Thrifting Queen

Your "not my style" items

July 5, 2013

Do you ever get drawn to an item that is clearly not your regular style and you can't pinpoint exactly why you love it, you just do? 

I feel this way about the Eileen Fisher drapey cardigan I recently bought. It clearly doesn't fit with what I normally purchase and wear and yet, I JUST FELL FOR IT.  And I'm totally looking forward to wearing it once fall comes around.

Do you think it's these types of items that end up propelling us into a style shift? Or maybe we just enjoy wearing something less predictable and having an item that can change things up when we're in the mood?

So ladies...do you have any "not my style" items that you bought and love?

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Posted in the Dressing category
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

30 Comments

  • Janet replied 10 years ago

    These shoes from last week:

    http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....ese-pretty

    It's not the right weather to wear them here (90 degrees with high humidity for weeks to come), so they're waiting until cooler weather, but I suspect I will enjoy them.

    That cardigan looks great on you. I can see it becoming a versatile workhorse!

  • Helena replied 10 years ago

    That cardi is lovely - looks cozy and elegant.

    I am a bona fide neutrals girl (I actually count denim as a color!) However, I have a secret love of bold colors and will occasionally buy something I normally would never - this summer it's been a few hot pink tops (my happy color) and a bright yellow clutch.

    It's nice because maybe rather than "not me", it's more "a bit of me that I don't know very well" ... keeps a girl from pigeon-holing herself perhaps?

  • replied 10 years ago

    Well, the following,which have been given away to my daughter:
    All Miz Mooz shoes - I have no retro streak at all
    Vogs oxfords, could not get them styled
    Mini crossover bags, I need room in my purses.
    I still love them, but they are not "me".

  • cciele replied 10 years ago

    I can see why you like the cardi Shannon -- love the way it drapes on you!

    For me, that'd be this fit-and-flare dress my boyfriend picked out and bought for me. Totally not my style, but I love it. I think it speaks to the rarely seen girly side in me :)

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  • replied 10 years ago

    Yes Cons! I now love my navy Hi-ness and my flat mint ones.

  • Joy replied 10 years ago

    Not my style at all but I've enjoyed my affair with the neon citron jeans this season. No one has said a word to me about them, pro or con, but two younger friends are now sporting bright spring green jeans. :)

  • Mo replied 10 years ago

    Tailored suit separates.  I LOVE my Express suit but have basically no need for it in my day to day life.  I do like having it for when those rare needs will arise, and not having to scrounge last minute to find something appropriate.

  • CocoLion replied 10 years ago

    Knit polo shirts.  Not my style, at all.  But I like how they have a collar which makes them dressier than a tee, yet are cooler than a button down and stay put much better when you move around.

  • Beth Ann replied 10 years ago

    I bought Cons and boyfriends this year as a kind of test --- could I do a little tomboy?  Super casual, almost to RATE?  I had a purpose in this, since my Summer lifestyle is quite casual, and I'm often the dressiest person in the room.  I've worn the combination again and again, and, even though its not my signature look, I think it's helped me break through a barrier.

    Love this EF cardi, by the way.  I think a few "out of the niche" items are a great boost to a wardrobe, as long as they don't distract you from a cohesive closet.

  • ramya replied 10 years ago

    Tops with volume. I love them so much sigh

  • Suz replied 10 years ago

    I love this cardigan, Shannon, and I do think it fits your style. It speaks to the retro side because of the way it fits. There's a bit of the romantic dandy in it, I suppose, which is a shift, but not an out and out style departure. Also, it's in one of your key winter colours (or neutrals, I guess). So to me, it is not such a departure. It's just a softer look than a jacket, which is nice for a change on really miserable days when you want to feel cozy yet put together. 

    It's possible that it also speaks a bit to the Helmut Lang-craving side of you...drapey, grey, etc. Even though this feels more feminine to me, somehow, and less "industrial," for want of a better word. 

