What happened to S&B?

[janlevinson]

I used to browse this topic regularly several years ago and I enjoyed the recommendations of Ash high tops, Net A Porter sale items and high end make up, amongst other things. Loved reading what LetThemEatCake had been buying.
I've been having migrating over to here again recently after a long time away and it's all Roman Originals, granny sandals and things that "wash well".
WTF happened?
~lighthearted~

I love S&B - all of it, and all of the comments. It introduces me to ideas outside of my comfort zone, price bracket and usual shopping. And I love that as much as threads about being comfy, elegant and stylish. I feel more confident in my personal choices and style as a result of being on here.

There's room for all of us here with our mixeed approach. Thank you all for your advice, guidance, for piling in to help out with each others clothing crises (I remember the lady on the train to a work event who didn't realise it was black tie who was saved by a fellow MNer), crises of confidence, and all the questions in between. All of you are fabulous.

That's all I have to say on the matter.

Thanks @travailtotravel
More of this.

It's called style and beauty, not fashion and beauty.
I personally have none of the above. But I don't think fashion and style are equivalents.

Well said @travailtotravel. I tend to lurk rather than post on the fashion/style threads on this board, but I do learn a lot from them.

There is though one type of post on here I see often that I really don’t understand. A poster posts a pic of an item of clothing and asks for views. There will always be at least one poster who comes on and says the equivalent of “Well I think it’s awful and I would never, ever wear it, but if you like it op, wear it.” No objection to the poster stating their views - that is the point of asking for opinions after all. But then why condescendingly suggest someone go ahead and wear something they’ve just suggested is awful?

I don't read that as condescending necessarily AprilLady
More an acknowledgement that we all have different taste and it would be very dull and boring of we didn't.
Maybe I'm being generous,

I am now finding that there are a lot more threads about clothing that is not on trend

The board is style and beauty, not fashion and beauty. If I dressed completely on trend I would look ridiculous. Us older mumsnetters want to wear clothes that looks stylish, not necessarily trendy clothes that make us look like fashion victims. DD, at nearly 21, wouldn’t be seen dead in anything from Roman originals, I wouldn’t in most of their clothes, but the few pieces I have suit me. And isn’t suiting a piece of clothing what style is all about?

One word I hate seeing being bandied about is frumpy. It is always used so sneeringly on S & B by the fashion police.

I think you're yearning for days gone by when fashion itself was quite a different beast. It isn't that the S&B board has changed, so that it's less trendy. Fashion is less trend driven now, for a number of reasons and the S&B board has followed suit

I would agree with this. I think there are a lot more posts from posters who want clothes and footwear that is comfortable and stylish.

I am always after shoes that look fabulous yet match the comfort of Sketchers, and have yet to find them.

One word I hate seeing being bandied about is frumpy. It is always used so sneeringly on S & B by the fashion police

I entirely agree, it’s ironic that it’s used as an insult when current high fashion is what they term “frumpy”, someone referred to it upthread as “anti sex”.

To me style IS fashion. You're not stylish if you haven't embraced current fashions.

admittedly I'm mostly a lurker on here and I'm relatively new, but I have noticed the 'sure wear it if it makes you feel comfortable' advice.

Case in point; a poster recently wanted to know if ballet flats were out of fashion, and what should she wear instead - she was clearly interested in staying current. And lo and behold lots of posters told her she should continue to wear them if she likes them. I suggested a few things including pair of comfortable platform sandals from H&M and I was told they were ugly. Fair enough they're not to everyone's taste but the sandals are very much in fashion at the moment and I was attempting to answer the OPs question!

To me style IS fashion. You're not stylish if you haven't embraced current fashions.

IMO they are separate. You can be stylish and fashionable. You can be fashionable and not at all stylish or you can be stylish because you are wearing colours and shapes that suit your figure and colouring, but not necessarily dressed in the latest trends.

I'm not saying you need to be a fashion victim going around in blazers and hotpants (shudders). But there needs to be some element of modernity to an outfit in order to be stylish. That's my take on it anyway.

When I think of a stylish, iconic actor, she isn't dressed in the latest fashion.

