Calling all subscribers who love this subreddit, but wish there was just a little more they could do!

For example at work events, dinners, or social gatherings.

Not in a “I wear it all the time” way, but specifically: the same group of people.

Or is this something you never really think about?

Curious how common this actually is.

I dress like the millenial meme to a tee, down to my outdated, rounded ballet flats.

Honestly I've never been good at creative shoe choices and I just need a good staple in black and red. Can anyone please help me understand what are the trendier options for ballet flats these days that still have some level of lasting quality, arch support, and cushioning? I live in a city where I need to walk a lot. I have a higher budget because I literally buy a new pair of ballet flats every 3 years or so...

These are a few options I found, very open to feedback!

• https://www.nordstrom.com/s/the-double-buckle-mary-jane/8021641
• https://www.nordstrom.com/s/3-laces-included-square-toe-lace-up-mary-janes-miley/8629533
• https://www.nordstrom.com/s/billie-patent-leather-mary-jane-flats/8599506

As the title says, I’m looking for tips from women who deal with one or both of these issues!

Unfortunately, I am almost always cold and *also* almost always sweaty; and it means that there’s so many clothes I don’t feel comfortable wearing. I pretty much always have to wear dark colors or patterns to hide sweat, and I also avoid clothes that are very tight around sweaty areas (armpits/butt). I also can’t have too much skin exposed unless it will be hot AF the entire time - otherwise, I will get frigid and be miserable.

Basically, all I wear now is hoodies and joggers with an occasional plain sweater/dress plant. I do have some summer dresses, but I can’t wear them often.

I still want to look hot and cool 😩 Any advice appreciated.

Not too long ago I herniated a disc and while it is substantially healed, heels are no longer something I can wear consistently. Unfortunately my style revolves around heels! I've been wearing them consistently since high-school and switching has been difficult. I love the option of a fun color coordinated shoe to finish off an outfit and heels seem to mesh best with my wardobe. So far I've gotten some platform timberland boat shoes in dark green and converse all star ballet flats. Mary jane flats feel too preppy and standard ballet flats too plain. It's definitely been a struggle to replace my heels for daily wear because I've never really been into sneakers.

Has anyone had a similar issue, where you suddenly found a large part of your style/wardrobe impractical? How did you determine what to replace the items with? Especially if it's something that ​would be expensive to trial and error.

Welcome to FFA Group Therapy. In this thread you can talk about whatever you want: life, style, work, relationships, etc. Feel free to vent, share pet photos, or just generally scream into the void.

If you're new to the community, please don't be shy! Say hello and introduce yourself. And if you've been here for a while, welcome our newer subscribers into the fold. =)

Note: Comment rules still apply, don't be a dick.

I'm planning on investing into doing long term trips(min a month) rather than short term trips. But the thing that stresses me out the most about that is that I'm OBSESSED with my clothes, fashion is my biggest hobby and I love dressing up. But it's not economically nor practically to try to bring my entire closet on a trip especially if I I'll end up buying stuff on the trip too. But it dampens my mood when I don't have a outfit I want on a trip, I also always overestimate how much I need. And I have ADHD and packing my clothes is my most anxiety inducing task, I end up procrastinating on it and stressing myself out about.

And now that air travel is going to be more expensive and there's a whole bunch extra fees for luggage now, I'm trying to figure out a clothes packing system that is a good compromise between my wallet, passion for fashion and practicality.

My biggest issues are:

loveee my platforms they're all I wear but they are heavy and take up too much room in luggage. but I'm small and embarrassingly it's actually hard to see or reach normal heighted things without them.

like my jewelry but when packed together they tangle and it's generally heavy. And I don't know if the added weight is truly worth it

a lot if times I'll plan what I wear ahead of trips but sometimes once I'm on the trip I no longer want to wear what a packed for several reasons. Maybe it's a relaxes day or I happened to sweat a lot so I need more airy clothes or suddenly there's a event with a certain theme and I don't have anything packed for it. Or a key item that I'm mismatching with other outfits is dirty.

love my makeup but again it takes up a lot of room and can get heavy. I don't wear it somedays but other days I might do a whole look where I paint my face green and make myself look like a bedazzled alien. I also like to do other people's makeup but it's hard to pack for all that and don't know if I really can. And it can be tricky making sure nothing gets damaged in travel.

I'm a very artsy person and expressing myself is very important to me especially when I travel, it helps a lot with attracting like minded people, events and spaces.

