Where do I start? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Where do I start?

Nat

I have been going through the ylf blog and forum for a while trying to pick tips here and there. I look at styles I like in different blogs and pinterest and I just don't know how to go about reproducing or adapting them to my body type and age.

Work is conservative and I believe I can manage with current suits, skirts and shirts. Is the casual and after work style that I cannot get right. I have tried a few changes and then the disappointment hits me when I see the pictures... What was I thinking????? I look shorter than I am and very frumpy.

The trigger for my first full post in ylf is a trip to NY in the Autumn meeting with friends I have not seen in over 10 years.

Here are a few links of outfits I like:
http://pinterest.com/pin/344314333981694293/
http://pinterest.com/pin/344314333981707035/

I look at those boards and they look like someone with very long legs and 25 years would look great in those. I am 5'3, 132 lbs, over 40 and hourglass.

Can you help me? Where do I start?

Dressing

16 replies

Latest reply was from Nat

Elly

Veteran

Welcome to the forum-- I think you've come to the right place. Hopefully Angie and the ladies will be able to get you sorted.

There are plenty of short-average and petite ladies on the forum that dress similarly to some of the inspiration pics you've posted. They've found tricks for keeping a long leg line with looks like that.

Many of your inspiration pictures center around jeans, and in addition to well fitting under clothes (which I assume you have since your set for work) the are one great place to start building a wardrobe. This year the trend is towards a little more ease in jeans, but skinny jeans are still popular. Maybe a good place to start would be finding a great pair of straight leg or bootcut jeans depending on what type of footwear your think you'll wear. Straights are good for wearing with delicate footwear or tucked into boots, where bootcuts look great over fashion sneakers and chunkier booties.

The inspiration pictures don't have what I'd consider to be "walkable" autumn appropriate footwear for autumn in NYC, but those styles can be adapted to something that will work for your comfort level and the situation.

There are a lot of drapey tops in your inspiration photos, which is great because that is very in. Angie has written several posts about wearing this trend while keeping in figure flattering. Also, it is good to note that most of the drapey sweaters and tops in the inspiration are paired with a more structured pant or jacket to reign things in and keep body proportions in mind.

I think the leather jacket and peacoat looks in particular are easy to pull off because of this. Leggings probably aren't going to do anyone favors and probably don't have enough structure to anchor a drapey look, but maybe ponte pants (a thicker, more heavily constructed- pants alternative to leggings) might work, or a pair of jeans or other pants.

The last picture on the second link is very similar to some of the looks worn by Angie and Suz (a forum member)-- Suz is only 5'3" as well I believe but rocks the aesthetic. Mo (another forum member) often wears drapey tops and she too is borderline petite.

I think something important to keep in mind is that it is good to anchor volume with structure so you don't get lost in a piece or look like you are just wearing terribly fitting clothing vs purosely oversized. On a smaller frame that might mean shrinking the scale on some pieces or choosing only one really oversized piece vs. several at a time.

As far as age, part of pulling off the look well is choosing nice materials with a nice drape that are going to look higher quality and have character and be kind to the body-- although they don't necesarily have to be expensive. The accesories and textures in these looks as well as some of the higher end materials like quality boots add that element, while some of the elements like the burnout tees may need to be upgraded to maintain a level of sophistication.

I'm sure some of the other ladies will have more for you!

Deborah

Veteran

Hi Nat, welcome! I am also a petite at approx 5"2. I am over 40 and not skinny I love the looks you have pinned and see no reason why you couldn't reproduce these. In my very humble opion the success or otherwise of an outfit often lies in the proportions of the outfit. I have had many of the lovely girls here comment that I look tall in my WIW posts but I suspect that is the proportions of the outfit at play.

It would help if we could see you:) Maybe have a play with some outfits, take some photos and that will definitely help you to see what works and what doesn't.

If you can upload photos. throught photo bucket or such, I am sure we would all be happy to give you some feedback.
xxx Deborah

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Heh, I was about to reply when I saw Elly had mentioned me I am 5' 4" and a little and just under 120 lb. Over 40 for a few years now
Here are a few WIW of 2013, keeping in mind some are uniforms for my bartending jobs. Feel free to check my YLF blog for older WIWs as well.
Welcome!

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

MsMary

Veteran

I'm 54, 5'2 and 120 lbs, and I've actually copied one of the outfits in your second link, here: http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....s-unabated. So I definitely think you can wear the kind of looks you've pinned. And I am a gigantic Pinterest copycatter so I think copying looks you like is a great place to start!

Nat

Thank you so much ladies for the tips and advice

@Elly - you are correct, these outfits do not have appropriate autumn footwear for walking in NY. I was thinking more of flat knee high boots, converse and flats. This takes me to my next question? What sort of boots can I wear? I will post some pictures.

No leggings? - OK. Not sure what ponte pants are, will do some research. Do you know if they go by a different name in Australia?

