some style...

So, I am bored of being boring! I know my husband doesn't want me to be boring, either.

Thing is, I need to look professional, but I'm sick and tired of boring!

I want to figure out how I can get some style, my style, without needing to be a millionair and still keeping it toned down enough for an office.

Think.... magical/faerie/gothish/punk/steampunk/Ren Fest type girl, and you've got some idea what I mean.

I look up stuff online but I don't have $200 to drop on a pair of boots (or any other pieces for that matter.) I have tried thrift stores, but they are full of clothes bought at the same boring places and I am not one of those lucky thrift shop people who fine those cool things. I find same old/same old, might as well just go to Walmart.

I know quite a few of you may be along the same lines as me in one way or another. Any ideas??? I will be getting money this month to go shopping for clothes! This time I just don't wan to buy something becuase it fits and covers my tattoos properly.

Go to your local thrift store.

Here is a motivational song dedicated to just this subject:

What kind of body shape do you have?

I think it's more important to dress in a way that makes you feel better about yourself regardless of what it is you're wearing.

It's also something I need to work on. I'm probably a pear shape.

I'll write more as we progress. I need to find a wardrobe that makes me feel good, too. (Besides t-shirts and shorts)

Tell me about it. I'm so fat now. Everyone is like oh but you just had a baby, I'm like no, I'm fat, I ate my *** off while pregnant and now I'm paying for it. Spend my pregnancy depressed because my husband wouldn't have sex with me, now I'm not pregnant, just fat and still no sex. I don't want to shop for clothes cuz I'm fat! I can't get fat clothes or I won't lose the weight! Then I feel even when I lose the weight and get a cool style again it won't matter cuz I still won't be having sex.
Anyways I can't afford either what my taste really is. Truth be told, cheap clothes don't really fit well. So I shop when they get the stuff on bargain, discount etc. from time to time, if I really love it, I spend the money on my credit card on a nice $100 shirt lol

Hmm..... I do find stuff at thrift store, but I am pretty fussy and the trick is going often because half the time you won't find anything. And thridt stores are not created equal, neither are their donations. I have a good one a block from my house.

I don't have a lot of money either DH and I have expensive taste too. Consignment stores are a good option.

I things with a lot of detail, I really hate plain clothing. I like to mix textures alot, and mix metals for jewlery. You dont have to deop 200 on a pair of boots. But go to a shop like urban planet that is cheap and has lots to pick from. Find some interesring tops, scarves, hat whatever jacket and ad some jewlery that suits your taste. Or interesting bags, purses..

The trick to doing it on a tight budget is hitting clearance items, hitting up thrift and consignment stores often. I very very rarely pay full price for anything and I have a ton of clothes. Our prices are higher up here than in the states as well for the exact same stuff at the same stores.

Ebay, you can get a lot of stuff there. Look for items where you won't pay duty, some under price shipping big time, and they have funky stuff.

Etsy.com I bet would be right up your ally in taste. Handmade , nice stuff and depending on the seller it can be quite cheap. Just have to browse around it enough.

Plus when you go to sites like that you get an idea of what you want, keep that stuff in mind because when you go out shopping you might find something very similar. Knowing exactly what you like and sticking to it is half the battle. Don't buy stuff just because it fits. If you don't really like it you won't feel good in it, and will still feel like you don't have any clothes. Of course you want it to fit, just have patience to find the right stuff.

Sometimes it is good to buy a few expensive things, like the boots and then get the rest for cheap. Mixing them together so you have stuff you love and more options, rather than 2 expensive outfits only.

the clothing is not the only thing you can change. you can spice it up with more piercings... whether in you ears or not. You can do it up with your hair... maybe some streaks or so.... you can do it up with the combintions you put together too with the clothing.....

As for my shape, I'm a B shape... Actually, I'm an hourglass, but I'm an over weight hourglass. My stomach is the B. I have a top "bump" then slimmer, then another bump under. Even when I was thin I had the B, it was just less noticeable.

I'm currently starting a work out plan because I made a goal that by the end of the year I want to climb a rock wall. Partly because I think it will make me feel super strong, and partly because I am terrified of falling, but at the gym they hook you to a harness. So I want to face that fear.

