Fashion/Dress sense

[MinorityofOne]

Do you feel confident in your clothing? I tend to just wear a plain black or white T-shirt and jogging bottoms(comfortable, plain) and if I'm out and about a hoody to cover face, I see people(normally girls or alternative types) dress so flamboyantly and it makes me sad, I wish I had the confidence to go out looking like I wanted but the fear of getting beat up or ridiculed is too strong and come on....SA is bad enough as it is without drawing attention to oneself. I would even get thrills dressing flashy and colorful at home but the judgement of the family deters that also, not that I have excess money to spend on funky attire or make up just....it could do a lot for self confidence. Do you dress how you like? or does self-consciousness force a state of conformity?

[iTz0kt0Bu]

Do you feel confident in your clothing?

Yes, most of the time. I need more money to buy the clothes I want too. I feel slightly conscious when I'm wearing ancient clothes I don't like simply cause I don't have much clothes I like and have brought myself.

Do you dress how you like? or does self-consciousness force a state of conformity?

Yes, I do dress how I like and would do much more if I had more money. However there have been few times I was conscious about the clothes I wore cause of reasons such as not seeing my other peers wearing it or thinking my clothes might make me look feminine. As some of my peers dress to look macho.

I wish I had the confidence to go out looking like I wanted but the fear of getting beat up or ridiculed is too strong and come on

http://shyness-social-anxiety.com/se...-insecure.html

That helped me understand why I might be shy to wear some things. This is pathetic but I was so nervous to wear a new era hat I wanted to wear a few months ago.

I've recently realised that trying out new things, being creative/funky doesn't always look best at first and ppl sometimes look down on new things.
However I also learnt from observation that overtime new styles, creative /funky styles also get really refined that they start to look their best. So now i'm trying the haircut I've wanted cause I know my best teacher is experience. And observing from other classmates, I think I would learn to make the haircut suit me. I have been too afraid of making mistakes but that's part of the experience when it comes to trying out new things.

Lol, i've also realised my last paragraph relates to my signature

[Nat88]

Absolutely relate to this. I'm a girl, but dress down in jeans, tracky bottoms and dark t-shirts. I tend to wear tracksuit bottoms and baggy t shirts as i spend most of my time walking my dog or gardening, so don't mind getting those clothes dirty. I don't like to draw attention to myself at all, so wear dark clothes "to blend in" and what I feel comfortable in.

[scarlettgirl]

when i was younger i dressed alternatively i guess, but as i get older i find myself becoming more and more conformist and boring perhaps, in the way i dress. I mean i don't mind what i wear, it's more a case of feeling comfortable in the less flamboyant stuff.
saying that i seem to wear more colourful clothes if i'm going to meet friends who are confident, whereas if i'm alone i'll try to blend in. funny because on my own i always feel i'm drawing more attention anyway, no matter what i wear.

[pinkwafer]

I dress quite bland, really. It's what I feel comfortable in...

When I was much younger, I'd never even take like a jacket/hoody off because felt too self-conscious. I'm not as bad as that any more, but I don't feel like I can wear just anything. But that's all what it comes down to - I'm a very self-conscious person.

[Richey604]

Originally Posted by retepe

http://shyness-social-anxiety.com/se...-insecure.html

That helped me understand why I might be shy to wear some things.

That's a really interesting link. I always end up wearing the same, totally neutral clothes all the time .... baggy grey t-shirt, cargo bottoms & the same jacket, pretty much continuously (trying to get myself to just wear a long sleeve top when the weather was hot recently was just sooooo stressful I eventually gave up.)

I tried buying some new things & wearing them out a few weeks ago, but felt so totally uneasy & self conscious I just gave up, kinda predictably I suppose.

But anyway that's a really interesting link/explanation, thanks for posting it.

[Pseudolonewolf]

During my teenage years, I didn't follow fashion trends at all and worried constantly what people would think of what 'totally uncool, maaan' clothes I wore... I loved wearing a school uniform for this reason, and during the occasional 'non-uniform days' at school that everyone except me loved, sometimes I'd just wear my uniform anyway, saying that I'd forgotten, or I'd worry all day that I looked stupid because of what I'd chosen to wear...

My eventual solution was to just decide on an 'outfit' and get multiple copies of it so then I'd never have to choose what to wear!
Now I have like a dozen black shirts and half a dozen pairs of black pants and I wear those all the time... While I don't need to worry about what to wear anymore, I do worry that people will think I'm really scruffy for seeming to never change my clothes.

