WIUsuallyW IRL: How bad is it? - YouLookFab Forum

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

WIUsuallyW IRL: How bad is it?

Becky

Veteran

I will admit to experiencing serious trepidation about posting this photo. This is a typical version of my uber-casual summer uniform. I spent several years looking high and low for breezy summer bottoms which cover my thighs (I no longer care to bare) and knees (my spider veins seem unsightly even to me, and I don't wish to inflict them on anyone else), while still being washable and practical for my active summer schedule. I found these Columbia Saturday Trail II knee pants, and they fit the bill. Lightweight, breezy, washable, pockets, etc. I duplicated in several colors and wear these almost exclusively unless I am going to a dressier/more formal event. I usually wear the bottoms with some version of a graphic tee and my Teva or Merrill waterproof sandals, which will take me anywhere: Walks, bike rides, light yard work, or lifting and carrying around home and classroom as I clean, declutter, and reorganize (an annual summer undertaking).

The reason I have misgivings about posting is I'm not sure how far below YLF standards this outfit/uniform look is. The grim look on my face may reflect this doubt as much as the fact that DD12 shot it before I was quite ready!

So, honest feedback welcome: What do you think? Is this an ok look? Any other suggestions are welcome regarding breezy summer bottoms of about the same length or longer.

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Columbia Saturday Trail II Knee Pant

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42 replies

Latest reply was from 3style

Anonymous

I think it's great! I personally love gear-based casual looks and often have pants/shorts/t's from Columbia or The North Face in my closet. They are hard-workign, cute, and comfortable all in one package

Thistle

Veteran

I think it works.

It's about dressing for your life, not some made up one

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Super to see you post, Becky. You have been on YLF for a VERY long time. Much love to you first of all.

Athleisure is an extremely popular and acceptable look in the US and Canada, so please don’t worry about a thing. Your top and bottom fit well and are flattering. Nicely done. It’s good

Gear shoes are an aquired taste. I know how hard your feet are to fit, and have fussy feet myself. I am ALWAYS on Team Happy Feet. So wear what you need to wear!

Anonymous

Of course! You look great! The fitted top makes a big difference. I so empathize with this! My lifestyle is just not suited to delicate or complicated clothing for daily wear and changing clothes in the middle of the day is annoying.

It's easier to put together more attractive outfits in the cooler months but warm weather is really a challenge.

There's a market being neglected there, attractive, durable, active sportswear for people who want to stay covered and prefer natural materials.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I think this is TOTALLY okay. As thistle said, it's about dressing for YOUR life. I'm also a huge fan of gear clothes when I'm at home or the cottage - they generally wash and wear better than "real" clothes. Plus they are often moisture wicking, cool, etc. Totally practical.

RobinF

Veteran

I think this works great. Our clothes have to serve the purpose, not just look good.

Becky

Veteran

Thank you, lisa p and Angie for reminding me that this is a "look," even if it's not one I usually aspire to. Thistle and Elizabeth P, your reminder that I am dressing for MY life and not some imaginary one is definitely helpful. I guess it all comes down to personal values: and it would be honest to say that I value practicality over my preferred aesthetic.

Isabel, your comment really resonated with me: "My lifestyle is just not suited to delicate or complicated clothing for daily wear and changing clothes in the middle of the day is annoying." Yes! Another aspect of the value I place on practicality.

You've all made me feel better about how I look as I go about my business each day. I should take another photo with the look of relief on my face!

Becky

Veteran

Thanks, RobinF. Serving the purpose: another shout out to practicality.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Yes, indeed, Becky. One of the best YLF principles is "dress for your real life!" I love the muted color in the pants, and their fit is just right. The muted rose in the top adds a bit of flair and femininity, which suits you, and the proportions are quite good! The Tevas are surging in popularity again, and work really well for your activities.

You're doing athleisure/casual wear right and have sidestepped the dreaded "look like I'm cleaning the garage" problem! You might want to duplicate the pants in another color!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Also, the colour of your specs works well with the top and is so flattering and fun that it's clear you've put some thought into things.

I'm both practical and dedicated to fashion and given my difficult climate and my active lifestyle, that often leads to improvisation and compromise. For me, it's worse in winter and I tend to dress closer to my aspirational style in the warmer months. But as you point out, it is always a balancing act.

One trick I use is, well, changing my clothes a lot! Instead of trying to wear one outfit for the whole day, I wear one outfit for work-at-home hours and a different one to go into town and still another for chores. This allows me to enjoy the best of both worlds.

3style

Veteran

Becky, You’ve made my day. I have an eight year old pair of these worn at least weekly every summer. They’ve been with me through countless shape and weight changes. They are just now starting to look a little bit peaked and I’m not really trusting that the sunblock property is entirely intact.

In this often fast and faddish fashion world, I’m thrilled to see a brand make something that they are proud of. It’s a relief when they just decided not to mess with success.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Remember how cute you look in skirts and dresses, Becky

Joy

Veteran

Dress for your life. Like Suz you can balance things by changing into a cute dress or skirt before going out to run errands. Have you tried semi tucking (front or side) the tee for a longer leg look?

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I was also going to suggest trying a semi-tuck. If it were me, I would wear the pants with other styles of tops to change things up. And maybe also try sneaks for the same reason. Comfort sandals are great but it's nice to have other comfort options. Thinking of tops like these in my own finds.

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UGG Bren Slip-On Sneaker

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Lucky Brand Woodblock Print Tunic

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Cardiff girl

Veteran

Totally ok with me.You look casual but co ordinated.We cant all dress up to the nines all the time so it’s nice to see some casual wear as well.

