Fashion is what you’re offered four times a year by designers, and style is what you choose.
How To Make Style Statements
Photos by Simon Holgate
Style is personality, and there’s nothing more important than making sure your identity oozes chapters of you. Forget trends, and what other people want from you, by taking a moment to identify with what you’re about, and what you want to tell the world when you walk down the street using the pavement as your catwalk.
Todays post will teach you how to make a statement of your style, and how to think in messages, and the greater reason for you wearing what you do other than it looking like a pretty dress. Throughout my time on this planet, I’ve grown to understand that I dress for me, and me alone. That the messages I put out to the world is my own voice and set of connotations.
I like my clothes to set a scene, and to live and breathe an identity of what I think of style, and most importantly what I think of myself. Style statements are unique to only you, so be a unique snowflake.
OUTFIT OF THE DAY
Overall there’s so many ways a woman can make a statement. If we look to the outlandish and extreme fashionistas like Madonna and Lady Gaga we notice that there’s so much thought that goes into their daily wear, with messages being thrown against the media and elements of pop culture. They perfectly personify what it means of how to make a style statement. They’ve got their tone of voice sussed, and know exactly what they stand for and how they want others to perceive them. Over the years we have praised the individual for standing on the shoulders of others, and rising above what is “suitable” of the time to do themselves, because that’s what they fancy. Take a page out of their book and praise yourself for your own style statements.
Utilise role models like them into your own lives by working out what you really want to let people know, maybe about yourself, or how you feel that fashion should be ethical. There’s all sorts of connotations to what your style could mean, it’s your story and how you want to be perceived.
As an example of my style statement, I love working with the idea of androgyny and power dressing. Throughout my teenage years I was such a tomboy, but held so many traits of a hippy character. I still think that’s a big part of who I am today. I’m a free spirit but love the idea of re-working something that can be worn on men, like a crisp white shirt or a suit but done in a feminine way. I’m currently loving Long Tall Sallys latest capsule collection CURATD where my mini Tux dress is from. So my style statement is to challenge fashion in every way possible, whether that’s dressing more masculine, throwing on boots that wouldn’t be considered “appropriate” for that ensemble, and changing up what society often lures me into being. Breaking rules can be quite liberating, especially if it means you’re more you at the end of the day.
You’re all probably very clear that I like to differ in a few ways, and I seriously encourage you to do so also. Whether you’re liberating yourself against the trends of now, or daring to try something new – it’s all for the sake of confidence and self love. I often remind people that fashion is quite fun, and it’s just the adult version of a child with a dressing up box. It’s a game and full of surprises, as long as you stay true to yourself it doesn’t matter what you wear.
Making style statements can be done with any budget too, not all fashionistas shop in designer stores. Although to make statements choice wisely and attempt to invest in better quality fabrics so your wardrobe is more sustainable. Beyond trends this wardrobe is to encapsulate you so doesn’t have an expiry date, which is the key reason I have made a conscious decision to invest in pieces I know I’ll dip into my rail, time and time again. We shouldn’t keep clothes that we don’t wear, it’s just carrying extra luggage and stopping us from having clarity, not only from an organisational point of view but chaos creates madness, so by having a staple go-to wardrobe of statement pieces, we would never have trouble choosing an outfit. 85% of women keep clothes that don’t fit, and we only wear 20% of our wardrobe on a regular basis. By making style statements we won’t need to adopt an attitude of only wearing something once.
My final bit of advice for making style statements is to find you, make bold choices that ring true to what you’re about. I like to power dress, so what’s your style statement?
