Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with fashion

... but what do women wearon their feet during winter?!

alleycat01 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:35:15 -0800

Help me figure out what casual-but-stylish shoes to wear for an urban winter. Lots of tiresome fashion details inside. I'm a relatively style-savvy (...er, I hope) woman, but for whatever reason I just *cannot* figure out what kind of casual-yet-stylish shoes to wear now that it's colder. I tend towards cute flats with skinnier jeans in the summer/fall, but that looks sort of stupid with socks, so I'm pretty much trying to find the winter replacement. I'm already a fan of jeans-under-flat-knee-high boots, but I'm looking for something ankle-height, like regular shoes or booties, that I *don't* need to tuck the ends of my jeans into. I'd like either flats or low heels (under 2"), preferably a dark color, leather, under $100 (well, the cheaper the better). It'll be a bonus if it's something I can wear with black tights/leggings and casual skirts, but I really want them primarily for jeans & weekend tops.

I like the cone heel and the toe of these gorgeous booties a TON, but they're a bit too high and only come in this cognac suede. (Would these look OK with jeans, though? My "skinny" jeans aren't the type that shrink-wrap to your ankles; they're more of a straight-leg opening with "regular" denim that's not like 100% stretch.)

I'm also considering something like this, even though it's out of my usual look-range and, uh, basically disregards 2 of my 3 criteria above.

Any suggestions? Pictures of people wearing suggested styles would be especially useful--sometimes I like a shoe online, but I can't figure out how it's supposed to work with the rest of the outfit. Thanks, fashionable winter MeFites!

Why are their pants falling down?

GernBlandston — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:47:59 -0800

Why do so many kids wear their pants 1/2 way down their asses - if not totally off their asses? Is this a fashion thing I don't know about? Do they not know that their pants are falling down?

Who designed this dress?

Joe Beese — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:11:57 -0800

Who designed the gorgeous dress Anne-Sophie Mutter wears on the cover of her box of Mozart sonatas and related DVD?

Boots, boots, who's gonna find my boots?

allymusiqua — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:10:43 -0800

I'm in love with a boot...help me find them! So, I recently found these boots on a website found Mod Cloth and I fell in love, ordered them, then got an email saying they were all out of stock and there's no way Mod Cloth would get another shipping. Also, they're made by small companies so once they're sold out, they're sold out.

I don't believe them. So Mefis, where can I find them? If not the exact pair, do you know of any stores/websites that would sell something similar (that aren't outrageously expensive?)

lookbook for people who aren't 15-year-old artsy kids?

oinopaponton — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:43:56 -0800

Does a collaborative, extensive, tagged and search-able (women's) fashion website like this exist? I'm aware of lookbook.nu, which is certainly fun, but I'm looking for something a little more sophisticated and grown up (with maybe a lesser emphasis on see-through stockings as pants).

My ideal website would have lots and lots of tags: brands, colors, item of clothing, occasions, even material. I'd imagine it would superficially look somewhat like lookbook in terms of structure, with lots of individual contributors. An aggregator site where someone goes through magazines and street style blogs and back-tags outfits would be great, too.

I want to be able to type in, for example, "skinny black jeans" and see photographs of a bunch of different ways to style skinny black jeans-- not on models, or at least not exclusively on models.

What to wear when wintering with the Dutch?

swngnmonk — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:52:29 -0800

Gift Filter: Sister is moving to Maastricht for an internship, and needs appropriate outerwear that's bicycle-friendly. So my sister's moving to Maastricht in January, and will be getting around by bicycle. Neither of us really know what to expect - she's thinking wetter than what she experienced in the UK, but perhaps less cold.

I'd like to get her some new outerwear for the wintertime (Jacket, pants, gloves) that are reasonably fashionable, but also bicycle-friendly, as that will be her primary means of transportation. Pants could be either straight pants, or overpants. Functionality is important.

I was initially thinking something hiking-gear-like, but I think she'd prefer to blend in with the locals. Her style is also somewhat muted, a bright orange shell isn't really her speed. She's also handicapped by an older brother who's a complete fashion dunce when it comes to women's clothing.

Suggestions, MeFites? Help my sister enter the Netherlands in style!

Brown Men's Dress Boots

saladin — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:09:17 -0800

Metafilter Personal Shopper: Men's Dress Boots I'm looking for a very specific type of dress boot and, having scoured both the Internet and various NYC area stores for several weeks to no avail, have now turned to the awesome power of Metafilter for help.

What I want are a pair of brown, ankle-ish high men's zip dress boots. Seems easy enough, but there are a large amount of things that I don't want on the boots, which is making the search much more difficult.

