6 Random Notes On Style & Fashion - The Closet Conundrum XV
Some of my random ideas about style. They are the product of personal experience after my lifetime of dressing (& being dressed) and almost four years of fashion blogging, closet purging, capsule wardrobes and shopping fasts; all in the name of unearthing my very own authentic thingy and not feeding to much into the fast fashion machine. Am I there yet? Nah! Like with a lot of things in life, style is an evolution, a road to travel. Sometimes you make great way, sometimes you stumble. I've had my share of fashion faux pas. As long as I learn from it and don't take it too seriously, it's all good.
Random Notes on Style & Fashion
1. Take Outfit Pictures
Whether they are selfies in front of the mirror, quick snap by someone else or a more dedicated picture, seeing yourself and your outfit through the eyes of the lens is adding a second perspective.
Now, remember a picture isn't a 100% accurate replication, as lightning and angle play a very big role in how a picture turns out and even if it is perfect full frontal it will still be different from how you see yourself in a mirror. Nevertheless I've found it invaluable for two reasons:
First, I get to see the outfit from the above mentioned second perspective, helping me understand what works, and what doesn't. For example, I have this dress with the kangaroo pocket. Personally I found it tres cool to put my hand inside there. After seeing it on the picture, I realized it.just.doesn't.work for me with this dress. Right, that's a very fashion bloggeresque example maybe, but I hope you get the gist. In the same way, some colors might look good on me in my bedroom mirror, with the lightning there, and totally off in natural light.
Random rant: By the way, what's up with these high street shops having crappy lightning?
Sometimes I want to put something on to achieve a certain effect, but I don't quite manage to bring it across. It doesn't turn out the way I hoped it would. So back to the drawing board.
Second, and that's probably the more important one, seeing myself in pictures, and seeing what works, what looks good and what looks better than I thought it did in the mirror actually helped me raise my confidence and style awareness. Be a little vain. Nothing wrong at all with feeling good about your looks as long as it doesn't turn into an obsession.
2. Experiment, step outside of your comfort zone, express yourself, don't be afraid
While this may take some courage and a leap of faith at first, it is utterly liberating. Express who you truly are. Don't try to make something fit you just to fit in. For example, I can do the ultra chic and proper ladylike stuff. But it is not something I would want to wear everyday because I am not 100% comfortable in that kind of outfit. I love my outfits to be able to do everything with me. And I want to show you outfits that I and weird women like me are actually wearing, not something I put together for promotion.
To find the style that is most you, you have to try out different things without being afraid of "what people might think of you". Half of the people you meet won't notice anyway. Trust me. I experience it every day when walking my son to school. You'd figure it goes without saying, but so many people are stressing out over what to wear and how they appear. If only they'd realise that a lot of times other than a passing thought, no one actually remembers what you are wearing a minute later and/or doesn't care in the first place. Sure, if you are worthy of being on People of Walmart, maybe you need to reconsider. Otherwise just relax and have fun playing with fashion. They will notice you enjoying what you wear more than the actual items.
3. Add a surprising element to spice up even the most classic of looks
Try adding one thing that is a surprise, unusual on the eye or out of context into your outfit . It could even be something you curate to become your signature thing. Like a counter color accessory, big earrings, patterned scarves, colorful socks etc. If it's well done, it is a great style marker.
4. Age appropriate is a relative term
A very relative term if you ask me, but then again, I tinted my hair with a hint of blue only a few weeks ago. If you've not seen Advanced Style yet, check it out. In the wake, there's a growing number of "over age X" - bloggers that show you how you can dress well even with things that were termed a "no go" for women of their age not too long ago, like for example Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb who made it her tag line. She also often features other style daring over 40 bloggers on her blog. I'm so happy about this, not the least because I am over 40 too but have absolutely no plans to go silently into that good night.