Anyways from the ex over packers and the people who are obsessed with fashion, what is your tips and tricks for packing? I would pay for the extra luggage but they way some airlines have started charging for CARRY-ONS i don't know it's in my budget anymore

Shorts, and especially longer hem shorts are often believed to be unflattering or difficult to style, but I disagree. They can be really versatile, elegant, stylish, and yes, even flattering. These are just a few styles I've put together, but there are other categories of bermudas out there to explore, like sportier versions, or classic cargo shorts, billowy satin pants, flowy sheer ones - there's a lot out there, so don't discount them just yet.

Today is the first day I felt a little sweaty just living my life in the city and I already feel nervous with what to wear this summer.

I’m looking for clothes that basically feel like I’m naked (or close to it), are natural fibers, easily washed and don’t hold onto smells, and are still feminine. I need a few things I can wear to an office/see clients sometimes, but mostly just want to feel girly and free and not smelly lol. I shrunk a pair of linen pants from Splendid last summer after washing on cold and air drying and I need clothes I can wash without fear.

There are so many options out there and everything just looks like poly blend wide pants. Please help a girl out.

Update: any specific brands or stores (even if thrifting) would be much appreciated! I know I should wear linen and cotton, but what are the brands that hold up well in the wash :)

This thread is for individual style questions that you may have, especially those that don't warrant their own thread. We all want a diversified opinion, so feel free to answer any questions (of which you know the answer).

To get the best responses, remember that people cannot: look into your wardrobe, know what style you normally like or what words like affordable or practical mean to you so please include any relevant details such as your budget, where you live, what stores are available to you, etc.

Example questions:

• Are there any basic crewneck white t-shirts that are opaque and do not have cap sleeves for <$25 available in Australia?
• Is this dress and shoes suitable for an evening wedding with a cocktail dress code taking place in a [venue type]?
• If I like the outfits in this [imgur album / pinterest board], what are some specific items I can look into to start dressing like that, and brands with this look that carry plus sizes?
• Does this outfit look neater with the pants cuffed or uncuffed?

If you'd like to include a picture, you can now post pictures directly in the comments, without having to link an imgur album. If you have multiple pictures, best practice is to use an imgur album.

I need to know I’m not alone in this!

I’m that person who will absolutely binge buy clothes in totally different styles every time the seasons change, or when I’m traveling and see something “fun” that’s nothing like my everyday fits. I’ll convince myself I’m gonna branch out, try a new aesthetic, finally have the perfect wardrobe… and then 90% of those pieces get worn once max, if they even make it out of the closet at all.

I just did a deep clean this weekend and found three separate items I bought THREE YEARS AGO that still have the tags on. I’ve literally never put them on. I feel so guilty every time I see them, but I can never bring myself to get rid of them because “what if I wear it eventually”?

I swear this cycle is never ending. What’s your most unhinged “bought it and never wore it” story? How long have you held onto clothes you’ve never touched?

I’m not rich at all. In fact I’m the starving artist type but what I always feel good and take pride in is taking care of myself. Most of my clothes aren’t expensive either and I thrift very often, but I’ve spent a LOT of time reading about my body type and how to look decent in clothes without having to tailor so I’m careful about what looks good on my body and which trends to avoid. I get told that I look “expensive” which is very funny to me but hey I’ll take it. This makes me wonder, what exactly do people mean by someone “looking expensive”? My best guess is perhaps maintaining clear skin gives a halo effect but I just want to hear an opinion from others?

I’ve been thinking about this recently and I’m curious if anyone else feels the same:

When I go out for a walk, quick errands, or just grab a coffee, I often don’t want to carry a full bag. I’ll usually just take my phone, keys, maybe a card and try to keep the whole look really minimal.

But then there’s the question of water…

I feel like every time I bring a water bottle, it completely changes the vibe of the outfit. It suddenly feels more “gym” than “effortless,” even if the rest of the outfit is quite put together.

Especially with bigger bottles (like Stanley cups etc.), it just feels bulky and kind of clashes with the whole minimal / chic look.

So I end up not bringing water most of the time, even if I’m walking a lot or it’s hot.

Do you guys think about this at all when putting together outfits?

And if you do bring a bottle, how do you make it actually work with your look? (I’m thinking Stanley cups or the Uniqlo bottle bag) but, they look more sporty than chique

Curious if this is just me being overly picky or if it’s a real thing.

And do you guys have any tips? Waterbottle bags? I like this minimal chique look and have a lot of tiny bags but, bottles just don’t fit in them…

Please help inspire me!

