Non book/text Resources (visual based)
So I'm struggling with using some of the text-based resources I've been suggested here and I was wondering if something visual would work better for me, something like a documentary or a TV show or something like that. What could you suggest to that end?
76 Replies
what's your goal?
It's ultimately to get a good sense of what my style is in fashion.
Heres what I rec. This is entirely subjective and it's what helped me set my own foundations but it might not be for you.
- watch runway shows because they're interesting. It's sculptures built on moving human bodies, that shit is sick.
- check out documentaries or biographies of designers you like. Seeing people talk about their experiences and how that affected the clothes they design can be really insightful. It won't help you determine a personal style, but it might make you more mindful of your own self
- collect inspo and use it; you've found some pics of things you like, recreate those looks if you can. if you cant then build a shopping list and move slowly. I have a handful of inspo pics saved that feature dainty lil leather slippers. I don't have those. So I need to buy some. I'm in no rush tho, so I'm looking at a bunch of brands, reading opinions online, and maybe asking mfad for recommendations. What I am not doing is buying footwear because I saw something that caught my eye. I have a specific goal. (This is where I think you're struggling most tbh)
- put shit on and step away from fashion. Trust, I know what it's like to fixate, but if you aren't wearing clothes and doing other things that aren't centered around buying new clothes, talking about clothes, or thinking about clothes, you're seriously getting in your own way and slowing down the development of your style
collect inspo and use it; you've found some pics of things you like, recreate those looks if you can.I think one thing I've found useful is this: I rarely check my fashion inspiration folder on my Mac, but I do check my wardrobe a fair bit so I've got this up on my wall.
One thing I'm thinking of is making a similar version but for what my style is now.
if you aren't wearing clothes and doing other things that aren't centered around buying new clothes, talking about clothes, or thinking about clothes, you're seriously getting in your own way and slowing down the development of your styleThis is something I'm also struggling with :mood: I think what I struggle with is actually trying on looks and not what I usually do, which is: 1. Forget that the inspo folder exists. 2. Shop not based on my inspo but randomly. 3. Think about fashion a lot. :linkSweatSmile: 3.A. think of fashion in terms of struggling to choose what to wear and buying more clothes. So trying to break out of those habits is obviously going to be something to sort.
British Vogue
10 Life-Changing Fashion Shows To Watch On YouTube Now
As fashion month returns in phygital form, it’s the perfect moment to relive the greats
some good documentaries: McQueen (2018), Dries (2017), Thom Browne: The Man Who Tailors Dreams (2024, coming out soon, i'm very excited for)
YouTube
Ralph Lauren Runway Shows
Step into the dream of Ralph Lauren’s runway shows, beginning from Fall of 1972 to a spectrum of style inspired by Ralph Lauren’s most personal sensibilities.
some stuff thats gonna be closer to your inspo
@AgiBread do you have a video essay or two that you'd rec in here? i think thats more your thing
but yeah there's a wealth of visual based stuff out there (not suprising considering that its a pretty visual art form) and if you want more specific recs or recs targeted to certain stuff feel free to ask
these are all womenswear but thats just kinda how fashion is sometimes and i still find them very interesting
I honestly don’t think you need any more resources and information other than scrolling through waywt and imitating what you like
Tbh it seems like you’re too focused on ‘theory’ and not focused enough on ‘practice’
You don’t need to be able to label your style before you start dressing! It’s going to be constantly evolving anyway so trying to pin down exactly what it is is only gonna hold you back
there's a big pitfall with "coreification" that i've seen sprout up w/ the advent of tiktok and niche communities in general where you kinda assume you'd have to fit into a box
I can tell as is you gravitate towards more traditional "menswear" looking clothes but you do have an affinity for some of the more high fashion stuff when we bring the brands up
it's aight to check em out even without the intent to purchase and there's def ways to intersect those two as you progress but yeah
def more helpful to focus on putting shit on and just thinking in terms of how your personal wardrobe can be iterated on
you don't really have to have a defined "endgoal" or dream wardrobe to be building towards like :BB7: layout style
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xW42NBP144
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POoQGT-Ozzc
some less structured discussion but they talk about how to change your mindset ab how to reframe your shopping in a more targeted way
This Is Antwon
YouTube
What Clothing To ACTUALLY Buy This Summer
Some of the best things I've picked up this year have been trend-related pieces which still have a clear link to my personal style - here's what that process looks like and how you could apply it to your own wardrobe.
