What prevents you from dressing like the fantasy you? - YouLookFab Forum

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What prevents you from dressing like the fantasy you?

ironkurtin

Veteran

I'm sure that for some it may not make sense since the "fantasy" part is pretty strong and we can't all be Bowie on tour. Or because all-leather outfits are simply beyond a budget unless we're Lady Gaga. But for me, it's literally because my climate won't let me -- or would be in boots and 3/4 coats ALL YEAR LONG.

Anyone else have a good excuse?

Dressing

54 replies

Latest reply was from Aubergine

Anonymous

My friends would laugh at me.

Keturah

Veteran

Culture. I live in a resort mountain town. Since I don't live in a city, sometimes it really is okay to don jeans, Birk clogs, and down puffer vest. And I have done that a lot lately.

There's also a thing about sensibility, which means not tottering about in 4" heels when there are various grades of incline, elk poop, or snow to deal with. And it really makes me stand out in the crowd. Working daily with the public, that can draw a lot of unwanted attention that I prefer to avoid and curb.

However, I do throw some cultural to the wind when I dress, and often wear whatever I feel like wearing. I just take in account my surroundings, what I'm doing etc. Sometimes I do wear my heels, but pack a pair of ballet flats so I can walk comfortably to the post office.

kkards

Veteran

my life.....seriously, i work in job that requires business casual and doesn't allow jeans. and my weekends are pretty casual, so there's not much need for my fantasy, highly sophisticated fashion foward denim friendly wardrobe.

AJ

Veteran

My fantasy wardrobe consists of dressy, full skirts,high heels, and statement accessories. Yeah...so it doesn't match my casual MOTG lifestyle nor fussy feet.

gryffin

Veteran

IK - I pretty much dress for my happiness at all times. Biggest things that keep my wardrobe from being 100% exactly what I want- not being able to find what I want or not being able to afford what I want.

Rambling Ann

(website)

Veteran

Manure
Laziness
Indecision
in that order

viva

Veteran

Oh, just the reality of small-town New England life, I guess. Which feels like such a cop out.

My fantasy "me" is an extreme version of who I am. I do dress like my fantasy but with the volume way down because of where and how I live and work.

I'm not as lushly androgynous as Stella Tenant, my hair is not as perfectly short and boyish as Michelle Williams's, and I am not as cleverly nerdy as Elivis Costello. But I think I lean in all those directions.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

High five, Dana.

For me, the only real limitation is climate.

Cost, too, of course. I'd love to wear some items I can't afford. But even there, I can probably find good facsimiles most of the time.

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

My fantasy me, would have lots of work wear options and fabulous heels, but reality of being a stay at home , homeschooling mother smacks me in the face!

Elizabeth P

Veteran

1. My life. Going through my pinterest boards, you'd think I spend my time walking the streets, shopping or going to lunch. I don't.

2. Climate. Again, drawn to things that just aren't practical. The season for wearing jeans with heels, or rolled BF jeans with loafers or oxfords is about two weeks.

3. My body. OK, I said it. I'm SO drawn to leggings with tunics or oversized tops, skinny jeans, leather pants... but my thunder thighs just won't allow that. Or won't allow it in the way I'm drawn to it. Not outside the house or gym, anyway. Sure, there are renditions I can get away with, but I'd love to be able to incorporate more of that kind of thing into my casual dressing, so I could be (that kind of) comfortable as well as chic. Also fed up with my boobs making tops look totally different on me than on the models. And button ups not fitting properly. Again, I can work with it, but you asked!

Alassë

Veteran

LOL, Rambling Ann. I think my excuse is that I'd be uncomfortable looking like I'm attending a Ren Faire - too costume-y. Also, the sleeves on such garments are sadly impractical for cooking & cleaning (my reality).

What frequency would feel okay to trot out the costume, though? Certainly more than 1x/yr. Once a month or even more often wouldn't be bad, on an at-home day, if I could brainstorm a couple other medieval outfits made from daily-wear fabrics (not satin, unlike my dress). The outfit I posted on GoldenPig's thread is a good start. A velvet dress, plainly made, might be a good F/W outfit; I used to have one (wrong colours) and felt okay wearing it.

Good thread, IK! I wouldn't have thought to parse this out otherwise.

catgirl

Veteran

My job. Otherwise, I'd be all Fantasy Me, all the time!

deb

Veteran

I was born in the wrong era.

