Where do stylists learn all of the "rules" so that they can break them? - YouLookFab Forum

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Where do stylists learn all of the "rules" so that they can break them?

old-grey-mare

I've recently started to take more time in my outfits (I have an almost 4 and 2 year old, and feel like things are finally slowing down). But I'm realizing I don't feel like I know a lot of the styling basics. After having two kids, my body is a bit different than it was before, and I'm having to relearn how to dress (I think I'm a rectangle?). So, for example, Angie talks about bookending. Where do you learn things like that if you're not a stylist? Just read more ylf blog posts? Any direction would be awesome. I went to design school, and know that before you can break the rules, it's important to learn them in the first place. Thanks!

Dressing

20 replies

Latest reply was from Bijou

Anonymous

Following with interest, as I have often wondered the same thing. I feel like even if I followed every blog, read every fashion magazine, and studied every collection, I would still be late to the party.

Anonymous

I’m not a stylist (duh!) and I actually did learn a lot of “rules” by reading YLF obsessively (and honestly, a lot of the important information comes from non-stylists too!).

So yes, reading is important, but you can also figure out your own rules by getting out there and trying a lot of stuff on, including things you normally wouldn’t consider.

rachylou

Veteran

I suspect stylists are stylists because they formulate the rules. They go into the field and collect the data... And read the literature widely... I’d love to know Angie’s canon of style lit... !!

Synne

Veteran

I'm wondering the same. Picasso's scramblings are only artsy because he was originally classically trained; you have to know about the rules to break them, as you say!

My two cents on the matter is that I've learned more from You Look Fab and this forum, than all the books I've accumulated about fashion and style combined. There's something about getting very specific and contemporary. If not it tends to get very abstract and widespread, and not really very helpful. (Have a white shirt as a staple in your wardrobe, for example. Any kind of white shirt? What will I wear it with? I look awful in men's shirts! It's not even my style. What then?)

I've had MANY light bulb moments thanks to Angie and the members on this Forum. The importance of garments being current for example. There's no such thing as truly timeless clothes. No wonder I've felt frumpy and dated in my thrift store finds, even though they where textbook chic and classic. Ha ha! I will still continue to browse thrift stores, but I will be sure to pair my vintage finds with modern and trendy clothes from now on.

Other great advice picked up from here, is bookending, paying attention to silhouette and texture of the outfit, subtle matching, throwing away old prejudice about seasonal colors, and rocking flat and comfortable shoes! Looking forward to learning more and become a better dresser!

Sal

Veteran

Welcome to the forum!!

As a teenager and in my 20s I read fashion magazines and I guess started my interest in style. As a Mum in my 30s I started watching and reading What Not to Wear - the UK version, and then Gok Wan. And I started having a bit more fun with clothing.

About 2010 I started reading blogs more - foodie ones to start with, some family type ones and then discovered some fashion and photography ones - the Sartorialist being one, plus a couple of Australian and U.K. Ones. I read the archives and followed some links and ended up here about four years ago.

I am no stylist nor expert - but have made progress!! Colour comes more naturally to me than proportions.

On the forum there are people with a wide variety of styles, climates, lifestyles, priorities so it is fun seeing how other women (and the occasional man) dress.

One helpful rule is that horizontal lines in the wrong place can be unflattering- a top that ends in your widest point, or too many layers. For me this means I am cautious with high contrast looks and their lengths - eg black pants and a white top or vice versa.

See you again.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thank you for the kind words, ladies. You all make very valid points.

Welcome, old-grey-mare. You look so pretty in your profile pic.

There is only ONE rule and that's to have fun with fashion.

For the rest, there are guidelines that are constantly evolving. You can take or leave them as your heart and head desire. The PERSONAL in personal style has never meant more than it does in 2018.

There is 12 years of content on YLF, and even here you'll see many fashion and style concepts evolve over time.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Welcome! You have a gorgeous smile.

I echo what the others said. I've learned more here than anywhere, partly by reading the content, partly by asking specific questions, and partly by taking photos and asking for feedback.

old-grey-mare

You guys are so sweet. Thanks for the encouragement and ideas! Well it sounds like I need to get more involved here and read up on all of the great info on this site. Angie, you are so correct, it seems like the rules have almost been thrown out the window! Maybe that's what's throwing me off. Maybe I'll have a clothes party in my closet this weekend and try some new combos and see what I come up with. Thanks again all!

jussie

Veteran

I also wonder the same thing. An idea I’m exploring is watching the street styles, and also watching the high end fashion runways, to get ideas about trends. I went to a workshop run by a stylist and she gave us a few tips, especially in regards to whether to tuck or not to tuck particular tops in.

jussie

Veteran

Oh and I forgot to write I totally agree with Suz, I think taking photos is incredibly helpful to see outfits more objectively.

