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VK is so cool, and mana-sama's look is quite nice.
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Inspiration board
A quick preface: The point of this guide is to support users as they search for their style and start building their wardrobe. It’s not totally inclusive and won’t cover absolutely everything you’ll ever need to know as you build your own personal closet. It’s a starting guide.
Please also note that you won’t find any prescriptive information here. I’m not going to tell you to go out and buy a trench coat, black pumps, and a white button-up because you may never need those things. Women’s fashion is so incredibly diverse that it’d be impossible to lay out guidelines for all women. Instead, I will tell you how to figure out the staples for your wardrobe and how to lay out guidelines for yourself.
Finding a Style, Building a Wardrobe
Once you understand the basic elements of style - the central tenets of fit, silhouette, and colour coordination - it is not an uncommon to start desiring to cultivate a personal aesthetic. Whether you eventually find your satisfaction in the staid, tried-and-true preppy aesthetic or end up on the cutting-edge hopefully this guide will help you discover what makes you happy.
Fortunately, there's no reason to step blindly into the unknown on your quest for sartorial independence - there are numerous resources that can help you develop a knowledge of the huge variety of options out there and serve as sources of inspiration. A large part of developing your own aesthetic is building on what has come before, so leveraging these assets can only help to accelerate the process.
While they can't compete with the quantity of information available on the internet, one should not discount the value of books. For gaining a better understanding of how garments are created, learning the history of garments from the pantsuit to the high heel, or delving into fashion theory, get reading. Recommendations include Fashion Theory: A Reader and The Japanese Revolution in Paris Fashion. Finding Your Interests
The most difficult part of the whole process is determining what it is you're interested in - there's no shortage of choices, from the avant garde to the clasically chic, there's someone producing for every niche. Whether they be small, independent designers or corporate giants the quickest path to discovering them is via the internet.
To start your search think of a character from a TV show or movie whose style you particularly enjoyed. Search Polyvore for their name or the title of what they were in and (hopefully) it will turn up hundreds of sets of clothes that draw inspiration from that character's style, or provide exact lists of what they wore in a particular scence. Use these for styling ideas, but also take note of the brand names and stores that pop up repeatedly.
Next, turn to tumblr and start pumping those brand names into the search box. Click through to a few blogs and see if the first few posts appeal at all. If they do, follow them. It's much easier to cut down on feeds you don't enjoy later than spend hours trying to find one you wish you'd followed. Save all the images and posts that appeal to you in one form or another - I particularly enjoy using Pinterest for this, as it's easy to quickly scan through your archive at a later date and cull or categorise as you see fit. Once again, if you notice particular brands popping up over and over and it's not already on your list, write it down.
By now, you'll hopefully have a bevy of blogs to browse for inspiration, plenty of pinnned favourites, and a score or more of retailers to search for items of interest. With that information at your fingertips, it's time for the next stage: Trying and Buying
Once you've more or less identified the styles and aesthetics that appeal to you through extensive browsing, it is imperative to visit physical stores and try garments on in person. Try to find stockists that carry brands of interest and develop a feel for their sizing, how items can be combined, and start developing a relationship with a sales associate at stores you plan to frequent.
When experimenting with a new style, start off by purchasing inexpensive items - this does not mean be cheap, but frugal. For designer and high-end clothing, rather than buying new, check eBay for an item, and sell things that don't work out. On the lower end, or for trend items you don't see lasting more than a few seasons, stop in at H&M, Zara, or Topshop and pick up some pieces on the cheap. Their occasional designer collaborations, while not of a much higher quality than their typical offerings, can give you a chance to mix in novel concepts without breaking the bank. Thrifting and consignment shopping can also yield gold with frequent visits, especially for those residing in metropolitan or affluent areas.
Most importantly, don't decide on a style without having worn it for a while. Pick up a few outfits, mix and match, see how others react, and how you feel. If you come up with something that you love right away, that's great, but don't set it in stone until you research further and are certain it is the direction you wish to go in. Only then is it time to start investing heavily in a wardrobe. Going Further
Once you discover the message to convey through your garments, it's time to assess what items will add the most to your wardrobe and cement your aesthetic, a careful balancing act of versatility and self-satisfaction. It is not uncommon to find an item that immediately grabs your attention, but if it wouldn't mesh with your current wardrobe or work with two or three items at most, it's not a worthwhile purchase (for the time being). Unless you lack clothing mandatory for a particular activity, such as a job with a dress code or uniform, you do not need an item, and certainly not an expensive designer one. To put it more succinctly, wait to purchase until you find the perfect piece.
