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what you wear

always trying

Veteran

Do you think anyone really notices what you wear? If you are not wearing anything like a bright color, something unusual that would stand out, something in appropriate, or really different than the norm, anyone actually notices what you are wearing? I honestly do not think most people pay any attention to what I am wearing. Just as a few examples-I usually get compliments on my multi bright sandals, red shoes, red pants at a Christmas party, my bucket hats (only person wearing a hat),
etc. I could wear the same outfit every week to my bridge games and no one would notice. Same with lunch with my groups.
Just because those of us on this forum are fashion people doesn't mean others are. I think most of the women I know, if they notice anything at all, is color.

General

38 replies

Latest reply was from Sloper

Runcarla

Veteran

I notice what people wear - and not just women! but I dress for me. I think there are folks who are people watchers, and then there are those who are oblivious.

kellygirl

Veteran

I agree with Carla. I notice what people wear but I don't think that most people do. I could wear the same thing to work every day and I doubt anyone would notice (but I work with mostly men so there's that.)

gryffin

Veteran

I do think people notice - but mainly good and bad. I certainly notice if some is well dressed because quite frankly it's rare. I also notice when they are inappropriately dressed. Or dressed in a way incongruous to the situation. I do work and people comment on my hair, clothing, shoes and do it frequently. Shoes and hair are the most but I do wear a white coat, but some still comment on the outfit. I almost always give a compliment on an outfit, hair, shoes if I mean it, of course. I think anyone who "makes an effort" should not have it go unnoticed. OTOH if your lunch group has seen most of your clothes they might not comment but I'd be interested if you wore something a little different if you'd get comments.

slim cat

Veteran

Since I work as SA my work look should always be put together with some extra ( color, contrast, accessories ). On my days off I often wear more simple outfits on repeat - those usually not noticed by majority of people.
I do notice other people outfits and styles but a lot of them fairy simple, practical looks with some certain preferences - young people in Levi's like wedge jeans or mid age group still sticking to skinny jeans.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I’m more concerned about subconscious messages than I am with somebody noticing my outfit. I want people to notice me, not the clothes. The point of thinking about how I dress is directing their attention in a certain direction/away from something else.

As far as people watching goes, sometimes what someone is wearing tells me something about them, but most of the time the signals I pick up are from other things, or from how they wear their clothes—fussing with them, or preening, or being overly (in my eyes) careless and destructive of them, or making a scene if they get a little dirty, or similar, rather than from the clothes themselves.

Synne

Veteran

Interesting take.
I think all/most do notice, but more in the lines of "she looks good" or "she put in some effort". Or maybe more often "what a mess" or "who is she kidding?".. yikes...

I like to think I dress up for me. Or for the people who care. I appreciate very much seeing others style statements! I appreciate art and beauty in all it's forms.

Preppy Pear

Veteran

I don’t judge, but I do pay lots of attention because I love seeing what other people wear. It’s so interesting, even jeans and tees. I also love giving compliments.
I don’t know how many other people are paying attention, but I definitely feel like the center of attention when I teach. Whether I like it or not, my clothes are “on stage” along with me. And I do enjoy getting compliments from students and colleagues (hopefully they continue to keep the complaints to themselves!).

Anonymous

I notice everything. I love people watching - and am always curious what motivates others. I would agree thought that the majority of people are quite oblivious and sometimes I wish I was that way - it would save me a LOT of money.

LaPed

Veteran

I work with kids -- they notice for sure! Graphics, brand names, changes in hair/makeup... students comment on everything.

Liz

Veteran

I wouldn't equate people not saying anything with people not noticing. For example, I have coworkers who wear the same thing all the time, and I notice. But I would never bring it up to them--why would I comment like that on someone's clothing? In the same way, I don't comment every time someone looks nice.

Irina

Veteran

I agree with you! I don’t wear bright colors or patterns but I used to get compliments on my red shoes often. I notice how others dressed and I think anyone who is interested in fashion, does. Mostly, people are self involved

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I think a lot of people notice what others wear, even if they never say anything, or even consciously take it in. People make snap judgments based on appearances all the time without even realizing it.

I notice what others wear, and I dress mainly for myself but also for those who notice. Whether someone connects or appreciates my style is another question that I have no control over, so I feel it’s best to dress for my own satisfaction, comfort, and aesthetics, rather than to please a particular “audience.”

