‘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>

I think I’ve confused things with my use of the word ugly 😳 I don’t think she looks ugly! But the deliberately clashing colours and patterns, the oversized items etc are very far away from say the ‘how to look French’ threads on here and I think it’s a look that works best on her and others who are slim and conventionally attractive.

I'm just not seeing what you're seeing op and I no longer know what we're even talking about.. I was expecting to see an Instagrammer in hard core avant garde stuff but her affiliate links include White Stuff, Tu, Arket and Sezane - ok the latter are ££ but I wouldn't describe any of them as challenging.

No, I realise you meant the clothes and the style are "ugly" not the person.

What I'm confused about is why you think the clothes and style are ugly or why they wouldn't work on anyone who isn't slim or conventionally attractive.

The clothes and style, to my eyes, are colourful, cheerful, easy to wear and normal. I'd wear the oversized dresses, the boxy jackets and the knitwear. There's nothing out of the ordinary in what she's wearing.

Like Flo , I'm really not seeing what you're seeing. I was expecting someone wearing, say the entire stock of Envoy of Belfast.

It doesn't have to mean slimming. If someone felt they were too thin, then a flattering garment would be one that makes them look bigger.

Are you trying to say that men don't care what women look like????

Just an aside - on the chance the buyer for Envoy of Belfast might be reading this. Your selections aren't ugly. If I had the cash, I might well buy your entire stock.

I don’t know where I’ve been but I’ve never seen anyone dressed like that. I am older but no one I know dresses like that. I have late teens/young adult children and they don’t! And I live in a big city with lots of students and working people and I haven’t seen that style on them either. In fact I find that the trends have been similar for several years ie loose trousers, puffa jackets, tight sportswear, trainers. I am interested in fashion and trends so I will look out in case it’s just me.

I just looked too, and think she looks nice, but completely unremarkable. I live in a university town and see women dressed in very much that kind of thing on a daily basis. I wouldn’t characterise her look as in any way ‘challenging’ or ‘ugly’. She looks pretty, confident, and colourful.

I agree. If you're slim, above average height, with a beautiful face, you can get away with all of these style looks.

What are you referring to, @Springisintheair01?

If I had the cash, I might well buy your entire stock. This has pretty much been my attitude to Envoy of Belfast! I love that it brings such a beautifully curated collection of some of my favourite designers together - but …

I must admit I don't understand the posts about eschewing fashion and what one "should" wear in favour of flowing, oversized garments. That IS fashion at the moment - enormously oversized dresses that go out instead of in at the waist, either in clashing colours or aggressively neutral neutrals (looking at Casey Casey here), boxy jumpers and jackets, voluminous trousers - all things that are in no way designed to be "flattering" in the traditional sense. They are the current trend.

I agree with this, because of course some do. @keirakilaney67 what do you mean that you’ve always dressed for other women?

I’m referring to the instagrammer goodmannersstyle used by op as an example. I haven’t seen that style at all and it wasn’t what I thought was being referred to in the thread.

All of them do (except if gay I suppose, but then maybe more interested in fashion than just what women look like).

This thread is like one of those optical tricks where you either see two noses or a vase.

Ah! Yeah … It wouldn’t occur to me to identify that as a distinct style - I see countless women across countless UK cities dressed exactly like that. How have you not?

@Springisintheair01

I live in a university city. That style doesn't look in any way out of the ordinary. As a PP said she looks pretty, confident, and colourful.

Although like you, it isn't the style I thought was being referred to. I was expecting as Flo said, "hard core avant garde"

Not yet RTFT but agree that it looks better on the young!
Used to work with a young man who did ‘normcore’. Think cardis, Birkenstock mules with socks, chinos, fleece gilets etc. On him, quirky. On a middle aged bloke, geography teacher from the 1970s.
Urban Outfittters exemplifies this for me too. Half body conscious club wear and half retro daywear/hippy cardigans and huge hoodies.
But isn’t it great that they don’t all feel they have to dress like a Kardashian.

Also noting that it seems that Deirdre Barlow chic is a thing amongst my kids’ friends. Huge specs, chain belts and those boho circular leather studded belts last seen on Sienna Miller and Kate Moss are back.

I think the OP is getting a hard time on this thread. The mentioned influencer is exactly the look I had in mind when I first read this. Maybe the people not getting it live somewhere that women ordinarily wear colourful printed jeans with bright trainers and printed sweatshirts, but I don’t. It IS a look that most women would avoid, or not even consider, in the sense that leggings and a plain hoodie and a black gilet, or jeans and a jumper, require much less thought, effort and money, and also have the benefit of blending in with the crowd, which most people want when going about their day to day lives. Dressing like that influencer is drawing attention to oneself, which is always going to be easier if you conform to beauty and body standards of the time. A slim, blonde, financially comfortable woman wearing those kind of outfits is going to get judged much less harshly than a slightly overweight, struggling mum who can’t afford a good haircut. She would just look like an oddball, not someone who had carefully styled the outfit. Sorry but it’s true.

Yes I see people in a colourful or boxy jumper but not the whole look as a style. I definitely don’t see flowery trousers, pink headbands, big checked scarves and ankle socks. Students especially are very understated in their dress I find.

I've looked at the Instagram account you mentioned, OP. Lots of voluminous clothing, paired with cropped baggy trousers, reminds me of skateboarding fashion, and animal print teamed with bright trainers (though most of all I dislike the padded headbands).

It's not a look everyone will be able or want to pull off. It's too casual for me, personally.

Anyway I’m not saying it’s particularly way out just not a ‘trend’ I’ve noticed.