Have you picked up anything that you love this summer?
Yes that is the Windows XP wallpaper in the background of the thumbnail ...
Fashion Elitist
YouTube
Find your style by copying
Uploading videos every other week , this may change depending on how I feel, keep up to date on my Instagram!
Click here https://sbird.co/3u9ZSWs and use my code ELITIST to get 55% OFF your first month at Scentbird. Currently only available in the US & CA.
This month, I tried:
I Don't Know What by DS & Durga: https://sbird.co/3Giw7p9
Cypress ...
i don't tend to check my physical inspo folder very often either, but a lot of that's come out of learning to keep mental catalogues of the stuff i do have and iterating on it
if you've ever played a trading card game or team rpg before you might see what i mean
like this idea of finding synergies with the characters you use the most or want to build up
memorize what you like the most from what you have rn until you know your highlight pieces like the back of your hand and have them IN MIND whenever you come across smth new
so when you do find a new piece instead of having to spreadsheet it you can just jimmy neutron brain blast that shit
i usually bite on stuff i can theorycraft a few fits for and commit to memory over the course of a week/month
which at the same time helps mentally delete stuff that i can't really cook that hard on
https://www.youtube.com/@FashionRoadman
https://www.youtube.com/@Threaducation
https://www.youtube.com/@fashionlover4
YouTube
Fashion Roadman
Hi! I’m a fashion journalist published in Vogue, GQ, BoF + More. I talk about fashion history, analyse runway shows and create discussions around trending fashion topics.
for something more in carrion's advic avenue these are a few creators that i think do history well for the brands they focus on
I've seen a bit of your browsing habits and I think the biggest takeaway is to stop going in when we mention brands/designers w/ the intent to ever purchase anything
very common thing i've seen happen where people come in, see a brand that piques their interest on the homepage
but instantly pivot to sort by low $ bc they want to OWN something rather than just explore the brand some more
unconventional suggestion is to ignore the price tag entirely - not to actually burn your wallet - but bc a lot of the more true "brand language" pieces tend to lie in the high end
even without buying anything the shop pages themselves can actually be good inspo bc brands want to showcase their own standouts in the most authentic representations of their design philosophy over say, a hat or a shoe that's made for the mass market
you'll see us joke about like the $4000 balenciaga jacket or something but i think it's fair to assume none of us are ever copping it
but that doesn't discard it entirely from consideration as a focal point of how to find analogous fits
I'll just throw out one of my favorite ways to get inspo that I might've mentioned before, but just look at what people are wearing around you when you walk around. Since I started thinking more about fashion I've just started noticing what people wear more, and it's been great for getting inspo without even having to go out looking for it. I got that brown/orange coat recently not just because of all the play with those tones in #waywt but because there's a guy in my area I've seen a couple times with a similar coat and wears it so damn well. doesn't even necessarily have to be exclusively dudes either, plenty to notice and vibe with in women's outfits too.
Hey gu- woah there's a fair bit here :linkSweatSmile:
all good stuff imo
:linkThink:
Frugal Aesthetic
YouTube
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OUTFITS AESTHETICALLY PLEASING
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i struggle with many of the sentiments that you expressed, as someone who thrives on linear progression but gets analysis paralysis
i meme on frugal but he makes a lot of the concepts we've ingrained or have on text more digestible through his comparisons
https://www.instagram.com/theedwardpark/?hl=en follow ppl who dress nice so they pop up on your feed
Edward (@theedwardpark) • Instagram profile
46K Followers, 1,003 Following, 178 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Edward (@theedwardpark)
I will also come out and boldly state that I think Derek Guy can be interesting to read through if you're figuring things out (and lean towards his aesthetic). Make sure you approach his, or anyone's content and advice with some skepticism though. The goal is not to adopt the opinions of public figures, the goal is to engage with their thought processes and opinions and consider how they might match or differ from your own.
