‘Ugly’ fashion only works if you’re attractive

[WizardinTraining]

I know it’s subjective and there’s no right or wrong and we should all be comfy with ourselves etc but am I the only one that thinks the current ugly/wacky/comfy type fashions that all the Instagrammers are wearing only work because most of them are slim and attractive.

I love all the bright jumpers, clashing patterns, baggy jeans and especially the bold trainers but being short, not very slim and booby I’d look like a Playschool presenter at best and an oversized child at worst <sigh>

It took me a very long time - most of my life in fact - to grasp that 'showing off your figure' wasn't the only way to dress, and that 'flattering' wasn't peer reviewed science.

Absolutely, the realisation that I didn’t need to dress with looking as small as possible as the primary aim was so freeing. I don’t care if I look smaller if I nip in my waist - I might chose to some days or others might go for a different silhouette.

I’m not necessarily talking about younger people, some of the Insta people I’m talking about are my age (late 40s/early 50s).

The thing I most want out of clothing these days is comfort but that definitely doesn’t always equate to stylish.

I think it is healthy that young and older women no longer feel like they need to wear the same tedious tight, short clothing, heels and over-groomed look.

There is more to life than obsessing about whether you are attractive or not, which often means worrying about whether men find you attractive...

What is wrong with instead choosing to be comfortable and not restricted by your clothing?

You don't need to be 'stylish' all the time either.

one of the things that helped me out of that mindset … the Africa Fashion exhibition at the V&A.

Interesting @Floisme. Though I found the exhibition vaguely underwhelming - you see better clothes in any office or supermarket or church in Nigeria. But definitely most women there dress with the opposite attitude to the majority of posters on this thread - taking up space is absolutely the thing.

Which makes me wonder if Phoebe Philo has been doing some wide ranging research - as that’s the whole point of her clothes too. I doubt her extreme shapes and materials would find many fans here - though they’re incredibly flattering clothes if you don’t primarily care about looking pretty .

Africa Fashion was a bit of a slow burn for me @ProperSleep. It didn't blow me away at the time, in fact I didn't even buy a catalogue cos I'd already spent a bomb. But I could see there was something different going on in terms of designer mindset, and it's stayed with me a lot longer than many exhibitions do. I wish I could go back and see it again now - or better still, visit Nigeria!

I hope/expect Phoebe Philo has done that research - that's what I want designers to do, interpret the world, not keep on serving up new twists on what I wore 20 or 40 years ago.

or extra long coatigans which make you look like you have gone out in your dressing gown. Unless you are 6ft tall and built like a twiglet you just look like a toddler playing dress up!

TBH though when I think about fashions past Im not mad about how everyday wear is these days. Lots of comfy leisure wear, baggy trousers, etc. I really dont miss the stupid low rise jeans you used to get (you couldnt actually buy a pair of trousers that didnt give you a permanent builders bum crack!).
Im currently wearing Uggs, baggy cargo trousers and a cosy jumper....I have no idea if its fashionable, flattering or age appropriate. Its comfy so job done!

I honestly don't think after perhaps my teens I ever thought like that.

I think lots of us are all coming to the thread with different ideas of what the style is and different ideas of what flattering is. To me dressing in a way that's flattering is an outfit where the colours and garments complement each other and the person's hair/skin tone, not dressing in a way that's sexy or appealing to the male gaze. There can be a lot of cuts, colours and styles that are flattering and can also be comfortable.

I find some of the very not flattering, 'loud' styling to look awful on a lot of people, but there's whole Facebook groups where people love the children's TV presenter, patterned tops, patterned dungarees look. It boosts their mood and they feel great so it's none of my business. I'd feel very awkward and uncomfortable in that sort of style.

African inspired , taking up space clothing.

Zuri
Sika
Heritage

Very British taking up space clothing

Egg

Just realised my concluding sentence above made it sound as if I have a vast, museum worthy Phoebe Philo wardrobe on which to base an opinion. I wish. I meant the clothes look really flattering on other people - and in the mirror on the few occasions I’ve tried them on in shops.

‘Flattering’ to me means powerful, distinct, individual - so ‘ugly’ wouldn't really register on my eyeballs. But I never, ever expect only the tall, slim and young to be fashionably dressed.

And French taking up space clothing

Casey Casey
Casey Casey trousers and skirts

To be clear I think all the clothes in the links I've posted are beautiful but I expect they might be what the OP has in mind as "ugly"

But all high fashion is designed for tall, thin models?

Yes, exactly.

I have a very young, slim beautiful friend who wears almost aggressively unattractive clothes! Huge baggy jumpers in sludge colours, chairman Mao trousers, woolly socks with clogs but you know, she is young and lovely and can get away with it. I would look like I needed support in the community if dressed like that!

Yep, agree. Mine makes me look like uncle Fester 😁

I really like the ugly clothes trend

I love the big chunky shoes, it's liberating in a way to wear big ugly boots that are super comfy. It makes me feel a bit kick-ass

As a 50-something I am glad to leave the concept of "flattering" and "slimming" clothes behind and have a bit more fun

I don't wear head to toe baggy and chunky, but love mixing it in with my existing clothes

I love the sensory feeling of clothes hanging off me and draping instead of anything "fitted"

Am loving the way fashion is going and how there is more variety of style, and not always dressing for the male gaze

I love the sensory feeling of clothes hanging off me and draping instead of anything "fitted

And swooshing around when you're striding purposefully about.

Why does 'flattering' have to mean attractive to the opposite (or other!) sex?
I have never thought in those terms and if Im considering if something is flattering its wether it is flattering to me.
Also Im fairly sure that the 'male gaze' is pretty oblivious to most styles, trends,etc and isnt going to notice you unless you are dangling bits in front of them (even then they probably just shortcircuit to 'oooooh.....bits!' rather then anything sensible!!LOL).
You can take comfort too far though, as shown by a lady I saw in the High st today wearing pajamas and slippers!

No.

The best, most creative designers want to make as broad a spectrum of people as possible look powerfully, beautifully themselves.

Not many would turn down the opportunity to dress a Hollywood star for a film festival or red carpet - but even those people come in all shapes and sizes.

Essentially they want to dress anyone who can pay for the clothes or bring sufficient publicity to be worth dressing for free. Designers who only want to see their clothes on magazine covers tend not to last very long - it’s hardly a sustainable business model.

dont know why flattering gets such a knock

its not wanting to look shit

Women love a masculine man into fashion! :p

You're not wrong OP, but I also think it's about how things are put together. A baggy jumper that fits for example on a erm not so slim person obviously defeats the purpose.

As @Hardbackwriter points out it's a bit like the ultra rich wearing old, holey clothes. Showing off they don't 'have' to care. Strangely as much as these people claim to not care the photos are always taken at flattering angles with a full face of makeup, painstakingly done to look erm 'natural'.

Teachin
Me neither. There's so many ways to dress in a way that's flattering. It's not about having boobs out, wearing figure hugging clothes, looking sexy for men.

5 women with 5 different bodies and 5 different colourings and 5 different style preference could all dress in a way that flatters them.

What nonsense.

many designers won’t dress celebs over a 10

@MyFirstLittlePony I had no idea people dressed for the male gaze. As a PP said they don't give a fig.
Me I've always dressed for other women and fashion conscious people in general. If some males are included in that category fair enough.

What do you mean by "flatter"?

My criteria for buying something are
Is it interesting? Do I like the look of it? Does it come in my size? Does it fit? Will wearing it make me happy? (the Dopamine dressing effect)