If so few people noticed or cared, I doubt a style forum would be such a popular place!

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

For what its worth, I do know that (some) people notice what I wear. Over the years I have had many people tell me so. In fact, the other day at work I overheard some of my clients discussing how much they enjoyed my style (this came on the heels of a compliment directly to me from one client about my outfit that day). Some people don't look at or think about clothing, but for most of us it's hard to ignore. You see what a person is wearing whether you are trying to or not.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I think that it probably depends on the person,Some people are just generally more observant than others and if fashion is an interest of yours l think that’s what you pay attention to.l do agree that people judge others on their appearance but often think it’s an unconscious thing.l personally love a good nosey at what other people are wearing especially if it’s alittle out of the ordinary.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I think you are right for so many people. I sometimes wish I didn’t notice as much as I do. Many times I don’t notice that much because if someone asked me afterwards what people had been wearing I couldn’t tell them.
But on the other hand, when I take my patients into the consulting room if they look particularly good ( this is mainly for women, I feel less comfortable complimenting men) I will say so, which they seem to appreciate. And I get compliments on my clothing often, at least once a week. So it has been noticed.

rachylou

Veteran

I note that I have some co-workers who notice, some who often comment and some who really don’t care. But there are moments and outfits that have stopped the floor, lolol. It’s because I will wear upon occasion real clothes on office days

Anonymous

I think they notice, but if you don't know each other, as part of a whole picture assessment of a stranger, so not necessarily in detail.

My ex husband once said that after five minutes no one cares and that they'll be thinking much more about their own outfit.

I notice what people are wearing but I keep a lid on the opinion forming because there's a lot I don't know.

celia

Veteran

I know for a fact that people do notice what I wear.
While we were working at the office my coworkers would openly say that they looked forward to see what outfit I would wear that day. In other circles sometimes people give little comments that make me realize they are noticing.
I am a firm believer that the way we dress creates our own narrative in the eyes of others.
Some won't go as far as seing if the outfit works but I think everyone will get an involuntary first reaction.
I like to see how others dress( obviously) and take as many clues from what they wear as how they wear it.

Peri

Veteran

I think people notice, and if they are polite they keep negative opinions to themselves. So I might be walking around thinking no one notices when really they might notice and not like! The people we think notice, because they say something nice, may just be the few whose opinion aligns with ours.

The more I look at and try to learn about fashion, the more I think it is all opinion. I'm not sure what all goes into forming those opinions because it is so complex, but there is definitely no actual right or wrong that I can tell. Angie's posts formatted like Friday's Transitional one is just one example...for each outfit some will like it and some won't. Any time someone posts a keep/return the opinions are all over the place. In IRL the "that doesn't look good, you shouldn't wear it" contingent probably just keep their mouths shut. Hopefully! I can watch a YT video where the person is just loving their soooo cute new whatever and I will think it looks bad. Opinions.

Once I was out with a friend and she was wearing something Chicos from about 15 years prior and she got so many compliments, many strangers stopping us to say they loved her outfit. I was wearing something that would have met with more approval on YLF but no one said a word to me. I doubt it was that they noticed her but failed completely to notice me standing right beside her. They noticed me but I didn't make them happy. Opinions.

I do think people who frequent a fashion board are looking for a standard of "rightness". I don't think it exists in any objective way. It's all opinion.

I may have gotten off track from your question...I guess I'm just rambling on something that's been on my mind for awhile. But back to the question...yes, I think people notice. If it seems like they don't, maybe they just don't care that much about what they see and are politely keeping it to themselves!

Windchime

Veteran

Interesting question! Yes, I know that some people notice what I wear because they comment on it. And I definitely size up what other people are wearing, because it’s interesting to me.

Sloper

Veteran

Yes, other people notice what I'm wearing (sometimes - I only know if they say something.) I notice what other people are wearing too. I don't know if I dress so that others will notice me - maybe I'm just fooling myself to think I think that I don't care what others think. I don't know if I dress so others will compliment me (and there's a difference between being noticed and being complimented).

Peri - makes a good point - it really all is opinion.

Lots of thoughts about comments and compliments but that would be a new thread.

