Mastering Style

With so many trends and fashion choices today, it is hard to make sense of style and what makes you feel confident. Surprisingly, fashion styling isn’t about trends. It is about putting an outfit together that boosts your confidence and makes you feel yourself.

Have you ever looked in your closet and thought “Ugh, I’ve got nothing to wear”? Do you have a few go-to outfits but still don’t feel put-together? Does styling an outfit stress you out? Do you look at other stylish people and wish you could put together an outfit like they do? I think we all have had one or two of these questions at some point…I know I have!

I recently attended a class on common styling mistakes and ways we can fix them. So, in this blog, I thought I’d share what I learned in the hopes that it can help alleviate some of your styling issues or concerns. And…make getting dressed effortless and make you feel awesome!

I know what many of you are thinking…some people just have a natural talent for fashion styling. That may be true for some; but did you know styling can be learned. Once you build basic style foundation skills, you will have the tools you need to begin creating stylish outfits.

Let’s start this conversation by thinking of a house. When building a house, you start with a foundation, then you build the house upon that foundation and then add finishing touches to give your house that pièce de résistance. It’s the same with building your style skills and your wardrobe.

There are three components to building your styling foundation: buy pieces that fit and flatter, understanding how to put those pieces together and how to add pièce de résistance touches to complete your outfits.

• Pieces that fit & flatter: When buying pieces that fit and flatter, you need to consider three things: body type, lifestyle and personal style.
• As we all know, clothing comes in many different cuts, shapes and designs. Sometimes certain clothing designs do not work well on certain body types or shapes. By knowing your body type, you can select clothing that enhances your shape and fits properly; this will instantly elevate your style. In October and November, I did a four part series on body types that can help you determine your body type and what types of clothing best suits your shape. If you are wearing pieces that do not flatter your shape, you are going to feel uncomfortable in them and ultimately not wear them.
• Once you determine your body type, the next step is to understand your lifestyle. What does this mean exactly? It means what is your way of life, what do you do daily or what is your usual activity. Do you work from home, are a stay-at-home mom, work in an office or travel for work. This is important! Why? Because, if you continue to buy without knowing your lifestyle, you are basically going to end up with a closet full of clothes that you never wear because they do not coincide with your lifestyle. For example, if you work from home and your closet is filled with business attire, you are going to open your closet and immediately say “I’ve got nothing to wear”…right?! When determining your lifestyle, try to get as specific as possible because the more specific you get the better your closet will work for you. Continuing with the previous examples, do you work from home and need more comfortable clothing but it has to be appropriate for Zoom meetings? Are you a stay-at-home mom and need clothing that allows you to chase the kiddos but still look and feel great when you have to run errands or go to school events? Are you getting the picture?
• Lastly, you need to nail down your personal style. If you buy clothing that “isn’t you” it is highly likely you won’t feel great in it and will not wear it. When nailing down your personal style, it is like lifestyle, the more specific the better. For example, are you a classic style but with a twist –Classic Edgy? Think of a traditional, tailored timeless look that includes natural fabrics, leather and pearls but you enjoy an edgy side to your look. If this is you, then when shopping you would look for pieces such as: exposed zippers, leather trim, studs that are small and subtle, quilted jackets, mesh or bring in the edgy with your accessories. Nailing down your style will help you to make better shopping choices. I love to pair a graphic tee with dark denim, a classic blazer, heels or tennis shoes and then add some edgy jewelry and a sleek bag for a classic but edgy look.
• Putting The Pieces Together: So now that you know how to buy pieces that fit and flatter, you need to build the next level of your “styling house”, think of the house frame, and that is learning how to put the pieces together.
• This starts by constructing a plan. Your plan will include a shopping list of items that fit your findings from above. Buying random pieces instead of buying based on a plan will lead to a “confused” closet that will make getting dressed more stressful because nothing can be easily mixed and matched. Filling your closet with items that can be mixed and matched will make getting dressed and looking stylish effortless.
• Next, your plan should include ways to put items and colors together properly.
• For example, flowy tops should be paired with slender bottoms or flowy bottoms paired with a fitted top.
• Colors that are cohesive should be combined. A color wheel is very helpful in understanding how colors work together.
• Finishing Touches: Finally, our house is built and now we need to add those finishing touches. Think painting the doors a pretty color, adding shutters, and landscaping. It’s the same with a wardrobe. Adding accessories, such as jewelry, a fantastic bag, or shoes, gives your outfit that finishing touch that will make your outfit stylish and you’ll look put-together.

That’s it. Now you know some of the secrets for great style. We hope one or all of these style strategies have given you the knowledge, skill or feeling that you can effortlessly create a stylish outfit every time. You can open your closet and put together a stylish outfit in a few minutes, go shopping and know exactly what works and what doesn’t for you and most importantly, feel confident and empowered in any situation or environment. Having a closet filled with clothing that you love and will wear and that feels like you is priceless.

Always remember to be yourself and….to dress unapologetically!

XXOO Marsha, Paige & Micki