Daisy's Fashion Help Thread

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

I went digging through older posts and comments and found someone asking for a "mans guide to womens clothing". I don’t know if that person ever got the help they were looking for but I figure it can’t hurt to make this thread. I'm aiming for this to be clothing for all genders, but it should still go without saying that because I’m a woman, womens clothing is definitely more my wheelhouse than the specifics of menswear.

I go to an art institute and one of the history courses I've taken as a result is history of fashion. So fantasy and history writers are welcome to ask questions here too. I'm by no means an expert on the subject but, I know enough to point you in the right direction.

fashion in general is pretty complicated and explaining everything at once would be near impossible. I'm offering help individually, not writing a comprehensive guide to fashion. I will occasionally offer charts that put specific names to different elements of clothing in an effort to make descriptions easier, but that is as general as I'm willing to get in this thread.

Examples of questions I'd be willing to answer:

"How do I describe the jacket on a buisness suit?"

"How do bra sizes work?"

"What is contouring?"

"Is this tacky? (describe outfit)"

"Does this outfit (describe outfit) make sense for this character (describe character and situation)?"

Be nice, have fun and ask away!

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

Women's non athletic shoe guide

 

[HordHolm]

You missed Pompadour heels - my wife would never forgive you

But seriously, this is a good idea. Perhaps, to expand it, the curious might post a pic and ask, what is this garment?

 

[HordHolm]

Oh, and clogs usually have wooden heels/soles and are fearsome weapons in their own right.

 

[thomas1965]

That's great help.
Thank you so much.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Round here, sandals without a strap at the back are called mules, but you can also have closed-toe sandals which I've never quite figured out. Id have said pumps had to have almost no heel, similar to loafers - the 'pumps' in that picture look like kitten heels.

I've always known Mary Janes to have a T-bar, not just a strap across.

I tend to stick to mentioning heels (low, high, stiletto) or strappy sandals, or trainers (UK for sneakers) or boots, because even if I know specific terms it's likely they'll be called soemthing else overseas and/or readers won't know what the term means. "Sexy sandals" and "fuck-me heels" cover a lot of ground!

 

[Comshaw]

My fashion sense runs to:

"Damn! You look good in that! What is it?"

"A birthday suit."

A simple man with simple tastes.

Comshaw

 

[NotWise]

Round here, sandals without a strap at the back are called mules, but you can also have closed-toe sandals which I've never quite figured out. Id have said pumps had to have almost no heel, similar to loafers - the 'pumps' in that picture look like kitten heels.

I just googled "pumps" and most of the shoes pictured had a lot of heel. As I understand it, the distinction that makes a pump a pump is that it's cut low so that the top of the foot is mostly exposed.

Some of my female characters wear pumps, but I don't think any have worn "fuck me pumps" -- not yet, anyway.

 

[SimonDoom]

Nicely done.

I can remember when I was young flip flops were sometimes called thongs in America, but that use seems to have died out, probably in part because "thong" came to mean something else, which barely existed when I was young. I don't think I ever saw a thong on a woman until my ex wife bought one for the first time in her 30s.

I often have to go online to refresh my memory about the names for different articles of women's lingerie, because there are so many, and the differences can be subtle.

Names for different types of tops can be confusing, as well as different cuts and styles of skirts and dresses.

Men's clothing is so much simpler.

 

[TheRedChamber]

Okay, I'll avail myself of this service.

It's 1963. Our protagonist is traditional and slightly frumpy.

Just as we were about to quit and head to Ashlyn's French place for dinner, I had a break-through in a bridal shop. I managed to find the perfect wedding dress. It was simple and tasteful - a sleeveless number in ivory and satin with a squarish neckline and going down just to the floor. It was embroidered with simple white roses. It was about twice as good as my previously pencilled in dress and about twice the price. Though just within our budget if we made savings elsewhere.

Does my description pass the sniff test?

This is the dress I used as a model from a quick Internet search.

 

[gunhilltrain]

The shoe types is a useful list, although I've never gone into that much detail yet. Bra sizes: there's been far too much of that already.

If I have to be in 1963 (or earlier), there are plenty of clothing photos and drawings - including vintage advertisements - online. That photo above doesn't look like '63, but what do I know? Maybe the dress is indeed from that era, but I doubt the picture itself is.

 

[TheRedChamber]

The shoe types is a useful list, although I've never gone into that much detail yet. Bra sizes: there's been far too much of that already.

If I have to be in 1963 (or earlier), there are plenty of clothing photos and drawings - including vintage advertisements - online. That photo above doesn't look like '63, but what do I know? Maybe the dress is indeed from that era, but I doubt the picture itself is.

The picture is from a search for 1960s wedding dress. I think it was tagged as vintage so yes the picture is relatively modern. I'm assuming the dress is correct time period but what do I know!

 

[JGittes]

The picture is from a search for 1960s wedding dress. I think it was tagged as vintage so yes the picture is relatively modern. I'm assuming the dress is correct time period but what do I know!

The clock is correct for the time period in the US, but I don't know about the UK. The model's hair, attitude, and nail polish don't speak the 60s to me though. The dress is appropriate for the 60s in Southern California at least.

 

[TheRedChamber]

The clock is correct for the time period in the US, but I don't know about the UK. The model's hair, attitude, and nail polish don't speak the 60s to me though. The dress is appropriate for the 60s in Southern California at least.

