A "How do I look"–style challenge!

Almost exactly one year ago I started a new job and you all gave me
ideas for workwear a cut above my grad student wardrobe. (Thanks
again, BTW!) So now it's a new year, I'm still a little
fashion–impaired, and I need some new stuff.
I have pretty much been depending on the basic, interchangeable
sweater and slacks combo in neutral colors. Sometimes I wear a
blazer. Once in a while I wear jeans.
These basics work fine, but are quite boring. I'd like to add to what
I have and move toward a look that is a little more chic and
put–together, stylish but not super trendy...sort of a casual,
creative professional look, some classic pieces with a little bit of a
funky twist, if that makes any sense. It would be great to reinvent
myself as the girl who can pull off the Chanel–inspired jacket with
jeans and cute shoes and a great handbag (as well as whatever else
that girl wears to work).
I went shopping earlier this evening but was rather disgruntled –– I
have trouble imagining how all the individual pieces will look
together if I see them one at a time. I need to see the whole outfit
together, which never happens, and so I often end up with stuff that
doesn't go with anything, and I have almost no accessories.
So, I present you with the challenge! Post some URL's to form a small
"collection" (or at least an outfit), "How do I look"–style. If I
choose your collection, I will sing your praises on AF *and* even send
you a small prize as a token of my gratitude.
The judging criteria:
1. I live in L.A.
2. I'm 28 and don't want to look too much older or younger. My
workplace has a pretty casual dress code; the Chanel jacket/nice jeans
described above would be perfectly acceptable, and actually more
toward the dressy end of the spectrum as far as what women at and
above my level wear.
3. I have to be able to do science in it. Slacks are preferable,
although I do wear the occasional skirt. Shoes must be reasonably
comfy (1 1/2" heels max) and closed–toe. Bonus points if you find me
a really cute lab coat.
4. I'm about a size 6–8, 5'5", 140 lb (working on that).
5. I'll pay for better quality fabric and construction, and proper
tailoring, and dry cleaning, for pieces that warrant it.
You geniuses have probably already thought of something cute you saw
on your last shopping trip by the time you finished reading this. Let
the game begin!
thanks,
–– maribeth

Maribeth Mason <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote on 14 Nov 2004:
Maribeth, you should look for the BCBG MaxAzria pullout thick paper
spread in the fall fashion mags. It would be very helpful to you because
they have models wearing their clothes in many different ways so you
could see how things would look. I can't recall which magazine I saw it
in, but it may have been the September Vogue. I hope someone else will
also remember it and be of more help regarding where it appeared, because
I think it'd really help you visually.
––
Poetic Badgers
"The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud."
–Coco Chanel

"Maribeth Mason" <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote in message
news:01tdp055gfrbvq9n9lq8ii6bfrr3jcg...@4ax.com...
(snipped)
Maribeth
You definitely need to go on a shopping trip with Stevie, Fdish and/or
Dawn SE. I am totally serious about that. I found some seriously great
buys at the Camarillo outlets, Saks Off Fith and Kasper in particular.
The Kasper tweek two piece suit can be used as separates and the jacket
is great with slacks or jeans. For the shoes I would look for kitten
heels if you want stylish, low and a closed toe. I am also a fan of
loafers and ballet flats. How do you accessorize your outfits? I think
some here have learned to do wonders with scarves. I look for great
earrings and necklaces. Before I suggest sites, what is your general
budget?
Audrey

On 15 Nov 2004 22:43:12 GMT, Poetic Badgers <poeticbadg...@spammenot>
wrote:
Sure, but that would be hard! :) It's somehow easier on my brain if I
buy the exact thing I see in a catalog rather than trying to look
everywhere for something almost but not quite the same.
But you're right, though –– I have a few pieces which are similar to
those in the catalog, which will make for a decent start.
That's a cool site, thanks! I confess I like the "click to buy THIS
EXACT ONE" gimmick. (No Kate Moss–like style innovation here yet...)
I used to like Lucky for that reason. Then the outfits just got silly
and I gave up.
–– maribeth