I recently got a hat like the one that my avatar is wearing; in fact, I used my hat as a reference when drawing that avatar. I wanted a 'fedora', but I ended up with more of a cowboy hat sort of thing. Ah, eBay.
Anyway, I like it, but I've been absolutely terrified to wear it.
I was only able to when I was with my girlfriend (a situation I cannot see happening again any time soon), and even then I was really nervous about it...

I'd love to think that the worry was just in my head, but one time when I DID wear it, we passed by these three loutish-looking beer-guzzling young men, one of whom started shouting out to me, threats and insults, calling me an '[effing] Jew' and so on; I only realised later on that this was probably because of the hat. Sigh. What a world. I almost had a panic attack; the only reason I didn't was because I wasn't alone at the time.

I also have really long hair (below shoulder length) and am male... which worries me a lot in case people pick on me for that or make awkward comments.
Like another time when I was with my girlfriend, putting groceries into a car boot, and some guy came up from behind and said 'can I give you ladies a hand?'
Oh, the look on his face when he turned around and saw my silly little beard (which I also worry about). Oh, if only I'd seen it, but I couldn't make eye contact so I didn't. Oh.

[kingandduck]

Tshirt/poloshirt with normal jeans or shorts at every opportunity the weather allows..

Some of stuff I see men my age wearing these days make me seriously concerned. Too many posers about.

Like if you want to look like you workout or are in good shape, then use a gym or play a sport, don't but a xxx small shirt so it makes you look big.

And those beige jeans with the elasticated bottoms, baggy arse area and skinny legs.. Holy ****.

[LittleMissMouse]

That article really hits the nail on the head for me. My aim is just to blend into to the background, there is a lot of stuff that I don't feel cool enough to wear, and when I go shopping I have constant paranoia that when I ask "can I try this on" the shop assistant is probably thinking "no, because we don't sell stuff to the likes of you".

[bluemaus]

I wouldn't say confident; I'd say I'm comfortable in what I wear. Mostly t-shirts and jeans, though I do like to dress up a little in smarter clothes. Makes me feel more confident when I'm in smart clothes for some reason.

I used to dress exclusively in dark colours because it seemed a 'safe' thing to do. There are times where I felt I might get ridiculed, but in reality it's been very rare someone would make a silly comment. As I've got older I'm less afraid to wear bright colours; I bought some bright colour jeans and unusual/novelty accessories for example which previously I wouldn't have had the courage to wear.

[AutumnLeaves]

Well I'm restricted in that I can't wear short-sleeved tops because even though I get waxed professionally and I scrub and moisturise, I still get unsightly bumps on my armpits . This in turn means that I have to wear long-sleeved tops with the right kind of material that you wouldn't ever see sweat patches appearing on in summer. I am also too afraid to go bare-legged because I think my legs look like blotchy white things.

But I work round these things and over the past 2 years I have developed my own style which I am happy with. Sometimes I wear skirts or dresses, sometimes I wear trousers. I just try to pick clothes that flatter the shape of my figure (I no longer over-estimate my body size) and are of colours that I like and don't look ridiculous on me.

I reckon if you feel really self-conscious, buying clothes that don't look anything like what any people your own age are wearing on the streets is probably not the way to go. But you can still mix items that never go out of fashion with bits from current trends to create a style that isn't overly alternative or attention-drawing, whilst still bearing your own mark.

[JosieFrench]

I can also relate to this alot. All I really wear is black chino's or jeans (shorts if it's warm) and band t-shirts. Another thing that's held me back from trying clothes is the fact that I wear purely male clothing despite being female, so feel anxious asking to try clothes on/buying clothes in a men's clothes store! Alot of clothes do catch my eye and I want to wear them but I'm scared they won't suit me. I tend to buy my clothes online now instead but I have been purchasing new and different clothes lately but have been anxious to wear them in public.

Like that article mentioned, it's mainly based on perceptions in my opinion, and fear of judgement by other people. Also, I personally rend to become more comfortable in clothes the more I wear them in public, just take it one step at a time; maybe just go to the shop or something the first time you wear a new item of clothing and then maybe next time wear it out for a little longer, it soon becomes more comfortable and natural

[Brokenx]

I'm a fan of leggings and jeggings they're just so comfy. When Im in the house I don't care but wen I go out I try put some effort in lol

[Between The Bars]

whatever the hell is clean! am no fussy.

[Gary1972]

I tend to wear the same colours, jeans and white or grey t shirt... I hate buying clothes feel really anxious about buying new clothes just in case I get it wrong and end up looking like a clown,

[SupAJ1M]

I usually play it safe with plain neutral colours, t shits, v necks, crew necks, polos, jeans, cargo shorts, sporty type stuff, trainers, hoodies. I would love to wear graphic t shirts but i feel like that will show my personality and leave me open to ridicle. Also, i have a bit of extra weight on me so when i white/grey tops, my man boobs tend to stick out which makes me feel self contious

[tryinghard]

When I was a teen I was a goth. I don't like mainstream fashion that much by I like very theatrical clothes. Nowadays I dress to get as little attention as possible but I miss the fun of getting dressed up. Don't like people staring, though, and I also kind of don't see the poin anymore. I used to dress up to have fun, but I never have fun anymore. There's no point dressing up to walk round the park on my own, so I don't bother.

