To not really get why people don’t like clothes?

[keeponwishing]

I’m not talking about specifically liking fashion or following certain trends.

I mean in general, clothes are a personal choice. They can express who you are, there’s do much choice out there. Why people say they don’t care what they wear?

I’ve found this thread really interesting, (and am pleased to have found so many women like me who are missing the clothes gene!) Reading the responses from the style enthusiasts has reminded me a bit of how I’ve felt at times when I’ve met people who say they aren’t interested in music, or in food. I am very interested in both- they are base sensory experiences which enrich my life so much and which I couldn’t be without (obviously none of us can be without food, but some people just view it as fuel and don’t get excited about ingredients, flavours etc. My Mum was a bit like that- food was a chore or something she had to fit into her day). But I just have to accept that for some people they aren’t important or interesting- it just doesn’t float their boat. Our brains must come in myriad varieties after all.

I wear band shirts because I like the band and it makes it easier to tell who has good music taste

I'd be a bit more interested in clothes if designers actually made clothes for a variety of different shapes. I gave up 15+ years ago when realizing they basically design for slim and D cup max, or fat and D cup max. I'm an F-G cup, with a pretty normal dress size otherwise. It's not uncommon to literally try on a store's entire range, across multiple brands, and not find a single top or dress that fits the boobs properly. Even going up by 4-5 dress sizes doesn't do it, you just get enormous gappy shoulders and a bustline still across the nipple, classy. The other option is busting out the porn star look (pun intended), thanks but no thanks.

I didn't get depressed or opt for breast reduction (did consider it for a minute) - I developed IMO a well deserved fuck-em attitude instead. I go for mostly classy staples (usually from old-lady stores that seem to understand bigger breasts do in fact exist), look reasonably well put together but not expensive or exciting at work, very much don't care / thrift store bogan at home, casual out and about.

Of course what I wear communicates to others, but I get to decide how much that communication matters to me. As far as I'm concerned the fashion industry excommunicated my body first, I don't owe them or anyone else pretty, or a huge investment of time and money in order to communicate "acceptably".

Clothing is to keep warm, cool, season dependant for most of us. Some, like me on a walk, food shopping trip, cannot be arsed. I save that dress code energy for dates or a night out when it means something for me, not judgy bored fuckers who I'll never get to see inside their minds, so it TRULY doesn't matter. Good chat 👍

And that probably wouldn't be a loss for either of us....

Do you mean style or labels? I can't see the point of dressing in labels just for the sake of saying "I'm wearing such and such", it's shallow and meaningless. As for style, whatever one wears it's a "style". Whether that is chic, business-like, smart-casual or scruffy, it's still a style. It's still a reflection of the person wearing it. I'm autistic and dislike shopping for clothes as I find it difficult to find clothes that are comfortable. A label digging in and a seam in the 'wrong' place and that's it, I can't wear it. So I tend to buy several of the same item whenever I find something I like, that is comfortable. Hence my 'style' is dictated by comfort, not looks, and is fairly uniform. I'll often wear the same clothes on consecutive days, just in a different colour. I'm also not ashamed to say I'm getting more childish as I age (and as I unmask), so I'll often be seen in Tigger t-shirts, or Harry Potter scarves, etc, or funny caption tees. Life is short, make fun of it....

I absolutely love clothes - any excuse to dress up.

Sometimes I wish I cared more about clothes but it’s just don’t. I love a good pair of baggy jeans and a jumper. I’m a bit rubbish at putting outfits together and quite self conscious if I do wear something that’s out of my comfort zone, so mainly just stick with to what I know.

I love clothes; and I always notice what other people wear. I express myself through clothes, in addition to many other more artistic, deeper ways.
I agree with the poster who said that clothes/ fashion are awful at the moment: square loose sweaters, big, loose pants, shapeless dresses that hang loose. Women look very unattractive in them, unless you have a boyish, shapeless figure... then anything floating around you looks good, and there's no shape to show off anyway. Being an hourglass figure, I shop in op shops for vintage pieces, have my clothes made or altered for my shape, and favour unique pieces that I will rarely find another person wearing.

Just the thought of plain beige or pastel-coloured clothes of simple, traditional cut bores me to death. Of course, everyone is free to dress the way they choose, but when I see someone in beige pants and a plain or navy striped T-shirt, I never fail to think they must be very boring... I'm sure I'm wrong, but that's how I feel. I can choose what I wear, and I can choose how to feel about those who wear plain, shapeless clothes.

I often have people stopping me in the street to ask where I got this or that... I travel a lot and my job involves public speaking, and wherever I am I'm always congratulated on my unique fashion sense, so I must be doing something right. Ok, let the comeback start... The OP knew her post would trigger those who don't care about clothes, or don't want to be bothered, or were born without a fashion sense. Happy to share the lashing!

I think I mean something that draws my eye and literally makes me think “oooh, that’s interesting.”

