What makes someone look cool/edgy?

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I wear similar clothes to a friend, she looks cool, I look ok but a bit dull. Is it down to hairstyle? She has short funky hair, I have shoulder length.

What do you think makes someone look cool, edgy?

Insouciance

Attitude mainly. A confidence. A decent lippie? Great hair can help too I agree

I think you only look cool/edgy if you are cool/edgy. It's nothing to do with the clothes!

Confidence, otherwise your clothes will wear you and not the other way round.

Yes attitude and that self confidence I seem to be missing!

I think its a genuine attitude of non conformity that can't be bought or faked. Like the first ever person who decided to team heavy boots and a battered leather jacket with a floaty dress, or white trainers with their wedding dress looked cool and edgy, because they broke the mould, did something unexpected, which may or may not have worked. The droves emulating these looks afterwards turn them mainstream so it's stops bring edgy. Genuinely cool and edgy people imo look good to most people about 50% of the time. The rest of the time a lot of people are thinking 'what is she wearing?' But thats ok, because they're too cool and edgy to care!

Personality and attitude…it’s in the way one stands, moves, talks and carries oneself. Imo.

I think it's partly attitude and partly "the complete look". Where I might wear edgy shoes only, the genuine cool person would also have an edgy bag and outfit!

je ne sais quoi

My friend is cool and edgy. She has been since I've known her (almost 30 years). She had tattoos before they were mainstream and wore genuinely unusual clothes every day. Her hair has always been very different to the norm too. She has bags of confidence and a very strong sense of personal style.

I look nice most of the time but I'm not remotely edgy.

Hairstyle clothes attitude personality

Hmmm perhaps I need to strive for something different then. If I've not managed cool by early 40's, I don't think it's going to happen now!

I just feel so boring!

Finding your own style that suits you, being confident enough to push your comfort zones and being confident in your choices. I think you have to take an interest in fashion.

Who do you know (or celeb wise) who you feel is cool and edgy? What is it about them that you find cool/edgy? Maybe try a few things out that you feel is cool, if you don't like it, try something else. I think as we get older, we care less about others opinions and are a bit more liberated to play with our styles with confidence!

If you think you look boring it’s probably because you’re buying ‘nice’, undemanding clothes. And probably shopping in familiar shops that you’ve used for years (or decades).

Don’t aim to look cool. (That way lies misery and possibly small children pointing in the street.) Just be more adventurous. More you. Buy a garment because it’s made of unbelievably amazing fabric or cut in a way you’ve never seen before - rather than because it flatters your waist or legs.

In fact, shop to flatter your mind.

As an example, me and my friend both have all the components of this outfit. She makes it look cool, I don't!

I'm missing the confidence and the hair but will also try and push myself out of my comfort zone more. I've started a new job and this is my chance to reinvent myself a bit, it's very casual and quite fashiony. I've always loved clothes but I suppose I'm quite a classic style.

I can't think of a celeb I like, it's more just every day people I see in the street.

Thank you!

If your style is classic then your style is classic but maybe you can subvert it with an element or play with proportions.Size up on clothes so they’re slouchy for example. My friend is cool in an arty way not a tattooed way. She cuts her own hair ( because she doesn’t want that blow dried look you get at the hairdressers ) - it looks good. She wears clothes that are wide and loose with trainers. She wouldn’t wear anything too obviously nicey nice like Vejas. She wears charity shop clothes but also shops at high street shops like H&M and Zara but she has a knack of picking out good bits that work with her aesthetic. It would look shit on me but I have a different look. Sometimes the unexpected thing makes the look - the very strong red lipstick on a bare face, the sequinned jacket in the daytime or big oversized earrings on a minimalist outfit. Try to think about things you actually like rather than what is cool.

Hmm …

That outfit would look edgy with a deeply lined, highly expressive 80 year old face. Painter or sculptor maybe. Scuffed fingernails. And bare feet or tapestry slippers.

On a 30 year old with carefully gelled nails those white trainers would suggest someone keen to fit in, but a good 5 + years behind the rest of the world …

Actually, one thing with the outfit in the photo is that all the clothes are too neat and fitted. Stylishness in casual clothing should involve something a bit more devil may care.

Slow typing - hadn’t seen the post above mine. But yes!

Setting aside ‘cool’, looking stylish is very much about proportion and contrast (or lack of).

What height are you, OP? There are a few brands I admire whose clothes would make anyone look striking, but they require some caution around trouser lengths. I’m not tall myself, so sometimes have to hesitate.

Have a look at the proportions of Studio Nicholson’s clothes.

Thank you, this is all really interesting and giving me lots to think about.

@TottersBlankly I think you've hit the nail on the head as I'm sat here with my gelled nails and white trainers ha ha.

So what is current? Particularly for a v casual workplace.

I'm early 40's, 5ft 10, size 10 - lacking in confidence somewhat!

5ft 10?

Go straight to Studio Nicholson! Wear the skirts for me …

(I do have some of their glorious knitwear from past seasons.)

I think it’s much more important to wear clothes that you feel comfortable and confident in, and have a defined personal style rather than blindly follow the latest fashion.

I’m definitely not cool though and have given up trying to be.

I'm not edgy. I look 'nice' most of the time but just not edgy. I think you either are or you're not really.

If you have to think how to look cool and edgy then you don't have it.

It has to be effortless, and if someone tries too hard it shows.

Sorry, please don't take this personally. It's just a general observation. Nothing to do with you OP.