Yes, I'm not asking about the model, just the dress she's wearing. I guess my question is if my words match the picture or a general idea of a suitable wedding dress in the 1960s.

 

[Rob_Royale]

Anything you can add will be of immense interest to me. My stories have described women getting fashionably dressed for some event and having any sort of help describing their apparel would be awesome. Thank you.

 

[ElectricBlue]

The picture is from a search for 1960s wedding dress. I think it was tagged as vintage so yes the picture is relatively modern. I'm assuming the dress is correct time period but what do I know!

The dress is sixties, the model is 2020s, I'd say.

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

Okay, I'll avail myself of this service.

It's 1963. Our protagonist is traditional and slightly frumpy.



Does my description pass the sniff test?

This is the dress I used as a model from a quick Internet search.

View attachment 2196594

That looks right to me. It matches the silhouette of the era. Though that embroidery isn't simple and would've likely costed more in labor than the material cost of the previously mentioned dress.

If she's 'traditional' by the 60s standards she might use her mother's wedding dress, but that's also a matter of class, wealth and how much she cares about her friends opinion of her dress. Heirloom dresses are only 'classic' if the dress is very well constructed out of high quality materials. Otherwise the dress is seen as cheap and tacky and her friends might pick up on the financial troubles.

There's definitely a decision to be made.

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

Most wedding dresses in the 60s wouldn't be mass produced. Rather a woman would by a pattern and make it herself or hire someone to do it for her, making adjustments as she sees fit.

Womens wedding attire is difficult because it's a dress that is typically worn once and then either passed on or never worn again. Every bride wants a dress that is unique yet fashionable so there's a lot of wiggle room in terms of what would make sense for a fictional woman to incorporate into her wedding dress.

Because of this the biggest tell on time period is silhouette as that's something that changes over time and plays heavily into what people would consider attractive.

 

[XerXesXu]

If she's 'traditional' by the 60s standards she might use her mother's wedding dress, but that's also a matter of class, wealth and how much she cares about her friends opinion of her dress. Heirloom dresses are only 'classic' if the dress is very well constructed out of high quality materials. Otherwise the dress is seen as cheap and tacky and her friends might pick up on the financial troubles.

In the '60s in the UK, most mothers would have married in smart, everyday clothes, as my mother did. My sister married in a traditional white wedding dress, with veil, hired for the occasion.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

This thread is probably a good place to ask: for men who have been able-bodied and under say 50, do you sit down to put trousers on, or do it standing up? Ditto removing them. Does it depend on the style - eg eg more careful for a tailored suit, one-legged for jeans? Sitting and two legs at a time for joggers, which is what stores here call sweatpants nowadays?

Actually, same question for women.

 

[TheRedChamber]

In the '60s in the UK, most mothers would have married in smart, everyday clothes, as my mother did. My sister married in a traditional white wedding dress, with veil, hired for the occasion.

Ok, a good detail to add rather than just assuming she's going to have one.

This thread is probably a good place to ask: for men who have been able-bodied and under say 50, do you sit down to put trousers on, or do it standing up? Ditto removing them. Does it depend on the style - eg eg more careful for a tailored suit, one-legged for jeans? Sitting and two legs at a time for joggers, which is what stores here call sweatpants nowadays?

Actually, same question for women.

Either way really. I have to sit down for socks so mostly sitting down for my morning getting up session. If I'm swapping over without changing socks, I'll do it standing.

 

[ElectricBlue]

This thread is probably a good place to ask: for men who have been able-bodied and under say 50, do you sit down to put trousers on, or do it standing up? Ditto removing them. Does it depend on the style - eg eg more careful for a tailored suit, one-legged for jeans? Sitting and two legs at a time for joggers, which is what stores here call sweatpants nowadays?

Actually, same question for women.

Sitting down to put trousers on? That's the oddest concept I've heard of in quite a while! That's just... odd.

 

[Rustyoznail]

This thread is probably a good place to ask: for men who have been able-bodied and under say 50, do you sit down to put trousers on, or do it standing up? Ditto removing them. Does it depend on the style - eg eg more careful for a tailored suit, one-legged for jeans? Sitting and two legs at a time for joggers, which is what stores here call sweatpants nowadays?

Actually, same question for women.

Depends. In a cramped area, like the back of a car, sitting down to do both. Other areas, for informal, standing.

With suit pants, I usually sit to carefully pull my pants up past my knees, then stand. The reverse to take them off. Unless my interview was shit, then I don't care.

 

[lovecraft68]

 

[gunhilltrain]

That looks right to me. It matches the silhouette of the era. Though that embroidery isn't simple and would've likely costed more in labor than the material cost of the previously mentioned dress.

If she's 'traditional' by the 60s standards she might use her mother's wedding dress, but that's also a matter of class, wealth and how much she cares about her friends opinion of her dress. Heirloom dresses are only 'classic' if the dress is very well constructed out of high quality materials. Otherwise the dress is seen as cheap and tacky and her friends might pick up on the financial troubles.

There's definitely a decision to be made.

This professional curmudgeon (yes, his clients pay him to give advice) is saying that expensive weddings cause financial problems. Worth a listen if you can handle this guy.