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Underground > Art, Fashion & Design >

Please help a fashion reject.

19:05 / 03.01.04

while I don't want to ignore olulabelle's thread, I get the impression it's more for the type of people who already sort of know what they're doing. or at least care about fashion in more than merely practical terms, based on the topic abstract ("best viewed by people who think coats, bags, shoes and accessories are an excellent reason to be alive").

I am neither of those. at work, out playing, or sitting at home, I dress pretty much exactly the same - super casual and comfortable, black work pants or jeans, the same 4 colors (black grey red and blue). I really do believe that I need to make a change, especially at work. I think it'll help me advance my paycheck, if nothing else.

so. with little money to work with and pretty much zip as far as innate fashion sense, where do you start? any advice on how to build a full wardrobe of hip-yet-successful essentials?

any advice, including your own disastrous mistakes, is very welcome.

20:14 / 03.01.04

At risk of sounding thoughroughly dull, what you'll look good and suitable and paycheck-advancing, wil probably depend on your figure, height, best bits and worst bits. Tell all; cause just now I cant get past the image of you being very sexy, yet kinda short and walking on four legs.

Tryphena Absent

22:37 / 03.01.04

Right this is my advice. Forget the word fashion and start thinking about clothes. You should never, ever buy anything that is in season because it's about to go out of season. Your best bet is to go for shirts with sharp collars and well fitted black suit trousers (there is one shop and only one shop on the high street with trousers that are perfect for you. This is the female rule, mine is a shop called Warehouse). Always start with the cut of clothes, if something doesn't fit the shape of your body, make you look slightly thinner than you are and match the line of your jaw it does not work for you. If you have a long neck than you should think about scarves, if you don't than you should never wear anything around your neck unless it's really cold and if your neck is short you should get a long scarf to make you look taller.

The second really important thing is colour, forget everything else and spend a day walking around your local clothes shops holding up every colour imaginable to your face. Skin elsewhere isn't important, it's always your face you should match colour too. Never be scared to wear pink if it suits you, I know it's girly but it disarms people immediately precisely because of its associations, the paler the better.

Try to balance the colour and cut of clothing. The cut should suggest that you're in control, the colour should give you something else- slight vulnerability, aggression etc.

Tryphena Absent

22:42 / 03.01.04

Oh and by the way I officially hate my entire wardrobe minus about 5 pieces of clothing so I wouldn't listen to me if I was you.

23:27 / 03.01.04

Maybe a quick body type/skin type/job type list is needed to proceed without extreme caution.

01:38 / 04.01.04

ok, but I feel highly sheepish, much like my very first bra fitting. I don't know how much is too much, so I'll tell all.

I'm short, ish (5'5"), large bust smaller waist larger hips. I just took my measurements and am horrified.

I have naturally very dark brown hair, very dark brown eyes, pale skin with a slight yellow undertone which makes oranges and yellows look truly horrible - I look like a badly dressed corpse. I don't wear a lot of makeup, although I probably should wear a bit more. this picture of me is getting old, but this aptly shows my skintone and hair color, and how I wear my makeup (eyeliner only...although I'm not in this picture, I often wear a little lip color, a few shades darker than my natural color).

my best bits: nice skin, good contrast of light/dark with the skin hair and eyes, a great bust, collarbone, and a figure that, if framed properly, looks pretty good. my worst bits: my upper arms are in desperate need of toning (and more recently, my lower tummy - my upper stomach is still just fine), my hips are WAY too wide, and the difference between my waist and hips makes it hard to find pants that can accommodate my hips yet not be far too massive for my waist. I also really really hate anything that draws too much attention to my chest - it makes me incredibly uncomfortable. I have very muscular calves which unfortunately makes them too thick for, say, high boots. because of their thickness and short length, with my wide hips I look really bad in skirts that are too long (at or below the knees) or skirts that go outward, like a lines. so I tend to shy away from skirts and dresses, because trying them on make me depressed

I'm willing to do color...but I wonder if pink wouldn't be too light for my coloring? I'm afraid to take chances and am very genuinely clueless

21:34 / 04.01.04

Hmm, I'd say dark reds/maroons/burgandies would be nice on you. For your figure, I would have said a low V or sweetheart neckline, but if you're not comfortable wearing them, then its probably not a great idea, though I cant think of an alternative. Keep sleeves long or 3/4 length. And probably avoid anything with a pattern or frills over the bust,and polo-necks a big no-no.