"Poetic Badgers" <poeticbadg...@spammenot> wrote in message
news:Xns95A1535A161E6poeticbadg...@129.250.170.91...
I love those ads. I think In Style has contained the ad (it's the only
fashion mag to which I subscribe)... I think if you go to maxstudio.com you
can see the "looks" too.
If you are looking for the confidence to "mix it up" a little, I would
suggest starting with a very conservative outfit and then adding a single
accent item. In other words, do the monochromatic black outfit but top it
off with that punked Chanel–type boxy jacket. Or a feminine dress with
equally feminine shoes but topped by a fitted little denim jacket. Feel
free to put a brooch/pin on either jacket.
Lately, I've played with combining textures but not using a bunch of
different colors. A conservative black skirt, black tights and boots, black
lacy bodysuit or camisole, little cardigan (black or colored). Or all black
but with red or patterned tights––just a little showing between hem and boot
tops. Or black leather or suede jeans or skirt with the remainder of the
outfit very subdued. The texture of the leather/suede will be the attention
getter.
Of course, if you can snag one of the fashion mavens Audrey suggests, you'll
have a blast. (But bring your American Express!)
cofarb

">
\I am biting on this one! I was just shopping with Fashiondish yesterday and
we talked about going to Cabazon! You MUST come with us.
You can meet us there but I highly recommend hooking up with us so that you
don't have to do all that driving. (oy)
Dawnse and Fashiondish are seriously great about shopping and I particularly
like shopping with FD because she and I edit each other before the hanger
comes off the rack.
We have even bought stuff from each other at garage/ebay sales.. and I know
that Dawn has the most amazing taste
But bang for your buck is what you need and you would get it at the
outlets... I would suggest jcrew, off fifth, barneys outlet (somewhat
sketchy there) the handbag outlets (furla is amazing) and also gap, old navy
and roxy girl (I got the cutest little shirt there) plus Ken Cole shoes and
clothing too.
You can do serious savings and get some stylish clothing that in season..
just realize that we can help you burn a hole in the credit card.
if you want, please email me privately at silvergirlkis...@hotmail.com
I would recommend lower heeled shoes, a single great handbag. a nice black
or brown belt (depends on the color you are working with) and some great
necklaces and earrings plus as Audrey suggested a couple of scarves if you
can work those..
sometimes they aren't right at certain times of your life
I would also think a great sweater that's more body conscious as well as
some knit tops would update that workday wardrobe..
suggestions here are to take some photos of the clothing and see if you can
scan them and also bring them with you when you shop!
I need to go because I have been editing out my closet and know some tops I
need, some shoes, another bag (and FD gave my new Coach a thumbs up... I
would buy one slightly larger than this one and in another color)and maybe a
new jacket.....
Stevie
––
ebay auctions – fragrance, skincare, cosmetics, mens!
hhttp://tinyurl.com/5gjka

On 14 Nov 2004 14:11:16 GMT, Poetic Badgers <poeticbadg...@spammenot>
wrote:
Good advice; I really like BCBG. I picked up their fall catalog and
holiday flyer at the shop today. At first glance, a lot of the looks
are more suitable for evening than work, but there are some that might
work. I tried on a few things, none of which really flattered me,
though I see some things in the catalog that I might go back to try.
–– maribeth

<<< Please do tell where you get these blazers. I see knockoffs all the time
but to me they look really cheap, with inferior material or mismatched plaids
or crazy trim that looks wrong. I'd totally pay for a real vintage one but
haven't seen them at even the nice secondhand shops –– I guess people have
bought them all up by now? >>>
I've got a whole collection practically from Nordstrom, tweed & plaid ones from
Marshall Field's, a black boucle wool one with silk chiffon trim from Banana
Republic, chocolate brown donegal tweed from Old Navy, and a couple more
Chanel–esque ones from Loehmann's.
I even have a Star City tweed blazer with a flower applique on the left side
(from Kohl's, of all places!) that is good quality.
Check out department stores or smaller boutiques in your area...they should
have a fairly good selection. hth!
––Laura

