The Value of Settling into Your Own Style
For many people, fashion is a means of expressing who they are and how they are feeling as well as making a visual statement of their personal taste. I can give you a list of reasons about how redemptive fashion is to the spirit, why it is so important, how it can help us look at ourselves in a new light, why it allows you to relate to others better, and how investing in yourself and your appearance is important. But if you simply just want to look good for the sake of looking good, that is also a good enough reason for settling into your own personal style.
You do not need to turn getting dressed into a dramatic event when you are trying to create outfits that showcase your personal style. Putting together your outfits should be a source of fun and you can learn novel and interesting styling tips that are worth sharing when you start to experiment more with your own style ideas.
There is great value in settling into your own personal sense of fashion. By finding your style and implementing a few regular habits, you will start to get the most out of your closet and the time you spend there getting dressed. Your personal style and daily routine should not be difficult work that starts your day on a stressful note. Rather, your sense of fashion should be something that supplements your mood and displays your personality in the most positive ways. Getting dressed and showcasing your personality should be one of the highlights of your day, every day.
So how can you settle into your own personal style in the most advantageous ways for you?
Find brands you can trust and appreciate.
It is important to find brands that you believe are worthwhile and retailers you can trust. For example, stores like THE DOM provide you with a full array of fashion choices that will allow you to enjoy a continuously revolving catalog of styles right at your fingertips. If the ethos of a brand speaks to you, it will certainly help you to wear those clothes with confidence in the knowledge that you are supporting initiatives that are important to you such as sustainability and diversity.
Perhaps you prefer to support smaller retailers like Etsy shops or other user-powered clothing resale sites such as Depop or Poshmark. Every person has a different idea of what it means to be fashionable. Some people shop only secondhand with a focus on vintage or other unique styles while other folks may prefer to shop from lots of different retailers or maybe even just a few favorite ones.
Whatever your traditional shopping approach is, there is no harm in trying something new and different from your norm. For example, if you only shop one or two of your favorite brands, why not venture into a new store the next time you go out shopping. You may be surprised at what you find and what you like. Keep in mind that as consumers, we are never required to maintain brand loyalty. Our favorite brands may not always coincide with our personal aesthetic, after all.
Settle into “types” of clothing rather than specific articles of clothing.
One great way to make fashion a little easier for you is to find the type of clothing that speaks to you and then start to fill in your seasonal wardrobe with pieces from that category. Maybe this season you have decided that lightweight cardigans match your style aesthetic as well as your practical wardrobe needs. Find the silhouette and fit of cardigan that works best for you and invest in curating a small collection in various colors, prints, and textures so that you always have the perfect completer piece for any outfit right at your fingertips. Taking the time to curate your wardrobe to meet your specific needs and personal style will definitely help to reduce any cognitive overload you may experience when you look in your closet and think you have nothing to wear.
Get comfortable trying new things.
Trying out new styles of clothes can feel uncomfortable at first especially if you are unsure if you fit the image of what that particular style conveys. But we need to get rid of these pre-conceived notions of what we should wear and what we should look like and instead we should wear what we love and what makes us feel great about ourselves.
It is very easy to fall into a style rut where the same old clothes get stuck on repeat day after day. But those same old clothes are reliable favorites which is why we continue to reach for them. Even if you are strictly a jeans and hoodie kind of person and wear nothing else but some combination of those two items, you will still look great when you feel happy about your clothing choices. A smile is the best accessory any of us can wear and if your clothing is making you smile, then you have chosen the right clothing for you.
However, if you are feeling a little bored with your wardrobe choices, it might be a great time to expand your sartorial horizons and try some new styles this season. Perhaps some bold new accessories or a few cute summer hats are the wardrobe pick-me-ups you need. I have previously declared this summer as the Summer of Anything Goes when it comes to personal style. It seems to be the perfect season for it as the world finally begins returning to normally scheduled summer time fun events.
Dressing your current self.
During our formative years, our personal tastes tend to be influenced and even dictated by the adults around us. These hand-me-down ideas can become lifelong impressions that are difficult to change. But it is so important to occasionally revisit some our likes and dislikes especially when it comes to personal style. We are ever evolving creatures and with that evolution comes many changes in personal preferences, tastes, and aesthetics. The things we liked twenty years ago may not appeal to us now just as disliked things can suddenly become appealing with age.
Just because you declared that you would never wear a dress again after the icky little boys in elementary school kept looking at your panties under the cafeteria table doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind about dresses in adulthood. I changed my mind after not wearing dresses for 15 years after those icky little boys traumatized me. But I have always reserved the right to change my mind about anything and everything, including my personal style preferences. So never be afraid to challenge your own preconceived notions about style and anything else really. It is a valuable practice in insight that can lead you to your better self.
I hope these few tips can help you approach fashion in a more liberating way. We do not get all that much time on this earth so we really should be making the best of it. We should enjoy ourselves and we should take pride in expressing who we are to the world. We should not be afraid to take chances and we should express ourselves with confidence and without apology. Live boldly, live loudly, live confidently. And be true to yourself always.
Have you settled into your own personal style or are you are a constant work in progress with ever changing preferences and interests?