[Johnni]

Originally Posted by SupAJ1M

I would love to wear graphic t shirts but i feel like that will show my personality and leave me open to ridicle.

Same here although its less about the ridicule and more that the print can be quite noticeable sometimes and i normally go for safer clothes but id like to wear graphic t's.

I just been online looking at casual shirts cos i've got bored of polos & t's yet i'm not sure i'd wear them cos i never wear stuff like that and think they wont look right on me even if they were in not so bright colours.

[warmness]

Im getting better with dress sense now, jogging bottoms and black tops was my thing, colours i finally creeping into my collection. I've hated myself for so long and only recently ive been feeling a little okay with it thanks to someone, but i cant see what everyone else sees about me :/

[Sea]

No, I am not comfortable with the way I dress and I guess this has always been related to general lack of self-confidence. I go out of my way to dress down and to be inconspicuous, but sometimes that only serves to make me more conspicuous. Generally I dress quite blokey, in jeans and a baggy top. I often wish I was more stylish. But then I have an inherent disdain of fashion and materialism which doesn't help...I hate wasting money and the lack of environmental responsibility that is the fashion industry. And so its both my moral values and my lack of confidence that end up in my dressing like a man (lol). Meh. I would attempt to change it, but what's the point? No-one ever sees me anyway, except for at work

[GhostOnMagneticTape]

Being a 30 something, I no longer care that much about what I wear nowadays, I buy clothes from charity shops and even wear my Dad's jumpers! Who gives a sh*t? No one!

Though on the rare occasion I go to a gig or a club, I generally try to make the effort with a shirt and smart jeans.

[Richey604]

Originally Posted by Johnni

Same here although its less about the ridicule and more that the print can be quite noticeable sometimes and i normally go for safer clothes but id like to wear graphic t's.

I just been online looking at casual shirts cos i've got bored of polos & t's yet i'm not sure i'd wear them cos i never wear stuff like that and think they wont look right on me even if they were in not so bright colours.

You could try Zazzle, they let you design your own logos on t shirts/ hoodies/ tops or customise ones they've already got & have them (the logo/ customisation) any size you want.

I've bought several self-customised long sleeve tees from them & they're really good... good quality, well made & seem to last I mean.

[Johnni]

Originally Posted by AlienBuddha

Being a 30 something, I no longer care that much about what I wear nowadays, I buy clothes from charity shops and even wear my Dad's jumpers! Who gives a sh*t? No one!

Though on the rare occasion I go to a gig or a club, I generally try to make the effort with a shirt and smart jeans.

Well it seems you give a shit lol

[Gary1972]

Well I did it actually bought another colour shirt on Monday .... Not white not grey.... Salmon .... All I can say is wow! I feel like a fish out of water ... Lol ... I need to stop doing the same things.... Like einstein said the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expecting different results

[Toxic]

i dont have any fashion sense..i think the whole term fashions a load of bollocks

i just wear what i want

i actually dont have a problem with anything i wear..im more self conscious about having my scrawny arms on display..not that i might have a bright coloured top on

although i Did prefer to wear a lot more black ..i got tired of people in shops giving me dirty looks like i was going to steal stuff! as soon as i got through the door i was immediately ambushed by a salesmen asking if i was ok..funny they dont bother now i wear other coloured things

[We_Hate_You]

I just mimic people I admire, most people I admire are in metal bands so a black band t-shirt and jeans or khaki shorts is my usual outfit. I've been likened to Dimebag Darrell which is a nice compliment

[Gary1972]

Got none, will never have any just will keep trying and get anything that somebody says you'd look good in that!

[LordSnow]

I'm quite timid with my dress sense as well and I am fairly sure I look ridiculous most days. Anyway, most of the time I just wear joggers and one of my many v-neck coloured t-shirts with a hoody since I don't often have to go very far. If I'm going somewere like the Cinema I'll switch joggers for jeans.

[SupAJ1M]

Does anyone here where geeky t shirts, like Sheldon and Leonard do?

[LotusRen]

Originally Posted by SupAJ1M

Does anyone here where geeky t shirts, like Sheldon and Leonard do?

I'm wearing right now a shirt that says 'I'm so jedi I shit lightsabers' Does that count?