Joy

Veteran

Age.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

budget
societal norms
climate/terrain

Isabel

Veteran

Great question....my life. I would dress a lot more like the fantasy me if I lived in a large city on the coast. I am not sure that I could get away with it in St. Louis or Chicago. : )

Oh, and my bunion.

AnnieMouse

Veteran

because I haven't figured out how to make it gel yet.
I have elements scattered throughout, but I have, like, 7 style personas, and only one life.

Marley

Veteran

About 5 inches.

K. Period.

Veteran

1. My work.
2. The facts that the fantasy me is just someone playing dress-up for a short stint and that at my heart, I'm an interesting classics girl. I admire lots of looks and try them on for my fantasy me and it is a blast. But most of the time, I'm envisioning a fantasy moment in a fantasy life. That's part of why YLF is so fun. I get to see others who actually live those fantasy styles as a natural thing to them and admire and enjoy it. And when they ask for help, I get to participate. Fabulous!

Aziraphale

Veteran

I'm not too far off dressing like the the "fantasy me" -- I'm pretty lucky with climate and lifestyle. But there are a few things that get in the way, that if I could change with a wave of Dumbledore's wand, I would:

1. height (I'm OK with being petite, just a few more inches would have been nice)
2. breasts (I like tiny boobs. I wouldn't complain if mine were smaller)
3. $$ (don't we all wish that money was no object. Having said that, I am profoundly grateful for what I am able to afford).

E

Veteran

Climate used to be a huge limiting factor for me, but now that I've moved north, the only thing holding me back is if I feel self conscious. Luckily, that doesn't usually happen, so I'm pretty happily running about in my fantasy self's clothes. Of course, I've been here less than a week. It'll be interesting to see how my style changes over time!

E

Veteran

Oh! I forgot, I do still have a limiting factor: sometimes I can't find the clothes I envision in my head. Or I find them but they don't fit me (body or budget or ethics). I'm going to try my hand at sewing to see if I can get around that.

Staysfit

Veteran

Budget! The fact that I'm not royalty or a Hollywood starlet walking a runway, and I have no events to go to besides work! So sad, but true. My fantasy life is so much grander and better, take me to a better place!

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I thought this was apropos
http://www.slate.com/articles/.....shion.html

shedev

Veteran

My fantasy life and my regular life have the same dress code. Right now I'm more or less the classic version of my fantasy life. My uniform is moto jacket, skinny jeans, boots. I'm working on throwing in a few less classic pieces.

Sal

Veteran

Practicality and to some extent cultural norms and a little bit of figure/age.

1) I love heels but they are not so good for muddy rugby grounds and working from home- nor foot health.

2) I am often on the more dressy side for work, parties, meetings anyway. I am happy to stand out but dressing like Katherine Hepburn in the Philadelphia Story might make others feel uncomfortable.

I do try to be bold but sometimes laziness gets in the way.

Beck

Climate - it is hoooooottttttt here, which keeps me out of the boots and blazers I adore much of the year. (I am wearing boots today ... with shorts and a t-shirt. And that only because there was a strong chance of rain and I hate-hate-hate having wet feet.)
Lifestyle - I'm a bike commuter and get very tired of packing changes of clothes alongside everything else I need for my day, so my clothes need to stand up to a fair bit.

cjh

(website)

Veteran

Work. I need to dress "officey" 5 days/week. Weekend wear-out-in-public-dressy casual is my real preference (my fantasies are pretty tame.) But when I must choose dress slacks, tops and toppers appropriate for small, midwest, government office (albeit business casual), it doesn't leave much room for jeans, imaginative mixing, very casual shoes such as sneaks, multi-layered tops/sweaters/scarves/fingerless gloves, etc., which I wear at home and/or out and about on the weekends. So to an extent, the culture is a defining force.

We have long warm spring/summer/fall, but my favorite clothes are cool weather things - maybe weather also impedes my inner style?

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I didn't comment on the other post but budget, societal acceptance and to some extent climate play into it for me. I actually think I could get around the "climate" one because if budget weren't an issue, I could certainly have plenty of warm weather outfits made specifically as I wanted out of silks, organic cottons and similar fab lightweight materials. I would also be able to justify a wardrobe of comfortable $300 sandals if I didn't think it was important to save for the future.

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