1. Invest in a solid 'capsule' style wardrobe: you don't need to buy a whole new wardrobe to give yourself a new look and more than often it's better to invest slowly in pieces of clothing that you know you will wear again and again. Before getting creative with your own personal style, it's important to start by buying simple items that suit you, that make you feel good and that won't go out of fashion in the blink of an eye.
So what kind of clothing items should you be spending your money on? For autumn, it's time for the trench coat, the perfect black blazer, a crisp white shirt, well fitting jeans, leather boots with a chunky heel, over sized comfy knits. The capsule wardrobe is not designed to be lavish or even particularly exciting, even a simple white T-shirt counts as a good staple piece that will never go out of style. The most important thing is that these items fit you well (ask for a friend's opinion if you're not entirely sure) and that you are comfortable and confident while wearing them.
One thing that I find useful is to keep a list of fashion staples on my phone that I am always on the look out for and updating, without actually going out of my way to shop specifically for the purpose of finding them (I always think it's impossible to hunt down a staple piece when you're really desperate to find it, but you will at one point stumble across the perfect boots or the little black dress when you least expect it).
Don't rush into anything, the capsule wardrobe can be built and added to over time, but always keep these things in the back of your mind when choosing what is most important to buy. I always allow myself to splurge on a staple, rather than a seasonal trend, as I know it will always serve me well and will be there on those mornings when I just can't seem to find anything to wear.
2. Find your 'signature style': Marie Kondo's bestseller 'The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up' really helped me out with this one. Even though it doesn't exclusively focus on fashion, Marie's decluttering method can be applied to clothing and it really does work. All you have to do is bring all of your clothes together in one place (I mean everything, even your socks!) and hold each item individually.
When you are ready, take each item in your hand and ask yourself the question 'does this bring me joy?' I know you might be thinking that this sounds absolutely ridiculous but if you go through your wardrobe piece by piece taking each item in your hand & asking this simple question, you'll be amazed at what you discover. It's not something I ever thought about before I read the book but once I used this method I realized that the majority of items that brought me happiness and that I therefore kept were lacy, soft fabrics and feminine in the the way they fit while the items that did not bring me any joy seemed to be restrictive & high necked or contrastingly boyish & baggy.
Why wear an item of clothing that doesn't bring you happiness? Life is too short! In order to find your signature style and to start buying clothes that truly make you shine, you must discover what makes you happy. Does a floral pattern make your heart flutter? Do you get pleasure from clacking around in stiletto high heels? Your own signature style should make you feel happy and reveal something of your personality. Re-home everything that does not fit these categories, even if it was a recent purchase or a gift (a gift has already served its purpose by making you happy the moment you received it, don't feel guilty about giving it away if it just isn't YOU). You deserve to feel great in whatever you wear and finding out what your own personal style is will help to guide your fashion choices and give you a sparkle that cannot be mimicked, even with the help of the most expensive branded items.
3. Accessorize: This goes back to the previous step in that in order to know what accessories to wear, it's important to know your personal style. Start by writing a list of what your essential accessories are according to your lifestyle and the season (pointed toe heels, a silky scarf, a statement necklace etc) and what items you think are worth spending more money on (investment pieces). This should help to focus your future purchases. Accessories can instantly transform a boring outfit into a sophisticated and put together look. A scarf with a solid colour can add vibrancy to a dark outfit while a dainty piece of jewellery can soften a structured outfit by adding a touch of femininity.
You don't always have to spend lots of money on accessories (particularly statement jewellery or trending items) and it is possible to find unique pieces by being thrifty in vintage shops for example. I do however think it's sometimes worth spending more money on certain accessories such as handbags and shoes that are better quality and will last longer. These investment pieces should be classic items that you know you will wear for years to come and not something that will quickly go out of style.
4. Be adventurous: now that you have found your holy grail clothing items and have started to build your staple wardrobe, you can become more adventurous when it comes to accessories & to any purchases that fall outside of the capsule wardrobe. Play with colours and fabrics, using inspiration from the things you like and don't be afraid to step into shops that you have never set foot in before. In order to find you own style, it's necessary to branch out and try new things. If you always shop in the same places you will never find anything new (I am guilty of this as I love Zara and always go back to it so this autumn I am going to try to venture in to as many new shops as possible). In order to save money, you could try an outlet mall that has a variety of brands all under the same roof and that will naturally be less expensive than the main retailers.
Quirky little boutiques are treasure chests when it comes to new discoveries where you will likely find unique items like an unusual piece of jewellery that not everybody will have.
5. Declutter: get rid of clothing that is ill fitting. Always dress for your figure and do not hold on to 'motivational' items that are too small or don't fit right in some way but that you hold onto in the hopes of dropping a dress size. If it's not something you will wear now, you won't ever wear it. Over worn clothes that don't inspire you - even if it's the last item of its kind in your wardrobe (e.g., an old cardigan) can also be given a new home. To make a bit of money in the process, you can sell on apps like depop or at a car boot sale. Again I highly recommend Marie Kondo's book if you want to do a proper clear out. It's important that the place where you store your clothing is organised and clutter free, especially if you have a small wardrobe. Get rid of any outdated pieces, trends that came and went, fast fashion and anything that has had the tags on it for months. When you have a wardrobe that you really love, it will make you more enthusiastic about choosing an outfit, even if there is less to choose from. You can add to your wardrobe over time with clothing and accessories that really reflect your personality and that make you sparkle.
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