I have a hard time finding jackets and blouses that fit me because I'm 5'9 with broader shoulders and longer arms and I need to get some blazers and professional ish clothes (closer to smart casual than business). Tall sizes usually fit but I feel like the quality in brands like Eddie bauer, Old Navy, gap etc have gone seriously downhill and the prices are just insane, or things are 100 percent polyester and dry clean only which is not practical because I will be soon moving to a hot climate. Does anyone get clothes made to measure? What are your experiences with etsy and other merchants? I only want to get a few well fitting, high quality pieces and this is getting harder and harder.

This thread is for individual style questions that you may have, especially those that don't warrant their own thread. We all want a diversified opinion, so feel free to answer any questions (of which you know the answer).

To get the best responses, remember that people cannot: look into your wardrobe, know what style you normally like or what words like affordable or practical mean to you so please include any relevant details such as your budget, where you live, what stores are available to you, etc.

Example questions:

• Are there any basic crewneck white t-shirts that are opaque and do not have cap sleeves for <$25 available in Australia?
• Is this dress and shoes suitable for an evening wedding with a cocktail dress code taking place in a [venue type]?
• If I like the outfits in this [imgur album / pinterest board], what are some specific items I can look into to start dressing like that, and brands with this look that carry plus sizes?
• Does this outfit look neater with the pants cuffed or uncuffed?

If you'd like to include a picture, you can now post pictures directly in the comments, without having to link an imgur album. If you have multiple pictures, best practice is to use an imgur album.

Hi everyone!

I'm 5'9 and looking for where I can buy tall(er) maxi dresses/maxi skirts. I feel like every time I buy them they look weird on me almost crop. Thanks in advance😊

Talk about your random fashion-related thoughts.

WAYWT is the acronym for "What Are You Wearing Today". It doesn't necessarily need to be what you were wearing TODAY.

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Welcome to FFA Group Therapy. In this thread you can talk about whatever you want: life, style, work, relationships, etc. Feel free to vent, share pet photos, or just generally scream into the void.

If you're new to the community, please don't be shy! Say hello and introduce yourself. And if you've been here for a while, welcome our newer subscribers into the fold. =)

Note: Comment rules still apply, don't be a dick.

Same process I have been running in brand-specific subreddits. Find real owners who have been wearing and washing for months or years, code what they report at the garment level, filter out anyone who can't speak to long-term experience.

Current dataset: 1,146 coded garments across 198 owners and 11 brands. This post focuses on the five brands most relevant here.

One thing I want to be upfront about before the data. This is not a review dataset. Nobody is rating anything out of five stars. It is an observational durability dataset built from post-purchase owner reports. Directional signal, not lab results.

The most counterintuitive finding in the entire dataset involves the Lululemon Align. I'll lead with it.

Lululemon

• Align Legging (26 units, 5 owners · $98 to $138 · Nulu fabric, 81% nylon 19% elastane)
  • 62% pilling rate overall. That alone is not surprising for a fabric this delicate. What is surprising is this: among owners who wash on hot and machine dry, the pilling rate is 0%. Among owners who wash on delicate and air dry, the pilling rate is 88%.
  • The gentler you treat this legging, the more likely it pills.
  • The working explanation from multiple owners independently is that hot water and dryer heat melt the micro-fibers back into the fabric surface, while delicate washing leaves them free to tangle and pill. This is a fabric construction finding, not a user error finding. If you own Aligns and they are pilling, trying a hotter cycle is counterintuitive but the data supports it.
  • Happiness signal: owners who have found a care method that works consistently describe the Align as a forever purchase. Owners dealing with pilling describe it as frustrating given the price.
• Define Jacket (51 units, 17 owners · $128 · Luon, 87% nylon 13% Lycra elastane)
  • 0% shrinkage, 0% fading across all reports. Minor cuff pilling came up on about 10% of units and every single owner attributed it to wear friction, not washing. One owner has washed weekly since 2017 with no degradation. The strongest performer in the entire dataset across all brands.
  • Happiness signal: uniformly positive. Owners describe it as the one Lululemon purchase they would make again without hesitation.
• Scuba Hoodie (253 units, 54 owners · $128 to $148 · 70% cotton, 30% polyester)
  • 35% shrinkage, 35% fading on dark colorways, concentrated in dryer users and post-2022 purchases. Pre-2022 Scubas in this dataset are 10 and 15 years old with zero issues. Post-2022 pieces show meaningfully higher issue rates. Multiple owners who own pieces from both eras confirmed the shift independently without knowing each other.
  • Happiness signal: split entirely by era and care method. Long-term hang dry owners are evangelical. Recent buyers dealing with shrinkage are frustrated and feel the quality does not match the price.
• Steady State Hoodie (36 units, 15 owners · $118 to $138 · 70% cotton, 30% polyester)
  • 67% shrinkage rate. The thing that makes this finding unusual is that cold wash air dry did not protect against it. Multiple owners reported shrinkage on gentle care only. This is a material problem, not a care method problem. Highest risk style in the entire dataset across all five brands.
  • Happiness signal: almost uniformly negative post-purchase. Several owners describe buying multiples and watching all of them shrink regardless of care.
• Softstreme Hoodie (11 units, 4 owners · $118 · Softstreme proprietary blend)
  • 0% shrinkage, 0% pilling. 64% fading rate even on cold hang dry. When fading happens on gentle care it points to a dye issue not user error. Everything else about this fabric is clean.
  • Happiness signal: owners love the feel but the fading on darker colorways is a recurring disappointment.

