When a new item sparks a change in style direction - YouLookFab Forum

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When a new item sparks a change in style direction

Bijou

Veteran

Whilst in the Southern Hemisphere it is mid winter - I think my focus for spring and summer will be to "lighten up".

I recently purchased these oxford shoes and bag and just love wearing them with light and metallic tones, particularly a column of white. On vacation I wore these with my white wrap dress and I liked the softness of the colour palette.

I would be interested if anyone else has a change in style direction looming and what the catalyst for change is.

Items in finds:
- Paul Green metallic oxfords
- Kate Spade owl bag
Also included some gold sandals that I have in my wardrobe that work with the new bag, but I love the oxfords the most!

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Dressing

27 replies

Latest reply was from Bijou

JAileen

Veteran

I love your owl bag. Love! I also love a soft color palette, and can imagine the bag and oxfords looking fab together with light colors.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I adore that owl bag!I think a change of season is a common catalyst to review ones style,also milestone birthdays and changes of lifestyle like retirement can prompt a little sartorial soul searching.I approve of your new style direction,l think it will be lovely in the warmer weather.

LaPed

Veteran

Totally enamoured with your owl bag! And what a great complement you've built around it.

Katerina

Veteran

The owl bag is fabulous and so fun! Love your oxfords too!

kkards

Veteran

Love the owl bag & the metallic shoes. I haven’t found yearning for a new style direction-but with the change in offerings I've add dresses this year after years of swearing them offf

Barbara Diane

Veteran

My mid season style change happened abruptly the weekend before last. I can't remember my last such change.

Friday I had planned to wear crops and a light weight top. At the last minute I substituted a maxi dress. Sunday I had long planned to wear a black pair of pants with little white and pink flowers and a lightweight black top. To the extent that I had purchased two tops to go with it (the second because it was even lighter than the previously purchased one). Fell in love with a maxi skirt so wore that to the special brunch instead.

It wasn't until after the weekend that I realized how much happier I was in the long items and that I had indeed made a style change.

Runcarla

Veteran

Soul searching phase post retirement (like Cardiff girl mentioned above). Growing hair a little longer and trying to figure out how to bring my love of white into fall/winter. I'm wondering if my next purchases should be pale camel and light grey?

Sal

Veteran

How fun Bijou. I think you wear dark and light equally well but it is fun to explore the light/pale side for a while.

I think my whole style direction is a bit haphazard at times. Pieces that have been important to me in working out a style direction have been a tweed suit (made me realise the importance of buying what you love despite the price), a long departed camel pleather coat (made me be bolder in my style) and a black shift dress that I bought at university. I have owned several iterations of this since and for me having LBD's serves me well. I currently have four (one dressy sheath, one lace shirt dress, one casual tee dress and a long sleeve ponte shift)

Mirjana

Veteran

The owl bag is faboulus. I like the silver oxfords, great. I have the silver oxfords too and there are the best shoes for spring for me , I can wear them for almost all my outfit. I think you would be satisfied with yours.

Bijou

Veteran

So glad you enjoy the owl bag, definitely a statement piece. I was lucky that it seamlessly worked with what I already owned.

Runcarla, it makes sense that retirement would result in a change in style and wardrobe focus. In my opinion, you have never looked better, I love how you have transitioned from your work wardrobe to a pulled together casually elegant style.

BarbaraDiane, great that you are enjoying your maxi skirts.

Sal, I have lots of dark in my wardrobe and don’t really ever envisage it not being a major part of my everyday uniform, but it is fun to explore the lighter neutrals. Your LBDs are fantastic, mine also get put into rotation regularly because they are so incredibly versatile.

rachylou

Veteran

Delightful, Bijou. Delightful!

Actually, I was thinking about how I’m ossifying in my Quirky Waif Country Punk style. It’s gonna devolve soon into Lady With Witch Hair, lol. I enjoy it far too much

Style Fan

Veteran

Bijou your owl bag is a great statement piece. I love how the bag and footwear work together. The lighter neutrals will look lovely with your hair.