So what should you buy? Find the key pieces that will anchor a chosen identity to your person. For example, if you were interested in the classic preppy look and wanted to project the image of being vaguely sporty, nonchalantly put-together, and ultimately practical, a classic Barbour raincoat of indeterminate age might be a staple of your wardrobe. A gallery owner or curator on the other hand, may be far more attracted to the minimalism of designers such as Jil Sander and instead invest in sparsely detailed outerwear that reveals its provenance only to others of similar taste.
Once you have identified what impression it is your trying to send, shopping by brand starts to become a useful tool for filtering material of interest ouf of the rapidly evolving and ever changing fashion industry. Think of them as similar to the tags and categories assigned to posts on blogs - Gap might be associated with “plain”, “utilitarian”, “functional”, while Brooks Brothers might be “staid”, “traditional”, and “heritage”. Both our prep aficionado and modernist would pass over these, and instead search for ones described as "heritage", "classic", "pastel", or “refined”, “subtle”, and “minimal”. Either might come across a shirt that is atypical of a brand, say something from Versace that appeals to the futurist, and is an excellent addition to their wardrobe. They should not ignore it or skip purchasing, but it would still be a waste to follow each new collection because those items are so rare. Finding a boutique that tends to make buys matching your aesthetic is another discovery mechanism to consider. Many of these have blogs where buys and info about up-and-coming brands are posted and can be an excellent source of new finds.
At some point in your aesthetic journey your focus may begin to change, perhaps drifting from tarants and pastels to high fashion and the catwalks of Europe - whether due to a change in living situation or an evolution of taste, embrace it. Bill Cunningham, of NYTimes fame, calls fashion “the armour to survive the reality of everyday life.” If some change calls for different armour, so be it! Never let your style be constrained by how you might have dressed in the past.
Searching "capsule wardrobe" is a great way to have a minimal yet effective set of clothing.
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https://malefashionadvice.substack.com/
If you have no idea how to dress and want a simple basic wardrobe guide / shopping list to get started, this post is for you.
Alternatively, for those of you who want to start traversing beyond the basics, I've included some baby steps that are perfectly safe to incorporate in almost any beginner's wardrobe, but offer a little bit more interest and creativity than the most basic of the basic.
Disclaimer: This guide is targeted toward more traditional clothing styles (essentially, a safe blend of workwear, Americana, and prep). It is not the only way to dress well! If these clothes simply don't appeal to you at all, that's totally okay
Tops
Plain crew-neck t-shirts in neutral colors - white and gray are most versatile, but other neutrals such as navy or beige, or simple patterns (e.g., stripes) can be nice.
Button-front shirts - oxford-cloth button-downs (OCBDs) in white and light blue, flannel/chamois shirts in plaids or solid neutrals
Baby steps: Try out graphic tees, OCBDs with university stripe patterns, chambray shirts, or a polo shirt (short sleeve or long sleeve). For cool weather, heavyweight shirts in twill, flannel, chamois, denim, or moleskin can keep you a bit warmer, while in warm weather, linen or seersucker shirts can keep you cool.
Avoid: Graphic tees with meme references, jokes, etc. These are inherently unfashionable.
Bottoms
Straight fit jeans in dark indigo, black, and/or medium wash
Straight fit chinos in tan (khaki), caramel, and/or olive
If you want to wear shorts, 7-9" chino shorts in khaki, olive, or navy
Baby steps: Try corduroy pants, cargo pants, linen pants, fatigues, or double knee pants. If you're interested in tucking in a shirt and wearing a layer on top, try looking for pants with higher rises (~11"+). If you're in a "sky's out, thighs out" mood, try getting a pair or two of short shorts with a ~5" inseam.
Avoid: Chinos with a synthetic flatness and luster. Avoid black chinos, which can look a little formal.
Mid-layers
Crew-neck sweater in gray, oatmeal, navy, mustard yellow, or maroon. Keep an eye out for brushed Shetland wool sweaters for some added texture.
Crew-neck sweatshirt or hoodie in gray
Baby steps: Consider an overshirt, cardigan, fair isle sweater, turtleneck sweater, or a chunky cable knit/Aran sweater.
Avoid: Anything too tight and slim. Sweaters and mid-layers are meant to have a bit more space to allow for layering underneath.