I don't want laces, buckles or Chelsea-boot style flexible panels; only zip will do. I don't want much of a heel (like this), nor do I want them to be as oddly flat as these.

I emphatically don't want a square or pointed toe, or much overhang of the sole... this is sort of the ideal toe profile I'm looking for, both in terms of shape and in terms of how much the sole protrudes out the sides of the boot (virtually none).

I don't really want any stitching or detail on the boot as a whole, but especially on the toe; what I want is a smooth, trim, continuous expanse of leather. I also don't want any texture (no pebbly, no faux-alligator, etc.).

I don't want any slouchy leather in the ankle area. I don't want any significant tread (ideally they will be leather-soled).

I don't want burgundy or tan boots, nor grayish brown. The ideal color I'm looking for falls somewhere between cognac and chocolate on the brown spectrum; the Prada boots linked above are pretty close to perfect.

Essentially, these boots would be perfect if they were zip instead of Chelsea-style.

And finally, I'd prefer to pay south of $500 for these non-existent, totally perfect dress boots.

Do these boots exist? And if so, where the heck can I buy them?

Where would I find quality, curved, wooden hangers?

decrescendo — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:38:26 -0800

Where would I find quality, curved, wooden hangers? I was just at Nordstrom and I bought some dress shirts that were hanging on some really nice, curved, wooden hangers in the store.

Where would I find something similar?

I see a lot of wooden hangers online but I'm afraid they're probably pretty junky.

Target
Target
Walmart

Jean Genie?

JoanArkham — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:16:12 -0800

I'm looking for black, size 18 jeans. But I'm really, really picky... These jeans must be black. Like, blackity, black, black...not dark rinsed.

Rise should be "just below waist." No mom jeans, no "how the heck do you wear underwear with these" jeans.

Leg should be straight (but not narrow). No bootcut, no flare, but not skinny jeans either. Like the totally standard jean leg that existed in that brief period in the 90s after "pegged" but before bootcut.

I don't want to spend more than $40, but would consider it for really, really amazing jeans.

Added problems: my waist is small compared to my hips and booty. Curve-friendly is a plus. Also, I'm 5'10" and prefer tall or long inseam.

I'm not sure these jeans exist. Maybe I should start trying on men's jeans?

Woman's Fashions of the Late !930s

Raybun — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:59:02 -0800

Mrs Raybun watched the 1937 version of The Women and loved the fashion show sequences. What other late 1930s movies that showcase woman's fashions of the period would she enjoy watching?

I want to look good. No, really good. (Or: personal shopper?)

tellumo — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:33:48 -0800

A few years ago, I had a girlfriend who (gently) took me to task about my wardrobe and made a few suggestions as to how I could look better. I could see the difference after I'd tried a few new outfits, but I'm not very good at coming up with them myself, and I'm not very good at knowing what looks good and what has to change. It recently popped into my head that I could hire someone to help me out with this, but I know absolutely nothing about how to do so--although I hope MeFi harbors someone who does. Can you help me? I understand that the usual job title is "personal shopper," but I understand they mostly work for high-end stores, and I want to be able to 1) have a wider range of options and 2) get a pair of jeans for less than $300. "Style consultant" also came to mind, but that makes me think of calling Deloitte and asking for the menswear department.

Essentially, I'm looking for someone who can work with me on how to deal with my appearance (hair, glasses, clothes, shoes, accessories, any other aspects I may have forgotten) in all situations, work and leisure. I'm mostly interested in buying new clothes because I think I can pick out a few real clunkers from my wardrobe and replace them, but ideally I'd like to have an expert opinion on what to keep and what to chuck, as well as what to buy.

Like I said, I'm worse than clueless here, so my questions will be many and fundamental:

What is this called? A "personal shopper," a "style consultant," a "wardrobe consultant," something else? What's the phrase to type into the search engines? (For clarity and brevity, I'll use "personal shopper" in the following.)

How do you qualify a personal shopper? What do you look for to determine whether a personal shopper is good at their job and will work well with you?

What's the going rate? I understand the in-store ones generally work on commission, but I'd prefer to hire someone independent. I'm in San Francisco.

How should I set this up? Should I plan on an initial consultation followed by a shopping trip, or some other structure?

What should I ask a personal shopper? What sort of things should I keep in mind when working with one?

If you've worked with a personal shopper, what was it like? Any tips?

If you are a personal shopper, is there any advice you'd have for me on how to work most effectively with you or one of your colleagues?

If you're in the Bay Area and know a personal shopper, would you care to recommend him or her?