Not sure why you’re getting such a kicking OP. I agree with you to an extent. The board doesn’t feel very stylish at the moment, and comfort seems to be the order of the day.

I guess that we are prepared to put up with a little discomfort when we want to be "on display". However, the opportunity to do this just hasn't been available. If we are just WFH and not going out it seem pretty pointless to wear uncomfortable shoes and too tight trousers.

Going back to my bugbear of wanting comfort and style, I like to read the how to look stylish threads. The ubiquitous camel coat gets mentioned a lot, but what a lot of us really want is a warm, coat that can be worn in the rural rain and mud, and camel is a shit colour that suits very few people

Although I don't think style and fashion are exactly the same thing I'm not convinced by this idea that they're totally separate. What looks stylish and flattering is in itself subject to fashion. Take mom jeans: do they make my waist look smaller, my legs look longer or my arse look bigger? The answer is all three, but whether or not that looks good depends largely on fashion.

I think you have to be a very creative, individual dresser to ignore fashion entirely and still look stylish. I try and aim for 'modern' and I seek things that aren't on the fashion radar - neither in nor out. But it's not easy because, if they're off the radar, you don't see them.

And while comfort isn't my only consideration it's pretty high on the list. I won't wear anything uncomfortable and I don't see why we shouldn't talk about it.

I think fashion has changed and you won't see women in uncomfortable things, like tottering big heels and skin tight dresses for example, very much at the minute. Fashion has changed. We aren't far from London and if you go into London at the moment, even the very stylish young things are not wearing uncomfortable clothing. That isn't fashionable. So, it's actually pretty disingenuous to say the board isn't stylish because comfort comes first. Maybe op's idea of stylish isn't represented here, because it's actually quite a dated concept. I'm sure things will change again as lockdown eases though. I do think younger generations are more concerned with sustainability than purely looks, so possibly we won't see a return to fast fashion and following every trend. I can't feel sad about tbh.

Yes, that's another thing that has changed for a lot of people, wanting to move away from Fast Fashion, to be more environmentally conscious.
Not everyone, Asos BooHoo etc still do a bomb. But it's definitely more a trend I see.

Well I think fashion in the South East is very like that @LuckyMcDucky - a lot of trainers and flat shoes. I think that was pretty much the case before COVID as well compounded by a year in elasticated waists. ( which incidentally are pretty fashionable) I think there are plenty of different directions you can go in like boho or Scandinavian which have a specific “look” but are also comfortable ( whether they’re stylish is open to interpretation ). I’ve actually upped my game a little bit since lockdown and have been wearing more tailored items like blazers but pairing them with softer wide leg trousers or boyfriend jeans. Whether all this translates into the same fashions everywhere I don’t know. I have family members in Yorkshire who are always very glammed up with body con dresses, heels and hair which is very “done”. It doesn’t look very modern to me but might be the norm when they’re going out I don’t know.

Yes, I think it may be regional? I know people say that if you see a woman going into a bar in London with big heels, big blow dry and figure hugging clothes, she is probably a tourist! So maybe London fashion is different to the more glamorous looks elsewhere. Don't know.

Well I moved down from the East Midlands over 20 years ago and was definitely frustrated by the casual dressing. I’m still disappointed by it. I met a friend for breakfast at The Wolsey and there were people in cagouls. 🤣.

I’m with you op

Well I know one thing from this thread, I certainly won't post on S&B as I am nowhere near fashionable enough and am not welcome.
In the spirit of mumsnet?

The London 'we're too cool to dress up' thing makes me laugh. And I'm not even a glamorous dresser.

London is a funny old place right enough

I don't really know where the refusal to get dressed up comes from...maybe because nobody has the space for it and also because there's usually a lot of walking involved in a night out, so you'd feel a twat in massive heels.

But, I think it's still possible to look or together without going ott glamorous. Op hasn't mentioned anything she actually likes in terms of fashion, except a few shops and posters she used to like. Oh and the ash high tops. Would be interested to hear what people who don't think the S&B board is up to snuff actually rate in terms of current fashion.

Put together*