As for trousers, good low-cut black trousers. If they're low cut, there should be a waist-hip problem, should there? No pockets,belts or fussy details- they'll make your hips bigger.

Oh yes, and a good well-fitted bra. But from the sounds of things, you've already got that sorted.

Tryphena Absent

02:29 / 05.01.04

I suspect bright blues might suit you well, definitely nothing sallow like beige if the base of your skintone is yellow. It'll wash you out completely.

This is my favourite toy on the Internet at the moment, it's great for working out the clothes that fit your shape and it seems to be pretty accurate about the shape of your body if you get the criteria right, My Virtual Model.

04:00 / 05.01.04

I'd second the burgundies/maroons with the caveat that they should be more towards the pinker dark reds than the brick reds.... (I've got a yellow undertone to my skin, as well, so I speak from experience.)

You've got great contrast between your eyes and skintone, hair and skintone - I'd definitely suggest dressing in high contrast. Lots of black/navy/charcoal for pants/skirts with lighter colors for blouses/shirts.

I'll second the notion of lower-waisted pants - they tend not to gap as badly, but will still define your waist. I'd recommend somewhat snugger waistbands on skirts - I think that the hem of the skirt (either above the knee or just below to mid-shin, depending on just how muscular our calves are) provides a balancing element that the length of pants won't give you...

If you've got anything like an hourglass figure, play it up - wear stuff that emphasizes your waistline.

14:09 / 05.01.04

ok, it looks like I may already be doing well with the tops - I'd NEVER wear ruffles or patterns (except on occasion, subtle stripes, like my very favorite shirt, a charcoal grey and black stripe), nearly always wear long sleeves or 3/4 length (even in summer). I tend to do vnecks and boatnecks...what's a sweetheart neck again?

and as far as pants, I don't do pleats or details. I do, however, do belts, a very recent obsession of mine. so they make you look bigger? yikes, don't need that!

thanks for the color ideas - I do normally wear blues and reds, and in fact, am wearing a burgandy boatneck right now, and have been told repeatedly how nice it looks on me. yay for success! I am also wearing grownup ankle boots with a high not-too-clunky heel, also getting good reviews. I'm trying, folks.

the virtual model was dead on from the front and back, except that from the side, I got a really big belly! and the clothes they offered me were giant old lady clothes, like big oversized sweaters and the like. yuck!

14:13 / 05.01.04

ps - I really appreciate the advice. even with the stuff I'm already doing, it's nice to hear that I'm headed in the right direction.

will have to try the lower pants - I worry this might be a problem, because my hips really are WAY bigger than my waist, and if I get these giant hip pants, they might be huge on my legs? eeek! I will try, though!

14:39 / 05.01.04

Belts will make your hips look bigger if it's around the hips, and visible, as in, if low-cut trousers have an attached belt and suchlike, they'll draw attention to them. As for whether low trousers will fit you.. to be honest, I have no idea. Just have a wee try on of some and see.

Hmmm... off to play with the vitual model, it looks interesting.

05:02 / 06.01.04

will have to try the lower pants - I worry this might be a problem, because my hips really are WAY bigger than my waist, and if I get these giant hip pants, they might be huge on my legs?

Haven't had that problem with lower-waisted pants myself, and I skip a size in between my waist and my hips... If I try to wear higher waisted pants I look positively pear-shaped, but lower-cut pants seem to be ok, and men's jeans are so much better than women's jeans for the same reason.

16:12 / 06.01.04

ok, avoid the belts, at least on low-waisted pants. that makes sense to even me!

and men's jeans, really? that's another good route, as I can choose a larger waist (to fit my hips) and smaller length (cause I'm so goddamn short-legged).

