How can find out what looks good on me?
January 11, 2011 12:13 PM Subscribe
I'm having trouble figuring out what would look good on me.
How can one learn what kind of outfits work well on me? For example, I've been looking at jackets, and had narrowed it down to 2 choices but I have no idea which one would work better on me.
Thankfully I have my sibling and a colleague who both told me which one would look better on me :D
Any ideas how to improve my fashion sense? I've only started actually shopping for clothes.... about 12 months ago. Still learning. For the last 3 decades, it's been T-shirts, Jeans, Shoes, done.
I'm not too interested in the lastest fashions or styles; just that if I encounter a few choices in clothes that my gut tells me would do good, which would I pick? Are there fashion guidelines? I'm a guy :)
Thanks!
How can one learn what kind of outfits work well on me? For example, I've been looking at jackets, and had narrowed it down to 2 choices but I have no idea which one would work better on me.
Thankfully I have my sibling and a colleague who both told me which one would look better on me :D
Any ideas how to improve my fashion sense? I've only started actually shopping for clothes.... about 12 months ago. Still learning. For the last 3 decades, it's been T-shirts, Jeans, Shoes, done.
I'm not too interested in the lastest fashions or styles; just that if I encounter a few choices in clothes that my gut tells me would do good, which would I pick? Are there fashion guidelines? I'm a guy :)
Thanks!
I have seen recommendations in other threads for making an appointment with a personal shopper at one of the higher end department stores like Saks or Nordstrom.
posted by Silvertree at 12:28 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by Silvertree at 12:28 PM on January 11, 2011
I need a suit and want to look real good. I have a pretty good sense of style but want to kick it up a notch. I have a older female friend who is a designer. She doesn't have much work right now. I contacted her to see what I can do and she hooked me up with a friend of hers. I have given him my budget and I am going to meet with him at her studio next week for a fitting. He is going to bring along the suits. I'll have her opinion along with his.
Before we decided on this she gave me some general guidelines as to what she felt would look good on me. She then said to go into Saks or Nordstoms and try suits on just to get a feel of quality and what I'd like, no need to buy.
posted by goalyeehah at 12:45 PM on January 11, 2011
Before we decided on this she gave me some general guidelines as to what she felt would look good on me. She then said to go into Saks or Nordstoms and try suits on just to get a feel of quality and what I'd like, no need to buy.
posted by goalyeehah at 12:45 PM on January 11, 2011
I won't say that the <>What Not to Wear book is exactly what you need, or always right, but it's something you should definitely browse through in your local library or bookstore and see if it might suit you. I don't own it, but I found it interesting.
Photos of two women of different physiques wearing different clothes, and discussion. For example, on the left she's wearing a shirt with 3/4 sleeves and they talk about how that makes her arms look short (or whatever), and on the right, she's got the same sleeve length but with bell-shaped sleeves, or whatever... clearly I took away many long-lasting messages from that...
It wasn't so much that I found the information priceless, as that I liked seeing photos of someone wearing clothes that didn't suit her and thinking about what that meant, what's the difference between "fits right" and "flattering". Sometimes I agreed with them, and others, I didn't see it at all (what? she should wear that?? no, the "not this" picture is definitely better). The ridiculous happy and sad faces they make in the photos are just icing on the cake.
posted by aimedwander at 1:36 PM on January 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
Photos of two women of different physiques wearing different clothes, and discussion. For example, on the left she's wearing a shirt with 3/4 sleeves and they talk about how that makes her arms look short (or whatever), and on the right, she's got the same sleeve length but with bell-shaped sleeves, or whatever... clearly I took away many long-lasting messages from that...
It wasn't so much that I found the information priceless, as that I liked seeing photos of someone wearing clothes that didn't suit her and thinking about what that meant, what's the difference between "fits right" and "flattering". Sometimes I agreed with them, and others, I didn't see it at all (what? she should wear that?? no, the "not this" picture is definitely better). The ridiculous happy and sad faces they make in the photos are just icing on the cake.
posted by aimedwander at 1:36 PM on January 11, 2011 [1 favorite]
dangit. Could've sworn my link was right in the preview.
posted by aimedwander at 1:36 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by aimedwander at 1:36 PM on January 11, 2011
If you can get your friends to help you pick out a few timeless pieces that look good on you (that jacket, some trousers, maybe a suit if you need one, some dress shirts, etc), then you can just always replace those with more items that are as similar as possible when they wear out or stop fitting.
posted by lollusc at 2:43 PM on January 11, 2011
posted by lollusc at 2:43 PM on January 11, 2011
Although the What Not To Wear book is aimed at women, much of it will still apply to you. You figure out what features you do and don't have, and eliminate the things you're not supposed to wear. If the categories contradict each other, you select things to wear from the things that aren't on the "no" list in any category.