Style Fan

Veteran

You look great. The T-shirt is very cute and I love the length of the shorts. I was debating posting a WIW because I didn't think it was an interesting enough outfit for YLF. But really we need to dress for the life we live not some fantasy of just special occasions.

delurked

Veteran

This is pretty close to what works for my everyday life.

I like print tops and long shorts. If you keep the tops with a bit of interest - graphic, print, texture etc. and add a bit of accessories and together hair/makeup if you wish, then I think it’s well suited to every day.

Aquamarine

Veteran

Thumbs up, especially for the activities you describe. You look like you walked out of an Eddie Bauer or Athleta catalog!

Becky

Veteran

Beth Ann, thanks for the affirmation about fit and proportions. Sometimes I can't see on myself what is easy to see on others.

Suz, thanks for the compliment on the specs. They are a couple of years old, but my older daughter picked them out for me. Occasionally people think I wore those exact purple frames to match something I am wearing, but they're just my everyday specs!

3style and delurked, I'm glad there are others out there who find this a practical and JSE (just stylish enough!) solution!

Angie, I do wear skirts and dresses to church on Sundays during the summer, as well as at least 50% of the time to school during the school year. Stretch jersey dresses with comfy shoes and toppers are my school uniform!

Joy and texstyle, I do occasionally do a semi-tuck if the top is more voluminous, to rein in some of that volume. Maybe I need to try it more often.

Thanks, Cardiff girl and Style Fan, for the affirmation. Yes, this really is me dressing for my real life. You've all helped me see I don't need to be ashamed of it!

Becky

Veteran

Thanks, Aquamarine, for the boost! I guess this outfit really does have that casual athletic vibe!

Vix

Veteran

cross-posted with you!

Hi Becky --

I think the colors. print type, and silhouette work well for you. So it's really just a question of whether you're happy with a single "uniform" for the summer, or if you want to expand because you're worried about getting bored and/or want a creative challenge.

And then if you do, what are your boundaries (for instance, I do all the activities you mention in washable skirts or dresses, but I do wear slip shorts which might be a dealbreaker for you; sometimes I run errands in "active" clothes but sometimes like Suz I quickly change).

Because I live in an extremely casual place, I deal with the "can/could" phenom.

As in, I *can* wear what you're wearing to pretty much any social event (spendy restaurant, performing arts event) and even some jobs (potentially would need non-sandals). So then it becomes a question of what *could* I wear.

And because I like dressier things, I find that after a period of dressing casually I miss the other stuff and so enjoy figuring out what I *could* wear that's highly walkable, weather-appropriate, and not tooooo far out there on the spectrum (so silk maxis = yes, full-length rhinestone/beaded tulle gowns = regrettably no!).

All the above to say if you're content then you know where to put your style effort and money...but if you want variation don't feel you have to apologize for that, either!

Becky

Veteran

Good points, Vix. I do dress less casually if I'm going to be "in town" running errands or going to appointments. I just bought my first pair of slip shorts, but have yet to try them. I wore a dress yesterday, but it was cool enough in the morning I put on a pair of capri leggings underneath instead. Of course in high summer that won't do on any day!

rachylou

Veteran

Cute and hipster cool

Anonymous

Well, I think you LOOK FABULOUS.

Runcarla

Veteran

This morning I wore a 'nice' outfit based on white jeans for a meeting with someone at my bank, but then I changed since I was spending the day either sitting on the ground weeding what was within reach as I scooted along the edge of my perennial boarder, or in my kitchen getting fancy with a couple of roasting chickens. I'm still wearing the jeans hacked (myself) above the ankle, a t-shirt, a hoody (cooler weather) and a pair of sneakers. Everything will go into the hamper and I will wear very similar again tomorrow. However, I will change into something a little nicer before heading out to Tuesday night bridge - and I might take a photo if I have the time.

Like Suz, I'm not adverse to changing clothes once or even twice during the day, with outfits appropriate to different occaisions. I sometimes post pics of extreme casual wear, but things that require a little more creativity are more fun to photograph and share.

I think your hair and make-up are very polished, you've got great specs, and your gear/casual look is totally appropriate for a gear/casual day!

JAileen

Veteran

This is close to my real life, too. This morning I was planting veggies in the garden, then had to return a bunch of stuff to REI and Macy’s, and wore my same outfit, but substituted nice sandals for my Crocs. In my casual town, I was dressed pretty much like everyone else.

Becky

Veteran

Thank you, Sterling and rachylou. Your warm words are very encouraging.

Runcarla, I'm afraid my tolerance for changing multiple times in one day is quite low. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but I do try to minimize the necessity as much as I can. I do wear an apron in the kitchen to protect whatever I am wearing, but have been known to get home from school, cook and eat supper, and head off to an evening meeting without having changed! I agree with you that the more creative and dressy outfits are more fun to share.

Becky

Veteran

JAileen, like you, I am dressed as well as or better than many folks I run into when out and about. This is agricultural country, and many people (including DH) get dirty when they work. Around here, there's no shame in that. It's the people who can't be bothered to change out of pajamas before going into public who get raised eyebrows.

jussie

Veteran

I think your outfit is quite nice. In fact, I really like those shorts. As texstyle suggested you could easily experiment with different tops and funky sneaks too. But what you are wearing is fab in itself. It’s good to have some pants/shorts on hand that are casual without actually being tracksuit material and the ones you have here are perfect for that.

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