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As I mentioned the other day, I was given a lot of clothes for my birthday, and as a result spent some time this morning trying stuff on, and going through my closet seeing what I could get rid of.
As I did this, I wished I knew more about women's fashions, because I felt like an idiot not knowing what goes with what, or what flatters me vs. what makes me look worse.
Ah, well. At least I got a bagful of clothes to donate to charity ...
Comments
Fashion! (in your brain - David Bowie!)
Dorothy Colleen,
If I may, might I suggest reading fashion magazines for ideas on what colours and styles will work for you? The library will have many to choose from and loads of back-issues (especially good since any of the clothes they feature that do catch on will only trickle down to real-world styles after about six months).
Now, I realize that 99% of the stuff in magazines only looks good on 1% of human beings, but they are still a catalogue of the basic clothing styles (and their names), patterns, colours and trends - or the trends in the rich neighbourhoods of Paris, London and NYC, anyway. Real world, they're just for ideas and colours and fun. And ignore all the jewelry and accessorizing they go on about - it's WAY over the top, suitable only for pre-teens.
I've bought exactly ONE outfit in my long life based on an outfit I saw in InStyle magazine - and it was a basic black jacket, a cami top, slim boot-cut jeans and low-heeled boots. I've worn it possibly a hundred times over ten years and it still looks great on me. But one outfit is it.
So I'm no fashionista, though I have learned a bit, and I have three dressing rules that seem to work for myself and don't get laughed at by my friends:
1. Dress your age and for the current era, give or take 10%. We all see grown women wearing teen's outfits. Bad. Also, we see the occasional women wearing fashions from the 60's or 70's. Unless it's designer retro, it's just old and funny-looking - eww.
2. Dress like the women around you, or, put another way: if you live in a jeans, boots and tunic community, wear jeans, boots and a tunic. (If you live in a sweats top and sweats bottoms community - don't. Wear jeans and a tunic (LOL)). You can make the outfit your own, with your own tastes and details; you can dress to look your best - but if you look utterly different than every woman around you, you'll feel uncomfortable.
3. Heels suck. Fashionable shoes suck. Leave them to the teens and fashion victims. Watch the feet of the women where you live: pick out the comfortable, good-looking footwear that lots of women are wearing and find your own style within those comfy shoes/boots/runners. Be kind to your feet. Pain never looks good.
I'm a conservative dresser. I have a few dresses and skirts in my closet, but mostly I have slacks, shorts and jeans. I have a few heels, but mostly they're on boots (FAR more comfortable and supportive than shoes) and the majority of my shoes I can wear all day long. The high spike heels? I kick them off as soon as I possibly can, and I only wear them when I absolutely HAVE to.
I learned the rules from friends and observation. I learned my personal style from the rules, the media, and trying out a hundred bad outfits through the years - and a half-dozen outfits that just POPPED! for me.
Oh, and my Mom's best advice: when you find an outfit/top/dress/shoes/whatever that's *perfect*? That's so comfortable you just purr? That people say, "OMG, that looks great on you!"? - Go out right away and buy the same thing in the other colours. :-)
I hope you have fun,
Michelle :-)
P.S. and OMG, I forgot the most important thing: leggings only look good on great legs! Unless you have great legs - no!
wear what
you're comfortable with. most trends are not good looking unless you have a very specific body type. dress to please yourself. I still miss the levi's of the 80's that fit and did not leave 8" of baggy space in the crotch, and storts the were shorts not down pass the knees. fashion is weird and fickle.
Try this
Ask for a skinny, low-rise jean. Guarantee no baggy fit! Easier to get on if you wear some hose to allow them to pull all the way up. Best pull up while lying down. There are low-rise jeans with fuller legs, check out the boot cut jeans. I've got a pair of Gap low-rise flare stretch that I'll never give up. The flare gives more leg room and the stretch gives a great tight fit.
I went outside once. The graphics weren' that great.
Clothing Strategya
I use my clothing for several different things. Simply put, I try to blend in but not too much. I think that most people dress like shlubs and I avoid that if possible. I almost never wear pants. And it is usually ankle length skirts. If I have a busy, flowery top on, then I wear a single color skirt. If the skirt is busy, then I wear a plain top. I can usually taste my emotions when I look in the mirror and see what pleases me.
Sometimes there are 5 different outfits on the bed before I find the right one. At age 67, I mostly go for the modern Muslimah, stylish Nun, or the mawkish author look. There are no sexual signals because it is clear to me now that no man in his right mind would want to boff me.
These days, make up is minimal. I do try to minimize the visibility of a 1" diameter Rose stain on my chin.
Online help
You might try You Beauty's Dressing for Your Body Type page.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann
There are no rules to fashion.
However, I'd be the very last person to advise anybody on fashion. 68 years old, hung up on leggings and hot-pants, (though I do have the legs for them.) wild white hair, a totally crazy bitch. Yep growing old disgracefully an' I don't care what other people think. I go out without make-up most days and sometimes even have three or four days stubble on my upper lip if I'm growing it for electrolysis.
Of course, that's here in the UK where people are infinitely more tolerant.
Girls try many different
Girls try many different styles in our lives you need to find your desired style. Then worry about what suits you by trying it on and pull out your claws get hyper critical.
If you have a top that screams girly-girl and your just not that kinda girl then thats step one
If its too short/tight/loose/ has weird crases, tassels etc then donate it
Style is learned usually by friendly and not so friendly teasing.
Get out and invite other women to help you find your style. Some will jump on board. Some will need to be bribed
Dayna
actually
Its more dependent on where you live and what circles you run.
For most people, who just don't care, it's whatever goes 'Bing' when we look in the mirror.