[Charponnaise]

That's an idea....

I really really love the idea of having fat books full of beautiful ideas. But really they would just exist for their own sake, and probably be more effort than they were worth, in terms of being useful.

[educo]

I never wanted anything to do with fashion, I was thrown into it and now, my fashion thing has come from the lack of being unable to identify with anyone (this stems from childhoold) so now I see as a game, and that prevents me from getting hung up on fashion while still being able to appreciate it for what it is.

[CollarScholar]

When I was younger I didnt have alot of money to buy the things I thought looked good. I always liked clothes - I liked the idea of exuding a statement without saying anything - so when I finally started to make a little money and began buying clothes, there was just no stopping me.

The first step I think is finding what style(s) you like. The second and most important IMO, is finding what compliments your body. For example, I have a long neck. For me, almost any shirt with a collar looks better than one without. So if I see something I like on the rack or even on someone else, I first try to decide what about the garment I like, and then think if ultimately it will look good on me based on its fit and my body. If it doesnt, I simply make a mental note of what I liked about it and find something else similar that better suits my body.

[Street_a_Licious]

i started when my mum would get those designer catalogues when i was little... so i'd say, 3 y/o? also the time when i started drawing clothes.

when i shop, i don't have to work hard to find good stuff. usually, when i just walk past racks of clothes, certain pieces basically SCREAM my name. i take a glance and i kno: this is it, i can wear it with this and that. i know what i CAN and what i CAN'T wear, i know what message i want to project with each piece and how to make things work. yes, there's an awful amount of trial-&-error, but as long as things happen behind closed doors, noone has to know about your fashion mishaps.

i'm basically like that with me and everyone else i know. which is why my girls HATE to shop with me cause they think it's errie that sometimes i can point out possible no-pieces before they can.

i think it's something one can "grow" into if the interest is there. but i find myself checking out more and more fashion mags, ads and fashion shows. 10% of what is seen is easily translateable. the rest needs work.

[gius]

i'm also in a sort of transition period myself
i've worn the same thing this whole year ..
very basic, navy and black
very easy
can wear it anywhere
but now i'd like to wear more interesting things ...
no more plain shirts and ordinary pants
i'd like something more designed.. so i'm in a way drawing a lot and collaging and collecting pictures with the intention it will somehow all meld together

[fashionista-ta]

^ You make a good point, gius ... it's not just about starting the fashion thing, it's also good for shifting the fashion thing ...

[rollagasper]

Quote:

I keep meaning to start lookbooks but I'm not sure they'd be very helpful to me. I'm not very good at scrapbooking, I just can't seem to get started, and I get neurotic about how they look [forgetting that they're just a means to an end]! __________________

I'm too lazy to keep a physical lookbook too, so I just keep a folder on my computer and save images of inspiring looks.

Quote:

no more plain shirts and ordinary pants i'd like something more designed

I find that the best designed clothing tend to be rather expensive. Where I live, we only have chain stores like the Gap, American Eagle, Old Navy, H&M, etc. They hardly have any interesting designs; even if pieces are "designer-inspired", they are styles that are from two seasons past and are really filtered for the masses. It's really difficult building a my dream wardrobe with limited finance and the choice of stores that I have.

[CollarScholar]

^^My best advice to you is use accessories to express your individuality from the masses. A nice scarf or a nice watch, tie, belt, etc can make an otherwise boring mainstream outfit look chic and unique

[fashionista-ta]

^ There's also online shopping ...

[CollarScholar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fashionista-ta ^ There's also online shopping ...

Good point - I do a fair amount of online shopping. Some pitfalls to watch out for though are:

-Dont assume it fits you because its your size. If you're unfamiliar with the brand, ask around first (like here )

-Dont buy a suit online. Just don't do it. Unless you have the exact same suit in another color, or unless you fully intend to take it to the tailor.

-Free shipping (and especially free return shipping) is your friend when youre not sure about fit. Zappos.com is a good example of this. Always check the return policy.

-Accessories like scarves and ties and bracelets, etc are usually safe buys.


Also Keep in mind that you are looking at a 2 dimensional object trying to represent a 3 dimensional object, and somethings just dont come through. For example, I bought a button up shirt once and it had what seemed to be a nice embroidered design on it in the pic. When i got it in the mail, the embroidery was coarse and thick and ugly and just because of that, I returned it.

[eppmaria]

Lots of great advice here. I think the easiest way is to just try new things! If you really want to change your style, then you'll do it. And don't think about what others might think.. It's better to make somekind of a statement than nothing at all.. Just try what you want. If it doesn't work, you can always change your clothes.

[CollarScholar]

true - much less permanent than changing your hair

[rollagasper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CollarScholar Good point - I do a fair amount of online shopping. Some pitfalls to watch out for though are: -Dont assume it fits you because its your size. If you're unfamiliar with the brand, ask around first (like here ) -Dont buy a suit online. Just don't do it. Unless you have the exact same suit in another color, or unless you fully intend to take it to the tailor. -Free shipping (and especially free return shipping) is your friend when youre not sure about fit. Zappos.com is a good example of this. Always check the return policy. -Accessories like scarves and ties and bracelets, etc are usually safe buys. Also Keep in mind that you are looking at a 2 dimensional object trying to represent a 3 dimensional object, and somethings just dont come through. For example, I bought a button up shirt once and it had what seemed to be a nice embroidered design on it in the pic. When i got it in the mail, the embroidery was coarse and thick and ugly and just because of that, I returned it.

Yes, I'm always lurking on the internet nowadays because i'm tired of spending 3 hrs at the mall and not finding anything.

The only problem with online shopping is that some pieces require a good fit in order to look good. I'm very picky when it comes to how pants/jeans fit on me and the two times I bought pants online, it fit but the fit was not what it looked like on the model. Thus I'm never buying pants online again.

I like shopping with online sites where the owner (or employee) actually personally answer your email/phone question regarding sizing, shipping, etc. Last time I bought Dries shoes, I asked about sizing and he gave me measurements of the shoe, like length, heel height, etc.

[fashionista-ta]

^ That's true ... another option is a shopping vacation. Also, once you've tried something on, you may be able to buy something similar from the same line without trying it on ...

[CollarScholar]

^ very true Fashionista-ta, Ive employed that technique before.... btw, I love your avatar. I dont know what its from, but it captivates me.

Different sites use different height/weight models, its important to keep in mind the person wearing the clothes in contrast to yourself and your size difference. For example, Revolveclothing.com is notorious for using [what I consider] short male models for their pants. This effects everything - the rise, the inseam, the drape... I cant even buy pants from there because I have no idea what they will look like on me.

This is one reason I like bluefly.com, because I know the dimensions of a standard mannequin - I own one.

Sorry for the store name dropping, just using those two sites to make a point.