I’ve had this idea on the back burner for quite some time, and because I’m on fall break as of today (and tomorrow), I figured now would be a good time to get my foot in the door with this one project! To start out, I first want to talk about how I define fashion.
To put it simply, I see fashion as a creative outlet or form of expression; there really aren’t any rules when it comes to fashion. Sometimes I gain inspiration through different social media posts, and in other cases, I’ll flip through any magazines that get sent to me. I think what I love most about fashion versus style is seeing the artistic vision come to life, so to speak. Some people may prefer seeing art in a museum, but for me, fashion is just as much an art form as any other medium. It’s just more tangible, and even if I can’t afford most of those high end luxury pieces, it’s just beautiful to look at. That, plus there’s nothing wrong with daydreaming about it, right?
(Photo Credits: Nano Belt Bag in the color rice; taken from the official Celine website)
I’ve talked about style in quite a few blog posts in the past and have showcased my style on Instagram for quite some time now, so instead of talking about how I would define the word, I’m going to share some lessons I’ve learned and have stayed true to since the start of my evolution.
I’d say the one lesson that I’ve adhered to is quality over quantity. Throughout my teenage years, the only thing I cared about was having nice-looking things for cheap prices, thinking that having more options equaled having a good sense of style. This mindset started to change once I entered my 20’s, maybe even at age 19. I just got tired of having endless options of things that were low quality, and while there’s nothing wrong with saving money or being a budget-shopper, you really shouldn’t sacrifice quality or treat your money or clothes like they’re indispensable.
Speaking of which, I’d say this perfectly ties into my next point, and that’s the lesson of less is more. At heart, I still consider myself a minimalist. How I define that in my life now however is different; I don’t like to place restrictions on myself when it comes to the things I love and enjoy the most, and fashion is definitely one of those things. In saying that however, there are some “rules” that I try to keep in place so that my wardrobe isn’t stuffed to the brim with things I’ll never wear. I like to use the one in, one out policy for clothes, and I don’t like to keep an excess of hangers in my wardrobe because that’ll just give me an excuse to buy more. I would also say that I still stand by using the capsule wardrobe system, but a lot of what I learned about that experience starting out has changed drastically.
(Photo Credit: Taken from Pinterest)
As you can see in this sample capsule above, when you put together your own capsule wardrobe, you can start with a neutral color palette if that’s what you want, but that’s not a hard-on rule that you need to follow. If what you own is mostly colorful and trendy pieces, then that’s okay as well. The purpose of a capsule wardrobe is to help you figure out what you consider to be a staple or essential in your closet. This is a big mistake I’ve made when I was experimenting with my style. Before I started with decluttering, most of what I owned was fast fashion pieces with a hodgepodge of trendy pieces mixed in. Some of those trendy pieces I had were very comfortable, but comparing what I had then to what I wear now, I can tell you that they probably didn’t suit who I was at the time.
Style evolves and changes over time, so with keeping that in mind, one repeated mistake I remember making and have learned from is that you really don’t have to sacrifice yourself in any way just to be considered stylish. There’s a difference between knowing who you are and what you like versus wearing or buying clothes just because, and not having any real reason behind it. I’ve fallen into this way of thinking for probably a good half of my 20’s, and I can say without any doubt or hesitation that this kind of mindset only leads to exhaustion. Learning to identify what your style is, understanding what you do and don’t like and knowing what works for your unique body type will guarantee you a longer-lasting sense of style.
I think what I love most about my style now is that it’s the perfect mix of neutrals while still being colorful and trendy in a way that’s purposeful. If you follow me on Instagram, I will be posting some updated photos of what my closet looks like now. It’s been a long journey, but I’d say it was worth it. Everything I currently own is something I’ve been loving and wearing as much as possible. To close this out, I want to leave one quick tip that I’m just now starting to incorporate, which is looking at cost per wear. I used to think that this concept was just a waste of time, but lately, I’ve been trying to measure cost per wear when it comes to my accessories- more in particular, with my handbags. I’ve gone through so many phases of trying to figure out which bags compliment my style best... While this one category of fashion is still considered a weakness or addiction for me, I’m really trying to keep with me the mindset of quality over quantity. For me, the handbag can really become the statement of the outfit, or it can serve to complement the outfit depending on what colors you choose in your outfit. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this post and have a great day!