That will do for a start. For more detail get a copy of The Triumph Of Individual Style, which is admittedly rare now, but great for analysis.
posted by tel3path at 3:54 PM on January 11, 2011
That will do for a start. For more detail get a copy of The Triumph Of Individual Style, which is admittedly rare now, but great for analysis.
posted by tel3path at 3:54 PM on January 11, 2011
Best answer: Get in a habit of taking a second look at the people around you who look well dressed (whether they're on the street or TV or magazine or whatever), and start thinking about what they're doing with their clothes.
Don't try to focus on details - that's both more advanced and less important. Don't try to get identical garment or ensembles. Think in the broadest strokes. (Perhaps pretend you're viewing from a distance or squinting?) Then about things like shape, proportions, colours, textures/materials, outlines, where is your eye drawn? why?
Basically, develop your eye for style, your understanding of How Clothes Work.
If the people you're looking at are in movies or celebrities, be sure that you don't end up drawn to clothes because of the "wow!" context the person is being presented in, and instead are only noticing when the clothes or outfit is Real-World nice.
On similar lines, is someone making their clothes look good because of their posture or build?
Think practical - are certain types of clothing hard to find in your size? Can you tailor? Can you avoid those garments? Is there any kinds of clothing where it's easy to find items that fit really well? Can you make that a centrepiece of outfits - a common foundation?
posted by -harlequin- at 4:00 PM on January 11, 2011
Don't try to focus on details - that's both more advanced and less important. Don't try to get identical garment or ensembles. Think in the broadest strokes. (Perhaps pretend you're viewing from a distance or squinting?) Then about things like shape, proportions, colours, textures/materials, outlines, where is your eye drawn? why?
Basically, develop your eye for style, your understanding of How Clothes Work.
If the people you're looking at are in movies or celebrities, be sure that you don't end up drawn to clothes because of the "wow!" context the person is being presented in, and instead are only noticing when the clothes or outfit is Real-World nice.
On similar lines, is someone making their clothes look good because of their posture or build?
Think practical - are certain types of clothing hard to find in your size? Can you tailor? Can you avoid those garments? Is there any kinds of clothing where it's easy to find items that fit really well? Can you make that a centrepiece of outfits - a common foundation?
posted by -harlequin- at 4:00 PM on January 11, 2011
Best answer: when I have to chose between a few great pieces, I evaluate a few things:
1.) how often am I gonna wear this?
2.) Does this go with anything else I have?
3.) Does this go with something that I would like to have?
4.) Is it fairly priced? Might you find it somewhere else for a better deal?
5.) Do I NEED it? Not like a practical need, but like a carnal need. (haha, okay, maybe its just me :P)
Hope that helps!
posted by p1nkdaisy at 7:40 PM on January 11, 2011
1.) how often am I gonna wear this?
2.) Does this go with anything else I have?
3.) Does this go with something that I would like to have?
4.) Is it fairly priced? Might you find it somewhere else for a better deal?
5.) Do I NEED it? Not like a practical need, but like a carnal need. (haha, okay, maybe its just me :P)
Hope that helps!
posted by p1nkdaisy at 7:40 PM on January 11, 2011
Response by poster: Hi everyone!
Thanks for the tips :) Much appreciated.
Here's another example today: I wore my wool vest to work, and I was commented it looks much better what I wore yesterday, which was cotton (granted it's a different color). I can't even tell what material works better!
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out on people on the street and photos.
Cheers!
posted by TrinsicWS at 2:22 AM on January 12, 2011
Thanks for the tips :) Much appreciated.
Here's another example today: I wore my wool vest to work, and I was commented it looks much better what I wore yesterday, which was cotton (granted it's a different color). I can't even tell what material works better!
I'll definitely be keeping an eye out on people on the street and photos.
Cheers!
posted by TrinsicWS at 2:22 AM on January 12, 2011
I find different materials work in different contexts. Perhaps frustratingly, not all sweaters/vests made of the same basic material are the same. My wool work sweater (thin knit, merino) is very different from my fave ski sweater.
A basic rule for men is that smoother fabrics are generally dressier BUT shininess is generally bad.
I second the What Not to Wear recc and believe the American version has an informative website
posted by Heart_on_Sleeve at 6:52 AM on January 12, 2011
A basic rule for men is that smoother fabrics are generally dressier BUT shininess is generally bad.
I second the What Not to Wear recc and believe the American version has an informative website
posted by Heart_on_Sleeve at 6:52 AM on January 12, 2011
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posted by Gerard Sorme at 12:21 PM on January 11, 2011