WIW - to post or not to post - YouLookFab Forum

Category

What I Wore

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

WIW - to post or not to post

Irina

Veteran

Pandemic was an awful experience for multiple reasons. It also brought a lot of change to many parts of our lives. On a grand scale of things, wardrobe/clothes changes are not at all important but still…
Pre-pandemic I was an avid reader and sometimes a participant of the YLF forum. I didn’t post any photos. I didn’t take any photos of my outfits. All I had were photos taken on vacations, next to a landmark or something pretty. I had 5 days a week job in the business district of a big city. 80% of my wardrobe was the answer to “Can I wear it to work?” question.

I posted my first WIW in November of 2020. I missed my work clothes that was gathering dust in my closet. But more, I missed dressing with purpose. If I wanted to take a photo, I needed to put on something else than a default jeans plus black turtleneck combo. It was also something to do.

A lot changed since then. I’m back in the office but only two days. Our office now is outside the business area. Instead of suits, dress pants, blazers and heels, I see young people in the athletic clothes on my way to the office. And an occasional tourist. My age group at the office is much smaller now, a big number of people retired in the last 3 years.

Life goes on and gets busy at times as it should. My question when I consider a new item now is “Where are going to wear it?” I’m out and about and have usual reasons to wear this or that. I’m now often take photos of my outfits for my own archive.

I ask myself why do I still post WIW and I honestly, I don’t have an answer.

In the past, I asked Forum’s opinion on a potential addition but I learned that if I post the questions, it means I have doubts and should return the item. I don’t really need help to put together an outfit, as mine are very simple. Certainly, kind comments are appreciated but are they a good reason?
I’m not asking should I post photos, I need to find an answer myself. I want to ask you this - Why do you post (or don’t) your WIW?

75 replies

Latest reply was from Zaeobi

Helena

Veteran

Irina, I'm going to cheat and start with why I *look* at your WIWs when you post, which is that I love your style, it's a great representation of minimalism done right, you live near me so we have similar context from that perspective (even though you have more downtown elements to your life vs. my suburbs) and you purchase from retailers available in Canada which is always helpful. Forgive me for going directly against your request! But I think it's worth affirming to you and anyone who might read that simpler WIWs can be very helpful to some of us!

As for me, I often find myself in a similar scenario as you ... my day to day like is super-casual and I may or may not be out and about. I often socialize on a trail walk, so I change out of my day's outfit into activewear to see friends a lot of the time! So the majority of days, while I do put an effort forth to look nice and polished, I don't generally share WIW because it's kinda boring and repetitive from a photo perspective ... and tbh the pressure to be dress interestingly so that I can share something photo-worthy was stressing me out a little at some point and actually having me wear stuff that looked better in the photo than it felt irl, so I just put that pressure aside!

Now I generally post if I wear something outside of my daily norm ... dressing up for an event or trying something new. It is nice to get feedback ... affirmation is nice, let's be honest, but also constructive critique, suggestions and considerations I might not have thought of ... about what's working (or not).

Carol

(website)

Veteran

I do post photos, but sometimes I don't. I see YLF as a hobby--a fun and engaging one. That means, that if I'm having an ambitious week, I will research and work on what I'm learning on the website. If I'm not, it's a fun way to pass the time. I like having the option of just passing through or getting out my pencil and paper, depending on my mood.

So photos have not much rhyme or reason, either. I don't put a ton of effort into them. Sometimes I do them, sometimes I just post about thoughts in general.

slim cat

Veteran

My wardrobe is still decided on "Could I wear it to work?" question.
The shutdown was short for my profession - called back to work in the middle of June 2020. My work clothes are my dressy clothes, the casual things for days off are jeans, tee, shirt or something like that. I started my current job in the beginning of 2020 and at that time needed a bit of help in wardrobe department ( posting outfits did help me ).
Currently I rarely photograph my outfits - more for myself than posting. I like to check our forum and blog and get fresh ideas.
Recently I felt like simplifying some of outfits for work - more black&white, less colorful looks. The casual clothes though do need upgrade - I neglected most of them for pure budget reasons. I might need more help putting polished off duty looks ( with forum' help ).

Sal

Veteran

Interesting question - and I agree with you, Helena, Slimcat and Carol as to the reasons I post and look at other WIW.

I post to get input - I don't have anyone in my household who is interested particularly and posting and reading has helped me hone my style. I like to see others WIW, both casual, work or dressy - so I post to contribute to the community. I learn from other people so I hope others can learn from me. And it can be validating to hear people say "that looks good".

In general I do a lot of repeating of pieces - and part of me hopes others can see that you can have fun with your wardrobe without always adding in new (although I do that too).

I like the range of tastes here - and always like seeing outfits from people with different style to my own as well as those with a more similar style.