Sal

Veteran

I guess we gather here because we are interested - either for ourselves or for others. I do notice clothing but am very un observant with home decor and even with jewelry.

I do agree that colours get the most comments. Also maybe shoes? My friends are very mixed in their interest in style and fashion and clothing - they all want to look good bit what that means is different for them all. Looking good might mean labels for one, figure flattery for another, fashion forward for another, and their best colours for another.

Jon will sometimes comment on something that is a year old that he hasn’t noticed me wear before.

celia

Veteran

So many interesting points.
I guess I took the question literally, as in do they notice, not if they like.
I think sometimes people have preconceived notions of what someone in a specific capacity (mom/office worker, etc) should wear and the simple fact that someone doesn't fit the mold stands out. I don't mean standing out as being unsuitable dressed but simply not being what expected.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I really like Peri’s take on it. I’m sure it will all be just opinions really, and how those are formed will very much depend on our own backgrounds and which decades we came of age in I suspect.
I did really enjoy when a young SA openly admired the 1995 hand knitted jumper when I thought she probably wasn’t even born when it was made!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I do think people comment much less than they notice. And the commenting might be more about their personality and yours than the clothes themselves.
But even people that don't explicitly notice or remember the details of your outfit will form a general impression from your overall look.

Greyscale

Veteran

I think people notice at least an overall impression of someone's look. But I only have conscious awareness of someone's clothes when something stood out subconsciously in my first, automatic impression. So, for instance, I'm vaguely aware that most of the men and women in my department wear sorta generic casual-professional clothes, but if someone asked me what color Bob or Sue wore at the faculty meeting, I'd have no idea. But I automatically take a second look to notice the outfits worn by one colleague with a sort of zany streetwear style, or another colleague who is very polished. Or someone I pass on the street with a pair of distinctive boots or a really cool overall vibe. Or so on. It's not a conscious process, it's just the way my brain gets grabbed by something. In fact, sometimes I'd like to be more consciously aware of what people wear, to build up my sense of what's "correct" for different contexts (though I guess by now I have pretty good sense for that).

And on the flip side, I'm always surprised when people "see" me. I remember being one of the last to leave a party, so my coat was still on the rack when almost everyone was gone, and someone said "oh no, someone left their coat" and then "oh, I bet that's Greyscale's because it looks so classy". I wouldn't have thought to describe my clothing that way but it made me think about how rarely we hear others' impressions of us and how each time is a surprising little window into something.

rachylou

Veteran

I just thought of something… like spy craft and ‘grey man’ stuff… I suspect there is a way of dressing that is utterly forgettable. People notice but also instantaneously dismiss from mind…

Echo

Veteran

Janet is right. People judge; that's just what we do. And we judge others often within seconds of seeing them, so what they are wearing and the way they present themselves plays a significant part in that. Surely our opinions can change over time, but first impressions matter.

And there's a reason people follow trends, buy fashion magazines, follow fashion blogs and belong to fashion forums. There are millions of people who engage in these activities; surely they must notice what others are wearing. I do. I often know who is coming down the hallway long before I can see their face because I recognize their silhouette. The science teacher's baggy, old-fashioned suits; the ELA teacher's dress shirt and dress pants; the fifth grade teacher's cute dress; the third grade teacher's slim pants and boots; the Kindergarten teacher's leggings and tunics. It is highly likely that one could put an outfit on a manikin and every single person in the building could identify who would wear it. We may not say it, but we NOTICE.

Sloper

Veteran

Re-reading your first post and I’m still thinking…

I guess I’ll never know if someone notices what I wear. When I’m in “normal” clothes, say conservative black pants and a basic top & blazer for work. Maybe a more distinctive outfit or item would get a comment. But NO comment doesn’t mean someone didn’t notice. Sometimes it’s not appropriate to comment.

There’s noticing and Noticing, you know? Maybe some of us pay more attention to details, silhouette, fabrication, “style” - and definitely there are people who don’t pay that degree of attention. And for those people, it takes a bright color, or someone wearing a hat when no one else is (as you say), that overcomes their inner inertia and elicits a comment.

And sometimes a comment is being part of getting along with others, or breaking the ice. Not being fake or using people or fake flattery, but kind of like small talk and being kind.

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