Bonus Question: While I appreciate good design, I think I have a bit of a tin eye for my own stuff, and for almost anything involving dress. Is it possible for me to get better at this, and if so, how?

I've seen this question, but there were only a few responses relating to independent personal shoppers, I'm not in NYC, and my questions are a little broader.

Thanks!

Failing this, does anyone know a good cobbler in 19104?

SansPoint — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:06:40 -0800

Help me find a pair of decent, grown-up shoes to wear to work, that will last me more than six months. Preferably for less than $100 a pair. Maybe it's just my feet. A few months ago, I picked up a nice looking pair of brown leather Steve Madden shoes from a nearby shoe store. They were on sale for $65. They looked good and were comfortable, and figured they'd be a great option to replace my previous shoes (Rockports), wherein the soles had been worn down to the point where parts of the heel were even with the front sole. *Those* replaced a pair of shoes (Bill Blass) that had detached from the sole.

Anyway, those nice Steve Maddens? They've fallen apart. The leather on the outside edge of BOTH shoes has detached from the sole--looking like it's been ripped, not just popped.

So, in eighteen months, I've gone through three pairs of not-cheap shoes. I just want a pair that won't fall apart that fast. I really don't know where to go here.

Am I underpricing my shoes? I really don't have the ability to drop $2-300 on shoes. I need to eat, after all. What can I do?

(Pertinent Info: I'm a size 11, and normal-ish width. I manage to wear Chuck Taylors, which run narrow, with no discomfort or falling-apart issues. I've had my two pairs of Chucks for over a year.)

Options for cold-weather fasion beyond 'throw on a black sweater' please!

JoannaC — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:40:25 -0800

I need to dress better. Complication: I have a chilly workplace. Surely there are somewhat attractive options beyond 'throw on a black sweater on' but I am at a loss as to what they might be... My typical outfit is black pants and a 'fashion' top, and I guess I am just not sure how to dress that up and still stay warm. I am not that bright as far as fashion goes :) and I favour the black because it goes with everything. But I am starting to feel like I'm wearing the same outfit every day because it's always 'pants and some variety of black sweater' since you never can see what's underneath :)

I feel like scarves can be fun, but I don't know how to match a scarf to a shirt that's not a simple, solid colour. I also feel like sweaters in colours other than black might be an option, but again, what do you wear underneath them so you don't look too 'busy' and clashing? I just don't know how to put different-looking 'looks' together that aren't going to leave me shivering all day.

I do not have access to the greatest of laundry facilities, so anything which isn't wash and go (or, wash and lay flat to dry and then go). And I am not really open to skirt-based options either; I am a kindergarten teacher and have to sit on the floor with small children all day. Also, I ave a lot of playground duty so go between indoors and outside a lot. This does not always help with the soooooo cold issues :)

So, educate this fashion victim. There are options besides a) freeze to death and b) throw on a black sweater, right?

Help me find this jacket!

PFL — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:39:55 -0800

I'd like to find a leather jacket similar to this one. I have no idea where to start or anything about leather jackets in general. Is there a specific style of jacket I should be searching for?
I'd prefer it to be a more slim-fitting jacket like this as opposed to a biker jacket, but if you have any cool biker jackets in mind I'd check those out too.

Bonus points for Nashville-area stores but online sources work too. Thanks!

you'd look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two

Juliet Banana — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:57:32 -0800

My boyfriend and I really want to win Most Stylish Couple at The Sadie Hawkins Style Ride in one week. Any suggestions? (previously) There is no way on earth we are winning Fastest Couple; normally I wouldn’t even participate in a ride since I’m the speed-racing equivalent of a child riding on the sidewalk or a pedicab, but it’s a short ride (~3 miles), you can skip checkpoints and hop to the bar if you’re not concerned with winning Fastest Couple, the money goes to a good cause, there’s beer at the end, and I really want that pair of Seagull Bags.

I have a teal&orange little boy’s bike from the late sixties or early seventies; it’s a Schwinn Stingray knockoff. My boyfriend has a yellow Schwinn Varsity.

So, how do we dress? I’m a girl with most of my somewhat eccentric wardrobe obsessively cataloged online, if you know where to look for it. My boyfriend’s most distinctive features are a blonde handlebar mustache and a collection of brightly colored skinny jeans. We’re riding at night in Chicago’s November, so all-black clothing is probably not genius, and moderate warmth is a must (it’s not snowing or anything and I generally heat up on my bike, but it’s definitely tights&hoodie weather).

