Finding Your Personal Style
by Guest Blogger, LV
Style is a subjective view of you in totality. It is knowing who you are, what you want to say and how you want to say it. There is a big difference between being stylish and being trendy. True style can transcend time, but trends come and go. One secret to mastering personal style is knowing how to dress for your body type and knowing what cuts and fits are most flattering to you as an individual. A great way to add longevity to your wardrobe is to invest in classic pieces and quality fabrics that fit well. Use accessories to make a statement and add more panache to classic clothing. Here are some easy tips to help you develop your personal style:
Purge items that no longer fit, or are dated and unflattering. Be ruthless about getting rid of clothes that don’t look good on you, don’t fit right or were just plain old mistakes. Put the clothes that make you feel your most stylish in a pile, gather up clothes that need to be tailored and donate all of the clothes you no longer wear.
Look through magazines, browse at blogs, tear pages from magazines and keep a scrapbook or inspiration board of looks that you like. You will begin to notice a pattern of distinct looks that you gravitate towards.
Step out of your comfort zones and try looks that you think aren’t your style and you might be pleasantly surprised how good you look. Experiment with different cuts, colors, fabrics, and styles such as classic, sophisticated, edgy, eclectic, bohemian, etc. Fashion should be fun and your journey to find your personal style should be enjoyable!
♥ Don’t Be a Slave to Trends
Although it is fun to embrace trends and have the latest looks, every trend will not look good on you. And if you are not careful, you will have a closet full of dated clothing very quickly. Be more frugal with trendy clothing and invest more in clothing that will stand the test of time.
♥ Make Sure the Fit is perfect
Clothing should fit you perfectly. Do not buy clothing that doesn’t fit just because it’s cheap. If you are planning to have an item tailored, you are better off buying items that are bigger and having them tailored down to your size, rather than the other way around.
♥ Build a Wardrobe With Essentials
These clothing essentials are a blank canvas to build your wardrobe around and they will never go out of style. Every woman should have:
- A little Black Dress
- A Classic White Shirt
- A Cashmere Cardigan or Sweater
- A Trench Coat
- Dark Wash Denim Jeans
- Ballet Flats
- A High Heeled Pump
- A Great Handbag
The icing is your accessories. Great accessories help pull your look together. Scarves, bracelets, sunglasses, amazing shoes and handbags can really help take your outfit to the next level. A great pair of shoes can make a ho hum outfit look FABULOUS!
There are so many different styles to experiment and have fun with. Here are some stylish looks from some of today’s fashion icons.
Classic
No list of icons would be complete without the first Lady Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama is a great example of classic style and a signature look. The classic sheath dress is a part of her signature look.
Another Classic icon is the late Jacqueline Onassis, known by Jackie O all over the world. Her style is also classic and effortless. She made the white slacks and black shirt look famous. And of course those big round sunglasses that so many of us love were a part of her signature look.
No wardrobe is complete without a little black dress. Audrey Hepburn made the little black dress a wardrobe staple for all women. And of course those cute little ballerina flats and cropped slacks were a part of her signature look as were the scarf and sunglasses.
Another great example of classic style is Victoria Beckham
And there are bloggers with great classic style who still manage to have some edge in their personal style such as 9-5 Chic and Fashion Bananas.
And there are those fun edgy looks we love!
Fashion Can be Bold!
Sassy!
Personal Style is about being you and owning who you are. There are so many fabulous style icons to get inspiration from. Here are more fabulous style icons to get inspiration from.
Shala Monroque
Shala Monroque has a timeless appeal, but also experiments with lots of daring colors and funky accessories. She is a regular fixture on the Sartorialist website with so many of her fabulous looks .
Olivia Palermo
Olivia has a style that is timeless and eclectic. Not only is she great at styling fabulous outfits, she is able to mix designer pieces with lower end items and always look amazing.
Genevieve Jones
This young socialite emerged on the New York scene and infiltrated the the inner circle of the elite without an Ivy League degree or wealthy parents. Her amazing style got her noticed and she is the personal muse of Prada and many other fashion industry heavy weights.
Kate Moss
Her effortless style is one that so many women covet.
Emmanuelle Alt
The editor of Italian Vogue is over 40 and looks amazing. She frequently tops best dressed lists and has a fearless style.
Fashion is fun and it is not about being perfect. Experiment and find your unique style!
