The other day a woman walked into my office building as I was walking out. As soon as I saw her I knew...
...that woman reads fashion blogs.
No, I highly doubt she reads mine or knows of mine, but I can probably rattle off the dozen that are must-views on her Google Reader. The Daybook, Kendi Everyday, B. Jones Style, Jen Loves Kev, What I Wore, My Style Pill, Sterling Style… not like there’s anything wrong with these blogs or these bloggers. They are lovely women (many who I also follow) with their own style… but it’s a style that is regularly repeated by others.
This woman had on a halter dress that I bet came from Modcloth – it nipped in at the waist and had a full Mad Med-like skirt. She took a long oblong scarf (I am guessing vintage) and wore it around her neck, and then took two different belts and cinched them over the dress and the scarf, making the scarf like a halter or vest. She had on nude peeptoe ankle booties, two “arm parties” going on, a braid where her bangs usually reside, and a Foley + Corinna City tote. She was a walking fashion blog.
One cannot be stylish if she copies another. Style comes from knowing yourself and expressing it through fashion. When you literally replicate a style of another you become a fashion victim.
Fashion blogs are a wonderful resource, a way to see relatable trends, relatable pricepoints, and brands that are easily accessible. Women with real bodies – petite, tall, pear-shaped, plus size, athletic, and everything in between. However, these fashion bloggers are individuals – and you are too.
Knowing your personal style takes time. Yes, there are some folks who know their style voice straight from the womb. Most women need time to get to know who they are before they can even start figuring out how to express it through fashion. But that doesn’t mean you should take upon the personal style of another.
Take your time. Buy simple pieces, simple colors, classic cuts. It’s better to be properly dressed than fashionably dressed. Buy for your current life, and your current budget. Try looks out in small doses, and see what FEELS right to you. Ask those who know you well for their honest opinion. If anything feels like a costume when you put it on, it will look like a costume. Those women who can carry off crazy trends never feel as though there are wearing a costume – to them belted scarves and pleated leather shorts are as comfortable and commonplace as bootcut jeans and tee shirts.
Personal style is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t waste your money on fashion until you know who it is that you are dressing. Stick to basics and slowly build up the style as you slowly build up your confidence and your self. And that self you are is pretty fantastic. Never hide it under the style of another.
Note: I know I wrote about this same topic before, but I think this bears repeating. Just as I keep harping on quality over quantity, I must repeat again – be YOU! And if you aren’t sure who YOU are, that’s okay but don’t try to be another in the mean time. Focus on you, the fashion will follow.