Outerwear (as needed for your specific climate)
Light jackets such as a trucker jackets in indigo/black denim or tan/olive cotton, chore coats in olive/brown, or field jackets in olive/brown/gray.
Raincoat in olive, gray, or black, although vibrant colors can work too.
Warm jacket such as an overcoat or parka in dark neutrals (gray/brown for overcoats, olive/gray/black for parkas).
Baby steps: There is a whole wide world of jackets out there, both light and heavy, so look into several different varieties to figure out what you like.
Avoid: Trying to skimp out on jackets if you live in a cold/rainy climate. Being too cold or getting soaked is miserable!
Shoes
Canvas or leather sneakers
Casual brown leather derbies and/or loafers, blucher mocs, or boots
Baby steps: Try chunkier athletic sneakers or chunky leather shoes if they appeal to you.
Avoid: Brown minimal sneakers and these sorts of hybrid dress sneaker abominations. Avoid cheap (or faux) leather, which degrades fast and wears in poorly. Avoid wearing shoes two days in a row - they need to air out between wears. Instead, rotate your pairs and use shoe trees to improve longevity.
Casual tailoring (optional, if needed for a job/event or if you like to wear it)
Navy Blazer
Wool trousers in various shades and textures of gray and/or brown
Baby steps: Try a sport coat with some texture or pattern, such as a brown houndstooth or gray tweed herringbone. Try a pocket square in a puff foldto accessorize with your blazer or sport coat.
Avoid: Wearing blazers or sport coats without getting them tailored. Make sure they're long enough and that they fit properly (not too slim, not too loose). Read this.
Semi-formal tailoring (optional, if needed for a job/event or if you like to wear it)
Navy or charcoal suit, tailored
White poplin dress shirt
Oxford dress shoes in black or brown
A belt that matches your shoes
Simple dark tie (e.g., burgundy grenadine)
Baby steps: Unfortunately, there's not much room to experiment with semi-formal or formal clothing. Your best bet is to stick to the basics unless you really know what you're doing.
Avoid: Black suits, unless you're specifically dressing for a funeral. In general, it's recommended to avoid wearing vests. Don't wear your oxford shoes with less formal outfits. Avoid dress shirts in black or saturated colors. It's generally best to avoid wearing a tie without a jacket or top layer. Avoid skinny ties - stick to ~2.75-3.5" (or 7-9 cm) width. For beginners, avoid bow ties unless 1) it's a black bow tie with a tuxedo (at a black tie event), or 2) you're dressing for prom (go crazy!) Finally, while monkstrap shoes had their moment, that moment has since passed.
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There are a number of these old soviet military uniform coats for sale online for decent prices esp. for a sheepskin coat. I found one in my size but I am debating if it is just too silly. I am tired of being cold.
I wear a decent number of leather coats and great coats but nothing that is this much of a statement. I have no fantasies about being in the Red Army or whatever but it would be kind of neat to have the historical connection.
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Hello and welcome back to my sporadically updated lolita dress blog~ I finally have a bit of a break from assignments and after a particularly nice late night in trachat yesterday I found a couple dresses that I liked enough to inspire a new post.
Today's dress is Elpress' Double Rose Petal JSK! Like with dresspost #1's fish scales, I was mainly drawn to this one through its interesting way of using layered transparent fabric to replicate the look of, well, rose petals. Compared to the fish scales this one is certainly better executed, although I think the scales were a more creative application of the technique. Regardless though it's a stunning effect, and I love how it looks across all three of the colour options for this dress.
The flower motif of the dress is obviously quite strong, but I particularly love the "sash" of flowers that go across the chest. It is a bit busy, but I think it's a very lovely look. It's actually not a sash at all too, but rather a two clips, one at the shoulder and the other at the waist. They're simply shaped and placed in a way to appear like a sash. This gives the entire dress a huge amount of versatility in its exact design, since you can choose where to place these two clips. The shoulder one in specific is also meant to double as a hair clip which is nice, but unfortunately none of the photos of the dress have it being used as such.
Since these flowers are detachable, it means that the JSK on its own is actually deceptively simple; it's just the rose petal skirt and two bows with a fishbone corset. But this means the entire dress is actually usable in a lot of different outfits. Thanks to the rose petal skirt, however, it will always bring some of that flower-y flair into any coord you might make.
