fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #3203 ]

[ SECRET POST #3203 ]

⌈ Secret Post #3203 ⌋

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What do recommend to start with for someone with zero fashion sense?

Good things to do is figure out what your body shape is. Either just look at your own body and just try to figure it out, or take your measurements and throw them in a body shape calculator. Now that you know that you also know what things flatter your body type, or at least use it as a guide. Like, I'm a pear/borderline hourglass, which means I can use things that necessarily won't fit my banana or apple shaped friends, and vice versa.

You can also look up fashion blogs, which you again can try and see if you find some for someone approximately your size. Or just to see if you see some colour combinations or general looks you like.

Coming from someone with a fashion sense that's there but not very sophisticated...here are some basics that have helped me:

Start with some jeans. Good, basic, comfortable jeans that look good on your body. I don't know where you live/what stores you have access to, but some stores are really good at stocking basic jeans in a variety of sizes and styles.

Get a pair of sneakers that aren't worn out or gross, that will go with the jeans and be good for walking around in.

Tips in general:

1. Don't be afraid to try something on, even if you're not sure you'll like it
2. If you don't really like it after trying it on, don't buy it. If it's not very comfortable, don't buy it.
3. Solid color shirts or shirts with basic patterns can be found in bulk in some places (like Old Navy if you live in the US) and are a good investment because you can mix them up with jackets/accessories
4. Layers are awesome and jackets are your friends
5. Find an alterationist. much of what you buy won't fit perfectly. I mostly go to the alterationist after buying pants. prioritize pants that fit your butt and upper legs and are comfortable, and then if it's too long, hem it. don't buy for length.
6. Check maintenance info to see if it'll be easy to wash before you buy it and weigh that against the use you'll get out of it and how much you like it. for example I won't do dry-clean only except for coats and very formal items that I rarely wear.

So much good advice here!

#1 is so important. I have so many friends who refuse to try new things on, but then mope and sigh about how their clothes are boring. (My Mom is the worst for this.). Going shopping when you're well rested and open-minded is important, too.

But this also leads to #2, and not letting anyone talk you into something that you really don't like or honestly need. It's one thing to try new stuff, but some salespeople will up sell and hassle and not leave you alone. Learn to ignore them and go with your gut. The most extreme example I have comes from when I was wedding dress shopping and the sales lady (although well-meaning) pressured me hard to try on some Art Deco style thing that made me look like my grandmother. I put it on to shut her up, but I refused to even show it to my family and took it off as quickly as I could. Don't ever let anyone intimidate you into buying anything, either.

And #6 is so important, and it's why I dislike little frou frou boutiques: so much of their clothing is hand wash or dry clean only, and all the extra work you'll do because of that is simply not worth it. Your time is valuable. Unless you're already Really Into Laundry and don't mind the extra work, leave hand wash stuff out as much as possible.

All of this is excellent advice. I especially agree with #1. Try things on. Lots of things. All kinds of things. I get a lot of things from Value Village (a huge thrift store chain), and it's especially important when buying used clothes. I will literally go in and try on thirty items to figure out what's good.

I want to add that a lot of things that say they're dry clean only can be hand washed. Just use a gentle soap, luke warm water, and roll the item up in a towel to press the water out of it, instead of wringing it. I have a couple of silk tops and a couple of cashmere sweaters that have stood up to multiple hand washing well, despite their tags saying dry clean only. (Not so sure about coats and dresses, though.)

Oh, two more things:

Don't always presume something snug fitting will make you look slimmer. I believed that for years. Then I did this challenge where I took a picture of my outfit everyday for a month, and by the end I had realized that most of the days I looked the best, and the slimmest, were days I'd worn slightly looser, drapier clothing.

Don't shy away from colors. Neutrals can be really classy, and can be great wardrobe staples for sure. But too little color tends to leave people looking bland. Fashion bloggers and the like tend to make neutrals look amazing, but that's because their outfits are excellently calibrated and their clothes are always in perfect, like-new condition. For an average person, too many "classic, chic neutrals" tend to just look blah. Don't be afraid to go for big bold blocks of color. A red t-shirt with jeans is no more complicated than a grey t-shirt with jeans, but a grey t-shirt is more likely to look like the first thing your hand touched in the morning, not a deliberate and distinctive fashion choice.

I'm not sure why one would want to dress according to what's considered fitting or fashionable. My recipe is just "buy whatever things you like and can afford", works pretty well in my opinion. And if someone doesn't like my favourite flared jeans, well, IDGAF.

--Because they want to look good for themselves
--Because they want to get hired
--Because it's fun to start fresh
--Because no one likes someone who dresses like a hobo or a slob
--Because it's fun to shop
--Because people grow out of old trends they used to like
--Because they want to do it professionally
--Because some clothes wear out and need replacing

Most of those aren't why "fashionable", though, that's not the question that was asked.

--Because no one likes someone who dresses like a hobo or a slob

Rubbish.

it's only fun to shop for clothes if you're

a. model-skinny
b. rich
c. willing to just buy what's fashionable rather than that inconvenient thinking for yourself and developing your own taste

Think of WHY you want a broader wardrobe and go from there.

Clothes for work? Look at how people in your field dress / what's considered appropriate and go from there.

Clothes for fun? What looks good to you when other people wear it? What seems to be 'in' where you want to go?

Clothes for home? Fuck it. Wear your comfiest pjs and rock 'em.

Figure out your seasonal colour. I know this might sound flakey, like lol that's that thing my aunt did in the 80s. But... it's true. It is so, so true. I look like the corpse bride in cream, but if I wear pure white, it instantly livens me up. TBH I'm not sure if I'm True Winter or Deep Winter but I know enough to wear the colours I look good in. (Remember: not everyone may neatly fit into a seasonal colour category. It's also NOT true that darker skin tones = winter, b/c the 80s were still pretty racist at times. It's more dependant on cool vs warm undertones.)