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

OMG, the bag! Dying. I recently bought a bag with a robot face on it and I am glad to see this humorous trend continues to emerge. Love it!
As for style shifts, they really are interesting and unpredictable. This summer I find myself trying way out-there combinations and feeling totally bored by any outfit that isn’t “challenging.” In the past I was happy with “good enough,” but no longer.

Bijou

Veteran

Mirjana - how great that we are footwear twins!

Rachy - how can Quirky Waif Country Punk style be ossifying! It sounds like the best style descriptors ever.

Style Fan - Yes my hair seems to be getting lighter, so the bag and footwear will match.

Jessikams - I would love to see your robot bag. You have wonderful style.

cindysmith

Veteran

I've totally shifted in my preferences lately. I started liking the more minimalist stuff as the weather started changing, and now I'm rather obsessed with minimalist pieces in Dippin Dots colors.

Love the tonal thing you've got going on!

Sara L.

Veteran

That is the cutest bag! I really like all the light footwear you've collected. I generally find that shoes in lighter colors in styles I like are hard to find. There's a zillion black shoes out there but white? Not so much.

Bijou

Veteran

Cindy your pale wave colours must be influencing me too, but just in a more maximal way.

Sara L - I 100% agree, too much black and not enough alternatives especially when it comes to shoes and boots.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Had we stayed in Tampa, I would've bought something like those sandals, to sub in for boots.

Windchime

Veteran

More love from me for your owl bag. I wonder if Kate Spade had any idea how much pleasure people receive from her designs?

Bijou

Veteran

Fashintern - I love boots, so I guess it is not surprising that I am drawn to sandals that are similar in structure to boots!

Windchime - Kate Spade sold out of her business a few years ago. I hope she was proud of the legacy of her innovative designs.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Late to comment- busy week. Like the others I just love the owl bag. So cute! And I like your new shoes. You might have to work the word quirky into your style statement soon, following Rachylou?
I have been feeling a slight ( only slight...) lessening of the quirks in my own style of late? I am not sure if it is because of winter. It may also be because I'm subconsciously influenced by the style of the new house we are building, which is more modern than the old one? 2018 version rather than 1957 version?
But I will always be a 1961 version of course.

Bijou

Veteran

Jenni, so glad you like the new bag. I do like a bit of quirky in my style. So cool that the new house is resulting in a style change for you.

Joy

Veteran

Lightening up for spring was my style change a couple of years ago but this year I consciously moved the change earlier and was happy with that. Now I am thinking of a mini post winter holiday capsule and starting "Cold Spring" in February.

3style

Veteran

Going through a major style change right now. I think it’s prompted by the intersection of three things. Changes in body shape, changes in availability of various styles and colors, changes in my self-perception. Basically, I really got into a rut with the loose top over skinny jeans or trousers thing. It took me a while to adopt it and I did so because there were few options. I subsequently ended feeling like I was always camouflaging my misdsection and that made me feel kind of down about myself, like I had something to hide.

I’m really liking the variety of pants and jeans silhouettes as well as the increased variety of dresses that provide a daytime adult casual level of body coverage. I’m also liking the greater availability of brown and beige in dressier fabrication. Another thing I’m loving is the variety of comfortable sandals available this summer, more shapes and colors than previously, in terms of what works for me.... I’m also just feeling more confident that people perceive me as an adult and therefore even if my clothing skews a bit towards juniors style, I’m finding ways to wear jeans and dresses that maintain a grownup attitude because of how I carry myself and put outfits together.

Bijou

Veteran

Joy, you are a style icon for me, I always love to see how you refresh and update your wardrobe.

3style, such a great point about how a signature style can become a style rut. You make some great points about how changing things up and posture and attitude can make such a big difference.

jussie

Veteran

Wow what a beautiful selection of items! I’m envious! Your style is so FUN. In terms of preferences changing, this does happen to me to. For example this year I got my first pair of sneaks, and now I like wearing sneaks whereas I always resisted the idea before.

Bijou

Veteran

Yes Jussie, I am a recent convert to sneaks too! It took me a while to find the right sneaks for me.