And this is an aesthetic that can work with many different themes! Among the model pictures here you can see two common ones with the fairy style for the pink model and the pure flower focus of the purple one. But there are other options too, the blue one for instance doesn't particularly fall into either of these camps, and I could easily see myself trying to create some sort of flower witch coord with this if I had the right hat. Or hell, moving outside the realm of lolita a bit, an elven princess-knight cosplay.
And on the note of hats, this one is very lovely. I believe based on some of the other photos that at least one of these bows is detachable, as some had them placed upon the wig's braid. Each of the colours is slightly different in its exact flower arrangement. Personally my favourite is this one, I find the double pink roses to be quite striking compared to the others which have colours that don't pop quite as much. In general the pink is my favourite of these dresses. I'm also very struck by the colour transitions and contrasts of the blue one. The purple, meanwhile has a lovely lavender subtlety to it that I quite love.
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Black crepe with a small tortoiseshell print, the pantsuit is among the simplest looks Mrs. Obama has worn in her post-White House life, in which her style on book tours and at big events has been marked by a discernible experimentation and sense of fun: Balenciaga “pantaboots,” Versace safety pins. Not this time. This time, the suit was even simpler than the one she wore at the DNC.
[...]
The suit was from Theory, a label that has become a uniform for many working women as they climb the executive ranks, and that has grown into a behemoth. (It is now owned by Fast Retailing, the group that owns Uniqlo; the blazer that Mrs. Obama wore is currently on sale for $256.80). As such, it was less a fashion statement than a statement of solidarity — with the women in the room and with Ms. Harris herself.
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Always take a sewing kit with you when you travel
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Pls post some pics of suggestions.
Also how the hell do people get their hair to stay up and forward like in this pic above? Lots of wax? Is it high maintenance? Is it too Zoomer?
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It has been a little while, school has been keeping me busier than I expected so I couldn't do the once a week posting I was planning, but I finally found the time to write this up. Unfortunately in the time it took this dress ended up filling its ressrvation slots so you can't buy it anymore, but that hasn't stopped me before.
This dress is Avenue Denfer's Return to the Darkness! Like a lot of the ones I've been covering lately, it comes in two versions, a OP or JSK and blouse combo. Both are utterly lovely so I'll be covering both individually after I go over the shared details I like. Starting with the colour, both versions are in green or purple. I like the purple a lot more here, it's a lot more gothic and so it better fits the intent of the dress. But I think the green might have a lot of potential as a classic if you wore a white blouse instead of the black ones, and green and white is one of my favourite colour combos. Unfortunately the set blouse is only in black, so there's no example photos of this idea.
Next up is the jacquard patterning on the main dress. Both colours and versions use the same design, and I love how it brings in butterfly, candelabra, and other gothic motifs while remaining very subtle thanks to being a jacquard weave and not, for instance, a print. I like the butterflies the most, especially due to how they tie into...
The butterfly brooch on the bow! I love this, it's so cute yet still very gothic feeling, it's the exact thing I love so much about lolita in general. And since it's only the one part of the dress, it keeps it still feeling classy overall while bringing in that cute little focal point.
Beyond the butterfly, this photo is also an excellent segway onto looking at the OP version of this dress. And what a good segway it is, I adore the lace on this one. It's so pretty. I overall prefer the OP of the two versions specifically because it uses the lace so much and so well.
In particular I love the little lace sleeves on top of the actual dress sleeves. It looks fantastic and brings in the draping which is both pretty and effective at deemphasising shoulders. It's the stuff that I love in capelets, although not to quite the same extent.
On the JSK version of the dress meanwhile, the blouse adds a ton to the look, particularly with the jabot on top of it. And due to its nature as a JSK set both the blouse and dress are usable for other outfits. And this works in its favour since they are both very versatile and could be used effectively for a lot of different looks. Like the white and green I was thinking of earlier, but one could also mix the blouse with a blue dress or whatever else one might dream up with it. It's all up to taste.
I would have posted an extra pic to end this off but I hit the limit and don't feel like waiting to add another pic. Needless to say I like the dress and it's very pretty. I hope anyone who read this enjoyed it or maybe even felt a bit inspired by the look!
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So so far I've covered a few different styles of lolita dresses. I started with a sweet, then did a classic, but I haven't done a gothic yet, let's change that.
This issue's dress is Lingxi's Nightmare Lilith. It's a rose-themed gothic, as made obvious by its incredible collar. Seriously if I could get just the collar I would. It's perfect for basically any gothic rose coord. The thorns add so much to the rose which is a pretty common motif.