It's very hard for me to find clothes. They have to follow rules for my office. I'm kind of busty, and the first year I worked here, someone complained to my boss that I was showing off too much. Which is the farthest thing from the truth! I am very shy and modest about those things. So, all shirts must cover me from collar bone down. The next rule is that it has to be at least 3/4 sleeves, because I have a large tattoo of a pixie on my upper arm. Rule 3 is that if I put my arms above my head, none of my tummy can show. Put these things together and you have a clothes finding nightmare!

Oh, plus you have to add in the fact that many fashion designers do not believe that overweight women are cool or want to look cool....

So usually after the 15th or 16th store, I just give in a buy what fits...

Ironically, I live in a poor area but there are not any "close" thrift stores. They aren't hundreds of miles away or anything. But, the closest one is about 10 miles... it's not practical to go there often.

I can't do too much with my hair because of the work rules. I also can't have more than 2 earrings in. (I have 3 holes in my ears.) And no other piercings allowed. My work is extremely strict on dress code.

For the hair is it long? Sometimes my sister puts a little bit of mousse and crimps her hair. You can also get a haircut that's low maintance that looks sexy all da time. I did this because long hair is too hard/exhausting for me to style. I also have two left hands and suck at visualizing so doing hair is impossible for me.

You might want to look into an accessory belt that could help slim the midsection and put more emphasis on your curves if your top/bottom are proportional. You could use a small one or big. (Depending on outfit ) Make sure your putting it below your bust and not around your waist.

Jackets that have simple designs but are fitted can help, too. You want it to be snug. It doesn't necessarily need to wrap around the front. If your not really short you could try half jackets or 3/4 down ones. Remember you don't want it to be busy or have the jacket give you huge shoulders.

For pants, try to get something that is tight around the butt and loose as it goes down. (Also makes your leg look more straight) Your super nice butt will define these pants.

Accessories can also help outfits and make them feel new. You can add the steampunk flair without offending anyone at work. Etsy is a great place to check for accessories that fit your style.

You may also look into going to torrid and telling them you need help finding clothes that fit and make you feel sexy. They usually have clothes on sell during holidays and can be found at malls. My friend (before she got bypass) went there and I think they helped her understand/be comfortable in her clothes because she became stylish after she went there.

We don't have torrid here unfortunately. We did at one time but the mall it was in closed and it went away. I went there a few times. It was far. That was about 9 years ago now.

I live in Boringland. It's either all super rich and "new style fashions" people or all poor people, everywhere I go. When I run into anyone interesting... oh wait, that doesn't happen. That's why the thrift stores are boring. Even the high end thrift store is more like Kim Kardashian than anything actually interesting.... hmmmm.... I think the interesting people all went into hiding or something. There used to be a punk store downtown, but it's way to punk for work. And actually very expensive. We used to make fun of it. What punk teenager has $80 to spend on pre-torn jeans? LOL....

Oh, my hair.... haha....

I don't have hair. I have an alien that lives on my head and pretends to be hair. It doesn't curl. But it's not straight, either. One side flips out like Mrs. Brady, the other side flips under like Mary Tyler Moore (when it's short.) It won't stay in place of how I brush it. I swear it's probably plotting world domination and we're all doomed because nothing can tame it.

I, too, am horrible at styling hair.

But.... I have that style picked out. Something that goes with naturally messy but in a more.... it's supposed to be that way....

Wow. Is it a small area? I live where there are thrift stores and good wills everywhere. I live a mile from one. XD

No, I live in a big city but I live in the old part of the city which was built before such a thing as shopping centers or even big grocery stores. There are very few large stores in our area and a lot of old small buildings which used to be like the corner store. Also a lot of houses turned into shops and such, however; those little shops are always beautiques (sp???), and although some have interesting stuff, it's always extremely expensive stuff...

I live in a weird neighborhood. There are the poor, poor people and then there are the "Urban Renewal" yuppies with no kids. So like our school gives out food bank food every week and is on government grants to help the kids get enough fresh fruits and veggies and has the problems of "inner city" like with getting them educated. At the same time, we have two neighbors who walk their twin St. Bernards while drinking champeign from flute glasses.... One house right behind us sold for almost $400,000, but just the next block over is the community food bank.... it's.... weird....

