In the past, I kind of leaked my own style personality blend: 49% functional, 51% contemporary. Which I think is why I make a decent sounding board or closet editor.
Ask me a question like “should I keep this or biff it?” or “should I keep these or return them?” and I will most likely be able to help you sort out:
a) whether you will like it because it FUNCTIONS and
b) whether or not it looks right NOW, and if it has any fashion future.
I also enjoy puzzling out all kinds of more complex what-to-wear questions, although I admit I don’t always have the answers.
What questions are on your mind these days?
Allie over at Wardrobe Oxygen just gave a resounding thumbs-down to floral, bias-cut dresses (she calls them Laura Ashley dresses) in her post for thirty-somethings, “Closet Clean-Out.”
http://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/
Most of her post doesn’t apply to my wardrobe–or hasn’t for fifteen years, anyhow, as I just turned forty–but I found the bit about these flattering longer dresses pretty depressing. My favorite dress is a simple, short-sleeved, princess-seamed long dress (flared, but not bias-cut, I think) in a dark paisley. It’s in my favorite colors and works with everything in my closet year-round, so I’m not likely to get rid of it soon: but is it (and am I) hopelessly dated?
What do you say, Rebecca?
You rock! I just asked about the skirt on my blog and loved your answer. Going out tonight to the mall and looking for a sheath as you suggested.
I’m intrigued by Angie’s post on youlookfab.com about black skinnies being in again. I think I might like a pair. (Although I would do straights, not skinnies.)
Sheri – after looking at that post again, I have to say – I really like the dress on the right. I even think on closer examination it might be paisley. Certainly a dress like that could never be considered to be in the same “what-not-to-wear” category as the ironic tee shirt. But there are alot of dresses something like that on the thrift store racks which do look dated.
I’m still chewing on this one, but at this point I’m thinking that the better examples of this style can be deemed “timeless” and continue to be worn by the person they flatter. That said, I would like to see people be more careful to keep prints in scale with their features.
More on this topic to come, I’m sure. 🙂
Jo-Lynne – I LOVE my skinny jeans and black jeans, while they had been looking dated, are very practical. If I were to find a pair that fit like my blue ones and I liked the price, I would even wear them.
Here’s what I see as the possible look-breaker if you choose straight-leg as opposed to skinny: there are still very conservative, farmer types out here who wear black Levis as their casual trousers, instead of khakis or whatever. Don’t let your silhouette be mistaken for that look, it’s not you. Skinny, straight-leg, skinny boot-cut … it seems the definitions are currently in flux as well.
Why wouldn’t you want skinnies?
Thanks, Rebecca. I’d love to know what you think about Allie’s whole list. I’ll admit to having two rayon or polyester skirts (one bias-cut and one more a circle)–I love them both–and I also own and wear a fitted denim blazer with an inset waistband and other tailored details. No ditsy prints, though!
I’m sure my reaction to Allie’s list is a matter of differing “idioms.” 🙂
At least 3 items on Allie’s list are ones I particularly favor. I don’t currently have a princess line dress with ties at the waist but it’s a great look for my shape and I would definitely keep wearing it. T & S would say you look like you’ve given up when you wear that but I doubt anyone would ever say that about me. I’m very happy with denim pieces as well. One way they work for me is that I live in a very tough area and it is exceedingly rare to see a woman in a dress. But I like dresses and I can put a denim jacket over anything and suddenly it’s “understood.” And those skirts with the longer transparent layer? I have 2, they’re my favorite and my best look I think. All of these things suit my personality, or as Rebecca would say, my idiom. One thing, though, I don’t work outside the home. I would never wear any of these items to work in an office or when I might want to be taken seriously in some venue where I’m attending for just that purpose. I’ll be 60 in a week or so, BTW, so I suppose these rules should have gone double for me. 😀
Besides the black, black jeans – I love that – I really like the way Kasmira has been wearing slim white capris under her dresses and tunics. Am itching to buy a pair now.
The rest of the list:
1) flip flops – agree
2) ironic t-shirts – agree
3) denim tops – I believe there are exceptions
4) minis-skirts, shorts, and skorts – agree
5) bad bras – agree
6) the dresses in question – https://betweenmypeers.com/2008/07/30/reader-question-are-longer-floral-dresses-hopelessly-dated/
7) cheap polyester skirts – the skirt silhouette pictured – IN SILK – is still a good choice for church and similar social occasions
8) club tops – no opinion or basis for one
9) cheap suiting – strongly agree
And, actually, Vildy, I’m thinking Allie’s suggestions, at least about the three items we are all questioning here, apply less as we get older. In other words, I think the advice is targetted to women who are at the age where they could easily get stuck in an era, like the 40 year old in “mom jeans”, the 50 year old still wearing leggings as pants, and the 67 year olds in elastic waist pants with boxy tops. 😉