There are so many ways of putting together clothes in your wardrobe to make the perfect fit. But on how many occasions do you feel fabulous about your outfit? Does your appearance reflect how you want the world to perceive you or where you are headed?
If you answered NO to any of the above questions or are not so sure of yourself, then this is for you.
Let’s start from the basics – understanding style.
A lot of people mistake fashion for style but they are two very different things. Fashion is about looks and image that are popular in a specific time period. Style is more about expressing your individuality through clothes and does not have an expiration date. Fashion gives you the inspiration, ideas and the push to dare and style is what you make out of it.
Finding your style begins with knowing your body type. For ladies, there are six body types: inverted triangle, oval, hourglass, rectangle, pear and diamond. And for the gentlemen, there are three body types: endomorph (Mr. Skinny), mesomorph (Mr. Muscle) and ectomorph (Mr. Soft).
Once you know your body type, determine the kind of outfit you most prefer: dress, business, sport or smart casual depending on the occasion. Then ‘’detox’’ your wardrobe. Donate anything that does not fit or fall into your preference of an outfit. This will give you an idea of what you have to work with and what to put on your shopping list (if necessary).
Try colours you haven’t tried before but stick to those that compliment and inspire you. Play dress up; invest in yourself and your appearance, experiment and be creative but in a decent way.
As said earlier, personal style is not about the dress but the wearer. Always take into consideration your lifestyle and goals and the persona you want to present the world. Inasmuch as your style should reflect your personality, it has to make sense in your field of work, your overall lifestyle, the culture in which you live and must be aligned with your long term goals. Don’t always follow the trend. It fades and another is introduced. Invest more in classics; they hardly go out of style .However, if you do follow the trend make sure it is your style.
Most importantly, be confident! It helps to rock the dress better; something that makes you feel confident and beautiful is never out of style.
Things to do:
Take pictures of your outfits every day for the next two weeks and identify the pattern; most likely the dominant one is your style. You can also keep track of what inspires you; it gives a hind of your taste and preference.
So before you buy that beautiful dress hanging in the boutique or that pair of jeans you have targeted or the tuxedo you are saving to buy, ask yourself if that is your style. And always have in mind; fashion is the clothes, style is the wearer.
“Get to know who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly”, Epictetus.
Writer: Eunice Peterson
Student, Tourism and Hospitality
