-
Stop trying to copy someone else’s style
It is tempting to take fashion bloggers and celebrities’ “inspiration” a little too far, after all, some of these girls look great with styles that they have crafted themselves, have excellent photographers and enough money to spend on high-end handbags, but their secret to look good (other than Photoshop) is that they have their own style that works for them. Taking some inspiration or eying a look that you might want to try is fine, but copying outfits and wasting your money on overpriced items is not going to help your personal style. What could help you more is to wonder: why can this person pull this off? How are those garments favoring her body shape and overall look? Then you will discover the basic principles that can help you figure out what works for you and what doesn’t.
-
Find your niche
Once you’ve started to get a grasp at what you should be wearing, get those five basics you can’t get out of settled.
- A pair of black pants
- Your go-to jeans
- The LBD
- The perfect basic black/white top
- Shoes that are good for church AND a Tool concert (I don’t go to church, but I have and idea of what shoes I would wear if I ever had to go)
Picking the right kind of cut for pants and dress will dramatically affect how you look and feel. You don’t have to try to fit any cheesy street style stereotype like boho chic or glam or hippie or whatever it is Vogue wants you to be. Just make it work for you and be happy.
-
Play chess, not checkers
Think of your wardrobe as part of your life strategy. You would never go to college to get a degree in something random that you have no idea how to use for your career, in a similar way, you can’t just buy random pieces of clothing without assessing how they fit with your current clothes. Assembling a good wardrobe involves getting versatile garments that compliment each other and that serve to your bigger picture style strategy. You also have to recognize when you need to let a pawn go in order to defend your king.
These are just some ideas that I’ve found extremely useful since I stopped buying new clothes regularly and started getting higher quality and vintage apparel, yes, I am a slow fashionista. Always remember that clothes are just a small piece of the puzzle and that being healthy and feeling good about yourself is more important than any fashion advice.