I think we can pause for a bit while sam processes everything and offers his thoughts
Tons of great info here let’s give him some time
much of what carrion has said has been beneficial to me (though i didn't get it so nicely summarized); perhaps the most important thing is it takes time to answer these questions, which is okay
Have you listened to articles of interest? It’s a podcast but there are accompanying visuals for lots of the episodes. Had interesting stories on textiles, clothes ect. Might be good if you can listen while working at the warehouse or whatever. And there is a whole season on prep. https://www.articlesofinterest.co/podcast
Articles Of Interest
EPISODES | Articles Of Interest
I like Derek Guy too. His “ excite to wear for [season]” have nice inspiration pictures in them.
This is a text resource
shit good catch
Fair point but it’s got lots of pictures at the end. No need to read if you don’t want!
Ok
I'm back & I've got some time to review this stuff
:linkThink:
yeah :linkSweatSmile:
Caught up!
I think one of the things I've had issues with in the past was joining conversations here on high-fashion stuff and thinking that I want it.
Antwon is great, even if you don't like techwear
Oh yeah this, especially the 6 parter on Ivy, its fantastic
The ivy season was great. Made me get a blazer.
recognizing this is important imo, especially within the context of clothing - people can and have used the purchasing of clothes as a way to signal interest or inclusion within a group before having meaningful knowledge or shared attributes
that's not always a bad thing but there's a danger for it to either lead to inauthenticity or to substitute for one's personality
:linkThink:
this and the ensuing discussion is relevant to that imo https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1255197478312087672/1313176530368725062
the way to get through it, assuming you do not have the money to "try out" these things, is to invest the time in yourself and see what exactly draws you to these specific designers
it does not have to be the brand as a whole - it can be construction or material use or even one specific thing
but in any event, being able to choose what appeals to you is formative to how engage with, think about, and buy/wear clothes. there is no wrong answer and there is no deadline to this.
i was going to recommend patricia mycyk on yt because she had a fairly long catalog of videos showing her shifts in style and what prompted them BUT it looks like she's gotten rid of them or put them on patreon 🙃
:why_dissolve:
@sioku has a lot of commentary woven into his podcast about this, but i think these three get into the topic in more depth https://soundcloud.com/styleanddirection/sad103 https://soundcloud.com/styleanddirection/sadfoundational https://soundcloud.com/styleanddirection/e115-what-is-ethan-style
So in short, seeing what I like and why I like it?
yes, and like carrion intimated this may come from seeing what you like about things that aren't fashion and then applying or translating those things to clothes
as an example, i really like modernist and brutalist architecture which often emphasizes distinct shapes for structural purposes, and that informs some of my love of draping or tailoring
that's a visual correlation, but you can make one with any of your senses
Ok :linkThink:
I've talked briefly before about merging my non fashion interests with fashion but IIRC not in detail
it's not always 'merging' the interests with fashion (though that's often the case). you can also find some sort of feeling that you respond to - in music, in other media, or art, or nature, or history - and then recognize that same feeling in an outfit or style of clothing
Ok
So basically I should live my life & notice stuff? :linkThink:
Haha I mean, at the very least yeah. And keep going with watching wayt and experimenting with your own fits and you’ll land on something that feels right eventually
My interpretation of Zeo's message would be the following;
Yes you can directly copy outfits from a source of inspiration or you could dress in a manner that communicates an interest instantly, for example a picture of a punk, the outfit communicates a lot of information very easily
say a picture of the ramones for example
it's pretty direct, they are dressed in a way that shows what they are interested in
But it doesn't have to be so "in your face" or direct, you could be inspired by a picture of a landscape. I could for example look at the following image of a desert and use that to build a western/americana inspired outfit
Some light brown cowboy boots, maybe some light wash or ecru jeans, a denim western shirt and some turqoise jewellery
I would say that is more indirect but it might make you feel that you are dressing based on an interest still
Also can get a little more abstract or directly "visual" than that. I really like colors in art, and so I get a lot of satisfaction by thinking about colors in my outfits. Anything can really be a sense of inspiration in that sense. Maybe you hear a particularly upbeat song and want to dress "upbeat", whatever that means to you.
