How to start the fashion thing - what are the basics?

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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 said:
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 :smile: )

-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. :smile: 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.
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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.
 
^ 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 ...
 
^ very true Fashionista-ta, Ive employed that technique before.... :smile: 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. :smile:
 
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actually, i found my current denim brand of choice via pure accident on ebay. i wanted a pair of cords, found a pair of Meltin Pot cords in the Morgan model. arrived, fitted me like charm, i got mad shopping cravings to replace all my 20+ pairs of jeans with more MPs.

miracles happen :wink:
 
Seriously, just wear what you want to wear - think about what you love and desire and put it into clothes.
If this happens to be Schiaparelli-pink platforms, a vintage tweed mini-crini and a smile, so be it!




. . . Though lately I worry that I am summed up by the Quentin Crisp quote:

"Exhibitionism is like a drug..."
 
^ i'm totally opposite for exhibitionism :ninja:

maybe that is why i find a lot of joy in small details .. esp hidden ones, just inside a jacket that no one else can see
even the weight and weave of a fabric , no one could know.. only the wearer can feel it :wink:

in a similar sense,
i don't like bold patterns such as herringbone ..
it becomes a stimulant for the eyes effect..
but rather herringbone weave done with a fine thread and a knotted one.. it's just for the skin
 
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I love this thread also because I recognize myself in many of your comments. I do spend a lot of time browsing the latest fashions and if you look at me you wouldnt think I actually dont care how I dress. I am having a tough time coming out of my safe shell of plain tops and jeans.
I do know what I like when I see it, especially on catwalks. In the stores, I am able to find single pieces that I like but I dont know how to create actual outfits. I find it difficult, if you are on a budget, to create outfits.
I did have a lookbook for a while, on my laptop, but I feel with the fashion trends always being updated, how can one keep up and what do you do with your last year's lookbook?
I know it's crazy that I worry about last season trends when actually my trend is plain tops and jeans haha
I am having a tough time recognizing staple items that wont go out of style for 2-3 years, because I am on a budget.If you have staple items, then adding a few items every month could help you keep up with the trends,right?
I am also finding frustrating that I dont have VERY much time because I am a full time student.So I want fast solutions to be fashionable ,which for an amatore I guess it's not possible, unless you are born with the fashion bug.
I have to admit, I never wear high heals,never skirts,never dresses even though I own a few but I always find flaws in them and this way I am never comfortable wearing them.
Some girls make it look so easy!! It's NOT !!!
 
^ Well, I would say that the key is to realize that while trends come and go, your own taste is the constant. So there's nothing expired about the look book you put together last season or last year, because it represents your taste. The same is true of the things you choose.

It may be that your style is in fact "plain," or minimalist. Nothing wrong with that. You could take that and enhance it.

Suggest using our What to wear with it thread for suggestions that will help you learn to put outfits together. You could also look at/participate in one or more of our Polyvore threads. We have one where the whole outfit must cost less than $100 (or Euros, pounds, etc.). :flower:
 
I just came across this Gala Darling article - How To Cultivate Your Own Personal Style - and thought it was relevant to this thread!
Personal style is about the way you interact with other people in line, the way you stack your magazines, how much stuff you carry with you every day — & what those things might be. It’s about your chosen references to pop culture, whether you dance in public & the way you fill in forms.
Everything you do is a declarative statement of your personal style, whether you’re aware of it or not.
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And a three part series from The Ongoing Project:

Part I
When I first considered writing this series, it occurred to me that I should be writing about things like fit, colour, tailoring and trends, but as I considered the topic more I realized that none of these things are as important as discovering what works for you as an individual. The first key to style is simply knowing who you are and being comfortable with your decisions.
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Part II
What do you do for a living? What do you do for fun? How does this affect what you wear? You should always have your daily routine in mind when shopping for clothes as well as the weather where you live. These things determine what you are going to wear and how often you are going to wear it and there is no getting around either of them.

That said, I wholeheartedly discourage you from purchasing anything simply because it's practical and meets the needs of your lifestyle.
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Part III
I find that we can all fall into routines with our clothing choices, buying similar essentials year after year when older versions of the same thing wear out. ... Think of one item of clothing you always wear - are you a skirts every day person? Or a jeans every day person? Well, make a conscious choice to do the opposite for a week. See how that goes.
...
Remember the dress up trunk full of your mom's old clothes you probably had as a child? When you are trying to shake up your style, go at the world like it's that costume trunk. Fling it all over the room. Resist making the obvious choices or going for whatever everyone else seems to be wearing. Resist playing it safe.
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^ I don't know about this "I wholeheartedly discourage you from purchasing anything simply because it's practical and meets the needs of your lifestyle." It should also be aesthetically appealing to at least some degree, of course, but there's nothing wrong with things that are practical and meet the needs of your lifestyle. Whereas things that are impractical and don't meet the needs of your lifestyle ... there's not a lot to be said for them. Everything's better for being both useful and beautiful.
 
I've been struggling with discovering my style as well. I traditionally have been sticking with button down shirts, jeans..nothing special. Now I'm obsessed with bright colors...we'll see where this leads.
 
same problem as everybody else, i have absolutely no idea what i'm doing when it comes to fashion
i've spent ridiculous amounts of money on clothes only to find i have nothing to wear in the morning, so i will just throw on sneakers, jeans, and a hoody
when i first purchase something, i love it, after a while, i absolutely despise my wardrobe because i can't put anything together, any help is appreciated!
 
i read your post and thought it was a girl and had so many ideas.. but i see you are a guy. i was going to suggest watching a lot of interesting films, new and old ones and maybe you will find something you like and create a board out of it, a collage as your muse...
literature can spark things too. or just thinking about life in general, what do you want in it, what do you want your clothes to say about you or how do you want your clothes to fit into your everyday life

it helps a lot also if you think about this and can design the clothes.
 
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