Click to view our Accessibility Statement or contact us with accessibility-related questions
payodpanda
958
Jun 16, 2016
Very interesting. I feel that this would be a great method for someone who wants to step up his style game without essentially becoming a men's style enthusiast, by which I mean spending unhealthy amounts of time in style fora and looking at product photos and reading product reviews even if you have no intention of buying anything at all.
For me, what works is this. 1. Look at a product (either in stores or online storefronts or in outfit pics by people) and go "wow that looks nice but I'm not entirely sure if that would work with my style". 2. Keep looking at other outfit photos, from shoots or other "normal" people. 3. Whenever you see something (that you've taken note of earlier) being used in a way that you think matches your style, make a note. My brain does that for me subconsciously. 4. Once you've done step (3) multiple times your brain would say "OKAY YOU NEED TO BUY THIS THING RIGHT NOW", or something to that effect.
Note that these steps happen pretty much in the background - I do not intentionally make note of products and look for patterns, it happens on a subconscious level. This is not essentially a good thing for your wallet because these are basically wants, not needs.
As an example, this has pretty much made me a lover of balmoral boots over time, and now I lust for one. Also, watches. Even though I might not like "store" product photos of watches, looking at people's own photos sometimes makes me want to buy it right away.
I guess in one word this method would be called "inspiration"? I can't believe I wasted all that time writing this comment when I could've just said "I buy something after I've been inspired by others rocking a style similar to mine with that product".
Argh.
Claghorn
39
Jun 17, 2016
payodpandaBut that process assumes you've already got a good idea of what your style is (or what you want it to be). For a lot of people beginning to take clothes seriously, I don't think that's necessarily the case. As a result, they might like (and purchase) an item which they like in some picture but they don't actually like with what they often wear (or intend to wear).
For example, I dislike loud jackets; I don't really feel comfortable with them, and if I were to compile a list of my 100 favorite outfits, I doubt a loud jacket or suit would make it on there. But early on, a few folks regularly wearing loud jackets stood out to me, and I liked it when I saw them. I definitely purchased a few that I never wear, culminating with a beautiful bespoke linen windowpane from B&Tailor, a jacket which to this day I consider my biggest mistake. Had I really paid attention to the outfits I most regularly like, I would have noticed there isn't a single loud jacket among them.
payodpanda
958
Jun 17, 2016
ClaghornHa, yes, I'm sorry I'm really not good with words.
What I was implying was that for someone just starting out, and for someone who doesn't have any idea about their own style, and who wants to discover what *style* he likes, your method would work well. On the other hand for someone who already has a defined sense of personal style it might not (of course, the thread is about an approach to defining / discovering your style). So my comment could be considered fairly OT to be honest, haha.
I was just pitching in on / trying to make sense of how I personally make purchases; I don't even know if it'll help anybody else at all, really. I'd never given thought to the process itself before, writing that comment made me think about what really goes on in my head (or what I *think* really goes on in my head, or maybe what I *want to think* goes on in my head - any psychologists here? :) ).
PRODUCTS YOU MAY LIKE
Trending Posts in More Community Picks