In a family not into fashion, expensive clothes are definitely not a priority and I remember when I wanted a new pair of jeans and after insisting I didn't need them my father offered the option of going to a secondhand shop. I had to be forced at first but this adventure led to the discovery of vintage gems and ultimately my passion for a more retro-inspired wardrobe. If I had been raised hyper aware of trends and fashion I don't think I would have developed the style sense I have now--I probably wouldn't wear white shoes before labor day, mix green and yellow, mix black and brown, or a variety of other style choice I tend to make.
I think this goes without saying (but just to be safe), it doesn't mean if you are raised in a fashionably aware household you won't have style. I just meant that I am beginning to appreciate my family's interesting contribution to my own style. Love your family or hate them, you wouldn't be you without them... 
P.S. I should add my family seems to be taking a very new interest in fashion lately that is quite odd and can attest that they are all becoming rather strangely stylish...but the pictures will always remind me of the dearth I was raised in.
P.S. I should add my family seems to be taking a very new interest in fashion lately that is quite odd and can attest that they are all becoming rather strangely stylish...but the pictures will always remind me of the dearth I was raised in.
Outfit details: dress- vintage via thrift shop, shoes- On The Couch (Japanese store)
71 comments:
You must be influencing them!
hmmm i can see your point of the freedom to create your own style right from your imagination without influence, but i don't think if you are in a family who is interested in fashion, that you are more likely to obey rules like no black with brown etc, or thrift stores won't be considered or you won't take those risks and dress oddly. i think it proves that your style is an interest true and natural to yourself, but my mom is very stylish and often experimental (she wore orange tights with a black vintage shift dress to a car boot last week!) and when i started experimenting with style i never factored in her thoughts or opinions at all, but she always encouraged me in whatever i went out in so i was more adventurous than i would have otherwise been. nowadays i don't trust her though because whatever i put on she'll say 'oo fab!' no matter what crazy concoction it is!
so i don't think a fashionable or non fashionable family can swing in different directions, as you could say one would make you experiment more than the other or on would cause you to find a natural style more than the other, both work! i think true fashion is about experimentation and evolution, so in a fashionable family this is always encouraged. maybe your points adhere more to a family who has strict rules about dressing and is strict on what you wear/what you buy/ how much you spend rather than a 'fashionable' family, as fashion encourages individuality?
plus i don't think the fashion rules' you mention are to do with fashion, it's not like designers would use them i guess? more to do with what i said before, the very strict, old fashioned rules that some families may obey if they weren't fashionable but more traditional and conformist. just my opinion, i hope it doesn't sound negative as i definitely see your point!
WOW, this was really interesting. My dad isn't particularly into fashion, but he likes to look nice. my mom is very fashion forward and always has been. She went to FIT and though she doesnt work now(she isnt unemployed, she just doesnt work) she is very good at sewing and even had her own store with someone for a little bit.
I have always liked clothes and I think I was definitely influenced by my mom. I didnt always dress the way I do now, but I have always been interested in fashion.
It makes me wonder If I would be the same way if my mom was less into fashion etc.
Well, your family sounds very nice, and If its them that influenced you to dress that way you do...then way to go!
You really have incredible style!
I love your outfit, Usually red and yellow remind me of Ronald McDonals, but you pulled it off very well!
Love the yellow dress and those red shoes are beautiful!! Haha I have two older brothers, so when I was growing up I hardly had any new clothes. If they could be rolled up or worn with a belt, I wore them!
When going places like a nice restaurant or things like that, my family dresses well, but not creatively well. One thing is that my mom is very matchy-matchy, and my dad loves his sandals. My little brother loves very cheap cologne. But that's what makes them, them.
See, I have the opposite problem. My mom was VERY fashionable and instilled a lot of her own fashion ideals in me.
Because of her, for the longest time I wasn't able to mix navy and black, mix brown and black, mix silver and gold.
Because of her, I have an adoration for red fingernails and red lipstick.
Because of her, no designer handbag will be better than the Louis Vuitton's monogrammed canvas speedy.
Because of her my closet is organized by color.
Her fashion ideals may or may not still be fashionable, but they are there inside me. Slowly, I'm coming up with my own fashion ideals and going beyond what she taught me.
