How to look more modern

[Nightmarenextdoor]

I went to a trade event at the weekend (creative industry) and was really aware of feeling not quite right. Maybe it was the heat, maybe the weight I’ve put on over lockdown or maybe I’m dressing like I did 18 months/2 years ago and everyone else has moved on.

I like simple comfy clothes but with a bit of an edge - thinking maybe I’ve lost the edge!

Any ideas how to update myself a bit?

@Monoxide

Meem does some clothes that are slightly different. meemlabel.com/

Also Trayslounge on Instagram. She’s a fashion editor so her clothes are what I presume creative professionals wear.

Thanks for the link. I haven’t seen Meem before. I had a look and they have some great autumn styles (not much that’s summery). I’ll have a look at Trayslounge

I was at a work thing today & I actually thought it was weird that everyone was dressed so differently. The only thing I noticed that everyone was more casual & the vast majority of us including myself were wearing sporty Arizona Love sandals.

I love the tiered, loose dresses in the shops but I'm not into big sleeves or the collars they are trying to push & then on the other extreme you have the skin tight shiny 90s dresses often with cut outs which i'm definitely not going back to. There's not much I like in shops at the moment.

But agree that Raey have some great stuff, I have a dress from there I love.

Watch: "The Unknown Vlogs" channel on YouTube, the What Londoners are Wearing play list. This will give you an up to the minute look in what Londoners of all ages are wearing. You're right, heels are the most dated part of a look now. Teenagers wear the tight starchy stuff because they are the ones most likely to have the physique for it, no body else in their right mind thinks this looks good or current now!
The youtube channel is fascinating, you definitely see trends coming through repeatedly, but there is a lot of individuality too.

I agree that the look now is more 'relaxed' possibly as a result of lockdown putting people into looser/ lounger wear as there was no need. I 100% agree that heels are pretty much out except on specific occasions- but if you love them , wear them! Look at Instagram and Pinterest and whowhatwear website for good ideas. But clothing is meant to be both practical and enjoyable

There are loads of people on Instagram that I 'follow' but Anna Cascarina is especially good for ideas

[quote elizabethdraper]I have not idea if these are modern but i would consider them edgy'ish

They are so comfortable, i live in this style - scandi clothes
lagenlookclothinguk.co.uk/[/quote]
I immediately jumped onto your link and thought oooo! I’m buying this lovely colourful one, then saw that it’s made of polyester & viscose. That’s an absolute NO from me, shame. I prefer cotton/linen/wool hate the feel of other fabrics on my skin.☹️

If you’d swapped out the havianas in your outfit for some chunky flatform sandals I suspect you’d have felt more put together and would have been a bit more “on trend”

Love the pictures of your event @nightmarenextdoor , everyone looks great. I particularly like the orange and green/pink dresses in the final picture. A real change from what people would have worn a few years ago!

I don't work in an industry known for being stylish so I don't tend to get many fashion ideas from work sadly. I bet when we finally get back in the office everyone will still be wearing what they wore pre lockdown

I think everyone looks lovely in those pictures but actually quite middle of the road - I don’t mean that to sound rude but it’s a very achievable look. I like the lady in pink on the left with the yellow wedges.. and the lady in a yellow trousers with the white tie top - she looks chic. I don’t do a lot of print or colour myself - mainly black & white print or polka dots or stripes, so it’s nice to see so much colour worn. I think one of the biggest changes is how many are wearing trainers. I don’t think a couple of years ago you would have found that. I really like how it changes the feel of those dresses which in many cases wouldn’t look out of place in church.

Hmm judging by that group photo op, I might have felt a bit out of place too

I'm afraid I kind of glazed over at all the printed frocks (sorry everyone, just not my thing) but I pounced on the second pic with the woman in yellow trousers. So I think the take away for me is the colour. But summer dressing is always more colourful - what will be really interesting is if it carries on into the autumn.

I often wear a loose fitting silk shirt when I'm going places (and sometimes when I'm not). They instantly upgrade trousers and they feel much nicer than a T shirt, plus I find when it's hot they absorb the sweat quickly so I don't get damp patches like I do with cotton and linen. Don't know if that would work for you, op?

@Floisme
Cross post I think… with the same view

Ha yes Divebar - I've noticed your taste before and admired it

Hi OP thanks for this thread it's interesting. I would say personally that you need to dress from the waist down to update your look this season. By that I mean that everything is about the shape of the trouser at the moment. As perfectly captured by the guardian article linked above. There is a real Katherine Hepburn vibe going on at industry fashion events. IRL to make it more wearable head to h&m for some wide leg cropped trousers - ankle skimming. And they need to be in a natural fabric (linen/cotton mix) not viscose etc as that will make them look dated and heavy. Try out black (obvs) but for ultra modern points you need a neutral. There's a few interesting neutrals coming through - not just light beige
As for shoes you need a puff slide or a sports utility sandal. Again Zara/H&M - or if you can go designer this will add to the look. Browse through the images on Matches fashion.
I'm not overly taken by the floral dresses in the pics. Yes it's 'on trend' but I think the fabrics tend to be a bit grim & it's so ubiquitous!

Yes I think that's a really good point about trouser shape.

I've tried with the floral dresses, I really have, but just can't do them. Anything ditsy or fussy looks all wrong on (large framed, 5'9") me. I think the lady in the pink dress we all like stands out because the dress is a little sharper than the others (larger print, very on-trend neckline) and the shoe colour and style makes a statement. I'm also keen on the yellow trouser outfit, it looks - as you point out OP - considered.

I am in the midst of my annual linen trouser frenzy (a brief but intense period that seems to coincide with the two weeks of summer we get) and have just ordered these from H&M to make a change from my usual black. Admittedly not for work!

The girl in the yellow trousers looks the most modern particularly her handbag,

@fraddu

The girl in the yellow trousers looks the most modern particularly her handbag,

Agree, that is the only outfit I like in the photos. The floral dresses with clunky white trainers looks so frumpy and dated to me, I must be really unfashionable 🙈

Well floaty floral dresses & trainers have been a thing for quite a long time, so it seems a bit old.

Agree yellow trouser woman looks the most stylish, after seeing that picture I’m definitely over the floral dress and trainer look it really doesn’t look fresh and stylish anymore.

This is going to sound rude but it's just factual. The dress & trainer thing has now been embraced by the older women (late 30s plus) & the safe outlets eg Next, Supermarkets which tends to kill off trends because they lose their edge.

I'm trying to relinquish my cross body bags but I love being hands free so it's going to be hard to go back to something in my hand.

See I disagree, I don’t think the yellow trouser lady looks good at all, the top is horrible and very middle of the road. The 2 girls in the last pic look good especially the orange dress which is fabulous.

I don't disagree that the ladies in the last photo look nice, I just don't think they look modern.