Omega of Fashion Adjacent
I’m excited about bringing Omega’s Stylish Thoughts to you today. Omega writes the fatshion blog Fashion Adjacent and has a really unique and interesting take on style.
What is the secret to great style?
My blog is called “Fashion Adjacent”, and there’s a bit of a story attached to that – I truly believe that trying to be “fashion forward’ is a race that no-one wins. When you are all about trends, it’s a constant pressure to buy new things (whether you love them or not, lest you appear “behind” the trends. Even by participating in a trend you’re directly contributing to that trend being “over”. This seems a really wasteful and hateful way to participate in fashion and beauty to me! I think by seeing the season’s trends an a optional dress-up party that you don’t have to attend leads to developing a much stronger sense of personal style – and this is the secret to a “great style”. Wear what works for you, what makes your heart sing – and you’ll look great every time. As a plus size-stylist I think this is especially important for people who wear larger sizes.
I notice you seem to only wear red and black, what’s the reason for this?
I have always been attracted to red, it’s my favorite color. My choice to dye my hair bright red limits my color choices a bit – pinks and oranges can clash with it. When I started building my wardrobe, like most people, I had very limited funds, and so I made a deliberate choice to pick a colour palette that I loved and stick to it, so that “everything matches everything” and I had an endless number of possible combinations, even though my wardrobe wasn’t extensive. Since then I have pretty much stuck with red, gray and black as my “core” wardrobe colours, but I add other things as they catch my eye – I have a number of dark gold/bronze things, and some purple, because I love red and purple together. I don’t see my color favourites changing any time soon – I know what I like, and what suits me, and I am just the kind of person who’d prefer to wear my favourites almost every day.
How do you balance new trends with a more timeless look?
Pick and choose the trends that appeal to you, and ignore any pressure to buy things you don’t love. When you do choose to participate, do it with low-cost items – accessories are a great way to get into a particular color or style without spending big. A “timeless” look is one that speaks to your own sense of style – when you’ve got a wardrobe of classic pieces that you really love, that fit you well, you’re going to look great whether you’re participating in trends or not.
What’s the secret to looking polished?
Whatever you’re doing, clothes and makeup wise, it needs to look as though you’re doing it on purpose! That’s the difference between “shabby chic” and just plain old shabby. Keep your clothes in good repair, take a few moments to check your hair and makeup before you leave the house. The little things make a difference. If you look well groomed, and your clothes are clean and mended, and your hair looks clean, and your makeup’s not smudged, then you will look polished. Keep this in mind even if you’re rocking bed hair, panda eyes, torn jeans, distressed jacket and scuffed shoes… if it looks intentional you can appear polished even when everything is artfully falling apart!
The one piece of advice most women need but don’t get?
What women don’t often hear (and need to, I think) is “Hey! You’re already gorgeous!!” So much of fashion and makeup advice is about negativity. “How to hide your flaws!” “What not to wear!” “25 body problems you weren’t insecure about (until now) and 50 things you need to buy to fix that!”. I believe a more positive approach is needed. We all have parts of our bodies we love and parts we love less, and that’s okay, but it’s really important to remember that most of that is inside your own head and not something other people are aware of. When I’m working with a client I give them tools and skills to work with what they already own, and help them see themselves and their choices in a body-positive framework. I really don’t subscribe to the “break them down and then build them up again” attitude that you see from stylists on TV.
What are your top tips for looking stylish when travelling?
Before you put something in your suitcase, grab a handful the fabric and squeeze – if you wind up with creases? Don’t pack it! No one needs to iron on a holiday, and with lots of gorgeous crease-proof fabrics around you really don’t need to. Decide on a color palette (a color expert like Imogen might point you in the right direction there) and stick to it. Dress like you live in Melbourne – layers, layers! With leggings, a jersey dress, a jacket, comfortable and stylish shoes and some light and unbreakable non-metallic jewelry pieces you can go anywhere and do anything – you’ll be set for sightseeing or dinner in a fancy restaurant. If everything works together you can get dozens of different combinations out of just a few pieces. Remember, the more room you leave in your suitcase when you depart, the more shopping you can do while you’re away!
