Thrifting Queen

31 Comments

• annagybe replied 11 years ago

  When I think oversized I think of something like this

  http://totokaelo.com/store/pro...../dark-nude

  Notice it's huge, but the shoulders fit.

• Claudia replied 11 years ago

  I am wondering about this too.

  The thing about Anna's example is that this is a raglan sleeve with no shoulder seam, so it would "fit" any set of shoulders.

• Caro in Oz replied 11 years ago

  For me it is in the fit of the shoulders, but I have a large bust & if things don't fit my shoulders I look like a fridge.

• Claudia replied 11 years ago

  Here's some pointers from Sal at Already Pretty:http://www.alreadypretty.com/2010/03/how-to-do-oversized.html

• kkards replied 11 years ago

  my rule of thumb is, if you can no longer see the shape of your body, its to large.

• Claudia replied 11 years ago

  Some of Angie's blogs on the Oversized, her styling tips and photos of models wearing the oversized items. This doesn't directly answer Shannon's question, but does show that fit is all over the board:

  http://youlookfab.com/2012/10/.....ay-or-nay/

  http://youlookfab.com/2012/09/.....zed-vests/

  http://youlookfab.com/2011/10/.....ay-or-nay/

  http://youlookfab.com/2010/09/.....c-blouses/

• Suz replied 11 years ago

  Here is my own personal take on it - for what it's worth.

  I can tell the difference on my own body.

  To a large degree, in my case, it is shoulder fit...although it's not always only that. Because sometimes the item has raglan sleeves, as in Anna's example.

  Because I am on the short and small side, I really need to make sure that the item isn't so boxy that it swamps me completely. I remember wearing clothes like that in the 80s. And truly -- they wore me. I *thought* they looked good at the time, but they did not.

  I think for me personally it will be a matter of wearing ONE ovesized piece with other more tailored pieces. Or even bodycon pieces. I need some definition or I completely disappear. I need some crisp, clean lines. Some sharp shoulders OR waist definition...SOMEthing.

  Someone tall and dramatic, like Sveta, might be able to wear an overall oversized outfit more successfully. But even she would probably need a bit of tailoring.

• Gaylene replied 11 years ago

  I think that personality, shape, age, situation, and personal preference all go into the equation which makes it hard to set rules. To me, the oversized, slouchy look is just the flip side of the body-con look that has held sway for the past few years. How tight is too tight has become how oversized is too oversized.

  While I personally quite like the oversized look, I draw the line when the garment makes me feel awkward, unbalanced, or uncomfortable; I want my clothes to work with me, not against me. These days, I'm fine with letting the younger set sport the more extreme looks while I settle for a bit more sophistication in my version of a trend.

• MNsara replied 11 years ago

  "These days, I'm fine with letting the younger set sport the more extreme looks while I settle for a bit more sophistication in my version of a trend." Amen, Gaylene!

  So, my version of oversized probably won't be as oversized as I might have even 5 years ago. . .

  Very individual IMHO.

• Jaime replied 11 years ago

  Agree with the great points here, especially about shoulder fit. Shoulder fit seems the most important to me even when something is not oversized.

• Thistle replied 11 years ago

  I agree with Gaylene.

  For me, I think i will try a bit of the trend, but in a far smaller dose than I would have 20 years ago. Enough to feel on trend and not dated, but still comfortable for me.

• CocoLion replied 11 years ago

  Because I am just 5'3.5", I have to tread carefully with this trend that I love. I am a size 4, so for bodycon I will size up to an M. For tailored I will wear my actual size, S or 4. What usually works for me is to size down to the XS for oversized looks. That way I am not so overwhelmed. I also have to be careful not to wear items that are both long and wide. Both long and wide REALLY overwhelm me.

  Although oversized garments can look like they're just normal clothes made big, this is not necessarily true. A carefully constructed oversized coat in an M may have the same shoulder dimension as an XL but may taper *just so* to get the right fit on the bottom. As Angie say, the devil is in the details.

• Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

  Wow - excellent points ladies!

  MNSara - I think you've pretty much summed it up for me perfectly: "Very Individual".

  Shoulder fit does seem to be key and as someone with quite narrow and sloping shoulders, this is my main concern. And to make it worse, if the shoulders are too wide and the shoulder seams come part way down my arms, then the sleeves are way too long.

  I will be participating in the trend to a certain degree but I won't be sporting the look to any extreme that's for sure.

• Suz replied 11 years ago

  Shannon, I think you are onto something. The oversize look tends to work better (or perhaps, more easily) on those who have a strong shoulder line. So the clothes can "drape" from the shoulder. Maybe that is why shoulder pads were so important in the 80s. The pads created the strong shoulder line on everyone, whether their shoulders were naturally wide or not.

  But that's just on the top half....there are also oversize slouchy bottoms, which you have been sporting extremely successfully. So it's not all or nothing.

