Help me fashion please!
December 28, 2019 7:21 AM Subscribe
Looking for Instagram fashion accounts to follow, plus a meta-question about staying inspired and building my own sense of style.
Getting dressed can be a cool fun art project you get to do each morning, but I've been feeling stuck in a rut. In the late aughts/my early 20s, I followed a number of fashion blogs I loved, most of which have run their course (Already Pretty circa 2010-2012, multiply recommended from ask metafilter, is a prime example). I'd never before been that comfortable with the idea of enjoying fashion or trying to look good, and these blogs had a great mix of solid advice, body positivity, and styles I loved. I'd like to try and re-create this ecosystem on Instagram, but am overwhelmed! (Or maybe this is the wrong approach? If not Instagram, where does this sort of thing live in almost-2020?)
Some notes on the kinds of accounts I'd love to find, and, meta-question, your strategies for *finding* these accounts, and generally keeping your eye for cute outfits fresh and evolving:
* I'm a mid 30s, straight sized hourglass/pear figure, but interested in seeing a wide diversity of ages, body types, race, etc.
* Looking primarily for fashion, rather than makeup, 'lifestyle' etc. Practical/wearable clothes in real life are preferable to editorial/model-y.
* Advice about why things look good or highlight particular features is great! I like to see new trends, and don't mind advice about specific looks that now seem dated, but miss me with judginess especially about what's 'appropriate' for certain ages or body types.
* I tend toward feminine/pretty looks, but possibly would like to add some edge as well. My primary silhouettes are a dress or skirt/top with a fitted waist and A line, or else skinny pants/leggings under a longish top or tunic. Love belts and big scarves, am aware that both of these are less super-trendy than they were. If this describes you now, OR if it did a few years ago and you've evolved elsewhere, we're probably in the same style ballpark.
* Specific products or brands are less important than seeing people who own their style and have *fun* getting dressed, even if their style is different from mine.
Getting dressed can be a cool fun art project you get to do each morning, but I've been feeling stuck in a rut. In the late aughts/my early 20s, I followed a number of fashion blogs I loved, most of which have run their course (Already Pretty circa 2010-2012, multiply recommended from ask metafilter, is a prime example). I'd never before been that comfortable with the idea of enjoying fashion or trying to look good, and these blogs had a great mix of solid advice, body positivity, and styles I loved. I'd like to try and re-create this ecosystem on Instagram, but am overwhelmed! (Or maybe this is the wrong approach? If not Instagram, where does this sort of thing live in almost-2020?)
Some notes on the kinds of accounts I'd love to find, and, meta-question, your strategies for *finding* these accounts, and generally keeping your eye for cute outfits fresh and evolving:
* I'm a mid 30s, straight sized hourglass/pear figure, but interested in seeing a wide diversity of ages, body types, race, etc.
* Looking primarily for fashion, rather than makeup, 'lifestyle' etc. Practical/wearable clothes in real life are preferable to editorial/model-y.
* Advice about why things look good or highlight particular features is great! I like to see new trends, and don't mind advice about specific looks that now seem dated, but miss me with judginess especially about what's 'appropriate' for certain ages or body types.
* I tend toward feminine/pretty looks, but possibly would like to add some edge as well. My primary silhouettes are a dress or skirt/top with a fitted waist and A line, or else skinny pants/leggings under a longish top or tunic. Love belts and big scarves, am aware that both of these are less super-trendy than they were. If this describes you now, OR if it did a few years ago and you've evolved elsewhere, we're probably in the same style ballpark.
* Specific products or brands are less important than seeing people who own their style and have *fun* getting dressed, even if their style is different from mine.
Best answer: Seconding karenbritchick's NYC street style videos on YouTube. They are reminiscent of Bill Cunningham. Karen is great. She has great style and personality although I tend not to watch many of her videos because they tend to feature items/pieces instead of offering advice about putting outfits together.
I also am overwhelmed by Instagram fashion accounts because so many look the same or they are looking to sell something, or they are too intermixed with lifestyle stuff. I mainly watch YouTube nowadays for fashion. Favorite at the moment is Audrey Coyne.
posted by loveandhappiness at 2:02 PM on December 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
I also am overwhelmed by Instagram fashion accounts because so many look the same or they are looking to sell something, or they are too intermixed with lifestyle stuff. I mainly watch YouTube nowadays for fashion. Favorite at the moment is Audrey Coyne.
posted by loveandhappiness at 2:02 PM on December 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: 1. Become a greater ally of your own reaction to putting on a garment. Allow yourself great depth of emotion in your response to how it feels and how it looks in the mirror. Allow yourself to absolutely shudder with horror or joy as you slide on a shirt. Your body has a physical reaction to clothes; pay attention to it.
2. When you've put an outfit together, ask yourself "does this make me feel like absolute magic?" and if it doesn't, change something.
3. Can't stop staring at your reflection? Congratulations, your outfit is complete.
posted by Sterros at 4:33 PM on December 28, 2019 [3 favorites]
2. When you've put an outfit together, ask yourself "does this make me feel like absolute magic?" and if it doesn't, change something.
3. Can't stop staring at your reflection? Congratulations, your outfit is complete.
posted by Sterros at 4:33 PM on December 28, 2019 [3 favorites]
And, consider avoiding fashion blogs, as I do. I feel like getting that input would hinder my development of my own personal style.
posted by Sterros at 4:40 PM on December 28, 2019
posted by Sterros at 4:40 PM on December 28, 2019
Best answer: You might like @bcrladinaj. Her insta/blog are more about curating a personal style rather than hot/new/fashion. She also lives somewhere near a jealousy-inducing Canadian wormhole where one can consistently and cheaply thrift really good stuff.
posted by ortoLANparty at 11:52 AM on December 29, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by ortoLANparty at 11:52 AM on December 29, 2019 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I find that the new (e)books section in my library's Overdrive often points me to writers/bloggers/Instagrammers,
ThriftStyle by Allison Engle and Reise Moore
The Clothes Make the Girl (Look Fat)? Adventures and Agonies in Fashion by Brittany Gibbons
P.S. If you like thrifting, you may enjoy online thrifting via shopgoodwill.com. One, I have been searching by shoe size and type (slingback, kitten heel, ballet flat) with much success, and have also scored several dresses with POCKETS!!!! But two, I find it useful for honing my eye. Why did that bold print catch my eye, and that other bold print make me feel like I'm dressing like my aunt?
posted by spamandkimchi at 8:11 PM on December 31, 2019
ThriftStyle by Allison Engle and Reise Moore
The Clothes Make the Girl (Look Fat)? Adventures and Agonies in Fashion by Brittany Gibbons
P.S. If you like thrifting, you may enjoy online thrifting via shopgoodwill.com. One, I have been searching by shoe size and type (slingback, kitten heel, ballet flat) with much success, and have also scored several dresses with POCKETS!!!! But two, I find it useful for honing my eye. Why did that bold print catch my eye, and that other bold print make me feel like I'm dressing like my aunt?
posted by spamandkimchi at 8:11 PM on December 31, 2019
Best answer: Oh also I totally go down rabbit holes (mostly in Twitter but sometimes in Instagram) and discover new people by looking at who they follow. For example, Christene Barberich led me to some of her Refinery29 staffers.
posted by spamandkimchi at 8:34 PM on December 31, 2019
posted by spamandkimchi at 8:34 PM on December 31, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 8:53 AM on December 28, 2019 [1 favorite]