#I think also in general i've been always sort of... divorced from trends and stuff

[starrypawz]

I'm not trying to come across as like 'I'm not a sheeple' but I'm not sure if this is a 'growing up autistic' or 'growing up kind of poor thing' or maybe it's my parents influences but I really have realised over the years that designer/luxury brands hold like really little sway for me?

And that also includes like brands that aren't designer/luxury but also are considered desirable it's just sort of like 'ok i understand why im meant to find this desirable but why tho'

[mariacallous]

Random ask but how would you describe your style? Are you into fashion?

I love random asks!

I'm gonna flip the order of the questions and say that I am into fashion - like I don't go out and buy magazines or necessarily look at a piece of clothing and go "that was from the spring 1997 collection put out by [x]" but I think about it constantly - which overall styles or elements work and don't work together, what sorts of trends there are and how things have shifted (or reverted), and knowing about different designs from different eras and historical periods, and I read and look into things just because it interests me and to get a better understanding. And I've always been doing this - when I was younger I would talk with my sisters and discuss outfit pairings and critique celebrities and other fashion, and now that I'm older and more myself and more independent, obviously I think more about how I look and present myself (and how I want to present myself).

And honestly, I'm not sure how I'd describe my style, really - I was thinking about this a lot recently because I'm never sure how I come across or look, really (I asked several friends how they'd describe me and I was surprised, but in a good way). Part of the problem is I get very into the mechanics or details - does this particular top go with this particular skirt or pair of pants and this pair of shoes, or does this dress work with this necklace and scarf, etc. - and so to a certain extent I get somewhat divorced from thinking about an overall theme or set of descriptors.

But (and I almost said that my style is "professionally fun" but that makes me sound like I'm doing something I've neither the confidence nor time for) I think my style would be "generally professional but also fun", "comfortably nice in an off-kilter sort of way", "partly inspired by my favorite or most identified-with fictional characters", "21st century bureaucrat-cum-human services-cum office worker mixed with 80s guest star character"? (Feel free to send in descriptions or comments on what y'all think my style or fashion sense is because I always love to know what others think).

I don't really like to show off that much ("keeping the demilitarized zones covered" is how I describe it) really, partly because I'm not comfortable feeling so exposed so much (and I don't know that I have a lot to show off anyway) and partly because I'm a pale ass bitch with predominantly Irish ancestry and I burn like a motherfucker. I do like my legs (mostly from like the knee to the ankle) and so I don't have much of a problem showing those off too much (I'm sort of built like an upside-down bowling pin.)

I like patterns and prints and colors (partly because I spent so long mostly avoiding those and focusing on what was simple but appropriate while still being comfortable due to work, in particular animal print (so snakeskin - LOVE a snakeskin print and I wish there was more stuff with that out there, as well as crocodile print - and leopard and tiger) and paisley and houndstooth and maybe having one standout element or piece (usually the jewelry). For colors I'm all over the place but I try to avoid too much yellow or orange (I don't think it really works well with my coloring) and I go more red (and various shades) and green (etc.) and blue (etc.) and I try to avoid anything too tight or bodycon but I don't want to be completely shapeless and drab, like a Laura Transgirl Wilder/My Transtonia prairie look or The Blahb, and I hate my feet so I don't want anyone to see what they look like (hence no sandals or peeptoes really).

I'm conscious (some might say overly and concerningly away) of my flaws/"areas which could be improved" and so part of my choices are to help mitigate or deflect those, and to work with stuff that I know will be more flattering (although selfies are always a difficult thing and I don't know that I'll ever master the confident yet casual or "casual" selfie).

I don't mind being noticed but I don't really want to stand out too much, at least currently (not that it'd stop anyone).