A Stylist Shares Her Fashion Dos & Don’ts
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DO throw out the rule book. Dress for yourself and not others. My journey to finding my personal style started with reassessing what I thought I could and couldn't wear. Finding your own personal style after years of dressing how you think you should is truly liberating. I would often shy away from colour for fear of attracting attention and looking too 'flashy', but learning to experiment with colour has really helped my confidence grow. Remember, wear what makes you feel good.
DON'T forget about Pinterest. Have a scroll through Pinterest and create a mood board or save pictures of fashion and styles that speak to you. Anything that gives you that boost of serotonin when you look at it is worth a pin. Maybe you’ll find a comparable style you can use as inspiration...
DO make note of the elements you love. After putting your moodboard together, ask yourself whether you can you see an aesthetic forming. It’s okay if there’s more than one – we’re multifaceted people and dressing for your mood is an instinctive way to approach fashion. I always like to make a note of the pieces, patterns, proportions, silhouettes and colours that I love, or what I know work for me. It makes getting dressed so much easier.
DON'T hold onto pieces that don’t work with your lifestyle. My best advice is to work on your capsule wardrobe – the pieces you rely on every day. Speaking from experience, if you’re looking at your wardrobe and think you have nothing to wear, you’re buying the wrong stuff. The key to nailing a consistent personal style is all about having an efficient, organised wardrobe where you can mix, match and elevate different pieces with ease.
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DO play dress up. During lockdown I spent a lot of time reshuffling my wardrobe. There wasn’t much else to do, so it was a great time to give it some real attention. I got rid of all of the clothes that didn’t fit anymore and the pieces that no longer brought me joy. Then, I played around with what was left and started to experiment with different looks. It’s fun to shop your own wardrobe and put together outfits no one else will be wearing.
DON'T wait for that special occasion. How many of us have beautiful pieces in our wardrobes but nowhere to wear them? I used to be this way too until I re-thought the limitations I placed on myself and stopped saving pieces for 'best'. The way I see it, we’ve survived – or I suppose are still surviving – a pandemic. If you really love something and you want to feel special, you should wear it all the time. Wear whatever you want, whenever you want. There’s no such thing as ‘overdressed’ anymore.
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DO find a signature piece to go with every look. This can be either an accessory such as earrings or sunglasses, a colour, a print you truly adore or even a lipstick colour. I personally love a dramatic lipstick, big shades or a statement bag to level up an everyday look.
DON'T play it safe. My view is, how will you know what you don’t like unless you try? During the pandemic and after months of living in sweats, I felt like I’d lost my personal style. I wanted to feel excited about getting dressed again, which is why I started experimenting with colour and trying new combinations. Getting dressed became more creative and I found joy in learning how to re-style existing pieces in my wardrobe.
DO focus on classics that will last. It's important to make your style work for every aspect of your life and the key is to build an organised and efficient wardrobe you can make the most of. One of the hardest-working pieces in my wardrobe is my Frankie Shop blazer. Combining loose and fitted pieces can really improve your overall silhouette.
DON'T focus on trends. They can be overwhelming. Instead, focus on go-to formulas that can help you get dressed quickly. And shop small, or from independent vintage stores and resale sites, to find fresh style inspiration. Your wardrobe will really go the distance that way. A structured blazer in a neutral colour can make a simple denim outfit or midi dress look so much more polished. Also, a fun frock can be dressed up or down with trainers or heels. It’s all about getting more from your wardrobe and focusing on the details, like statement accessories. The rental platform Cocoon has some great pieces and it's a sustainable way to indulge.
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