Roberta

Veteran

This will be such an interesting thread. I comment quite often, but only occasionally post: outfits, questions about outfits, and out of curiosity, to find out what other style conscious women do. I am retired, so the work question no longer applies, and it is astonishing how much that changed my approach to clothes and my closet.

I rarely post in the summer because I am usually in shorts and a tee (not very interesting). Cool weather brings more variety. When I add layers, a scarf, gloves, etc., it makes it an outfit. Sometimes I post a WIW for the ego boost! Not working means a lack of compliments.

Occasionally I post an item for input because it doesn't feel right, but as Irina says, generally I already know it doesn't work. I often take pictures for my own purposes, to see a look as a whole, but I don't post those pics. They're to give me a different perspective than my own eyes.

Curiosity: I am always interested in the logistics of style; how do you budget, plan, weed, or otherwise approach your wardrobe? And I often have an article or book or film that I want to share.

catherine

Veteran

I absolutely love looking at the stylish WIWs on this forum. I post photos once in a while because I want to do my part.
I figure that if I enjoy looking at others’ outfits, I should also share mine. Very transactional, I admit .

rachylou

Veteran

I posted more when there was a ladies room mirror, lol. I post to remember and to share, so people know what I mean

kkards

Veteran

I post for a number of reason
Yes on K/R I’ve learned that usually if I feel compelled to post it’s a return. But sometimes I want a size verification and sometimes I want confirmation that my feelings are valid. Often it’s because I’m hearing someone else’s voice telling me why I should keep it
On WIW sometimes I post because I’ve tried one of Angie’s formulas and I like seeing how others have brought them to life, and so I think it’s fair that I do the same. Sometimes it’s because I bought something Angie recommended and I want to share with others how I styled it. sometimes, ok more often than I’d care to admit, it’s because something feels off in what I’m wearing or how I’m wearing it, and irl on a day to day bases I have on one to share my questions with and no one who is giving me feedback. And finally I post WIW to keep myself from falling into a fashion rut. As with you I’m only going to the office 3 days a week, it’s getting more and more casual, outside of work my life is casual…but I want to make an effort. Posting WIWs force me to make an effort and to stretch my fashion muscles even if it’s just jeans and a sweater.
I like looking at WIWs because I really like seeing how real people are wearing and styling real clothes.

Indigoprint

Veteran

I have learned alot from forum members WIW. For me it is like a curated real life pinterest.
I do not post WIW mostly because I have no proper place to take pictures.

Irina

Veteran

Helena, I find it surprising you felt pressure, I don’t feel pressure to dress more interestingly I kind of know that my outfits would be more liked if I wore more color and prints but it’s not who I am.

cat2

Veteran

I don’t post for privacy reasons. I have also always worked in a business environment where the goal is professional attire, and it’s been deeply apparent from the comments of other posters that to many the concept of having the goal of being business appropriate is unfathomable. I have been on the site to figure out how to manage my transition to casual attire, and then my transition to retirement, and it’s been really helpful in helping me figure out what I can rework, how to recombine things and gives me ideas on how to fill gaps. But I have zero interest in posting and having someone tell me to throw everything out in a Marie Kondo purge and buy whatever is trending that nanosecond.

Helena

Veteran

Irina to be clear - the pressure is entirely self-imposed, not from anyone on the forum! And I'm getting better at not doing that to myself

Irina

Veteran

cat2, hmmmm, I’ve been on this forum for years and yet to see someone suggesting to throw one’s stuff out and buy trends. Quite the opposite, actually is more common.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Irina I agree with Helena and catherine (among others). Like Helena I enjoy and am inspired by other people's posts. Much more than most style content on the internet that is heavily staged. I was also hesitant to post at first, but, like catherine, felt sort of obliged to give back when I was getting so much. Yes, of course, it is an ego boost when people say nice things (and this is an exceptionally nice forum), and yes it is fun to show what I can find second hand (and possibly encourage others to try), but mostly it is a sense of fairness. Anyway, I truly appreciate and am inspired by your photos, so perhaps consider reframing posting as an act of generosity - that is how I see it when others post.

Irina

Veteran

Jaime, thanks. It is an interesting outlook on posting photos.

Dee

Veteran

I think one reason that I post WIWs is to give the forum a sense of my particular style and preferences so that if I’m commenting on someone else’s posts they have a better understanding of my style perspective .

I’m also very inspired by everyone else’s WIWs and I hope that maybe some of my WIWs offer some type of inspiration to anyone else who might enjoy a casual classic style. I also enjoy the feedback I get from posting several outfits and seeing which outfits people preferred the most.

I have to admit I was quite nervous posting my first WIW but everyone here was very kind and supportive.

Sal

Veteran

I agree Dee - after seeing your photos I can have a sense of what you like to wear and your style.

