Fashion advice: Confidence is the key
Growing up, my mother used to dress me up in bright blazers. Blazers with skirts, shorts, jeans and dresses. She has a very unique taste when it comes to fashion and interior design. When I was 4 years old, she bought me my very first blazer–I remember it very clearly, as though it was yesterday. The blazer was bright pink, the inside fabric color was white with tiny pink dots. I fell in love with it from the moment I saw it. That’s when I knew that my passion for fashion had just begun. My mom used to dress me up very chic for every occasion and even for the “everyday looks.” Trust me, if you’d ever met my mother, you’d right away think she works in the fashion industry. My mother is my style icon!
Throughout the years, I wore different types of blazers, from bright colors to uniquely shaped textures. You can dress up any look with blazers and accessories, such as bracelets, cocktail rings, long necklaces and scarves. I love wearing blazers with scarves. Short scarves, long scarves–it doesn’t really matter.
I would describe my style as casual chic with a bit of rock n’ roll twist to it. Music is my number one inspiration when it comes to styling. I can pretty much listen to a song and pick an outfit based on the music and lyrics I’m listening to. What can I say, I am an artist, and we are all creatively weird sometimes.
Finding your own unique, personal style is a long road to be traveled. It does not happen just after a good night’s sleep and dream about beautiful clothes, but is an adventure that takes several years. “Fashion is what you’re offered four times a year. Style is what you pick out of that fashion. It’s a matter of finding the right pieces and putting them together to create a perfect ensemble that you look and feel stylish and comfortable in,” says Denver personal style consultant, Sarah Waddell.
I’m not a style guru, no Anna Wintour, and certainly no Kate Moss, but I have lots of different phases in my early 20s where I was always totally convinced that I had found my style.
And now, a few years on, the time has come that I carefully dare to say that I have found my own taste indeed. It took a lot of embarrassing moments but my personality is best reflected in the most basic, minimalist outfits without too much fuss, but always with a little twist, like a bright blazer. Clothing is a way to express yourself every day. But how can you find your own personal style, you may ask?
1. Find inspiration
If you have no idea what to put on, and you are clueless every day for your closet, it’s a good idea to look for inspiration. Scour the Internet in search of styles that you like, street-style images that immediately bring to mind you and outfits that you can see yourself in. Then dive into your wardrobe and combine it!
2. Do not be afraid to experiment
Without trying things out, you never know what you like and do not like, and especially what is and is not beautiful at you. Try all sorts of looks, play with colors and layers, and also just go to the streets. It might be a crazy feeling, but you’ll quickly know what outfits suit you and what you do not feel comfortable in.
3. Find your signature piece
Search for a particular item, such as a leather jacket, a blazer, or a good bag that falls anywhere to combine a 100% reflection of you. This way you give every outfit your own twist and create a more personal look.
4. Shape
Know what shapes and styles of clothing do not fit well with your body and buy clothes in the right size. Too small clothes make you look bigger than you are, and loose clothing can make you disappear. If you stand facing the mirror and see exactly what features you like about yourself and what you want to show to everyone, you can much more easily put together an outfit and make choices during a shopping spree.
5. Mix and match
Fashion is and remains a party, without rules and with a lot of freedom. Do not be embarrassed to try new things, playing with trends and occasionally stepping out of your comfort zone. Remember girls: You don’t have to buy expensive clothes to look fabulous. Just mix and match. I personally love shopping at H&M and Bebe. If something looks great on me and it costs $5, no doubt I’ll buy and wear it.
Conclusively, it’s all about having a good eye and taste in fashion. And most importantly, it’s all about confidence. To me, fashion is art. My idea of fashion is not only what is seen in the fashion shows and magazines. Fashion is about what people around the world are wearing. It’s about original style and taste. Fashion is all around us.
This article originally appeared on theodysseyonline
And re-appeared on medium