spot on - and this makes my heart happy. I also appreciate your very kind words. THANK YOU.

The most important things to remember are that:

- style is an expression of individuality. YOU make your style, it does not make you.

- there is no one way to be stylish.

There are plenty of forum members here who have polar opposite styles - yet both sets of styles are KILLER. Just different.

The crux of the matter is to be able to absorb and offer feedback through that person's style filter. If you can only see style through your own filter, it's hard to appreciate a style that is different to your own.

Fascinating conversation! I'm still learning about my style and find this conversation quite illuminating.

Great thread, that's for starting this. I find I want to say killer to someone's outfit when I see their photo and just go "wow." Maybe it's the fit, the colors, the textures, but something about the ensemble really catches my eye and I think the person just looks wonderful in the outfit. I find this far easier to do with members who have posted outfits before, having a reference of what I've seen them in, helps me to notice when an outfit "pops" out at me. For myself, any outfit that I am wearing and notice and extra bounce in my walk, or my head held a tad higher, are the one's I feel killer in.