How Do You Know?

[citycitycity]

A question for all the people on here who just seem to know what the latest fashion is, what is stylish, what is dated, etc... how do you know?

Do you read fashion magazines, blogs, insta, etc?

I want to know too - please tell me how!

Background, mid 40's, losing weight but feeling Mum frumpy - I really love clothes but can never seem to get it right on myself... still wearing skinny jeans!

I’m not going to claim I’m a stylish person but I do have an interest in fashion. I get a sense of current trends from people watching - I live and work in central London and love looking around and seeing different outfits, I get inspiration from what others are wearing. I also follow some Instagrammers whose style I like and accounts like Who What Wear.

I clearly need to go out more and people watch! I do work in London but am mostly WFH now (not that I'm complaining)

I'm going for a wander along the King's Road this weekend so should get some inspiration.

I am now following Who What Wear - are there any other instagrammers you recommend?

I've found it really hard now im not going into central London regularly or going to large shopping malls to walk pastshop windows / young types wearing fashionable clothes.

I do use Instagram and have started following more 40+ style people, took a while to find some who have similar body shapes and styles to me. (Not following people who wear heels for everyday.)

@citycitycity

I clearly need to go out more and people watch! I do work in London but am mostly WFH now (not that I'm complaining)

I'm going for a wander along the King's Road this weekend so should get some inspiration.

I am now following Who What Wear - are there any other instagrammers you recommend?

Also pages like Vogue, any other magazines you might like? What sort of style do you like? And what sort of body shape etc? Lifestyle? Cos then posters might have recommendations of bloggers who might be of most interest

I'm interested in clothes so I guess I absorb a lot without consciously thinking about it. But off the top of my head, most of my ideas come from watching people: not just people my age and men as well as women. I really missed this during lockdowns. I don't live anywhere particularly fashionable and the local high street is a disaster zone, but in spite of, or maybe because of this, I find there's normally plenty of individual style out there.

I hang out on S&B far more than is good for me.

TV and movies.

I like to go for a walk around a real high street store every so often, usually H&M, not with a view to buying but just to see what's current and how they're styling it. I get a far better sense from a real store than I do from a website.

I don't follow anyone on Instagram.
I sometimes wander round and check out people who've been mentioned on here but that's it.

I'm still partial to the occasional printed magazine although I usually get to the end and think what a waste of money.

On Insta I follow

wardrobemistresssg
leannesarahstyle
the fashion_lift
40plusnotgivingupyet
thesilverkat

My problem is, I think, that I can see what other people do, but can't seem to do it to myself. Maybe I just need to try on clothes more? I usually get a bit frustrated when things don't fit so stick with the same boring outfits

I don’t really follow fashion as I don’t want to be a sheep and look like everyone else 😬. I tend to buy quirkier clothes, vintage or basically anything I like the look of. If I see someone wearing something I like then I will ask where they bought it but I prefer to look a bit different than the average middle aged women. I tend to stay away from high street shops unless it’s for basics.

I 'window' shop a lot both in real life and online. I love having a browse and looking at how shops have styled mannequins.
I don't read blogs or magazines or anything like that.

I think part of what people perceive as stylish is dressing correctly for your body and wearing clothes that work with you than against you. So for example, a giant baggy hoodie will look stylish on someone (with the right accessories etc) but look slouchy and scruffy on someone else as it doesn't suit their shape or whatever.
Not saying that some people shouldn't wear certain things, wear whatever you like! But if you are conscious of how you look then dress to accentuate your assets.

I'm very broad in the shoulders, tiny waist and a big bum (sticks out rather than being wide if that makes sense) so I wear things that accentuate my waist. If I wore a baggy jumper or shift dress, I just look odd.

Look at the shoes! Always start with the shoes. No matter how stylish you are, you'll never be 'on trend' with the wrong shoes. They can make or break an outfit. Fortunately you only need about 3 pairs at the moment - brogues / flatforms, smartish trainers, and ankle boots.

Then the overall silhouette. Are things fitted or loose? Tailored or flowing? Long or short? Tucked in or layered? Where does the waistline fall? Boxy or curvy? This will tell you a lot.

Then accessories. Big or small bag? Belts or not? Statement or understated jewellery? Scarves? Certain type of hat? What's going on with nails? Hair etc.? How much matching / clashing is there?

You can make a lot of changes just by thinking about shoes, the silhouette, and accessories.

Then start to think - fabrics, cut, colour, outfit composition.

There's often also a 'statement piece' of the season that you can mix with other stuff. ATM this seems to be an oversized coat, or loose dungarees, or a long 'shacket'.

The GOLDEN rules are 1. only buy things you really like; and 2. only buy things that really fit.