The best idea I’ve had is my boyfriend dressing like an olde timey admiral with a captain’s hat and me dressing like a pirate with a pirate’s hat,with my eyepatched sock monkey riding in my jolly-roger-outfitted bike basket. This really isn’t that costumey for us (I’ve worn both those hats to shows and he wears that captain’s hat everyday to work) but given the timing I worry it’ll look like we just reused our Halloween costumes.

I have access to two bright and colorful wardrobes, a million accessories including a backpack shaped like an owl and a sombrero, and pretty much every store in Chicago proper including craft stores and a bunch of resale shops in Boy’s Town. So, what other themes could we go for to look like a super-stylish matched cycling couple?

I'm right, but lack visual evidence of my rightness

B-squared — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:45:07 -0800

Help me find images of handsome, manly men in white sweaters. I'm trying to convince my husband that a white sweater is as versatile as his dour browns, blacks and grays. If they are layered with shirts under or jackets over, all the better. Thank you!

Engineer chic

maggieb — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:46:43 -0800

My son asked me what he should wear to his next interview with a company with which he really wants to work. This interview is a third contact where they are actually paying money for him to travel to their location. He is scheduled to graduate from college this coming spring with an appropriate degree.

This interview will include being inside the corporate offices and going out(side) into the [dirty, muddy] field. This time of year the weather may be wet, cold and/or snowy.

He wants a job with this company so bad he could probably make himself be composed half-naked in an icestorm....

BUT, he is a poor college student with a limited wardrobe but willing to buy new stuff.

I tried to use my Google-fu to research "engineer chic" and to find photos of office-dressed civil engineers in-the-field... to no avail.

I failed.

We have two weeks for suggestions.

BTW, I think the company will hire him no matter what because he is smart and passionate and if they do not see that they are doodoo-heads.

My question is: What can a college kid who only has a well-cut suit, several nice shirts and two cool ties, sneakers and steel-toed boots wear to an important interview?

Search for winter booties.

blackcatcuriouser — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:21:52 -0800

Have you seen this shoe? I have been looking for shoes like these and finally found them at Zara in New York City. They are pictured here:

They are comfy, leather, with a cone heel that does not exceed 2.5 inches, round toe, nice silhouette/shape, under $100. They are basically everything I want - except the color. They are only available in chocolate brown. I want a shoe/bootie like this in black or grey. I've searched the websites for Steve Madden, Zappos, Piperlime, Endless, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie. Nothing. What are some other good fashionable shoe websites? Better yet - are there other shoes like these out there?!

Help!

Where would I find a black fedora and black sunglasses for a Blues Brothers costume by Saturday morning?

decrescendo — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:27:04 -0800

Where would I find a black fedora and black sunglasses for a Blues Brothers costume by Saturday morning? My friend and I are going as Jake and Elwood but we haven't found a hat or sunglasses yet.

How best can we track some down before Saturday without paying $85 for shipping?

Are there any department store that carry black fedoras on a regular basis?

Yes, I've got a lulu. Why?

stuck on an island — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:25:06 -0800

Where can I find reasonably detailed reference images of smart everyday women's clothes from the 1940s, 50s and early 60s? After bemoaning the state of modern women's workwear for years, I've decided to draw my office wardrobe influences from the past. Specifically, the block of time bordered roughly by His Girl Friday and Mad Men. (Yes, I know.) To do this, I need images from the time to "clip" for reference and inspiration, but I can't figure out where to look -- searching specifically for costume images yields too few results, searching generally for the time periods yields too many.

Where should I look to get a good idea of what the woman in the street wore? I am not looking for haute couture or Hollywood glamour (although I'd welcome recommendations for good frock porn films) -- more along the lines of what a Sartorialist of the time might have photographed. I make clothes and am learning to draft my own patterns, so the more detailed the images the better.

Changing the world, one kiss at a time...

Muirwylde — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:35:10 -0800

Cosmetic manufacturing in China. I've noted that certain regions of China specialize in different types of consumer goods manufacturing. Which city or region is ground zero for cosmetics manufacturing in China? I'm interested in having a cosmetic product line (lipcare, lip gloss, lip balm, etc.) manufactured in China. Product line will use stock componentry custom overprinted with trademarked logo. I have had products produced in Taiwan of my own design. I don't need concept, design, or formulation input. My Tawainese suppliers are not suitable for this project and I want to take a trip to Mainland China to find a supplier who is capable of providing scalable production capacity for a national, and eventually, international roll out. I don't expect a recommendation to a specific cosmetic manufacturer unless you have specific experience with this type of product. The product (lip gloss) will be hot-filled in glass. I realize the manufacturers have close relationships with componentry suppliers and I also have my own sources for the componentry. Manufacturer must be capable of supplying a 1200 door international chain from 2-3 store test phase through full roll-out. Manufacturer must be willing to work with a small but rapidly expanding niche brand.There are hundreds of Chinese cosmetic manufacturers (or agents masquarading as cosmetic manufacturers) online. Please, no links to Alibaba or other China 'business lead'-generating sites. Rather, I am more interested in what city or region I should be looking at that is the absolute center for cosmetic manufacture in Mainland China so I can travel there and make some decisions after eyeballing the terrain. Any links to the pre-eminent cosmetic trade shows (in China) or China cosmetic trade organizations that you feel might be useful or helpful would also be greatly appreciated. I also would be interested in knowing what unforeseen problems you may have experienced while rolling out similar product lines. Thank you!