• Nanabear replied 11 years ago

  I'm not a fan of this trend and the only "oversized" item I've been coveting is a capelet, if that even counts. However, I do think it is important to mix up oversized items with tailored ones so that you don't look like you're drowning in fabric. Also, the item can't be large all over; somewhere like the shoulders we need to see some shape. Just my 2 cents. What's strange is that none of my friends are embracing this trend, even though they're all pretty young. I think I've seen BF jeans on maybe a couple of people around campus while I see disgustingly tight dresses at every social function. Hmm. I still probably prefer oversizsed to superbodycon.

• Angie replied 11 years ago

  This is a good question, Shannon. And it's hard! The only way to NOT feel sloppy when you wear something oversized is to make sure that there is enough structure in the outfit. The amount of structure is debatable and I like to view it as a case by case thing because of two reasons:

  - some body types wear an oversized look better than others, and I don't mean that thin and small people wear it best. My size 12 tall clients wear oversized very well. My size 16 regular height client wears it very well. Some of my 5ft 2 clients wear oversized very well - like Phoebe :)

  - people have different baggy threshholds. Some are very sensitive to wearing items that look too large, while others happily look like they are downing in their tops.

  I am 5ft 6 and slight. I have to be careful with oversized items and chunky footwear because they can look like they are wearing me. I love wearing big things and surrendering my waistline. But the fits and lengths have to be just right. And I usually always have to add some structure to the outfit. Furthermore, I err on the side of loose. My tailored fits are usually looser than most of the tailored fits shown on this forum just because I like it that way.

  At the end of the day, it's a preference. Style is always a preferred aesthetic. That's why it's such a subjective and individual thing. And we can all live in peace with differing preferences as long as we are respectful to each other.

• Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

  Suz - you are right in that I am embracing the oversized bottom...hmmm....not sure why that it is exactly. I do find it extremely comfortable and I think can be flattering in an untraditional way depending on what else is paired with those bottoms.

  Nanabear - interesting that you're not really seeing the oversized trend among the younger set.

  Angie - so glad you chimed in! I'm starting to see that any trend can be worn by any body type but it's all in the execution and IMO even more importantly, the confidence in which you wear the trend. If you don't look comfortable in the item and are constantly fussing with it, it's not going to look right.

  I actually had a funny encounter with Wonder Woman when I took my skinny slouchies to her for hemming. They are clearly two sizes too big and she kept grabbing the back of the waist and butt wanting to take them in. I kept saying "no, no - just leave the waist, they are supposed to be baggy" and she commented that she did not understand why I would want to wear pants that are clearly too big for me. We laughed about it and she stuck with just the hemming. Then yesterday I took the second pair of slouchy skinnies for hemming (I liked the Canyon River jeans so much that I promptly ordered a second pair only one size up) and she said how much better she liked these because she could see my shape in them.

• replied 11 years ago

  To me, it depends on body type. The slouchy cuts seem to look best on those people whose bodies allow for the fabric to drape , irrelevant of size. The curvier bodies are trickier, if done wrong one can look like a deflated balloon, let alone sloppy. Just my humble .50. I still think any one can wear any trend, however, not every trend looks good on anyone, especially if you are dressing for everyday people . Normal folk might not understand the more fashion forward stuff. That matters to me, quite a lot. I don't want to look too out there. It all boils down to what matters to you.

• Angie replied 11 years ago

  Spot on, Shannon.

  Zap, I'm not sure whether curvy or straight is "the slouchy ticket". I have straight clients who do not wear slouchy looks as well as their curvier counterparts. For example, there are oversized looks that short and curvy client and friend Phoebe wears better than I do. And there are oversized looks that work better on my frame than hers. It's a sum of its parts and how it is executed. I 100% agree with the second half of your comment!

• Gaylene replied 11 years ago

  I think that confidence and attitude play a big role what a person can wear without looking ridiculous. The trendier the look, the more confidence and attitude you need to withstand the reactions of those around you. That's what separates the trend-setters from the rest of the crowd IMO.

  I think a person could wear almost anything if she can project that feeling of being in charge of her image. Wearing trends might seem like a short-cut to having great style, but, unless you feel right in what you are wearing, it can end up in that dreaded "hot mess/fashion victim" category that gets lampooned in the press. Yet, for every "why would anyone want to wear that", you could probably find someone who absolutely rocks that look. Execution is important, but, at the end of the day, I think it boils down to confidence and attitude.

• Suz replied 11 years ago

  Oh, Angie - would Phoebe be willing to show the forum some of her fab oversized looks? That would be wonderful for us - so educational. Even better if you could do a comparison post - with some oversized looks that work well on you.

  I would love to see this kind of comparison generally - taking a couple of different body types in the same post and showing how a trend can successfully be interpreted in different ways. It might be curvy and straight; it might be tall and petite; it might be plus size and average build; or different proportions or body shapes.

