Would you be offended if someone criticized your outfit?

[swingkat]

I think I would find it from strange to rude if someone came up to me and started criticizing my outfit without me asking them to. I could be thankful though, if it's constructive criticism, though maybe not at that moment . Then whether I would find it offensive or not depends obviously on how it's worded. If someone came up to me and told me I looked like a two cent hooker (like someone commenting on some poor girl's outfit wrote in this forum) then I mean, how could I not? And I also hate patronizing comments, so those could also offend. But I usually stick to my grandma's advice, if you don't have anything nice to say, then why say it all?

 

[slowframes]

I'd feel offended only if I didn't ask for any opinions to begin with.

I think it's kind of weird to "criticize" outfits in the first place since it has a lot to do with personal style, which is very subjective. Personally, I keep my mouth shut unless people ask for opinions.

 

[ultramarine]

The thing is .. I do agree it IS bad manners to criticize what someone wears ... but when you see someone who desperatedly needs help (the movie 'Clueless' comes to mind). Isnt it like your duty to give em a hand?

 

[á la Balenciaga]

i would
i would be totally offended. normal people aren't dressed to impress everyone. this isn't an award show.

 

[Petit Lucille]

If you have a strong sense of self, then most probably you'll have a very defining personal style. What you wear is a proyection of your mind, what you choose. You've put on that outfit because you want to, having someone criticize it makes that person a bit arrogant because they are ignoring your escence as if it was something unimportant.
In addition to the fact that most critics are merely based on taste, so what's wrong really means I don't like it and would never wear it- which leads me to think sure, because it's you and not me, I would wear it like I am wearing it right now.
A different story is if someone comes and says I like how you've put this together, I would never do it, it's not me at all, but I like how fitting it is for you. That remark is far from rude, and it still is a critic (critics aren't always bad) and we are talking about styling in a respectful way.

 

[softgrey]

i often want to give people advice...
especially in our own WAYWT thread...
......


but as you can all see from this thread...
most people only want to hear the good stuff...
so i bite my tongue...
OFTEN!!!...

...

i cant say anyone has ever given me any advice or criticism...
though i wouldn't mind it, i don't think...
it's nice to get someone's objective opinion...

but i have gotten just random comments...
like- one time wearing clogs, some guy said 'what's with the shoes?'
* pretty meaningless and just kind of ignorant *
or- i've overheard people calling me a 'black cat' cause i was wearing all black japanese designer stuff...
* again, pretty meaningless *
both of these from really boring 'suburban' types...whose idea of dressing up is jeans and a graphic T...


i think i agree- it really depends who is making the comment...
if someone could actually help me look better...
then, hell...
YES PLEASE...why wouldn't i want to look better?!...

 

[Menace]

I'm glad I made this thread. It's really helped me understand how different people feel and think! I totally agree with what softgrey said above!
And I agree with petitelucille as well, but sometimes you can just see that a person is going for a certain "look" and they've just accessorized too much or chose the wrong accessories... but again... that would be based on only one person's opinion... so we're back to square one.

 

[snowqueen]

In my personal opinion if something didnt suit me and my boyfriend or friend or whoever didnt tell me id be more offended and upset then if they did tell me. if that makes sense? if they let me go out looking stupid or whatever id be so hurt. Good friends should be able to tell each other things. Although randomers on street might get a mouthfull if they pulled the same stunt haha.

 

[gimmethatbag]

I would be offended unless I had asked what someone's opinion was. I think this is a baaaad idea.

 

[Chanelcouture09]

I wouldn't be offended as long as it was a constructive criticism, i'd appreciate it if a friend told me 'that looks hideous, change now!' which, thank god, doesn't happen.

 

[ChiStreetStyle]

Personal style is well... personal! I would not appreciate unsolicited fashion advice. I think that's extremely condescending. What makes you more of a style expert than the person who dressed themselves! I think that with something as intimate as style, you have to be really careful giving advice. I would say the same thing about giving advice about relationships - do it very carefully and only in a constructive manner, and ONLY if asked.

 

[greengrassia]

i'm surprised to find so many people regard style criticism "condescending". for me, it doesn't matter that much, really. cause i don't see my clothes as part of me: the core of me has nothing to do with clothes, whereas has everything to do with my value, world view, ethics, etc. clothes are just clothes, plain and simple. they are maybe reflection of my attitude, but reflection is something shown in the mirror, it should never be misunderstood as the figure itself, which is the essence of me, as a human being.
so good criticism, i embrace it.
bad one, i laugh it off.
i know who i am and those things do not affect it a bit.

 

[imonabhaute]

It truly depends on the circumstances; the who, what, where, why and how are huge players.

One of my coworkers is kind of a jerk that says I try too hard (it's clear he doesn't or he thinks Khaki Dockers are the s***) and is doing it just cause he gets some sort of pleasure out of it. He and w/e jerk off the street makes a comment with ill intent often falls on deaf ears.

One of my other coworkers is so sweet and she has offered some comments that I like on piecing together outfits, makeup and hair styles. Comments that are actually thought out like; "That looks good, I think <bag/shoes/etc> would look great with that too!" Sometimes it's stuff I wouldn't necessary pair up on my own because it's outside my normal thought pattern, but that's not a bad thing, it's worth a try at home at least; a few times it's turned out fabulous. It's that she put some thought into it and means well makes me happy to hear her comments.