My family also isn't very fashionable - I've gone through different styles and my mother always let me do my own thing. I thank her so much for that! It helped me to discover my own way of dressing up.
My family isn't very fashionable (well my little sister sort of is) but in a semi hindering way. My mother gives me hell whenever I wear things that she deems "too old" for me.
I like those red shoes! :D
This post definitely made me stop and think about the trends I've fallen into at my school. It's hard not to get wrapped up in them and while everyone tries to be unique it seems as if they are trying not to stand out as well. My goal for this school year is to do exactly what you are doing. Develop my own style and not fall into the trap of following what everyone else does.
I love the necklace on your dress too!
thumbs up to you for being adventurous! My Mom encourages me when I try new things since young, so I guess it stays.
BTW, that's a lovely yellow dress!
I love yellow & red together! I shall attempt it too. & I LOVE YOUR LOW WEDGES <333
I feel that, making good or bad choices is very subjective. What is nice to me, might be bad to you? I mean, when it comes to leggings or socks wit sandals, people have very different opinions about it?
What I feel is that, wear what that makes you happy, because it will show. & yes, what is fashion without experimenting!! There will never be new trends without experiments! :)
& I feel a very big sense of acheivement when I buy things at a steal!!! Why must I buy a bag that is 90 dollars when Ican find 12 dollar bags at thrift stores that are equally awesome!
I love that combo of yellow and red. How vibrant!
i love what you said about being raised in a 'fashion illiterate household'. :)
your photos are wonderful, as always.
I completely agree with you. My family was the same way; my mother made dresses for me sometimes & I thought they were the most beautiful dresses of all. Because we were never financially gifted, we often went the the thrift stores for many other things. A lot of our toys & books & stuffed animals were found there. I think this leniency really helped both me & my sister find our own identities in our clothes, rather than what was automatically picked out for us at the malls, per se.
I want to raise my family in the same way... :]
the yellow dress is fun! great with the red shoes!
The shoes are very to die for!
I also grew up in a house that while not totally not fashion forward, we never looked at clothes as anything more than something (more or less pretty) to cover up with. But it's funny that both my mother and I changed (or better said evolved) at the same time, her letting go of dresses that made her look 20 years older and embracing quirky skirts tops and me letting go of my chains and rocker tees (yup, I was a teenage rock chick) and embracing skirts and dresses et all. I think with me it was more a change in confidence than anything else though.
Lovely dress and shoes!
Thanks for your comment, but my dad doesn't live in Alaska... He just went there on a fishingtrip :)
Hawai sounds nice!
My mom is always like "I like the way you put things together."
They kind of politely appreciate the outfits I throw on...
Neither of my parents have any sense of style really.
My Mum used to be a dresser for Tim Curry and Judi Dench but still would happily wear clumpy shoes and baggy jumpers.
Although in my Mum's defence she has stated to take more of an intrest in fashion...
I love your red shoes. And your necklace is so pretty.
You know, it's funny... My parents are rather restrictive and don't really approve of... well, most things I want to wear. So all throughout middle school, I had the urge to dress trendy like everyone else, just because it was something my family didn't want me to do.
those shoes are sick! i love 'em!
Love the red wedges!
Your posts are always so interesting because they prompt me to think about facets of fashion I haven't considered before, like how my parents may have influenced me. My parents are very conservative and were raised in Communist China, and my mom has always abided by simple, classic, body-flattering clothes--something which I think rubbed off on me. By the same token, even though she's not very experimental with silhouette, she does have an eye for what suits her. Also, growing up in a Communist bubble, she never absorbed the widely accepted fashion "rules" in Western society about not mixing metals or certain colour combos, and therefore didn't pass these limitations on to me.
thats so interesting how your family face fashion and clothes...for sure it was so good for you to be who you are, fantastic!
a kiss my friend :))
a stunning outfit as always...
I'm with you on the fashion illiterate family. I feel like it's freeing when there are no rules to begin with...
that's very interesting. I agree with you! No rules are the best way to start anything! The vintage dress is amazingly cool; the colour is great!