What does a non-fashiony woman wear to a tech interview?

duckus — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:45:13 -0800

What does a non-girly woman wear to a technical interview? Details on impending fashion crisis inside. I'm a non-girly woman. I mostly wear jeans and t-shirts to work. I have an interview at a tech company that sounds casual. I've read previous threads (and googled) and most, if not all responses are geared toward men. I don't really feel comfortable going in a suit with no tie !

Right now, my plan is brown cords with a really thin wale (just learned that word! ) and some kind of button down shirt. I'm wearing a kind of hot-pink kind of almost magenta stretch shirt right now (I realize I said I'm non-girly, but this shirt is really cute ! ). It has a button hole mid-shoulder for rolling up and buttoning the sleeves.

I'd prefer to go untucked shirt route .. but I'm pretty fashion clueless .. so any options would be fantastic.

Thanks !

Where is the german version of the montreal plateau!

Smegoid — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:25:07 -0800

Berlin-Leipzig-Amsterdam filter. Visiting all three for a conference on a record shopping (minimal, electro, german techno) and cool neighborhood finding adventure. Any ideas? I looked through previous threads but this rather specific. At a conference, first time in germany (and flying out of amsterdam). I'd love to find some good vinyl, especially all the old 2000-2005 minimal/microhouse/electro german music that I've never been able to find back in Canada (labels like bpict, force tracks, kompakt, ware, gigolos). Any hints (for berlin mostly, but leipzig and amsterdam wouldnt hurt).

Also I have some mates with me who are interested in good tips on where to shop for good euro fashion (mid designer stuff, g-star, energie, whatever). Neighborhoods where records and clothes unit would be a plus! Many thanks mefi! Multiple people here appreciate it!

These boots were made for walkin' in LA?

pointystick — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:17:23 -0800

What is appropriate fashion in fall and winter when in a warm or desert climate? I live in Atlanta where we have 4 disctinct seasons (albeit in no particular order!) but I'm hoping to spend more time in the Southwest - Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix, Los Angeles, etc - both for fun and perhaps for work, but have no idea what to wear when it's fall (I'll be there this weekend) or winter (again around Christmas). Will my trousers and boots look silly? How about tweedy skirts or sweaters? I am most concerned about business wear (woman, 30s, casual to dressy office) and going out in the evenings. Does it matter if you stay inside where it's going to be air conditioned? Do desert-dwellers and southwesterners still hanker for wool and suede when the mercury outside is in the 70s? Thanks for your wisdom!

Leather-free fashion in Paris?

nicoleincanada — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:21:59 -0800

Where can I find leather-free clothing in Paris? Specifically, I'm looking for boots and shoes, but bonus points for jackets, belts and the like. I'll soon be spending a week in Paris, and it seems reasonable to expect that one should be able to buy stylish, leather-free footwear in one of the world's fashion capitals. But so far I've had zero luck on Google in finding any Parisian store that sells leather-free or vegetarian clothing (granted, I'm Googling in English due to minimal French language skills.)

I'm willing to spend some money - though not crazy amounts - for reasonably well-made non-leather footwear, casual or dressy. Stores that advertise as vegan/vegetarian would be awesome, but not necessary. Ideally I'd love to go to a store that specializes in this sort of thing, but I know of only Stella McCartney, and I suspect her flagship store will be trop cher for me.

As a runner-up, I'd be interested in any stores that typically sell some non-leather footwear. (Runner up b/c in my experience, the token synthetic pair of boots in any given place is usually frumpier and more cheaply made than the leather stuff. And then there's the offgassing...)

To narrow things down further, I'm aware that there are good options available for online ordering - I've resisted because I have wide and weirdly shaped feet, and don't feel like dealing with the hassle of shipping shoes. But if you've had great experiences at any given online store, I'd love to hear about it.

And finally, I've found a lot of thorough lists of vegetarian restaurants in Paris online. No concerns there. This is just about fashion.