 

[Jenna-maria]

Why would I be offended?
It is my style, I dress the way I wanna, I put hair the way I wanna etc.
If someone have something to say, please say but I propably won´t remember what you said after 3 seconds.

 

[heyworld]

me and my friend ever talked behind my other friend back about her strange fashion style. after that, I felt regret. I think it's not necessary to give someone fashion advice if she don't ask about it. I think I have to respect her fashion choices. as long as she is happy with it, why would I criticize it?
also, I like people who are less judgemental. everyone is unique.

 

[justlooking]

I love talking about clothes so i wouldn't mind. I would never criticise anyone else's style though. Except for immediate family members haha.
I always say if i like something- i just can't help myself, it just happens
The only really negative comment i can recall (although i'm pretty good at forgetting negative things!) is when a friend said to me, 'i can't believe you chose that.' lol, i didn't give it a second thought! Though i do admit i was a bit ashamed of the negative retaliations that sprung to mind! But no, i wasn't offended. It was more

 

[Petit Lucille]

i'm surprised to find so many people regard style criticism "condescending". for me, it doesn't matter that much, really. cause i don't see my clothes as part of me: the core of me has nothing to do with clothes, whereas has everything to do with my value, world view, ethics, etc. clothes are just clothes, plain and simple. they are maybe reflection of my attitude, but reflection is something shown in the mirror, it should never be misunderstood as the figure itself, which is the essence of me, as a human being.
so good criticism, i embrace it.
bad one, i laugh it off.
i know who i am and those things do not affect it a bit.

Well, let me put it this way: Your values, world views, ethics, etc are the ones that define how you wear whatever it is you wear. Style is not just about clothes, it's the way you are. A visual part of it is how you dress yourself, either with clothes, or perfumes, make up, etc. If you are a free-spririt, it comes across even in your hairdo, so it is just as important as your ethics views.
When someone tells me how they would wear, it is a nice conversation, but if it starts out with "If I were you", I end it with "well, no, because if you were me, you would be me and not you, I'd never..."
But that actually made me think of the reason why it's not nice. People who give you advise usually don't understand your stye, or worse, they think they do... If they knew it, then you just talk about it, like have you worn it with this? That wouldn't be hurtful at all!

 

[greengrassia]

Well, let me put it this way: Your values, world views, ethics, etc are the ones that define how you wear whatever it is you wear. Style is not just about clothes, it's the way you are. A visual part of it is how you dress yourself, either with clothes, or perfumes, make up, etc. If you are a free-spririt, it comes across even in your hairdo, so it is just as important as your ethics views.
When someone tells me how they would wear, it is a nice conversation, but if it starts out with "If I were you", I end it with "well, no, because if you were me, you would be me and not you, I'd never..."
But that actually made me think of the reason why it's not nice. People who give you advise usually don't understand your stye, or worse, they think they do... If they knew it, then you just talk about it, like have you worn it with this? That wouldn't be hurtful at all!

well, are you implying dressing up has nothing to do with technical point of view? that it has everything to do with your value, word view and ethics, alone? for me, i don't think i put that much of thought into dressing myself up every morning. sometimes i do, but most times i don't. so if i "technically make some "erros", like matching the colors or lengthes wrong, and i'm happy someone will point it out and save me from some further embarassment! it's really just that plain and simple
ofcourse personal style reflects a lot about a person, either conscious or subconscious, but the thing is we are humans, and style is just like everything else in our lives, there are aspects purely subjective, and aspects also objective, and i do make mistakes, i mean, the technical aspect of dressing up, i can be blind as well, like without taking a good look in the mirror so "error" happens, and that part has nothing to do with the core of me, and i will appreciate someone act as my mirror and shed me some lights. just like my world view is not flawless, yes, its personal, but as life goes on and i grow as a person, my style evolves so is my world view. we all learn from "errors", don't we?
my point is i just believe there are spritual core of someone's personal style, and also lots of technical aspects of dressing up. and that's the part i welcome others to address upon me, so i can reflect, and learn

 

[Petit Lucille]

What would you call an error when dressing? I don't believe there is right or wrong, just that more people agree in what is nicer.
I'm not saying that it doesn't get technical at all, rather than it's a mix of sensibility and thought, as everything is. If everything else, your values are based on thought and feelings. We are human beings, and everything is attached to both. Thinking is just as human as feeling is. When you improvise an outfit you rely more on your subcouncious and leave some of your preconceptions behind, until you edit it, where you put all your inhibitions to the test.. And none of this have anything to do with taking more or less time when dressing. Everything you do is a choice you take, some are more influenced by society's canons than others. So in a way, if someone criticized your outfit irrespectfully, is indirectly questioning your choices and the way you think or what you feel.

 

[greengrassia]

well, are we just questioning each other's thoughts and the way we think or feel? i don't take offense from it all. actually i think it's really great to stimulate each other to fully reach our capacities to think and reason ^-^ the same thing goes with someone questioning my choice of clothes, it's actually great that i get the chance to reexamine myself a bit.