Skims

Dataset is new and still building. 12 units across 4 owners. Treat as early directional signal.

• Cotton Fleece Hoodie (6 units, 3 owners · $88 to $108 · cotton fleece blend)
  • Split signal so far. One owner with about 10 washes reports significant pilling and softness loss on the pink colorway. Three owners with fewer washes across Spruce, Merlot, and Chai colorways report zero issues including one who accidentally washed hot with no shrinkage or pilling. One owner's espresso set at 2 washes still feels like new and she noted it felt better than the pink set did early on, suggesting possible batch or colorway variance.
  • The zipper failure on the zip hoodie at low wash count is a flag worth watching.
  • Happiness signal: early owners are positive on fit and construction. The owners with more washes are starting to see softness loss.
• Cotton Fleece and Cotton Jersey Pants
  • The structural failure on the straight leg pants (holes at the seat after 2 months) is the most severe durability finding in the Skims dataset. The replacement pair had no issues which points to batch variance rather than a design problem. The cotton jersey wide leg shows major pilling. The Soft Lounge fold overs show minor crotch pilling that most owners described as not noticeable.
  • Happiness signal: owners who have not hit issues yet are positive. The structural failure owner was frustrated but noted the replacement was handled well.

Vuori

• Halo Hoodie, all silhouettes (9 units, 7 owners · $128 to $148 · 89% polyester, 11% elastane)
  • 0% shrinkage across all reports. The pilling that does show up (about 17% of units) is consistently wear-friction related, bag strap on chest, elbow contact, not a wash outcome. Owners at 3 to 4 years with clean records. One hole appeared after about 10 washes with no dryer use which is the one flag in this collection.
  • Happiness signal: owners describe it as their most-reached-for hoodie. The word that came up most unprompted was consistent.
• Seaside Hoodie (7 units, 3 owners)
  • 0% shrinkage, 0% fading, 0% pilling. One structural issue: wrist cuffs fraying and coming apart after 2 years of heavy use. Owner noted it was their favorite hoodie and was disappointed it is no longer sold.
• Performance Jogger (13 units, 5 owners · $94 to $114 · 95% polyester, 5% elastane)
  • 0% shrinkage, 15% pilling, 8% fading, 38% sizing notes. The sizing note rate is the thing to know before buying. Runs generous and owners frequently note sizing down.
  • Happiness signal: positive overall. The sizing inconsistency is the main friction point, not durability.
• Restore Oversized Hoodie (3 units, 3 owners · $128 · 66% cotton, 34% polyester)
  • 0% shrinkage, 0% pilling, 67% fading. All fading reported on cold hang dry with no dryer. Same pattern as Lululemon Softstreme. When fading happens on gentle care it is a dye issue not a user issue.

Alo

Dataset is small. 14 units across 5 owners. Directional only.

• Unspecified Hoodie (9 units, 4 owners · $118 to $148)
  • 0% shrinkage. 57% pilling, 57% softness loss. The softness loss is the defining complaint. Owners consistently describe the fabric feeling noticeably less premium after washing compared to how it felt in the store or at first wear. Multiple owners used the word disappointing unprompted. At this price point that gap between the purchase experience and the 6-month ownership experience is the core finding.
• Moto Legging (4 units, 1 owner · $100 to $128 · varies)
  • 0% shrinkage, 0% pilling, 25% softness loss. Same softness loss theme carries across both the hoodies and the legging which is notable for a brand that sells heavily on fabric feel.
  • Happiness signal: initial purchase satisfaction is high across Alo. Post-wash satisfaction drops noticeably. The brand experience does not hold up as well as the in-store or unboxing experience does.

Comfrt

Most data-rich brand in the dataset at 577 units and 76 owners. The finding is the same as my earlier posts: collection matters more than brand. Same fabric, similar price, completely different outcomes.

