I take personal style very seriously. I believe that having great personal style allows you to speak for yourself without actually talking. And lets be honest here, who wants to be forgotten or overlooked in any situation? Whether it be for a a new job or a date with that charmingly sarcastic barista at the Starbucks in your neighborhood; personal style plays a major role in how people view and remember you. And if you want to be memorable, at least on the outside in this case, you should possess a certain characteristic or signature look.
For about most of my young adulthood, I switched up my style so often that I literally became unrecognizable. I'm talking shadow of my former self unrecognizable. I did short hair; I did long hair. I did Harajuku; I did Bohemian. I did all of this in as little as 3 weeks at a time. You just never knew who I was going to be that month. It took my then boyfriend's father to fail to recognize me every time I saw him, to acknowledge that I had way too many looks. (Pictured to the left, me with mad style.)
About two years ago, I realized that I didn't dress for myself. I dressed how I thought others expected me to dress. I felt like I had to take on every single trend know to man in order to look like I knew fashion. I was fashion but I was not style. The first step to owning your own style in dressing only for yourself. Wear what you're comfortable in. Follow trends but don't be trendy.
Start off small. Do you have a favorite jacket? Wear it whenever and wherever you feel. If that jacket looks good on you, then buy similar styles if you don't want to be known as Rerun. I recently picked up a heavy obsession with blazers and open style jackets. I put on some weight after my mother passed and instead of buying a completely new wardrobe I thrifted for items to enhance it. Jackets make great statement pieces and for me being a lazy fashionista, pretty much put the finishing touch on all of my outfits. Also, they do a wonderful job on minimizing my breasts and shoulders...but we shall touch on flattering clothing in another entry.
Pick a hairstyle. Own that shit.
But...Boredom.
You're going to get bored! I get that and I'm definitely the type who bores of their hair after about a month in it but I have a solution. Try to stay in the same aesthetic. If you wear big curly wigs like me, then try for a different curl pattern every now and then and experiment with lengths. If you prefer straight hair, move your part around, add highlights, etc.There's nothing wrong with doing something drastic every once and awhile, but don't let your hair change your entire look. You want people to know it's you!
Define Your Style.
Hearing a fashion enthusiast say, "I'm all over the place," has to be the biggest fashion pet peeve of mine.
You have a lot to learn about yourself if you can't define your style. Think about the big names in fashion. For example, Jenna Lyons and Anna Wintour. You can literally throw a Jenna Lyons look together in about 10 minutes. Just give me jean jacket, a tailor printed pant, and an over sized wool coat and I'm ready to storm all over the goddamned J. Crew store. As soon as you hear Anna Wintour you're already envisioning her newsboy haircut, dark shades, and printed dress.Think about how you want to be envisioned when somebody says your name. Would you make a good Pinterest board?
Don't be a Kimberly West.
Be consistent but don't be boring. I love what Yeezy has taught Kim this year but her looks tend to be very repetitive and predictable. We know now what the Kim Kardashian "look" is but it's not as fun or exciting as say my girl Jenna Lyons (am I little bit hot for Jenna, yes. Am I being a little bit biased? Indeed) The point is, be yourself! Be yourself! Be YOURSELF!
Shake it up.
Incorporate new things in your wardrobe often. Your wardrobe isn't just about your clothes. A new statement necklace or bag can be just the finishing touch to update your look. Consign old items to get new ones.
More tips
When wearing vintage items, pair them with contemporary pieces. Don't look like you came straight out of a time machine.
Have lots of kick ass shades to complete your look.
When shopping for new clothes, shop for the staples first: Jackets/Coats, jeans/shorts. Once they're out the way, its easy to create outfits around those items.
Don't become a clone of yourself. Fashion is about evolution but style is eternal.
Don't try too hard. Believe me, it's obvious.