Here's what I would do while shopping in stores...
– Try and picture the top with either black/gray/camel pants, a certain skirt,
or jeans. Hold it up and picture how they would look together.
– When you are trying on tops, make sure you have something at home that would
go well with them.
– Never substitute look for fit. I had so many pants last year that were
gorgeous, but were an unflattering fit, and, thus, I never wore them. Along
the same lines– if someone says a piece looks great on you, but you're not
comfortable, don't buy it. If you're comfortable and feel good in it, you'll
look good, etc.
– What body type do you have? I have a boyish figure, very Gwyneth thin & tall
(pre–baby!), and I find that the 'Editor' styles from Express work really well
for my body. I've seen lots of people of all different body types wearing them
and it does seem like the 'best–fitting pant in America' that they advertise.
They run anywhere from $68–$98, I believe. Banana Republic also has various
fits for pants along with Ann Taylor.
– I'm so excited about you wanting to wear the Chanel–inspired blazer, jeans,
and handbag! I wish my two very casual sisters would all of a sudden morph
into wanting to be stylish women :) I absolutely love my Chanel–inspired
blazers with a cami or basic, solid–colored top underneath.
When I did my shopping this fall, I didn't need *too* much, mostly pants and a
few tops to spice things up. Here is what I had on my "must" list:
– Chocolate brown & cream herringbone or tweed pants
– Camel herringbone wool–blend trouser pants
– Nice black pants for work or class presentations
– Fall–esque tops in browns and coffee (trying to get away from black)
– Sweaters that were not only functional (I'm in chilly Chicago), but cute
Having a list helped me know what I was looking for and stick to it, although I
couldn't restrain myself against certain items ;)
Try shopping some of the 'outfits' put together on the Ann Taylor website.
Best of luck to you!!!
––Laura

On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 11:29:19 –0800, "ahmward"
<nospam.ahmw...@yahoo.com> wrote:
I've never spent more than $300 on a single item, although I would
like to crash that limit by getting a black Diane von Furstenberg wrap
dress when I've dropped a size at the gym. I figure I can spend about
$1500 max total. (This is pretty high, but I figure I'm still
building up a wardrobe, so it's an investment, right??) Of course, I
don't want my clothes to look cheap, but all the better if they
actually are!
I don't really accessorize much because I have not mastered that
eclectic art. I have one pink print scarf and one blue print one.
But the only thing I think they go with is a white cardigan –– I wear
the pink scarf with the pink tee under the cardigan and the blue scarf
with the identical blue tee. Boring, eh? I also have a large white
flower pin but only one jacket that really looks good with it. I
really liked the vintage–look brooches they were showing a couple of
months ago –– are those dead yet?
I'm intrigued by the Camarillo outlets; I've never been, and it sounds
like a fun weekend trip!
–– maribeth

On 15 Nov 2004 03:21:02 GMT, hazelnut...@aol.com (Hazelnut583) wrote:
Heh heh –– that's often the problem; all the looks I like look great
on the hanger but not as good on me!
I'm small on top, curvy on the bottom, and carry weight around the
middle, so I like lower–rise pants because I can gloop out of them
just a bit. (An awful image, but they're more comfortable and I do
keep the gloop covered up. :) ) Ann Taylor pants fit me fairly well.
In Banana Republic and Express, I'm usually between sizes, but have a
few pairs that fit.
Please do tell where you get these blazers. I see knockoffs all the
time but to me they look really cheap, with inferior material or
mismatched plaids or crazy trim that looks wrong. I'd totally pay for
a real vintage one but haven't seen them at even the nice secondhand
shops –– I guess people have bought them all up by now?
Good idea, thanks!
–– maribeth

