Clothing/fashion analysis websites?

January 22, 2008 10:39 AM

I enjoy watching What Not to Wear and find myself analyzing real people on the street through the lens' of Stacy and Clinton. Help me find a kindred website!

I've been doing some Google and AskMe archive searches, but can't quite find what I'm looking for, if it even exists. Ideally, the site would post a photo of a person in normal clothes (preferably along the lines of the style choices often used in What Not to Wear) and then analyze why that outfit is or isn't successful for that particular person. Even better: it would have info on how to purchase the clothes or suggest similar items. My biggest challenge is creating a cohesive outfit, including accessories, and finding the right pieces. Stacy and Clinton pair seemingly random pieces because they "go" and I often like the result. My fashion eye doesn't work like that - I'm sort of Ann Taylor Loft vanilla right now and think such a site might help me take it up a notch.

It would be sort of like The Sartorialist or these sites, yet less edgy and with more/better commentary. I'm not really looking for cutting-edge or radical fashion. StyleDiary also almost works, but it's just people posting photos of themselves and doesn't really explain why a particular skirt works on that person.

My style is similar to the style choices used in the show, yet I'm not quite as adventurous as I could be. I'm hoping that finding/reading such a site will allow me to learn more about how to dress, help me find good clothes, and let me experiment with fashion while still looking great.

Please tell me such a site or blog exists Mefites!

posted by ml98tu to clothing, beauty, & fashion (14 comments total)

GoFugYourself, for starters.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:51 AM on January 22, 2008

Wardrobe Remix?
posted by pinky at 10:55 AM on January 22, 2008

On preview: yeah, what AV said.
posted by jtron at 10:55 AM on January 22, 2008

Yep, thirding the the Fug girls.
posted by miss lynnster at 11:09 AM on January 22, 2008

Fug fourthed.

Hel-looks is a Helsinki-based fashion photoblog, but usually only quotes those photographed about what they're wearing and doesn't criticise or offer analysis. Still, they dress snappy in Helsinki!
posted by Pallas Athena at 11:14 AM on January 22, 2008

Manolo's Super Fantastic Forums
posted by happyturtle at 11:47 AM on January 22, 2008

Ummm... Go Fug Yourself isn't at all what the poster is asking for. I mean, it's one of my favorites, but it isn't meant for constructive criticism of normal clothes. It's "how can famous people who apparently have all these handlers and people who want to see them succeed allow Famous Person to leave the house like that?"
posted by stefnet at 11:57 AM on January 22, 2008 [2 favorites]

Yeah, I agree with stefnet. Gofugyourself is not what OP's is looking for: critical commentary on real people wearing real clothes. I don't know of anything exactly like what you're looking for, but the InStyle trends area or its reader forums might work. (There's even a 'click to buy' option for some celebrity outfits, but we're talking fancy dress for the most part.) If you'd consider books, the InStyle Secrets of Style is actually pretty good (and they have others along the theme). And of course the What Not to Wear folks have a book themselves.
posted by cocoagirl at 12:37 PM on January 22, 2008

Lucky Magazine does this every month on their website with reader-submitted photos: Does This Outfit Work?
posted by junkbox at 12:48 PM on January 22, 2008

I think of Fashioni.st as Sartorialist for the rest of us. Mai singles out specific details of the outfit she likes - silhouette, accessories, &c. Of course it helps that it's San Francisco street fashion, which I personally could groove on for ever.
posted by rdc at 1:20 PM on January 22, 2008

Thanks all for the responses so far. I read and enjoy GFY, but as a few have mentioned, it's not quite what I had in mind. Some of their commentary and "Well Played" posts can be applicable though. Junkbox, the Lucky thing you mentioned is really interesting - it gets more to the interplay of the pieces and improving what you have, very useful, thanks! It would be great if there was something similar that was updated more than once a month.

(On preview: thanks rdc! Keep 'em coming everyone!)
posted by ml98tu at 1:38 PM on January 22, 2008

Style Mob looks promising...

Don't underestimate street style and wardrobe-remix-type sites. Viewing enough pictures of amazing and not-so-amazing outfits has definitely helped me sort out what I do and don't like for myself and delineate what looks good or doesn't, and has opened my mind to a lot of possibilities that don't necessarily lie within Stacey and Clinton's very conservative guidelines.
posted by loiseau at 4:45 PM on January 22, 2008

If you feel like making a livejournal account, there's the "what I wore today" community. People post their outfits and people say what's good (in most cases) or bad about them and make suggestions. I think all the posts are friends only, so you have to actually join the community, though.
posted by lxs at 6:14 PM on January 22, 2008

Fashioni.st is a San Francisco street fashion blog that does a great job of capturing the ordinary, but never boring. I think it'd be a better fit for your style than the whole folder of crazy European and Asian street fashion sites I have bookmarked.

Mai, the incredibly talented photographer with a shoe obsession, tries to keep it positive so there's no snarky "that doesn't work" commentary. She always mentions her favorite parts of the outfit, however, and why they're so awesome, paying particular attention to fit and customization. She'll point out how elements you'd never think of can work together; your shirt can match your hair, and the texture of your tights can compliment your coat.

Also, she sometimes photographs and comments on how girls have done their makeup, something sorely neglected on other street fashion sites.

Seconding Wardrobe Remix if you really want the negative commentary; no one is harsher than the person actually wearing it, most people are quick to say that a pair of pants makes them look fat or that their hair looks goofy that day.

I actually quit StyleMob because I got so tired of the shittalking and snobbery, but if you don't mind anonymous internet jerks acting like they're Coco fucking Chanel then indulge away, it is rather addictive and very similar to what you're looking for.
posted by Juliet Banana at 7:11 AM on January 23, 2008