I don't have any drapey tops but I do love the look. Will do some shopping and post outfits

@Deborah - will take some pictures and we can talk about proportion. I believe I do get that wrong and usually only notice after I leave the house. I'm still camera shy

@Mo - thanks for the pics. Had a a look and you look fantastic.

@MaryK - just wow! you look great

Deborah

Veteran

Nat, you are a fellow Aussie:). Ponte pants are called just that here:) may I ask where you are located? Of you are near a target, pop in, as they have ponte pants and leggings virtually every winter. My store has them in stock now. What stores do you like to shop in?

Nat

Yes Deborah, I am based in Sydney. I don't shop much. Decided to stop all shopping a while ago until I sorted what my casual style should be. Last piece of clothing I bought was over a year ago over the internet

There is a Target near me, so I will check it out this weekend. I like stores like Witchery, Saba and Esprit.

As you can probably tell by question "what are ponte pants?" I know very little about fashion.

harmonica

Veteran

Welcome Nat! This is the best place to start and I'm sure you'll find support and courage to develop and refine your style

Elly's reply covered most of what I had in mind. I'm lower and heavier than you (157cm/5'1, 64kg/141) and have often been wearing long cardis, scarf and jeans or pencils. I find that structured items help to frame my body and keep flowing items "in place" so they don't overwhelm me. Making vertical lines also helps because they don't chop you up in pieces.

@Mo - I always think of you as very tall, like a Greek goddess

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I think you've gotten some great advice already. I would add that I notice you have a lot of neutrals in the pins you posted and I think that is a good bet when you are first starting to build a new capsule as it helps you focus on fit, style and quality instead of pattern and color. At least that's what I've found. Once I finish building more of my neutral foundation items, it feels easier to experiment with color and pattern. I love cognac, blues (denims and other), white, black, charcoal and flax tones for my neutrals and saw those in your pins as well. I don't think I have a "polished" casual wardrobe yet, but I am working towards that goal.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Just chiming in to say welcome as the ladies have you sorted. Truly, I don't see why you can't wear exactly what the first model is wearing that you pinned. It is SO wearable by us all

T-Rex

Veteran

I am an inch or two shorter than you, about your weight, a bit too large in the waist to be an hourglass (I have curves, just not as pronounced as an hourglass would be) and I am in my late 40's. And I would wear any or all of the outfits you have pinned!

Like someone has already said, I would be careful to choose versions of these shoes and boots that you can walk in for long distances. The choices shown look great, but many of them also look a bit too high heeled for walking all day.

Most of these outfits are layered looks, which will be great for traveling, since you won't know what the weather will be like from day to day.

The jeans and pants will come in cuts that are made for tall thin people, but there will also be versions for shorter, curvier people. So you may need to try on multiple pairs before you find a good fit. Make sure you can move, bend over in them, sit down, etc. I'm sure there are rec's somewhere here on the blog for skinny jeans and pants that tend to work for short, curvy figures.

I like the neutral color palette you have chosen. I think almost all of these pieces could mix and match with each other nicely. Even the prints have that same, soothing, neutral palette that also happens to look very chic to my eyes.

BTW, I love that blue and gray long sleeve top with the gray shell underneath in the 5th outfit from the top. I want that.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Welcome, Nat! And thank you, Elly, for the shout-out, and especially for that gracious and extremely helpful post!

I'm well over 40 (like more than ten years over), 5'4" -- I am fighting for that one inch, Elly!! and I would wear any of those looks. I definitely think you can do this. It's all in the proportions, as others have said.

A trip to New York in the autumn will be so lovely! Can't wait to see your travel capsule shape up!

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

I am same age, height and weight range and have been blogging for about eight months now. You can go to my blog to see my outfits and feel free to leave me comments or questions and I will answer..You can even see in the beginning where I was messing up on proportions...

Ihttp://versatilestylebytracey.com/

qfbrenda

Veteran

Hi! I'm 5'1", around 115, and 40 yrs old. I really like those pins! They look like things I might wear.

As far as getting started... since no one else has mentioned these important things:

1) bra fitting... very important, most women wear the wrong size, proper bra affects how your tops fit

2) consider updating eye glasses if you wear them

3) consider your haircut... does it need to be updated?

Now that those are sorted, I would move on to:

4) find jeans that fit you well

5) read Angie's posts about MOTG (mom on the go) posts... whether you are a mom or not, they are great formulas to follow for casual dressing

6) read Angie's post about dressing the hourglass: http://youlookfab.com/2010/05/.....type-2010/

6) continue to pin outfits that inspire you, slowly add clothing to your closet that fit your style goals

Welcome to the forum!

Deborah

Veteran

Nat thanks for responding. I bet you know more about style and fashion than you think I also like the stores you mention. When you see the ponte pants, I am sure you will recognise the fabric but maybe just didn't know what it was called. I became aware of it in the around 2000/2001 and have noticed more and more clothing available in it. It's lovely to wear.

Nat

Wow!!!! Thank you so much for all your tips. I did not expect all these responses

Will report back. Cheers