    I do think sometimes these "not my style" items signal subtle style shifts. Not sure it is true in this case, but perhaps. 

    They might also signal new needs that you only partly recognize at the time. 

  • replied 10 years ago

    I just bought one! It's my style in that it is a moto, but it is floral! My lilac jacket and baby blue wash jeans are also in this category. I would have sworn pre YLF that you would never ever see me in pastels or a floral, and well, here I am!

  • Transcona Shannon replied 10 years ago

    Maybe we all have a bit of an alternate style ego in us that needs to peek out from time to time :)

    Janet - those shoes are gorgeous and I can totally see why you were drawn to them. I'll bet they will work with more outfits than you bargain for.

    torontogirl - I bought a yellow clutch this summer too - don't you just love how it makes every outfit happy? and I love your philosophy of "a bit of me that I don't know very well".

    Zap - interesting to note that all of the items you listed are accessories or footwear. Does this mean your actual clothing choices are always consistent with your style?

    cciele - that dress looks amazing on you! No wonder you love it. And obviously your BF knew it would look great on you.

    Diane - I think there's quite a few on the forum who would echo your love for the Cons.

    Joy - you totally ROCK those citron jeans and clearly your younger friends see how fab you look and have been inspired.

    Mo - your Express suit looks so fabulous on you. It truly is one of those things you can have in your closet for many years and not wear often, but will be the PERFECT thing to wear on certain occasions, both together and as separates. 

    Denise - I wouldn't have thought of knit polo shirts for you but you are so right about them being dressier than a tee and very comfortable. 

    Beth Ann - I think you're spot on about having a couple of "out of the niche" items sprucing up a wardrobe in an interesting way but it is true that too many of those and your style becomes lost and "muddy". That's when closet orphans appear I would imagine.

    Ramya - me too!

    Suz - wow! You have excellent observations about the EF cardigan and make me realize it's not quite as "out of the box" for me as I thought. Grey is definitely one of my major fall/winter neutral colours and the slight comparison to my secret love of Helmut Lang has crossed my mind. Maybe this is the same way your beautiful white kimono speaks to your arty side that you have spoken of?

    Ceit - florals and pastels can be worn even by Knights! And I left a comment on your floral moto thread.

    Thanks for your comments, insights and speaking to your own less obvious wardrobe choices.

  • Angie replied 10 years ago

    I love that cardigan on you, Shannon! Hmmm. I see it working into your Modern Retro side, which is a little Romantic - so it's not that much of a stretch :)

    My blush moto fit into this genre. CRAZY colour for me - yet it was love at first sight, and it's a workhorse.

  • goldenpig replied 10 years ago

    Gold lame blouse. I'm so non-blingy IRL. My inner disco diva emerges!

    I actually think that cardi fits very well with your style! 

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  • Transcona Shannon replied 10 years ago

    Angie - LOVE that blush moto on you. It would be interesting to look back at all of our wardrobes and see if these every-once-in-a-while seemingly odd purchases tend to turn out to be workhorses for us.

    Come to think of it...my silver/bone sandals were a bit of an unexpected style and they are TOTAL workhorses....hmmm...more food for thought...

  • catgirl replied 10 years ago

    I am hoping to get to the point where everything I wear is my style in some way.  Right now I'd have to say it's my Tadashi dress, which is a great fit and color but much more girly than my usual style.  I love it because it always gets compliments and is a "no-brainer" item when I gotta get dressy.  It's in the second picture here:

    http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....a-weddding

  • Sveta replied 10 years ago

    Maybe my pink khaki pants?
    Well maybe trousers in general (Angie, you can chuckle to your heart's content!). Never in a 100 years I would guess 3 years ago that I would become a "trouser girl"! :-)

  • Firecracker (Sharan) replied 10 years ago

    I can't think of anything, but I do like that cardigan on you! I really like the way you've styled it; that pairing is just so inspired: Eileen Fisher and Dr. Martin!