Chunky 'dark' accessories helps me loads to look like Ophelia, even when at work!
Harley Quinn mask rings, skull earrings, studded arm bands... they do the trick. 3/4 sleeve bf blazers look hot with interesting shirts or printed T's and while I prefer them with great fitted jeans, they go very well with black pants. ADT is religous about dresscode, and sofar nobody has reprimanded me... also nailpolish is an excellent accessory, a bother to most mom's with babies, but well worth the effort. I usually where 2 colours at once, half the nail with colour straight down the middle, black and an outragous neon shade, that undoubtedy do NOT match anything I'm wearing. Neon nails and hair ties/clips are an asset to any boring out fit!

Thanks, Trippin. Maybe jewelry and nail polish and all that is the best idea and just get as close as I can with the clothes?

Steampunk appeals to the Final Fantasy in me.... Magitech Armor. Gun Arms. Airships.... Cid's many inventions.... yup....

Yes DH , close enough goes much further than you think if you have the right trimmings

Haha Cid is awesome. Army surplus stores have good boots...

Ooh! I totally forgot about the army surplus store! I got all of my night camo there when I was a teen.

Depending on where you live and how slow you implement it fire red or purple highlights can be acceptable "accidents" if your hair is short or generally up, earnings (small plain plugs our generally allowed), changing your necklaces chain thickness (by a little) and your make-up a little.

I wear a corset under my normal cloths at times. I have tons of long almost prom type dresses but plainer I get after prom for $12. So often I'm accused of being to dressed up but no one complains when someones to dressed up. My "eye liner" (just above the eyelashes) for my upper eyelids is sparkle and I put it on before my normal eye shadow. Most people just think they are drawn to your eyes so they don't realize it's sparkley. Sparkley perfume and heavy small bracelets (melted copper-wire bracelets are awesome for this) trend to go unnoticed. I completely understand I live in the bible belt and move in conservative cycles where I'm young enough to be their kid.

I have a huge goal of wanting to actually do my hair and some make-up. I need to get contacts again. My self care is pretty low. I'm clean, I guess, but my hair is everywhere and I never wear makeup or perfume... I want to change all of this...

I think a big part of it is I don't feel pretty or like myself in my clothes. I think if I was excited about putting my clothes on the rest will follow. Does that make sense?

perfect sense sis... how about you go window shopping, fit on some stuff you like, see if you can implement the feedback in this thread? and take some pics to remind you of your goal, im sure that would get you atleast a bit excited, an hopefully that bit will be the motivation you need for your hair and face...

Start out with one or two things, at least for work, if you make too many changes at once its more likely they will notice and have issues with it.

When I worked at a nursing home with set uniforms, no jewlery ,no perfume,no outside the norm hairstyles/ colors allowed. I thought I would go nuts! So I found the loudest crazy colored bra and panties and always had my toes polished. Altho I "looked" the part, I still was able to feel like me.

I can polish my nails and things, as long as it's not crazy. I tried to do that "cracked" nail polish last year... haha, that stuff didn't work. Plus, I keep my nails short.

They want me to change. That's always a big thing in my review. They want me to "update my style and present myself in a put together fashion fitting to the dress code." The dress code is business casual, no strange hair colors/piercings/tattoos and capris/jeans only on Monday or Friday (which are casual days,) no clevage, perfume allowed as long as it's not overpoweering, and no revealing clothing (which for me includes v neck and often scoop neck shirts.... >.>)

I've tried doing it their way (which is boring old business casual type clothes.) So now I want to try it my way, which is a little different but I don't want to go off the wall.

here is a web site that is full of clothes I love.... but, haha, way to expensive.... >.>
http://www.pyramidcollection.com/Sho...spx?ID=51,1814

Which is too bad because they also have plus sizes.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I like it !

Some of there outlet stuff isn't to to bad... Maybe get a black pant and/or skirt and a few blouses? maybe keep building from there?

They have really nice clothing , not cheap old ugly Walmart crap.

Ooooooooooooh .. Dragonflys are my thing.. and don't ya know I look at page 2 and there is a braclet ! lol

They have a lot of awesome things, not just clothes but like linens and jewelry and such. I wish they were an actual store and in my town and I could go there and just walk around.

Here's another good one http://www.shopplasticland.com/
But they are alot more casual, although a bit cheaper, but not a lot of work stuff. Well, I should say, not a lot of work stuff for me because of my tattoo a lot of the dresses have too short a sleeve.