Developing My Style
“I like my money right where I can see it…hanging in my closet.”
These are words to live by. Which is why I have taken it upon myself to curate my dream wardrobe. I’m in the beginning stages, and filling my closet with staple pieces will probably take years. But now more than ever, I’ve been thinking about the future. What will I pass down to my children? If I were to have any. And what items do I think will be worth saving? I'm not sure why these things have been running through my mind. Is this what comes with being in your 20s?
Anyway, starting the process and coming up with pieces has been fun or whatever. It’s been mostly opening my browser, adding things to different carts, and then exiting. Window shopping essentially. I hate to admit but I used to have a bad habit of buying things and never wearing them but don’t worry, I have a cousin that loves my hand-me-downs. So for this reason, I am becoming a little bit more picky in the clothing I’m purchasing. For environmental and closet space reasons, I’m trying to buy things I know for certain are silhouettes I will love years to come, or basic pieces essential for layering or accessorizing. Trends are fun and many of them tend to reel me in, but again, I’m trying to make sure I buy pieces I will love even after they “go out of style.”
Now what is my style exactly? This is a difficult question because I don’t think I have one. I just like clothes. But if I had to tell you one thing I would say that I gravitate towards Y2K. I know, I know. But hear me out. I’ve realized that low-rise is more flattering on the body because I have extremely long legs and this type of style was executed perfectly during this era. Plus there are so many different sub-categories from the decade that I love and feel have disappeared into oblivion. There’s sporty, punk, rich girl from Newport, the possibilities for outfit inspiration are endless. So when looking for inspo, one of my favorite things to do is watch TV shows from that time. Shows like The OC, Sex and the City, One Tree Hill, and sitcoms like The Parkers display some of the best depictions of fashion from that time. There is so much more to it than what meets the eye today.
What pieces am I looking for? Well, I’ve been trying to figure out what exactly looks the most flattering on my body and then I work from there. And when I say what’s “flattering” I mean what I think I look cute in, not what other people think I’m supposed to be wearing. I think everyone should wear whatever they want. It’s fashion, there are no rules. I just had to get that out of the way, back to me. As I said before I love low-rise, but not exclusively don’t get it twisted. When I wear high-rise, I wear a longer top to elongate my torso because it’s almost non-existent. Or something loose and flowy. It’s astonishing for me to love denim as much as I have recently because I used to hate it. I’ve found some great places that cater to different heights and body types so I’ve been able to find jeans that fit me properly. Maybe I’ll do an article about my favorite sites for anyone interested. Besides denim, pants in general are at the top of my list. Slacks, cargo, pretty much any type of pant because for me I feel like it’s the base of an outfit. I can’t tell you how many times an outfit wouldn’t work for me because I didn’t have the pants to match my vision.
When it comes to tops, I LOVE halters and strapless tops. I live in Vegas so I get a lot of use out of them. I don’t know if this is weird, but I find my shoulders and collarbone to be the most flattering parts of my body, and these specific tops accentuate them. So, as of late, that's what I’ve been on the hunt for. It may be winter, but spring is fast approaching.
When it comes to winter I honestly have a hard time putting together a cute outfit. And the reason is because I lack a good jacket in my wardrobe. I do have some but none of which are practical on a day-to-day basis. With that being said I have my eye on a great leather jacket that I found on a website that promotes sustainability so it’s a win-win because this is an article of clothing that’s worth an investment. I own a great baby pink trench so I’m hoping to manifest a trip to New York one day. I also have a good puffer but I don’t know maybe I just suck at fashion because it’s really difficult for me to style it. I know layering is essential so I am looking to find more pieces to go under jackets like long sleeves and turtle necks but I cannot express how much I look for practicality because you don’t understand I don’t do cold. Being able to prioritize comfort while not excluding the stylish aspect during the winter is a goal of mine.
Sets are also essential for me. Whether it’s a pantsuit or skirt set it’s not only easy to throw on but something about them makes me feel rich. My favorite thing is throwing on a sweat set and some jewelry with a slick back and calling it a day. It’s cute and comfortable for a day of running errands and it keeps me warm. I don’t have many sets in my wardrobe and it’s something I would like to add. Being able to mix and match the pieces with other clothing items is a great way for me to utilize everything in my closet.
I also am trying to expand my color palette. While I believe it’s crucial to have a great neutral base to build off of, adding in a few colorful pieces whether it’s a pair of shoes or a top is a great way to make your style unique in a world that thrives off of trends. Jewelry and other accessories like handbags and tattoos (yes I think tattoos are accessories) are great ways to personalize your style and amplify a basic outfit. This is something I am also working to expand upon because I was never much of a jewelry connoisseur growing up except for earrings. I do love a handbag but I’m not the type of person to change them out with each outfit. I tend to use one for months on end until I feel like changing it out. Tote bags like Telfar and Marc Jacobs are my favorite types of purses to own because AGAIN, they’re practical. I think they’re the cutest of bags too. Not too much on the Marc Jacobs tote bags I think the small one is the perfect size for every day.
Now onto shoes and this will be the last clothing item I talk about because this is getting long. I love my sneakers but I’m starting to fall in love with flats, boots, sandals, and heels as well. This is the one area of my wardrobe that I think I have completed for the most part. I recently got a great pair of black flats to sort of finish off my shoe collection and I’m excited for them because they’ll go with anything.
Anyway, if you made it this far thank you. I feel like I said a whole bunch of nothing but hopefully, you got something from this and I didn’t waste your time. Finding my style will be a work in progress and maybe there will be more updates to come. Or I might just delete this later.