I'm going shopping with my fashionista friend, and will keep these tips in mind.

this thread is really embarrassing, but at the same time, very much needed. for example, yesterday I looked FABULOUS, and today, I look absolutely ridiculous. and I didn't even realize it until I was halfway to work. if I eliminate the problem clothes and keep buying the good stuff, this won't be as likely to happen again, despite my self-destructive tendencies!

I really appreciate all the input

19:10 / 06.01.04

I quite like this thread. You're throwing your body at us, and telling us to do with your wardrobe what we will. Of course, then we just throw some pixels back at you, advising you, and you can always tell us to fuck off. But fun all the same. We'll have you in that neon pink mini-skirt yet.

19:50 / 06.01.04

I knew there had to be a downside.

19:47 / 07.01.04

i thought a-line skirts were good for big hips? skims over them, and all that? whatever you do, don't buy any skirt or dress that is cut on the bias. no, no, no.
i too am endowed in the chest dept. v-necks are good cos then the eye goes to the skin and not the twin bumps. ballet necks are nice, but watch if yr shoulders are too broad. but maybe you could go for them cos then if yr shoulders look broader, it balances yr hips.
usually, people like colors that they look good in. what colors have people said you look good in?
as for the "problem" (and i put that in quotes cos, you know, rock on w/yr hourglass self) w/the discrepancy between yr hips and waist: tailors are yr friend. yeah, no one wants to spend the money on that stuff, but if you really can't find pants that fit you right, it's worth it. even cheap clothes'll look good on you if you get 'em tailored right to you! i really recommend it.

22:14 / 08.01.04

A-line skirts would make her look a bit dumpy perhaps. Well- I always think of A-line skirts being just below the knee, and she said longer skirts were a big no-no.

22:37 / 08.01.04

Don’t really feel I should be in here because I’m a boy and all, but for what it’s worth: Jarvis Cocker once said something that I’ve always taken as very good advice, ie when cultivating your personal style, the very best thing you can do is take whatever it is you’ve got most of, and exaggerate it. So, Jarvis is very tall and wears glasses: instead of going the usual stoopy shoulders/contact lens route, he wears platform shoes and really thick-framed glasses, and looks bloody brilliant. You’ve got hips. What’s so wrong with that? Stop trying to hide them and stride around swinging your glorious hips with pride: “Yeah! I’ve got hips! Great hips! You want some of my hips? In our dreams, loser!”, that kind of thing.

Okay, it’s not a patch on all this great practical advice you’re getting in this thread, but it’s a good general principle, sometimes.

22:49 / 08.01.04

Er, okay, so obviously, that line is meant to say ‘your dreams’, not ‘our dreams’, which isn’t at all what I meant you to be walking down the street shouting at passers by.

Tryphena Absent

08:45 / 09.01.04

A-line skirts would make her look a bit dumpy perhaps

A-lines look best on people with bigger hips- people who are just a bit bottom heavy- because they flare out and make you look stylised. If you have big hips and big breasts than they can make you look majorly dumpy if you don't have that trim fifties waist.

I can't wear bias cut because, to put it plainly, it makes me look fat. Very few people can wear bias cut over the age of eighteen because it's really a way to make skinny, toned folks look absolutely fantastic and alas, most people just aren't that thin and tight bodied. Off the top of my head I can think of three women in my acquaintance who could wear a bias cut dress and look very good... that's a pretty rubbish invention.

15:09 / 09.01.04

if I eliminate the problem clothes and keep buying the good stuff, this won't be as likely to happen again, despite my self-destructive tendencies!

this is important, especially for someone like me who doesn't do laundry often enough. if i have something in my closet, at some point i will wear it, even if it looks bad, because it will be clean when everything else is not, and i am lazy.

however, if it's not there, i can't wear it. i am actually planning to purge my closet this weekend of everything i should never wear.

i like Bed Head's point about Jarvis Cocker. he always looks good, because he really works it the way he says you should.

14:16 / 10.01.04

Hmm. Hate to sound cynical- I agree with the principle of exaggeration, but I dont think Jarvis Cocker looks great. Ever.

15:08 / 10.01.04

bloody kids!