Keeping it on the edge,
Shelbee
Joining these Fabulous Link Parties.
Outfit Details: Duster-Zara (Thrifted) / Tee-Torrid / Jeans-Charlotte Russe / Scarf-TJ Maxx / Boots-Roper Ingrid from Country Outfitter / Necklace-Traveling Chic Boutique / Gloves-Amazon / Earrings-Old
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
19 Comments
Anne M Bray
I’d say the sartorial cues come more from middle/high school (peer pressure and wanting to fit in) or even college years rather than our parents. Or maybe, for us older people, the years we consider our happiest. Then body changes hit and one has to reconcile the new body/old style conundrum.
That said, I will still NEVER wear the Belgian loafers my grandmother wanted me to don. Haha. https://belgianshoes.com/product-category/womens/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
OMG, Anne, I was all ready to leave an insightful response about your perfectly articulated timeline of how we come to our personal sense of style and then I clicked on the Belgian loafer link and I gasped right out loud…NOOOOOOO. I would not EVER put those things on my feet either! I just laughed so hard. Thank you for that! I needed it!
xoxo
Shelbee
Anne M Bray
Hahahaha. I know, right? Happy to spread some joy!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
If I ever see those shoes in a thrift shop though…for a reasonably cheap price…I might have to get them and style them just because it’s funny.
Anne M Bray
You will get a heavenly smile from my grandmother!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Well, smiles from grandmothers in heaven are always welcomed! I am sure I have given my grandmother many a chuckle since she left us! Oh, you would have liked her, Anne. She got such a kick out of my crazy style! She loved when I would wear her big fancy hats from the 40s and 50s. I would style them up all Molly Ringwold like in the 80s! Damn, I wish I knew whatever happened to that hat collection. It makes me so sad every time I think of it.
Nancy
I just buy and wear what I want to at that point of time. Don’t know if I have a personal Style. What a amazing boots you are wearing!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Nancy! You definitely have a personal style! I don’t know if it fits any specific genre, but I know a ‘Nancy’ outfit when I see one!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
I’m a sucker for an outfit that includes a duster, and this one is no exception. And the boots are fabulous! Great post! Even after all of this time of following fashion bloggers, I’m still determining what constitutes my style. It’s an ongoing process, but one that is so much fun!
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Michelle! This duster was a fabulous thrift store find! I got it a week or two ago and have worn it at least 3 times already. It was new with tags from Zara and I think I paid $12 for it. I love the color so much! I just responded to Marsha about nailing down one’s personal style and I am going to say the same to you…I hereby declare you a fellow style chameleon…we wear whatever makes us feel great in the moment. We don’t need labels to define our style other than fabulous!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
I like that: “style chameleon.” You nailed it. I think I finally got over trying to define my identity in my 30s. LOL!
Patrick Weseman
I think people are so influnced by society and what the marketers want them to buy, A lot of people are just like lambs and go along with whatever others tell them to wear.
You have your style and it is amazing. As for me, well…
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Patrick! Yeah, I definitely never wore an outfit straight off a mannequin or out of a window display, that’s for sure. And I told you before…your style is perfectly you!
xoxo
Shelbee
Marsha Banks
I have absolutely no clue what my style is…hahaha!!! It’s somewhere in between little old lady chic and welp, I grew up in the 70s!!! I just wear what I like. I do ask if a color suits me sometimes because I can convince myself in a second that something looks fabulous on me only to find out it totally sucks! Since I started blogging last summer, I have to admit I do make more of an effort! Ya know…I have this reputation to uphold, right?
I think the best thing is to love what you’re wearing and own it 1000%! That’s what I aim for (and sometimes miss).
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Ahhh, I love this Marsha! You know I don’t fit into any boxes in any category for any damn thing so having an actual, definable style is not for me either. That is why I call myself a style chameleon. I wear what suits me best in the moment that I decide to put it on. If I want to be a hippie bohemian or cowgirl chic or schoolgirl cute or fancy shmancy or gothic sassy or badass boss babe or punk rock then I can be any of things with just a quick change of clothes and attitude. So I cannot and will not be stuck to just one style aesthetic. Variety is the spice of life and I hereby declare you a fellow style chameleon!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lovely
Getting comfortable with trying new styles is a cool tip! Love your duster!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Lovely! Ooh, I photographed some outfits yesterday that were definitely not my normal style! I wasn’t totally comfortable but the pictures came out great which helps to change my mind! They will be posted next week. I hope you had a wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Carol
Shelbee — you definitely have a personal style that hints at a creative, fun, artistic, and slightly edgy personality!! I agree with your advice about finding one’s own style. I love the green duster and scarf with the black column-of-color and the “Frankie” necklace. That’s a great outfit formula that could be interpreted in numerous ways.
Thanks for hosting the link-up.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Carol, thanks so much! I definitely classify myself as a style chameleon because I really do get dressed each day depending on my mood and what feels like me in the moment. I am getting so much wear out of this new Frankie necklace, too! I restyled this duster for Monday’s Style Imitating Art post so I am excited to see which outfit gets more votes!
xoxo
Shelbee