For me too - being opposite season to the majority of people - this works in my favour. We used to be behind the Northern Hemisphere - whereas now this is irrelevant - some trends we are behind, some we are running simultaneously, some we are ahead, and some are just different.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Nodding with Helena about why I enjoy your WIWs, Irina! I would miss them if you stopped posting!

I've been on the forum for years and more or less active at various times. When I started here, I posted both for advice, and to work out my own thoughts on what worked and what didn't -- I was a fashion neophyte in many ways and needed help to figure out my style and just practically, how to build a working wardrobe without completely breaking the bank.

I feel as if I got a handle on that about four or five years in. (Slow learner -- and limited budget, especially in my first few years here.)

Then I went through a period of posting comments most often to newer members or members going through some significant change. I felt like I might be helpful, much as Sal says.

Now I post photos, when I do, for a bunch of different reasons:

I'm reviewing a new item that might also interest others. Angie sometimes makes forum members' recommendations top picks, so I see that as a service to the wider readership, many of whom, like me, value her recommendations.

I'm showing a Friday formula -- this is a fun thing to do -- shop the closet for an outfit that mirrors one in the blog, but my way.

I'm participating in a challenge.

More rarely, I post for advice about K/R or fit. I can tell if something is a definite keep, but sometimes if I am trying to move my style in a new direction I might not be certain if the item achieves that or how to style it. The forum is super helpful on that.

I also post because I just love that we come from all over the world and bring different sensibilities to this process and I figure if I enjoy seeing Australia and New Zealand and Italy and UK and South Africa (etc. etc.) they might enjoy a bit of Canuck style.

ETA: I love how Jaime put it -- it's a generous act to post. And it *is*!! For me, it actually takes some work now because my lighting set up is awful and so are my mirrors and I can't do better than I have. So it takes energy and determination to do it. And I do it because I love other people's posts!

And, what Dee said, too -- it is generous because it allows others to understand the context of my comments.

bj1111

Veteran

Like Jaime, when I post an infrequent outfit, it’s part giving back.

More often, I think “ I should post this to see what the girls think” ( yes, I think of the collective as “the girls”). Then I forget or get busy.

I find aspects of your style something that I would like to incorporate into mine.

Irina

Veteran

Sal, there are people here who never post their outfits. Does that have any effect on how their comments perceived or understood?

I like seeing what women wear in other parts of the world and love to hear their opinions and reflections on fashion. But who do we like to see more - those who have the style close to our own or the opposite?

Brooklyn

Veteran

First and foremost, I post to support Angie and her business. Fashion is visual. I’m pretty sure posts with photos are the most popular posts here and having access to them is a big reason for joining the community. I think it’s particularly helpful to Angie if you post an outfit formula or something linked to what she has posted on the blog. I have trouble with that because I’m in a different season and retail environment to most people here but I try to when I can. Posting helps to generate a visual and a buzz for Angie’s website. I’m sure she appreciates the support and it’s a nice way to say thank you for all the advice that she gives us.

Second, the transactional element Catherine describes. I like others to post their photos and I feel I should contribute. I get ideas from posts, especially colour combinations (I am challenged in this area). Or it can help my eye adjust to a particular look. Or else I just enjoy the joy of sharing.

Third, and related, no-one in my life is the least bit interested in fashion. It’s my passion, and sharing photos allows me to share that passion more fully with like minded people. It is nice to have that effort noticed/appreciated. It’s nice to be part of this international community.

Fourth, like Sal, I re-wear my items a lot and post those re-wears. I try to be creative with my styling and re-purposing. I hope in some small way this will inspire others to be more thoughtful about how they wear their clothes and not just buy more when they feel like they are in a rut.

Relevant to what you said Irina, I quit working in an office in 2018. I no longer require office wear. I’ve worked really hard to get my wardrobe to a place where I’m happy with my everyday wear. I’m no longer reliant on the dressy “office outfit” or “going out outfit” to give me my style kicks. I appreciate that many people are still in that space and perfectly happy with that. And I’m happy for them and happy to see them post! I think very dressy looks that feature blazers or dresses or heels are very popular here. But that’s not practical or authentic for me. And I’m only going to post what works for me.

I still get nervous posting. And I worry about judgment and negativity, even silent judgment and negativity. Some people who are active here never respond to my posts, so I irrationally start to convince myself that they hate me. I am always only a short distance away from a spiral of depression and self doubt! But most people are very warm and generous with their comments. And I try to be the same. I try to comment on as many WIWs as I can, because the poster puts themselves “out there” with a WIW.