Staysfit

Veteran

I agree with what everyone else has said. I think there may be some general concepts around certain features that you can glean from books. These are things you probably learned in design school and involve traditional concepts of conventional proportion, line, color, texture, etc. The best book I have read about this is “The Triumph of Individual Style” which was recommended to me by someone on this forum, probably Suz.

I think the most successfully stylish people develop a concept for themselves that brings them joy in some way. Their concept rings true with both their internal and external world. I have seen people working towards this here on the forum. It’s a friendly place to get feedback, and a great place to learn.

LaPed

Veteran

There are lots of interesting "systems" out there for analyzing personal style, probably as many as there are stylists, and once you start playing around with your clothes and really paying attention to how they look and feel, you'll probably find yourself cherry-picking which rules and guidelines are useful to you and which ones are not. So many of the things you learn in design school (colour theory, proportions and ratios, scale, etc) will apply to fashion too, but of course on top of the objective visual impact of clothes one also has to contend with the social/cultural connotations of each garment.

One thing I love about participating in the forum is that you can field lots of diverse perspectives -- different generations, from all over the globe -- and people here see things in my WIW pics that I would never notice myself. What looks very conventional in one milieu may look completely out of left field in another. Things like perfect pant length ("PPL") or the fit of shoulder seams may be very difficult to judge on yourself, but quite obvious to others if you're willing to share a photo. Getting a range of feedback from lots of sets of eyes really helps me figure out what works, what doesn't, what's Just Flattering Enough ("JFE"), and how I might be perceived by the people around me.

Mainelady

Veteran

Welcome old grey mare. I appreciate your question and am enjoying reading all the answers. I worked in retail throughout high school and college and had the fun of going to a few buying shows. I learned a lot about fabrics and texture while on that job. I read fashion magazines and loved people watching and noticing what everyone was wearing.
I have learned so much since joining YLF. Here there is SO MUCH information at our fingertips.
I have a personal rule that is critical to my individual style. That is to identify the happiness factor(s) in every outfit.

Anonymous

Welcome from me too This is an interesting question , and one could ask that of any art form for which they have no formal training. I now rely on my own eye and trust it. But this comes after decades and decades of 'training' (some myself, and lot of professional and academic training ) : books, magazines, blogs, sewing, tailoring, illustrating, draping, selling, buying, wearing, marketing and of course all of those other things like colour theory, proportion, etc that you know all about from design school. I read obsessively about fashion , and when I found YLF, there was no exception. I spent many an evening going back through the archives reading everything and I looked at every single one of Angie's outfit posts. It's my opinion that this kind of thing serves to strengthen and inform your opinions and ideas. And I continue to learn here everyday.

SarahD8

Veteran

Welcome, old gray mare. (I love your username, it makes me smile)

I love the way Staysfit put it -- "I think the most successfully stylish people develop a concept for themselves that brings them joy in some way." I read that and thought: Aha! That is exactly what I aspire to.

I suspect that would involve mostly hewing to rules of one's own making, which would sometimes break the "official" rules. Hm....that is very thought provoking.

Cee

Veteran

Experiance, adventurous spirit and taste would be my guess, OGM

Anonymous

Welcome. Old Grey Mare, I have learned so much here, but the most valuable is feed back from outfits I have posted. Angie and the YLF members have made the journey fun and are supportive. I hope you find answers and information that will help you. I felt just like you do when my children were the age that yours are. Start slowly and be very picky.

cindysmith

Veteran

Welcome to ylf!

I like the way Angie treats the "rules". She will take a rule, like the ones about proportions, and make an entire blog post about how to break the traditional "figure flattering" rules. She did one on unconventional proportions (a la COS), I'm on mobile and getting ready for work so I can't look it up right now.

I'm fascinated by the way she takes trends and rules and makes them work for so many different bodies and budgets and aesthetics.

The Cat

Veteran

Well, the "rules" are found in books, magazines, blogs, you name it ... Available to all people, not just stylists. And many "rules" have been passed on from generation to generation ...

I wonder why so many people welcome you, as your profile info shows that you signed up more than six years ago. But perhaps they mean to welcome you BACK. I suppose you took a long break ...

Bijou

Veteran

I live by the rule that I want to wear what makes me feel authentic and happy. I try not to dress to please others, but rather to please myself. I do like variety in what I wear, which requires a reasonably large wardrobe and I am OK with that.