For example, later last night I saw another women who’s clothes caught my attention. She was in black jeans and a black jumper - but the jumper had silver studs around the neckline, and she had on severally chunky silver rings, and an unusual clip in her hair. Those little details made an otherwise plain outfit interesting to look at.

I try to do similar myself - a burst of colour or pattern, or an unusual texture. Something about my clothes that make them more interesting to look at, rather than just very plain and simple. And I completely get other posters’ about most people not actually noticing or caring much, but I notice and appreciate other women’s clothing, and I can’t be the only one.

This has been such an interesting chat!
@Todayismyfavouriteday we all think so differently don't we? If I see someone in beige I tend to think they probably don't go out and get grubby ( a fleeting thought)
I might think that a woman with grey hair and hastily thrown on clothes has more interesting things to think about than what she looks like.
I might feel slightly inadequate if I'm with someone who looks way more put together than me...
But on the whole I really don't use clothing to express myself, more to fade into the background. I think it's clear that it says something about me but I don't do it deliberately to express myself, which is what the OP was about...I think?

I love the theory that we get to a point that we know what we like and stick to it.
So I will be looking at clothes and instantly think. Oh that’s S. she wears nothing but woodland coloured cotton and corduroy spriggy floral things. Or a black Lycra thing with chunky silver zips and a logo. That’s J!
If I’m looking at a rack and see a navy 3/4 sleeved jersey top with a scoop neck I instantly pick it up because it feels like home.

@Todayismyfavouriteday ‘I must be doing something right’ is an interesting way to phrase it. Are those of us who wear leggings and hoodies all the time doing something wrong? 😕 😂

Also, those of us with an athletic physique aren’t ’shapeless’ thank you very much.

You found that black jumper interesting - it would make my skin crawl ( no idea why ) and I amnt always happy with lots of rings either - places for muck to hide - like PP says we are all different

I think everyone cares about clothes to some extent. I don't know anyone who would be happy wearing a bin bag to a posh event, or want to wear 17th century dresses when hanging out with their friends, or pyjamas when at work. Those items do the job of covering you and/or keeping you warm but they would also make you stand out like a sore thumb.

So those if us who wear leggings and a top aren't just going for comfort, we're also going for anonymity/fitting in with the crowd. Wearing something so unusual that I'll get stared at by everyone would be a nightmare.

Of course, everyone is free to dress the way they choose, but when I see someone in beige pants and a plain or navy striped T-shirt, I never fail to think they must be very boring... I'm sure I'm wrong, but that's how I feel.I can choose what I wear, and I can choose how to feel about those who wear plain, shapeless clothes.

At least you admit you make unpleasant, snap judgements about people.

This is such an important point. No one is viewing/assessing/judging from a position of complete neutrality and it’s disingenuous to say otherwise. I’m a tired middle aged woman and that inevitably affects my view. Someone who’s 7 or 17 or 97 will be seeing the world differently and coming to different conclusions.

I didnt like clothes when I was a size 20 because so matter how hard I tried people treated me as if I didn't deserve to exist.
Now Im a size 12 I enjoy getting dressed in the morning and I enjoy clothes.

Some people just have white walls, whichever curtains were nearest in Dunelm and a 3 seater beige sofa from DFS because that's the default sofa shop. Others spend hours deliberating over paint colours, fabrics, styles etc etc.
It's just how we express ourselves.
Do you decorate your walls with paintings collected around the world? Why not? Don't you care?

So yes I love picking clothes and putting clothes together but I also love picking things out for my home .I am very fussy and selective about this. I still think it is a creative expression. Do others who like clothes also like interior design and make up.

There's a Facebook post somewhere about being stared at by a stranger that gave them the heebie-jeebies.

Hardly staring. It only takes a quick glance to notice someone’s outfit. And in actual fact, neither of the women I referred to in either of my posts were strangers to me.

@kerstina I think most people are either visual or non-visual. I know that I care about how life looks, probably more than I should, but art, lovely buildings and fantastic scenery lift my spirits. Wearing clothes I actively like is a part of that.

I have always been a classic simple fan but it doesn’t have to be boring I add touches that I LIKE. Hate glitz/shiny/sparkles but love nice fabrics, I LIKE TO BE ME. I am a pensioner, and often people chat to me when I am out, I have asked people why they picked me out to speak to and a lot say it’s because I look happy and approachable, clothes must have something to do with it. I am always glad to have a chat as I live alone and the people I have spoken to have said exactly the same and that I was the only person they had spoken to in days.

I realised something funny yesterday - I use a self care app called Finch where you can ‘buy‘ clothes for your little bird avatar or furnishings for its house as you go, and my poor robot bird is also a victim of my lack of interest in clothes, as I have dressed her entirely for comfort in one outfit of a tshirt and tracksuit trousers and spend all our gems on interesting furnishings and occasionally a novelty hat. Wouldn’t want her feeling itchy in a princess dress.