I hope you keep posting Irina. You know I love your style, even though our styles are different. Vive la difference, I say!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I needed help on wardrobe management when I came here in January 2017. At the time I had counted my wardrobe and had a good 200 items of clothing/shoes plus sentimental and dress-up stuff. Plus bags, which I don’t count since I’m a one-bag-for-several-years sort of person, but still had quite a few from gifts etc. So at the start I posted more photos of some things I wasn’t sure about keeping, that possibly didn’t fit well or look so good. This did help over time to reduce by a quarter and make it feel more manageable.
Since then, I am way more careful about what I buy and have generally already decided before posting a WIW, which I do to show a new item I’m excited about or really just for fun and to join in.
Like some others it feels part of being “a good forum member” (subjective, I know) to do this- kind of giving back after all the help I’ve had?
But some people who never post outfits, like say Gryffin and cat2, I still appreciate what they have to say. Gryffin’s style persona idea helped me ( hers is Professional Princess of Darkness) and cat2’s thoughts on keeping and remixing rather than just buying the latest trends helped me too.
Although your own style is quite different from mine Irina I really like yours and enjoy seeing your pics!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Just to respond to Brooklyn who posted while I was still typing- how much I personally respond to others partly depends on my own mood at the time as well. And I don’t always even make a comment on Angie’s own posts! I probably should as I am so grateful for everything she has given me- which is why I do also try to be a “good forum member”, I guess sometimes it just feels like it will be the umpteenth comment on how gorgeous whatever the outfit is!
I did feel rather “down” around the time of my “grey hair post” in June and also felt some negativity towards me in other posts on the forum and so I responded to everyone less at the time. But I feel one can dip in and out, hopefully.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh, nodding along with Brooklyn -- that's also a key reason I post photos, of course -- to support Angie! Posts with photos do tend to generate more conversation and that is good for the site.

Having said that, I think commenting or starting threads without photos is also valid. I feel I can be more helpful to those who do post photos if help is what is being looked for -- simply because I know their style better and can more easily imagine their context. But not everyone feels able to post photos for a whole variety of reasons. Their contributions can still be useful to others.

I want to tell a story about why I made the decision to join this forum and start actively posting. A long time member, Michelle (waving at Michelle if she is still reading) was posting, looking for help for an upcoming trip that she was nervous about for a variety of reasons. It might help to know that Michelle is blind.

Anyway -- she posted photos with some possible outfits and the forum jumped in with highly specific recommendations based on their existing knowledge of her wardrobe and what it contained. She ended up leaving for that trip feeling 100% more confident. (And looking great!)

To me, that is the forum at its best, and witnessing that whole cycle absolutely wowed me. When you think of the vulnerability (and courage) it takes to post photos when you can't even see them yourself -- and when you think of the attentiveness and kindness of the forum members who offered advice -- it's incredible. I looked at that and said, I'm in. And I'm still here.

kellygirl

Veteran

This is such an interesting thread--so many of the comments resonate with me. Initially, I posted WIWs to help sort my style. That took awhile, TBH. I made lots of mistakes but once I figured it out, I posted for fun--participating in challenges or sharing an Angie formula or to review an Angie pick. Those reasons still apply now although sometimes I just post so to contribute. There are so many Fabbers through the years that have inspired me and who took the time to post outfits that I would like to do the same. It also feels like my world is getting smaller - I go to the office every day and 100% of my coworkers don't care what I wear. The only other people I see are my aging parents and their doctors so sometimes I just post to have a comment on my WIW! Sounds silly when typing this out, I suppose, but that is the truth.

Sal

Veteran

Irina - yes and no - I think not posting outfits or photos is a valid option too whether that is for privacy reasons, someone just does not want to, shyness or multiple other valid reasons.

I really like seeing a variety of styles from more fashion forward to more casual - people who add more new pieces and people who add less. I like seeing both older and younger people post.

I post more at certain times and other times I might prefer just to comment on other threads or watch.

I have some forum members who comment on almost all my posts and some who rarely or never do. It might be that my posting is at the wrong time so they don't see it, or that they prefer other sorts of posts to mine for whatever reason.

Bijou

Veteran

My reasons are similar to those Brooklyn mentions. I also find by providing WIWs it helps others to understand my style preferences and they can perhaps have a better understanding of my comments and avoid misinterpretation because they have an insight into what I look like and how I dress.

For example, when I say I do not wear the colour mustard - if you know my cool and light skin and hair colouring, you know that it is because this colour makes me look jaundiced, rather than a dislike of what is a beautiful colour on those with warm skin and hair tones.

pirouette

Like many others I post because I love looking at other people’s style and feel I should contribute. I don’t post much as I have a very minimalist wardrobe not so much in numbers but in variety so my posts are not very varied. Brooklyn I love your posts and like Jenni said if I don’t comment it’s beyond have run out of superlatives!! I have learned so much from everyone here on the forum I love fashion and it’s great to be part of a community spread all over the world.

Brooklyn

Veteran

Pirouette, thanks I don’t comment on everyone’s posts all the time either, even Angie’s. I was referring to some active members who never EVER respond to my posts. I was just wanting to convey, particularly to those who haven’t tried it, that it can be challenging to post!

12 3