Fall is here, and this marks a great time for a change. Whether you’re getting back to class or just saying a fond farewell to the summer heat, there’s no better way to show the world that you are ready for the new season and all it has to offer than changing up your style. Granted, you may be a bit confused on how exactly to put your style together. Shouldn’t you just get whatever is on sale and make it work, or just go for comfort? There’s nothing wrong with these impulses, but putting together a style that will turn heads doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to compromise in any of these areas. Here are some useful tips for doing just that.
Seek Out Inspiration
It’s easy to get irritated when you look at some of the style icons of today. After all, it’s easy to put together the perfect outfits when you have professional stylists on hand and money isn’t an issue, right? Don’t fall into this trap, though. Following style icons is less about imitating them and more about using them as a guide to help you figure out what you like and don’t like about someone’s style. As a bit of an exercise, set up a Pinterest page for “Style Inspiration” and do a bit of research on the people that you follow. The exercise here isn’t to pick out pieces to buy (although certainly, if something strikes your fancy, you can). Instead, think in terms of labels. Do the outfits strike you as more classically inspired, hipster chic, or something else? Start figuring out how you can describe things in order to allow you to decide what you like and don’t like.
One thing you may also want to consider is using a single signature piece. This will allow you the change to splurge in one category and maybe be a bit more frugal with the others, but more importantly, it allows you to choose how you want to stand out from other people with similar styles to yours. For example, cowboy boots for women may sound like a tough thing to pull off on paper, but if they speak to how you dress and your mentality, then go for it! What you need to do then is find things that go with it. Whether you choose to go for something like this or something as simple as a personalized piece of jewelry, a personal item is a great way to improve your look.
Take Stock Of What You Have
Another exercise that can do wonders for your style is as simple as looking at your closet and taking inventory. This is great because not only can you help improve your wardrobe, but perhaps figure out things about your style that you didn’t realize at first. For one, are you noticing that you have a lot of a certain item? This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as you’ve found your style sweet spot. Granted, you don’t need to buy too many more of these particular items, but there’s nothing wrong with trusting your instincts.
However, if you are looking to lighten the load, what you should do is seek out the items that you haven’t worn in a long time. Sometimes you brought something on a whim, not thinking if it’s something that you actually like to wear. Perhaps you have owned a piece of clothing for some time, but it no longer reflects where you are in your life and career. These are the prime candidates for you to donate or throw away, and if you’re not sure, err on the side of your instincts. Going back to lifestyle, another thing to consider is the persona you want to present to the world. This may vary depending on whether you are looking for work outfits or to dress for a night out on the town, but the question still remains. Again, a good exercise here is just to write down your schedule. What do you spend the most time doing during a given week? Figuring this out will help determine how many of any given outfit you will need. A major part of shopping smart is buying pieces that you can wear in multiple common scenarios in your lifestyle.
Style can seem like an ambiguous term, but that’s only because it takes different forms for different people. Using the tips and exercises here can help you take the mystery out of this and put together the perfect looks for this fall season and beyond.
I love wearing my Cowboy boots for Fall. Since it is not to cold, I wear these boots with a nice dress and jacket. It is one of my favorite outfits for Fall!
I am toatally into sweatshirts and boots for fall. It gets cool, here in the mornings and down right cold in the evenings. I like your outlook.
These are some good ideas. My fall style has gotten so utilitarian from walking most places that it isn’t fun. I do want to look good while being warm and comfy, too!