Maribeth Mason wrote:
scarf
The pink scarf would probably work well with brown, black, or grey. The
blue print would work with black or grey and maybe even brown
(depending on the tone).
jen

On Sun, 14 Nov 2004 16:20:27 –0500, "cofarb" <do...@cofarb.com> wrote:
I can't find this ad in my stash of magazines, but if anyone happens
to have the BCBG fall catalog, I think I would like:
#10, with a more conservative top under the sweater
#18, minus fur and gloves, plus a sweater
#22, maybe with pants
#24, I think I even have that skirt in black! (I thought it would go
with everything. It doesn't...)
#59, minus the beading
#64, if both shoulders were covered
#72, without qualifications (!)
#76, minus the spangly scarf
So I'll likely go back to the store a *third* time and see if I can
try some of those on, and keep an eye out for similar pieces. I like
a lot of their other looks but have to control myself, since my life
doesn't really require a closet full of evening or clubbing outfits or
adorable winter coats.
I also love the evening clothes at Max Studio but think their current
workwear offerings are kind of blah.
This is exactly the kind of stuff I'd like to learn to do! Thanks for
the ideas.
I think my next step is to take inventory, then take pictures (perhaps
posting them on the web for critique), and then take myself out again,
fully armed with pictures, ideas, and credit card.
–– maribeth

Maribeth Mason wrote:
I do the same thing. :–)
If you're small on top and curvy on the bottom, which is the opposite
of me, then look for jackets that will balance out your top with your
bottom. I'd try jackets with lapels or heavier fabrics such as tweed.
For your gloopy middle, don't shy away from jackets that hit at the
waist or are cut to accentuate a waist. They work much better at
minimizing a waist than a boxy, longer style that is designed to hide
the waist.
If you like Ann Taylor, this is the season for them! Pretty much
everything in the store is designed to mix–and–match, because the color
families are so complementary. They have some beautiful jackets, shoes,
purses this year.
for
Ann Taylor has a black chanel–inspired jacket, the kind with the ratty
looking fringe at the wrists and bottom, and with a floppy black flower
pin. I am lusting over this jacket. I tried it on with my jeans and it
looked fabulous (although I'd probably remove the flower pin because
that's just not my look). The price was too rich for me, however, so I
passed. If it goes on sale....
jen

Maribeth Mason <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote on 15 Nov 2004:
OK, I understand now. I think with more practice, outfits will probably
become easier for you. I know I still struggle sometimes to find new ways
to wear things and find myself getting into certain little ruts.
That's good! :)
Another helpful resource for you would be stylebakery.com. HTH
I haven't been that impressed with Lucky lately either and I may let my
subscription expire. I think Marie Claire has been doing quite nicely
though.
––
Poetic Badgers
"The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud."
–Coco Chanel

Thank you for posting the stylebakery site....it's awesome and I got
my very difficult brother and sister in law their Christmas present!!!
Yeah!