5. Be no slave to trends
Looking at magazines, watching runway shows and all that is fine to get inspired, but running off to buy the next "hot thing" that some carefully orchestrated media campaign proclaims is just being a sheeple. A lot of trends - I hope you know - are actually planted. And you never catch up anyway, because that is the way it is set up to work. They need you to always run after a new trend. The faster the better. Unfortunately, not only does following trends blindly mean you'll never arrive at your own style, but not all trends are for all people. Not every trend will look good at you. Some will make you look outright ridiculous.
The funny thing is that if a ridiculous thing is part of your game, it'll work. If you just wear it to be trendy? Not so much. And don't be trendy just because you are trying to impress other people or think yourself in some kind of competition with the girl over there or because you think you'd be seen as less "in the know" if you aren't wearing all the latest "in things". If a trend inspires you, yeah sure, try it. Just not blindly every single one.
6. Less is More even if More is More
By that I mean that I've found a smaller but curated wardrobe to be exponentially superior to a stuffed mishmash of clothing that might even get worn but isn't really gelling, has no rhyme and no reason. It works for some individuals (I even have some in mind) because it is part of their personal "thang", and even then it is most often something they've curated over a long period of time. It just seems random. But for the majority of us it doesn't work. Curate your clothing and accessories. No one says it needs to be a minimalist capsule wardrobe. But put some thought in it. Talking from experience there was a period in my life when my wardrobe was full of tops that didn't have fitting bottoms and vice versa. Yeah of course, some pieces did go together, but then it was back to always wearing the same stuff I knew worked. What was the point of having all them others then? Or, if I wanted to wear something else it was either hours of desperate pulling clothing on and off in order to find some workable combination. Or go shop. For something that mostly, once again, didn't fit with much. So curate your wardrobe. Here I'd like to refer back to my "5 Questions To Ask While Shopping" which can help determine whether a purchase will be a good one or whether it is more likely to become a closet corpse.
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Linking up with: Honest Mum | Rachel the Hat | Jo-Lynne Shane | Mom with Style | Not Dressed as Lamb | Not Dead Yet Style |
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Closet Conundrum
Fashion X
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8 comments
I love your outlook on style! It all makes tons of sense. The thing about leaving your comfort zone is something that I should do, but dont. I believe my sense of styless style came from many years of wearing uniforms to school. Hence my love and adoration for white shirts, plaid and blazers.
ReplyDeleteWhat you said about age approriateness is great too. Way too many women think too deeply about wearing certain clothing for fear it may be age inappropriate. My train of thought is "eff what other people think. Wear it for you". That's why I continue to wear bikinis at the ripe old age of 62. I am glad I subscribed to your news letter. You are an adorable gamine. Oh yes. You are!!!
Aaaw Catherine, thanks you! That's such a beautiful thing to read :) I agree, too many women don't wear things because they've been told (by media mostly) that it's not for their age and of course, until recent years there were very few role models that showed otherwise around. Or as accessible as they are now thanks to the internet. Keep on rockin' that bikini :)
DeleteIt's great to see you again, Alexandra! And your style advice is right on. I am 62, like Catherine above, and I continue to wear what I love. Thanks for linking up, xox
ReplyDelete-Patti
http://notdeadyetstyle.com
I agree that shops have pretty bad lighting!
ReplyDeleteHi Alex, I like venturing out and trying something new. I always wear what I love to wear and like the tips on taking photos. Good sound advice!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking!
jess xx
www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
Fabulous tips, Alex! And I agree with you completely on all of them. Taking outfit photos has done amazing things for me on a confidence level as well. And wearing a side of confidence is always important!
ReplyDeleteShelbee
www.shelbeeontheedge.com
These are such good tips, or fashion rules to live by!
ReplyDeletexx, Elise
www.sparkleandslippers.blogspot.com
Hi Alex!
ReplyDeleteIt was wonderful coming here to your blog and starting to know you a little better :)
Thank you a ton for the lovely comment you left on my newest collection! It's greatly appreciated!
Thank you for sharing your throughts!