I do read the fashion/ style pages in the paper. Also I browse Instagram and like others I take notice of what the people around my local area are wearing. It's simple to find the trends by going for a browse in the shops . Online browsing too if you don't get into a town or city regularly.

@VerveClique I'm glad you mentioned shoes! I want to wear a dress very similar to this from Next (Mine is from Whistles, bought a couple of years ago, but looks identical)on Friday for work, team lunch and then meeting friends after work but I don't know what shoes to wear. I did consider heels but when I tried them on I looked really weird (too many flats/casual for the past few years?) - what would people pair with it?

www.next.co.uk/style/ls189863/R96238#R96238

I don't necessarily dress in a trendy/fashionable way, but I love clothes and love looking at clothes. I often browse clothes' shops websites even when I'm not buying anything, that's definitely a good way to see what styles are everywhere at the moment.

Reading this board regularly helps a lot too - you will start seeing the same questions pop up about where to buy something etc.

I live in London too but actually find the way people dress here is so hugely varied!

I also follow Sheerluxe

VerveClique, another person agreeing it starts with shoes.

For that dress @citycitycity I would pair it with some block-heeled ankle boots, not too chunky. www.next.co.uk/style/ls140521/R59712#R59712 like this maybe?

The coat would be really important too - maybe something like this? www.next.co.uk/style/st763400/869117#869117

Obviously you can adjust for budget. But the texture and silhouette are really important.

Thank you @XingMing

Also look at 'new in' or 'new edit' sections of your favourite clothes shop websites. They'll show you how to put things together (and usually how to do a headstand on a picnic bench or something if Zara is anything to go by!).

@VerveClique

For that dress *@citycitycity* I would pair it with some block-heeled ankle boots, not too chunky. www.next.co.uk/style/ls140521/R59712#R59712 like this maybe?

I was looking at similar in Clarks today but thought they might be too chunky - I'll wear the dress down to the shops tomorrow and try them on!

I wear really REALLY boring clothes. Jeans and sweaters in winter; jeans and shirts in summer. They work for my life. I'm old, retired and rarely do or go anywhere more interesting than walking the dog, shopping, or going for lunch with family. It's a nice life, and I'm happy, but because I love clothes (and have kept almost everything good I have ever bought for 40 years) I can replicate/echo the trends that designers think up. At 65, I'm not venturing back into bodycon or sheer fabrics, and structured tailored shapes seem to work better as one gets older, but fashion is still a fun game.

@XingMing

I wear really REALLY boring clothes. Jeans and sweaters in winter; jeans and shirts in summer. They work for my life. I'm old, retired and rarely do or go anywhere more interesting than walking the dog, shopping, or going for lunch with family. It's a nice life, and I'm happy, but because I love clothes (and have kept almost everything good I have ever bought for 40 years) I can replicate/echo the trends that designers think up. At 65, I'm not venturing back into bodycon or sheer fabrics, and structured tailored shapes seem to work better as one gets older, but fashion is still a fun game.

Why don't you wear the clothes you have kept ?

I look in shop windows. Follow the IGs of brands I like to buy from. I have a Thread membership and they send me personalised outfit ideas and trend pieces. Also - people watching. The Tube is a glorious fashion show. I look at people and think about how the details of what they're wearing work together.

A young woman on a London bus recently told me I had fabulous style as I was heading out for drinks and I think that's the biggest style compliment I've ever received London street style is killer.

I do wear them, but only when the shapes (shoulders and waists, mostly) are in tune and work with what's current. So I have clothes that are too good to let go stored until they come back into circulation. I have a coat, black and tan blanket check all over this year that was originally my great aunt's, and she died in 1985.

I have the Vogue Runway app on my phone. In addition to a lifetime of Vogue in print, and lately online. I’m on the mailing lists of dozens of shops/brands. I probably scroll through the new stuff on several websites each week. And can’t really avoid seeing stuff on Insta, though I don’t really follow people.

There’s a disconnect between all that and what people are wearing on the street, the tube, in coffee shops. And I’ve seen almost nothing of those recently.

I shop, mostly online, from places that seem to know what they’re doing, and know they’re in the 21st century. I don’t really think about being ‘in’ fashion, because I rarely encounter things that are not.

Oh! I am almost old. I enjoy spending time and money on clothes - but I love a bargain more than anyone on earth.

DameMaureen how did you conclude that I don't wear the clothes I keep? I don't think I said that. I wear jeans and tops all the time, I wear the basic items out, and I replace with similar styles and colours, with the usual nod to fashion. Like I tell my hairdresser, more of the same please, just more "now" than the last cut. It's constantly tweaking a style that suits me and my life.