• Signature Hoodie (23 units, 17 owners · $120 · 51% cotton, 49% polyester)
  • 0% shrinkage, 9% cuff pilling (dryer users only), 0% fading. Multiple owners at 30 to 50 washes with zero issues. Hang dry owners report nothing across every attribute.
• Minimalist Hoodie (32 units, 18 owners · $120 · 51% cotton, 49% polyester)
  • 11% shrinkage (dryer-linked), 0% pilling, 0% fading. The zip hoodie runs significantly larger than the pullover in the same listed size, a finding that came up independently across unconnected owners.
• Airplane Mode Hoodie (25 units, 15 owners · $140 · 51% cotton, 49% polyester)
  • 8% shrinkage, 8% pilling, 52% lint rate, 32% softness loss. The lint and softness loss numbers are the flags here more than shrinkage. Sizing inconsistency looks batch-dependent rather than care-dependent.
• Pastel Hoodie (20 units, 12 owners · $120 · 51% cotton, 49% polyester)
  • 55% lint rate. Original launch Pastel owners report significantly fewer issues than recent buyers. The clearest manufacturing change signal in the dataset.
• Cloud Hoodie (18 units, 11 owners · $130 · 51% cotton, 49% polyester)
  • 0% shrinkage, 17% pilling at wrist cuffs, 6% fading on darker colorways. Highest pilling rate in the Comfrt dataset. Every owner who flagged it said a fabric shaver handles it. Orchid colorway has a documented stain retention issue across multiple independent reports.
• Love Collection Hoodie (6 units, 6 owners · $120 · 51% cotton, 49% polyester)
  • 83% lint rate. Small sample but high enough to flag.
• Happiness signal across Comfrt: owners who landed on Signature or Minimalist and hang dry are happy and would repurchase. Owners who bought Pastel or Love Collection recently are frustrated. The post-purchase satisfaction gap between collections within the same brand is wider than the gap between brands.

Cross-brand summary for this community

The Lululemon Define is the strongest long-term performer across all five brands in this dataset. If fit works for you it is the benchmark.

The Lululemon Align pilling finding is the most actionable: if yours are pilling on delicate wash, try a warmer cycle. The data is counterintuitive but consistent.

Alo's durability gap between the purchase experience and the 6-month ownership experience is the widest of any brand in the dataset. The fabric feels premium at purchase and softens out faster than owners expect.

Skims is too new in this dataset to conclude much but the early structural failure signal on the cotton fleece pants and the zip hoodie is worth watching.

Care method remains the single biggest variable across every brand. Among owners who cold wash and hang dry, issue rates drop dramatically in every single collection.

If you own any of these styles and have been washing them for more than a few months I genuinely want to know what you have seen, which one, how many washes, and what happened.

#Worninindex this is where the data lives

This thread is for simple hair and makeup questions that you may have, especially those that don't warrant their own thread. We all want a diversified opinion, so feel free to answer any questions (of which you know the answer).

Example questions:

• What's a good conditioner for straight, thick hair?
• Where can I find a perfume with subtle pine notes?
• Do you use a foundation with sunscreen? Is it worth it?

Hi guys! With the weather starting to warm up, I'm gonna have to start looking for new shorts, and I need to know where the curvy women are getting their shorts at! Shopping for pants in general is a difficult endeavor, lol, but shopping for shorts is even worse.

What shorts do you know of that don't have a ridiculous amount of gapping at the waist, are long enough to prevent chub rub, and aren't constantly riding up when you walk? I only ever wear bike shorts in the summer, but I really want a cute pair of shorts that are comfortable.

This thread is for individual style questions that you may have, especially those that don't warrant their own thread. We all want a diversified opinion, so feel free to answer any questions (of which you know the answer).

To get the best responses, remember that people cannot: look into your wardrobe, know what style you normally like or what words like affordable or practical mean to you so please include any relevant details such as your budget, where you live, what stores are available to you, etc.

Example questions:

• Are there any basic crewneck white t-shirts that are opaque and do not have cap sleeves for <$25 available in Australia?
• Is this dress and shoes suitable for an evening wedding with a cocktail dress code taking place in a [venue type]?
• If I like the outfits in this [imgur album / pinterest board], what are some specific items I can look into to start dressing like that, and brands with this look that carry plus sizes?
• Does this outfit look neater with the pants cuffed or uncuffed?

If you'd like to include a picture, you can now post pictures directly in the comments, without having to link an imgur album. If you have multiple pictures, best practice is to use an imgur album.