*allure and me were together in Paris because she is one of my best friends:)
Just adore your red wedge. I think fashion is just a guideline and finding one's style is a trial and error process. I have done my share of faux pas, ie. blue shadow all over which look like someone punch my on both eyes... : )
That necklace is amazing.
I must say that I can connect with you on a certain level. My dad only shops at walmart, and my mom hates expensive clothing. Though these restrictions harbored my own sense of style, they would prevent me from buying new clothes whenever they can haha.
The bag is from a store called LAMB (not gwen stefanis brand). They sell a lot of bohemian styled cotton hippie bouses and leather bags.
I can't even tell how beautiful that dress is.
My parents aren't interested in fashion at all. My dad always wears sports clothes (okay, he is a sports teacher) and my mom thinks that other things might be more important than being well dressed.
So it's quite interesting that me and my sister love shopping and more extraordinary clothes.
the shoes are just darling, and the red is super fresh with the yellow dress.
I LOVE YOUR SHOES! My mom is chic, but she basically only wears black & white, which means that I "rebel" by wearing browns & grays if I want neutrals, but mostly I'm seen in color, it's an interesting influence. it's always interesting to think of how your parents influence your style, your's is amazing thanks to your sky's the limit family :)
Wow. This is probably my most favourite outift you've ever worn. I had all this stuff about family influence but it's all gone out of my head. You look like a gorgeous drawing today!
Ohh, yeess you love and hate youre family...tell me about it I have three brothers and on sister and yesss....though a good deal about familys are that you learn and that is what is important, don't u think?
that vintage dress is so pretty, i love the color!
at first i thought those red wedges were Mard for Marc Jacobs!!! very cute!
GORGEOUS!! Love that dress, I think this is my favorite yet!
I had a similar sort of family to yours I think. My dad still wears clothes from 20 years ago and my mum is a very practical, no nonsense person who has no interest in fashion. I think that the other big influence my family had was that they didn't try to force anything on me and they always encourage self expression.
Red and yellow is so hard to wear together (sometimes it reminds me of McDonalds colours) but again, you make it look effortless and chic.
I think my one brother has probably been in a clothing store twice in the last five years. My mom buys cloths for my brothers and dad (it's not hard, they're cowboys so western shirts and Wranglers).
My mom is reasonably fashion-concious. She doesn't worry about trends or runways, but she likes good quality. I think I've inherited my love of well-made clothes from her.
I love that dress by the way!
I love, love, love this outfit! The colors are perfect and I love the fabric of the dress.
I feel like if you grow up surrounded by amazing fashion you don't get a chance to be creative and find your own style.
that yellow dress looks fabulous on you!
i've been looking for a yellow dress all summer!
you have fabulous style... i love all of your outfits... and the photos are setup perfectly!
you so do inspire!
those shoes are killer! so cute.
my brother seems to be transforming like your family is, I guess being around fashion forward people takes a toll on them.
Lovely, fashion with some context! The events that occur in our lives affect the way we dress. It's not always about following the trend.
I know how you feel. I grew up in a house of hand me downs and soccer jerseys. I never cared for fashion or trends, and neither did anyone else in my family (until recent years, it's weird that my brothers and I all got into it at the same time!). But I think it's great because you focus on who you are instead of how you look, and you realize what you like. And when you don't care as much how you look, you just look the way you want. All this convoluted rambling to say, yeah, me too.
another yellow dress! beautiful!
ok, so, i'm contemplating not posting my outfits on copperoranges, but joining chictopia instead ... thoughts?
I love the red accessories with this dress, pairing saturated with "un"! My parents had no style and no money, and would buy me one pair of pants and four shirts every fall. Needless to say, I found that mixing in my brothers' old clothes was an attractive option, and later discovered the cheap cheap thrills of the thrifts store which saved my fashion life!
looooove the yellow and red.
you've got the most perfect dreamy pictures all the time.
