The New Year is here, what resolutions will you make when it comes to your personal style?
Sequins. Stripes. Tight. Loose. High? Low? Mid-rise? Or oh-so flat?
Though the runways of Paris and New York tend to dictate the trends for each season (leather hot pants, anyone?), personal style is so much deeper than the flash of a camera at a fashion show. It’s about knowing what looks best on you and your body, and being comfortable in your own skin. It’s choosing to pass on a fad in favor of a well-timed classic. It’s about thinking that maybe this year you’ll skip the unforgiving hug of a skin-tight denim legging or the unattainable height of a platform bootie. Style is, ultimately, about keeping yourself and your personality at the forefront, and letting the background noise of superfluous fashion fade away. When the clock strikes midnight and the confetti flows like champagne consider a few back-to-basics tips as you usher in the new year and move the spotlight away from the gloss and back toward your own personal flair.
Be honest with yourself. If you need Spanx to get into clothing or the Jaws of Life to get out of it, consider reconsidering. Labels run the gamut, from vanity sizing (where today’s size 4 is yesterday’s size 10) to narrow-cut, European styles. Our advice: Ignore the number and focus on the fit. Your peace of mind will thank you.
Learn to let go of things that no longer work. So you spent $500 on that jacket — you know, the one that’s sitting at the back of your closet, price tag stoically attached to its sleeve. So what? If you didn’t wear it then, odds are you’re not going to wear it now. Consignment options abound; consider creating an account and trading it in at a secondhand store near you.
Fast fashion? Not so fast. Your wardrobe is only as good as the care you give it. A Chanel suit can look just as ragged as a picked-over, bargain bin sweater if you neglect its dry cleaning and mending needs. Common sense? Maybe. But think of how many times you’ve tossed, say, a perfectly decent pair of denim because of a drooping hem or a saggy waistband. Get thee to a tailor, fair reader — and with haste.
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Nailing down your “look” doesn’t mean you have to be boring. A little black dress will take you far; a little black dress with a dynamite, red patent leather belt will take you to Mars and back. Slim-cut trousers might sound scary, until you try on a pair and discover a newfound appreciation of your derrière. Move beyond the tried-and-true every now and then, come on, you can do it!
Consider your ROI. Think back to that $500 jacket. Now think about one of your favorite pieces — say, a $20 tweed blazer you scored at a sample sale, or a richly colored, wear-with-everything scarf you paid top dollar for, but love dearly. These are your overdrive items that put the fashion pedal to the metal. Try, if you can, to remove the perceived value of your wardrobe because of how much (or how little) you spent on it. With the chance to reinvent the wheel ever present, maybe the best thing any of us can do is spin the one we’re already playing — in a fabulous pair of heels, of course.
Style File – Happy New You!
The New Year is here, what resolutions will you make when it comes to your personal style?
Sequins. Stripes. Tight. Loose. High? Low? Mid-rise? Or oh-so flat?
Though the runways of Paris and New York tend to dictate the trends for each season (leather hot pants, anyone?), personal style is so much deeper than the flash of a camera at a fashion show. It’s about knowing what looks best on you and your body, and being comfortable in your own skin. It’s choosing to pass on a fad in favor of a well-timed classic. It’s about thinking that maybe this year you’ll skip the unforgiving hug of a skin-tight denim legging or the unattainable height of a platform bootie. Style is, ultimately, about keeping yourself and your personality at the forefront, and letting the background noise of superfluous fashion fade away. When the clock strikes midnight and the confetti flows like champagne consider a few back-to-basics tips as you usher in the new year and move the spotlight away from the gloss and back toward your own personal flair.
Learn to let go of things that no longer work. So you spent $500 on that jacket — you know, the one that’s sitting at the back of your closet, price tag stoically attached to its sleeve. So what? If you didn’t wear it then, odds are you’re not going to wear it now. Consignment options abound; consider creating an account and trading it in at a secondhand store near you.
Fast fashion? Not so fast. Your wardrobe is only as good as the care you give it. A Chanel suit can look just as ragged as a picked-over, bargain bin sweater if you neglect its dry cleaning and mending needs. Common sense? Maybe. But think of how many times you’ve tossed, say, a perfectly decent pair of denim because of a drooping hem or a saggy waistband. Get thee to a tailor, fair reader — and with haste.
Don’t be afraid to experiment. Nailing down your “look” doesn’t mean you have to be boring. A little black dress will take you far; a little black dress with a dynamite, red patent leather belt will take you to Mars and back. Slim-cut trousers might sound scary, until you try on a pair and discover a newfound appreciation of your derrière. Move beyond the tried-and-true every now and then, come on, you can do it!
Consider your ROI. Think back to that $500 jacket. Now think about one of your favorite pieces — say, a $20 tweed blazer you scored at a sample sale, or a richly colored, wear-with-everything scarf you paid top dollar for, but love dearly. These are your overdrive items that put the fashion pedal to the metal. Try, if you can, to remove the perceived value of your wardrobe because of how much (or how little) you spent on it. With the chance to reinvent the wheel ever present, maybe the best thing any of us can do is spin the one we’re already playing — in a fabulous pair of heels, of course.