  I know we learn this on the forum. But sometimes I think, especially with a BIG shift like the one towards oversize clothing, we could use some specific pointers and visual aids.

• Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

  Love that idea Suz!

• Marley replied 11 years ago

  I am completely sold on, and "get" the oversized look for the bottom half of the body. My confusion is in the top half of the body. I can't get my brain wrapped around the fit of the GAP sweater for example. Luckily (I think!) the high neckline on the sweater disqualifies it for consideration for me anyway, so I don't need to worry about that one. BUT, I still have questions and confusion about oversized vs sloppy/too big on the top!

• Angie replied 11 years ago

  I'm not sure, Suz. Phoebe works full time and has kids. And that type of post requires a lot of production time - which we don't have - and my clients don't really have either. But it would be a helpful exercise!

  Gaylene, I agree that confidence is all important. But I also know lots of very confidant people who to my eye do not dress stylishly at all. Confidence does not create style alone. It's the style *plus* the confidence that is the ticket.

• Suz replied 11 years ago

  I hear you, Angie. It would be a lot of work to put together. And I wouldn't want to prevail on Phoebe's time (or yours, or anyone else's!)

• Raisin replied 11 years ago

  I honestly don't know, so I'm interested to read all the responses here. I tend to go for oversized, so maybe I look sloppy sometimes and I don't even know it! You guys will let me know if I do :)

• Mona replied 11 years ago

  Thanks for posting the question, Shannon. I was also very confused about the oversized trend. I really like it on others but not on myself. I think I am too short and curvy for this. Some of the responses above helped clarify this. Suz's suggestion about Phoebe showing some of her oversized looks is brilliant.

• Transcona Shannon replied 11 years ago

  Angie - of course we would never want to impose upon Phoebe or any of your clients' time for our selfish gains!

  Am I correct in that even with oversized, there is still very much a need to maintain certain proportions?

  For example, my oversized Lord & Taylor sweater (http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....y-off-work) has dropped shoulders and is very wide, but is still short enough that most of my legs are visible. Therefore I think the proportions are still ok. Take that same sweater though and add a few inches, now I'm looking like a Hobbit with disproportionately short legs.

• krishnidoux replied 11 years ago

  I am exactly where MNSara is in terms of oversizing. Like you Suz, I did wear the extra-boxy sweaters and ultra preppy oversize polo shirts back in the day, with terrible results. Since, I have learned to take it in small doses.

  I back Suz's suggestion too! Great idea and I would love to see it. Imagine how powerfully instructive and resonating this can be for readers. Because all trends are always shown on one sole body type, a type that doesn't run often amongst women. Tall, thin, 14 yrs old. Yet, even knowing this, it's always a bummer when it doesn't "fit" the same on you.

  Images are powerful, and this would use the power to our advantage, for once.

  I am sill secretly dreaming of the ultimate chic max ensemble of a tailored crepe pants in a pale colour with an oversized tunic in a light material semi-tucked, and a cascade of golden necklaces. I think this will be a lifelong search, only found in my dreams at night, because in the real world my legs are short and on the stocky side so wide pants easily swamp me up.

  I'd like to add finally that despite being 5'3'' I have wide shoulders, built as if I was at least 5'8''. I find that this for me makes it harder to find oversized tops, because yes, they do drape over the shoulders as they should, but then there isn't enough of me below to support the act, and it ends up exaggerating my short stature.

• Janet replied 11 years ago

  "Am I correct in that even with oversized, there is still very much a need to maintain certain proportions?"

  Shannon, that's my feeling -- at least if one wants to achieve a certain level of flattery. I am finding out that, quite to my surprise, I like a slightly roomier, drapey top with slimmer bottom. It goes contrary to what I did years ago, but I think it's because I have now been taking pictures of outfits and am realizing that very fitted tops with fuller bottoms emphasize not only my wider hip but I think even more significantly the shortness of my torso, and I look very unbalanced. Slightly oversized tops in lightweight fabrications are working well for me because they extend my short torso and dont seem to shorten my leg line significantly (and I am lucky that it doesn't matter much if my legs look a little shorter than they are). The lightweight fabrics allow for movement and flow, which helps show a bit of the shape of the body underneath.

  But if I go up to a boxier, chunkier top, all of a sudden I start losing the shape of my body completely -- I start looking like all of me is as wide as my hips and my shoulders (and boobs), and that is pretty unflattering on me.

  That's my experience with achieving balance, at least. Now, since my thread on slouchy pants yesterday, if I somehow find slouchy pants that work on me and don't make me feel unbalanced, then I will really feel like I accomplished something! ;-)

• cciele replied 11 years ago

  Great perspectives represented here!

  I'm a big advocate of wearing your clothes with confidence and attitude. Of course, style helps (nod to Angie) but I think one can pull off a lot with the right attitude.

  As far as proportions goes, it matters what your goal is in dressing -- figure flattery? Emphasizing one area but not another? Exploring geometry? Different strokes...