I think that if you don´t have much money it is praiseworthy becasue you have to think a lot and look for fashionable clothes without trades. In your case, you get it!
i can relate to this a bit. my family, while not fashion illiterate, have never been into it that much. most of them view it as a necessity rather than something fun to do or an outer expression of their inward thoughts. so, because of this i was never aware that i was doing any wrong. they didn't know much, so they never criticized or critiqued what i wore. some things that i pull out make them go what? but because fashion isn't much of a concern for them they just let me do as i please. =)
Wow, your shoes make the whole outfit, and i love the lemon yellow of your dress :)
What a very interesting concept to raise!
I was bought up in a fashion conscious household, my mother particularly is an extremely elegant lady. But I was free as a bird to wear what ever clothes I wanted to, and given I was a teenager in the early 90's was heavily into grunge. Hard to believe now I'm sure!
I wonder whether style and and eye for colour and detail is just something you are born with?
What ever the case you have a lovely, individual style that is a pleasure to watch day in, day out.
LM
ooo! Love the shoes! And the touch of red in the necklace is perfect.
WOW WOW WOW!
Oh my dad isn't interested in fashion at all, my sister wasn't, but I think I made her a bit more fashion-interested :)
Cute yellow dress!
I'm rather fond of sock and sandals combo, so let's hope your father doesn't change to much.
I agree with Imelda!
Yea, I'm the same way. I was just thinking about this tthe other day. I was like "Wow, my mom's sense of style is kind of eh. My dady's clothing so straitlaced. My brother... uhhh??" But then I thought, I learned from my mom to always have your own sense of style, your own point of view. She doesn't care that shoulder pads are out of style, it's what she likes! I also learned from my dad that it's good to look presentable and be a lady. As for my brother, he helped me embrace the edgy side of my style. Because I always wanted more clothing, but couldn't get it, I always wore his mixed with mine.
Love'n the shoes dear.
Mj?
-SLCsocialite
i love evrything about your outfit!its gorgous.fab shoesxxx
I was raised in exactly the same way, and I appreciate every single bit of it. I think it really led me to be who I am stylewise, and always gave me a comfortable space in which to do whatever, without any sort of judgement- in the end a very valuable thing!
xo
angela
My mother was totally beyond popular fashion and I grew up without, for example, wearing jeans. The little girls at school thought I were strange cause I had none of the trendy items... when I was 10 years old we had a play at school and teachers ask us to wear jeans and a white tee. Well, my mother had to buy me a pair of jeans for the occasion (than I had a cold just in time for the play and I spent the day in bed, but this is another story...).
Family tree's issues definitely influence your style along with everything else!
Your shoes are so lovely.
That is very true! I've picked out my clothes since I was in preschool. My parents pretty much let me where whatever I wanted even if it didn't match or was ridiculous. I would always dress up and put the craziest things together, but they never made me feel like I looked bad.
I get what you mean. I was raised in a very fashion consciencious family - model sister, fashion director sister, fabulous in general mother... I was sort of always aware of brands, and the word "chic" was so natural to me I was using it by age 6.
However, sometimes I recall thinking in my childhood of a suit my mom had which I thought was SO ugly... a Chanel tweed suit... and today as I wear my high street knockoff blazer I can't help but think - maybe deep deep inside me, I don't really like this?
I love your red platforms!!! If you'd like please check out SampleSizes.blogspot.com I sell sample size dresses & tops for very low prices. Thx!
I definitely feel that coming from a "fashion illiterate" family has given me a sense of freedom (not monetary freedom, but creative freedom) that I might not have had otherwise. I love your posts -- your photos are an inspiration. I would love to link:
http://nothing-elegant.blogspot.com
Keep it up...Cheers!
\omg your wedges are divine....
you have no idea how much i agree with you here!
i was so frustrated by this as a kid, but what you said here... it's really gotten me re-thinking my old opinions on my family and their fashion choices.
awesome post!
great shoes. i like the oriental slant to what you're wearing here.
My mom used to model for specialty stores in the 40's before I was born. I'm sure I get a lot of my fashion sense from her, although I went through a period of fashion rebellion during the 1980's. Once I got my mind back it was full steam ahead. Now I'm fashion blogging and allowing my house to get much too dusty as I spend more and more time on the internet.
Very interesting post and a lovely outfit. I love the pops of yellow and red color. The shoes are a very nice touch and I dream of looking like you do in a dress like that.
Have a great weekend.
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