Figure out your body type, what the rules are for that. But don't adhere too religiously to it; and remember that if something doesn't fit, the clothes are usually to blame. What Not To Wear is great, but it also has some issues. Later on, you might want to break some of those rules for fun! (Also, guys totally have body types too, just not as dramatic/obvious as girls, and I wish there was more info on this.)

If you're trying stuff on and nothing seems to fit and everything's awful and you just can't deal, stop. Go shopping some other day.

Op shops/thrift stores/secondhand stores are amazing. Sometimes it can be difficult or time consuming, but you can also find some great stuff there. 90% of my wardrobe is from op shops. Pro tip: Figure out where all the rich people live and go visit their op shops. That's the way you find expensive and well-made clothing for $5.

The Into Mind blog is great! Also, a serious capsule wardrobe may not work for everyone, but it's great to start thinking about what stuff you really want to wear, and what's just taking up space.

Dress for the climate and occasion. Some things are formal, some things are informal. Some fabrics are great for summer, others will leave you a sweaty mess.

Pinterest is great for creating a 'mood board' and refining your style.

Seconding all of this.

Especially finding your 'season' and body type, which sounds so, so 80's but it's actually really helpful. Especially if you're just starting out with fashion. It can be trial and error process though!

Seconding HARD the Into Mind blog. It's brilliant.

Good luck, OP. :)

Figure out your seasonal colour. I know this might sound flakey, like lol that's that thing my aunt did in the 80s. But... it's true.

Thirding this. Saved me endless time, effort and money. Also I don't look like someone who's just stepped off a twenty-hour flight any more.

Black is always stylish with a bit of colour, although not necessarily comfortable in summer.

Black + neat and clean = casual work clothes.

Also is this for work or just general life?

My job requires me to wear either black or white and I have to say that it has made my life SO much easier. I don't have to worry about coordinating anything; I just grab a couple of pieces and go. If I want color, I accessorize with some jewelry or a scarf, and the best part is that basically every color goes with black.

As others have said, figuring out 1) your body shape and what looks good on that type, and 2) what colors you look best in are the place to start.

Go to the library and look for books on style and wardrobe. Look at a bunch of them because none will be perfect and all will be influenced by the time in which they were written, the lifestyle of the author, and so on. The first book put out by the American version of What not to Wear is great because not only does it have a section for men but the women's section deals with all-over body shapes rather than specific features and has short, average, and tall variations for each. If you are a woman, I've even found books on wedding planning to be helpful, since the sections on picking the right wedding dress have info that can be applied to other kinds of clothes.

For colors, this is something you can read up on, but ultimately you will need to try things on in lots of different colors and develop a sense of what works. As was said, nit everyone fits perfectly into the supposed categories, and it's also possibe to miss-categorize yourself if the criteria aren't well-written. Be brave and try on colors you wouldn't immefiately assume would work. Also, remember it's not about whether or not you look good in blue, it's about what SHADES of blue you do or don't look good in (the answer might be "none" but don't dismiss the color entirely just becausr one shade didn't work). How light/dark a color is, how saturated, and whether it's mixed with other colors matters.

re: style books, it's a weird suggestion, but Victoria Beckham's "That Extra Half an Inch" is really good and funny. With the caveat of OP that you shouldn't treat it as gospel because it's older (it's very 2007 in a way that's hard to describe), she wrote it in this hilariously breezy tone that differentiates it from a lot of style books that want you to think "FASHION IS SERIOUS" and can be intimidating. This one is a lot of "It's fun to buy expensive clothes when you can but you don't have to, my Posh Spice dress that everyone thought was Gucci was actually $15 from the High Street, it's all about how you present yourself and finding what works for you, but spend money on yourself when you can, you've earned it!"

Not OP but loving the sound of that Victoria Beckham book (not a sentence I ever thought I'd type). Will be checking it out, thanks anon!

Look for a sturdy one with a lot of space. Beige and white are best as it suits most interiors. Go for simple style - this way it won't look dated even a decade later.

Also, check to make sure the back is solid and not a door into another world.

Dude. Speak for yourself.

Honestly, if you want to look fashion? Pay attention to what people are actually wearing, especially in magazines and such. Check out the mannequins at the clothing stores, too. It's easy to only take that sort of thing in peripherally, or even think it's cute but not really "study" it, so when you shop for yourself you have no idea what to get. Be more active about what you see, and get a sense for what styles you like and what you don't.

Then go and just try on load of combinations. Avoid T-shirts and such. Try to add an accessory here and there, or layer, to make outfits have a more distinct style rather than just the "top + bottom" combination.

What looks good on you is going to depend on what you yourself look like externally, and what internally you feel attractive in (I really do think self-confidence DOES make a difference). I don't even know if you're a guy or girl, so it's hard to start, but assuming you're a girl - I like leggings (and jeggings). Not as a substitute for pants (always wear something else that'll at least cover your crotch and butt). But leggings are easy to wear and versatile. A cute pair of fitted boots, and then a long top or even a short dress is a classic combo, and super comfortable.

Take into consideration your body type and skin color. Pick colors that will light up your skin.

Also check if you look better wearing silver or gold (just place yourself in front of a mirror with something silver and something gold, and see what makes your skin light up more).

If you wear accessories, don't wear TOO MANY. Less is more, so keeping your outfits simple might work best. Also if you wear big accessories, plain clothes would work best with them.

For shoes, always pick the ones you feel more comfortable with. No point in having nice shoe if they're going to make you suffer later.

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[ SECRET POST #3203 ]

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