Maribeth Mason wrote:
That's a very good start.
Here's a tip: when you shop, shop with a mission. Wear the outfit that
you want to accessorize. Want a chanel–inspired jacket to wear with
jeans? Then shop for that and that alone, and wear your jeans so you'll
know exactly how they will look together.
I do this all the time myself. Also, if I do happen to see something
that *might* look good with something I already own but that's at home
in my closet, I'll deliberately pull an item from the racks that is
similar in color and cut to the item in my closet, to try them on
together. For example, if I see a jacket that I think will look great
with a pair of full, grey dress slacks I own but I happen to be wearing
skinny jeans, I'll see if the store has slacks similar to those I
already own, and try the jacket on with that.
I've learned that a lot of the "mistakes" happen because 1) the color
is not quite right – in the store or in theory you think it'll look
good with grey, but you get the item home, and the grey pants in your
closet aren't quite the same grey; or 2) the line of the two items
doesn't quite go together.
For example, I have a couple of pairs of gramercy pants from Ann Taylor
that only look good with sweaters that hit at the waist or high hip;
anything longer, and it looks all goofy for some reason. So it's
important to pay special attention to the cut and style line. Just
because a short boxy blazer theoretically should look good with a pair
of wide, flowing pants, doesn't automatically mean they'll go good with
*your* pair of wide, flowing pants!
For jackets I've learned that style line is critical – much more so
than the fabric. For example, a short jacket with lapels doesn't work
for me at all when paired with skinny jeans or pants. I have broad
shoulders and am a little chesty with narrow hips and thighs – the
proportion is all wrong and makes me look way too top heavy. But pair
the same jacket with bootcut pants or pants that are a little more
flowy (like the Harrison BR pants, which make me look like I have more
hips than I really do), and it works. For the skinny jeans, a jacket
without lapels that hits at low hip or longer (like a 3/4 coat) works
much better proportionately. The "rules" may be different for you – it
all depends on your figure type.
What neutrals do you already have in your wardrobe? I would start by
adding color. If you have a lot of black and brown, pinks are a good
option this year. Take a black or white top and black pants, and throw
on a pink jacket and wallah, you've added punch. Or just add a pink bag
and you've got punch.
Also think about adding texture. Cashmere is great this year. So are
the animal prints. I have one little leopard bag (leopard on one side,
brown suede on the other). It jazzes up everything I own. I am amazed
at the number of outfits this bag works with.
As for shoes, this is a great season to add interest at your feet. If
you're not brave enough just yet to wear colored shoes with brown or
black pants, try simply buying brown or black shoes with interesting
detail or material (such as moc–crock). If you are brave, try finding a
pair of flat or low heel, pointy shoes with a touch of leopard or zebra
fur on them. Instant funky wardrobe updater. Either will go with black
pants, jeans. Leopard will go with brown pants. Zebra with black. Or if
you're more conservative than that, try the same style shoe with a bit
of tweed fabric to jazz them up.
jen

czacc...@msn.com (Cheryl Z.) wrote on 17 Nov 2004:
You're welcome. :)
Even looking at how the outfits are put together can be helpful. You
could use that spread as a visual starting point and put together your
own outfits with any clothing. :)
Another helpful resource for you would be stylebakery.com. HTH
––
Poetic Badgers
"The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud."
–Coco Chanel

Maribeth Mason <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote in message news:<01tdp055gfrbvq9n9lq8ii6bfrr3jcg...@4ax.com>...
This fall I was in a similar situation. What really helped me was to
analyze my wardrobe systematically with a general style idea in mind,
which had a casual and a dressier implementation. I didn't (and
probably can't) label the style, but it's based on images and color.
I went through my closet, getting rid of things I didn't want anymore
and hanging the clothes together by category. I made 5x7" notecards
listing all the items in a category, resulting in notecards for pants,
skirts, sweaters/jackets, blouses/shirts, T's/knit tops, and shoes.
Then I took each bottom item and figured out which top items and shoes
would go with it. This exercise, along with having a general idea of
the look I wanted, revealed the holes in my closet.
I made notecards listing items that needed coordinates and ideas on
what to get, and then started looking intensively at catalogs and web
sites to find things to fill the holes. I didn't start buying things
until I had surveyed the possibilities.
Overall, I realized that I've tended too much toward black and
neutrals, and found that getting some more colorful items makes a big
difference. I do like neutrals, and think that interesting/stylish
shoes or jewelry can jazz up a neutral outfit without making me look
like a trend victim. I also concluded that animal prints (such as
leopard) should give a boost to neutrals, but haven't tried it yet.
Julianne X

Maribeth Mason <marib...@its.caltech.edu> wrote on 15 Nov 2004:
Even looking at how the outfits are put together can be helpful. You
could use that spread as a visual starting point and put together your
own outfits with any clothing. :)
Another helpful resource for you would be stylebakery.com. HTH
––
Poetic Badgers
"The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud."
–Coco Chanel