Do you really care what people think of your clothing choices?

[Broadband]

Just been reading a couple of threads in the Style board. It seems that there are people out there who really care what people think of their clothing/style choices, and also lots of people (me included) who wear what they like and really couldn’t care less if their clothing is deemed unstylish, inappropriate or otherwise tasteless.

For context, I’m a skinny 70 year old with charity shop tastes and budget, who lives a very outdoor type of life (rural home, dog, horse, garden) so a lifestyle where practicality and function trump elegance and style. But I do enjoy dressing up for social occasions - even if that means my choices are a bit eclectic 😀

I’m very much in the “if I love it, I don’t care what you think” camp, but fully accept that to other people their choices are much more considered.

So which camp are you in?

A male colleague complimented me on my boots last week! They were chunky white leather chelseas, for the record, and not in any way sexy. And yes, he is straight.

If men don't understand and appreciate clothes, John Galliano, Yohji Yamamoto, and Marc Jacobs must be awfully confused. I think it's like anything: some people of both sexes have an eye and some don't. Yes, the average straight man spends less time thinking about clothes than the average straight woman, but plenty of women don't particularly have an aesthetic flair. DH actually has a good eye and I know he means it when he tells me that a colour or shape suits me, and he also knows me well enough to know when an outfit really makes me feel like me. I once got complimented on my style by a stranger on a London bus, and I reckon that is the ultimate: London street fashion kills. It's one of the reasons I love this city.

Sometimes it's about being able to get hold of the things that flatter you too. So even if you weren't arsed whether skinnies are in fashion and would wear them anyway, it makes sense to be pleased because your access to them will probably improve.

Yes and no, to an extent.

I have my own rather eclectic style (which I describe as 'children's TV presenter meets 1990s high school art teacher') and don't follow fashion as such, but I try to dress reasonably appropriately for the occasion and like to look fairly well-presented in that my clothes are clean, ironed if needed etc. I take great personal delight in polishing my shoes and boots and keeping them well-mended!

I don't really care what people think of my style, but I suppose I do care about my overall presentation, if that makes sense.