  • replied 10 years ago

    I think so Shannon. I wear pretty basic items, when you come to think of it. I don't really fuzz much. I would call everything I own pretty much " vanilla". I think my style is more about how I put the pieces together, rather than about the individual items. Shoes and accessories are also key.

  • Deborah replied 10 years ago

    I am working hard to ensure that everything in my closet is "my style" but if I had to pick something, I think my slouchy pants has surprised me. I really did t think they ere "my style" and I still don't really think they are, but I LOVE them and I wear them often:)

  • Astrid replied 10 years ago

    I think the flats I got for the wedding outfit. I never would have bought them if not for the dress, but I have a feeling that they are going to dress up a lot of my outfits beautifully.

  • Transcona Shannon replied 10 years ago

    Natalie - and I bet you feel happy each time you wear the lame blouse!

    Una & Deborah - I think we all aspire to have everything in our closet be our style but I think I'm learning that an item doesn't have to be COMPLETELY my style, just elements of it, you know? Like you said Una "in some way".

    Sveta - I remember you balking at the idea of pants and saying you could never find any that fit. Hmmmm...doesn't seem that way to me now :)

    Firecracker - "Eileen Fisher and Dr. Martin" - sounds like a dating couple - lol!

    Zap - personally I think that's kinda brilliant that your clothing is "vanilla" as you call it. That way you're sure it's going to work with your style and you can always change things up with your accessories - like your fabulous new orange KS handbag!

    Astrid - I think those pretty flats are going to turn out to be true workhorses and you're going to wonder how you managed without them.

    Thanks for your thoughts ladies. I always enjoy reading others' insights and their own experiences.

  • catgirl replied 10 years ago

    Exactly, Shannon!  The Tadashi dress is the "girly dressy me"  - a rarely appearing character, but a necessary part of the cast now and then.  :)

  • Runcarla replied 10 years ago

    Never thought RATE would find a way into my closet...not in a million years! But loving the stylings of Anna, Una, and Rae and a little black leather and studs is sneaking in!

  • Transcona Shannon replied 10 years ago

    Aaaaaahhhhhh yes Carla - the YLF influence!

  • annagybe replied 10 years ago

    A Brooks Brothers no-iron white button down. My mother was a patent attorney and wore Brooks Brothers. Even when I was a office slave I never wore white buttons, except for interviews. Now it's just just the thing under my leather moto and with my harem jeans and everything.

  • christieanne replied 10 years ago

    I like the sweater Shannon - and it will be fantastic for cooler days and nights.
    I've been working on honing my true style but can't say I have one true personal style down pat. I tend to feel best in a sporty, modern colorful outfit. But then I sometimes add some boho accessories in as well. They don't really go together always so maybe the boho pieces are things I love that aren't "me". 

  • jurocha replied 10 years ago

    I love the cardigan on you!

    I won't mention a piece, but colours. I believed colours weren't my style. But then I bought a style I love - a biker - in a soft purple-ish tone last year. And since then a grey/black/white/navy wardrobe gained only colours! Almost all pieces I bought last year were either red, green or had a print (navy or black and white ones, but still...) and this year I bought a pink biker, a pinkish skirt and a yellow (!) sweater. How's that for evolution?! I guess those items we fall in love with but aren't our style do help we ease our stepping out of our comfort zone.

  • Ornella replied 10 years ago

    Actually, this cardigan is so YOU to my eye.

    I have been thinking about this thread for a few days now, you really planted quite a puzzle in my head. I think because I'm going through some style definition/purification/whatever stage, I cannot fully focus on what's not me in terms of still wanting to wear it IYKWIM, althugh there are definitely such things - but I need to work out whether they are "not me, ditch them" or "not me, that actually still highlight me". A lot to ponder and in fact very helpful, thanks :-D

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I started playing dress up when I was 4 years old and haven't stopped since! My income doesn't match my tastes so it's all about figuring out how to thrift my way to a fashionable life while tossing in a few delectable items.