The collar isn't the only rose themed part of this dress though. The skirt has an printed rose motif. It's in almost the same black as the dress itself, so it's relatively subtle, but it adds a lot. Especially thanks to the pop of red behind it which adds some colour into the otherwise pure black dress. (Which, speaking personally, is very important for any gothic lolita in my eyes. Pure black can look good but I much prefer gothics that use dark reds, purples, and navys in their scheme since they add some visual interest. White too but white is tricky and not every dress pulls it off. But ultimately I'm not a gothic I'm a classic, colour is just part of my aesthetic in a way it isn't for a gothic.)
The dress has two sleeve variants, regular sleeves and bell sleeves. They're both lovely, I'm honestly not sure if I prefer one or the other.
Of the three model coords, I like this one the most for its use of prayer beads. It unfortunately gives up the witch hat that's part of the set (which I love, witch coords are so cool and I want one), but the new headpiece is beautiful and I adore how the spikes on it accent the rose collar's thorns.
So that's the dress! I didn't really have as much to say this time, like I said I'm a classic not a gothic. I just really loved this one's collar and rose theme.
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I’m looking for cheaper alternatives to these glasses. I would buy if they didn’t cost mf 160 dollars
(hexbear.net)
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As someone with neurodiversity I recognize clothes have many layers, no pun intended. There are cultural significances and practical uses, these are the two main qualities of clothing. Culture eventually wins over the practicality of certain garments, people wear flight jackets without being pilots, people wear Stetson’s without being ranchers, I fit that second category. Living in this country I have been exposed to the common judgement passed by others, Americans love to observe a person and fish out their qualities so that they can equate them to something familiar usually attached to pop culture. Since I live in the city, wearing a rancher hat most people won’t care but some people will point and say “Ayyy I’m walking here” or “Howdy pardner” or some stupid shit.
Two years ago when I didn’t care about appearance I had many people point and laugh, one person I confronted said “when is x album coming out”, essentially comparing me to some washed up classic rock star who I looked nothing like. I walked back to their apartment after researching what they said and said some things which made them close their window and end their windowsill “comedy show” which was essentially what I mentioned before, the lowest form of comedy of making fun of appearances and comparing those features to someone else / pop culture references.
But the hat is seven hundred dollars.
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My grandpa bought it from a native guy in Arizona in the 70s is all I know about it. Wondering what others think.
E: per @[email protected]'s suggestion, I found the brand and year and found the exact same belt on ebay . Looks like my grandpa confabulated some story about a belt he bought at like a land's end or something.
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Kamala Harris has arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to begin today's campaign bus tour in SW Pennsylvania, and she is wearing her Chucks!
https://subium.com/profile/joshuajfriedman.com/post/3kzz2sfi6d622
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Hello and welcome to the fourth of my silly little rambles that people apparently like to read, only this time it's a post! I spoke with a few people over on trachat and the consensus seemed to be that making this a full post would be better, so from now on I'll be posting them here and crossposting to traa.
Jumping right into it, today's dress is Long Ears and Sharp Ears' Morning Glory. Unlike the other dresses I've covered so far, this one is available as both a OP and a JSK with blouse.
As you can see the JSK is a lot girlier and cutesier, while the OP has a nicer more mature and elegant look. Of the two I'm drawn more towards the white versions OP, but both are really lovely! I think however that the coloured versions of the dress work better as the JSK, particularly this purple version. I'm just personally drawn towards pretty white clothing in general.
I was mainly drawn to this one by the chiffon and tulle fabric, in particular the metallic tulle hexagon pattern that covers the entire dress is really beautiful and adds a nice shine without being overwhelming. The white versions of the dress show it off particularly well I think. It makes the entire dress glow in the sunlight, hence the name, and it is utterly gorgeous when it does.
As has become a theme, I'm also in love with the smaller details too. In particular this collar is gorgeous and I adore all the little bows on the JSK version. The mix of purple, blue, and green that you can see here is really difficult to get right but I think it works quite well here!
I honestly don't have much else to say about this dress really, it's a bit simple but I think quite effective and I really like it. I already quite liked LnSEars as a brand for their more elaborate fairy-themed pieces, but this one has shown me that they can do a decent variety of looks and it makes me want to get one of their pieces again. LnSEars are also a good brand for taller women, since you can custom order their dresses to match your sizes for only a slight price increase. ($10 extra for a skirt length increase, $15 for a full resizing)
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