kinda hard to nail down of course but can be very satisfying to play around with
Ok :linkThumbsUp:
As an example, a lot of my interest in westernwear stems from listening to Orville Peck
Hmm
I'm not sure where my interest in western wear came from
I think some can kinda be deeply engrained. Like people (me included) who are into kinda nostalgic, slightly dressier clothes, probably have been influenced by movies and social standards that perpetuate that type of clothing as being elevated and "proper" or however you can manage to put that into more sensible words. Maybe you saw some movies or tropes with western or other workwear modeled that left an impression on you over time. I don't think you need an explanation, although explanations can be fun to hunt for.
I can try to put to words where that base style sense comes from for me, but at the end of the day I'm mostly just responding to that gut feeling of "oh hell yeah" when I see or wear it.
Thats definitely true. I have a dislike for more formal, dressy clothes for the associations with the upper class in my country
(I have to work with them and hatehatehate)
The plan I've got atm is to go at WAYWT and comment on stuff I want to emulate, because it then adds it to my sidebar.
at least, that's the idea i've got instead of adding to an already large inspo folder that i almost never look at
just a heads up discord will eventually clear those if there's no activity in em
oh, ok 🤔
Id save em separately as 'mfad inspo' but that's just me
Yeah
I think the folder might need some shaving anyway.
Actually, a separate folder from the main inspo folder could work here
my inspo organization is always changing. I separate my inspo by specific needs tho. Sometimes it's specific items, other times it's certain vibes. Really just whatever way makes sense to organize your thoughts so you actually use them.
I think vibes makes sense for me
I.e. a folder for westernwear stuff
you already moved off the plan but I just wanted to call out that there is a "follow" button on threads that will add it to your sidebar without you having to message. I do it to keep an eye on new QnA threads I'm interested in or could contribute to but don't immediately want to message.
but don't let that stop you from gassing people up tho
that "follow" button right there
probably somewhere else on mobile
you already moved off the planThe one I made? :linkThink:
yeah you originally said that you'd use the channel list to track inspo, but realized that was impossible since threads are archived after a certain amount of time
so the advice is not helpful for this specific plan that won't work, but might be helpful to just know generally
Ah
Ok so, new plan
just use the inspo that already exists
try to actually use the waywt inspo folder for... inspo
and yeah, just living my life
...Is it as simple as that :linkThonk:
It ties in a bit with what @zeometer mentioned about being right on track :linkSweatSmile:
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1300439578766741546/1301209223480348733
But I think it’s because there’s a lot to take in.
That’s something I think contributes as well.
:linkThink:
Yeah I think this is a big one! You've got lots and lots of resources from this thread and all the previous ones - way too much to absorb all at once. It genuinely just takes time to develop your own tastes, a lot of people here have been in online fashion communities for years and have been thinking about this stuff for even longer, so don't sweat it
It seems like you're already on the right track, no pressure or reason to change anything too quickly if you're satisfied with how you're dressing now!
I'm satisfied right now but I think I generally find it difficult to tell my progress in stuff like this :linkSweatSmile:
Like it's hard to tell where I'm at in my fashion journey.
It was a similar thing when I started game dev.
I found consistently taking pictures and uploading to waywt was massive for that
you can look back in a year and see the progress
you can also look at less obvious markers, like how much you've spent on clothing (and on what), any feedback given by people, or what you've noticed yourself about how you dress
ultimately this isn't a journey that has a clear start and end point. embrace the detours and roadblocks and pit stops as you explore this (and other things), because they're all a part of living your life
:linkThumbsUp: