Here are some general styling principles or rules I live by when it comes to fashion. The rules are not rigid and there is room for flexibility! I share many of these tips with my customers and I thought you might also find them helpful when you’re trying to make a decision in the fitting room!
- Quality is Important! You get what you paid for! Generally, I won’t buy super cheap clothes. I don’t believe in shopping at Forever 21 because the quality is too cheap! Sometimes, I will shop at places like Zara, H&M, and Nordstrom’s BP section, but almost exclusively for trendy items that will be out of style within 1-2 seasons. For the most part, I try to steer away from cheap material and ridiculously low prices. What do I mean by that? A t-shirt should probably cost over $5. Jeans should be over $50. Really, anything that costs less that $75 is probably not the best quality. I understand that not everyone can afford to spend $75 on a blouse, but you can wait for it to go on sale, shop at a discount store, or buy it used! Working retail, I see people return things all the time because the seam came undone, thread unraveled, elastic wore out… When you buy better quality clothes, it will last you years! I literally still wear clothing pieces from over 10 years ago because they are still in great condition and are good quality!
- Invest in Classic Pieces. It’s easy to just want to buy things that are trendy and in season, but you should invest in timeless pieces! Some clothing items will never go out of style, which mean you can wear them forever! Also, that means it’s okay to splurge a little to make sure you have the perfect piece that will last you forever. Classic pieces include jeans, slacks, LBD, silk blouse, white button-up shirt, cashmere sweater, stilettos, trench coat, wool coat, leather jacket, suede jacket. Some things never go out of style! Invest in them!
- Dress to Your Shape. Know what part of your body you want to emphasize and what you want to cover. Get an idea of what accents your best features and stick to those silhouettes. People always comment on how skinny I am. There is a reason why they think I’m skinny. Quite frankly, I have a tiny upper body, flat chest, small waist, big hips, and hearty thighs. But, I will wear an off the shoulder blouse to show off my clavicle or fit and flare dress to emphasize my waist. Because my thighs and hips make me look heavier, you won’t see my in a bodycon dress or mini skirt! Know your best features and highlight them!
- Do You Love It?! When trying to figure out whether or not to buy something, I ask, do you love it? Who cares if there is an occasion for it! If you love it, then there will be a day where you can debut that perfect dress! Buy things you love and you will be much more content with what’s in your closet! Plus, when a trend goes out of season, it won’t matter because you love what you bought! For example, I LOVE polkadots! I could care less if it’s in season. So if it happens to be in season and I fell in love with Kate Spade Polka Dot Keds, then it doesn’t matter if it goes out of season, I will still wear them!
- Would You Still Want This if it were Full Price? I am a sale shopper and it can be hard for me to pass up a good deal. This nugget of wisdom has saved me money so many times! I ask myself, if this Joie sweater weren’t marked down from $500 to $75…would I still want it? If it were the original $500, would I give it a second look? Pine over it? Add it to my wish list? If not, then pass!! You don’t like it that much after all and you don’t need it in your closet!
- Does It Fit Perfectly? If it doesn’t fit perfectly, it’s not worth it. When clothes don’t fit right, you will fidget and look uncomfortable. If your shoes aren’t the right size, you’ll either be in pain or trip over yourself. Do yourself a favor and make sure you buy things in the right size! If the item is on sale and there is only a medium but you’re a small…pass it up! It will never fit you and you’re not going to pick it up out of your closet because it won’t look good! The only exception is if you plan to get it tailored! In which case, go for it! But make sure you get it done!
- Are You Comfortable In It? Okay, this is one of those rules I’m iffy on. To me, comfort isn’t the MOST important thing, but it does matter. At the end of the day, if you buy something that is too uncomfortable, you’re probably not going to pick it up and wear it! For instance, when all my jeans and pants are too tight, I’m not going to wear them! I opt for dresses! So make sure you get clothes and accessories you are comfortable in and will wear.
- You’ve Got to Spend Money to Look Good in Jeans! Do you want to look like $50 or $200?! If you have a perfect body/no body fat, then honestly, it doesn’t matter what jeans you put on. They can be $200 or they can be $20 from Forever 21. But if you’re a normal woman, with hips, thighs, maybe a big butt…then you’re going to want a pair of jeans that sucks everything in and has some stretch! Sometimes women say they want a sturdy denim with no stretch. They don’t mean it. You need the stretch! At least a little!
- Are You Going to Grab It Out of Your Closet? Sometimes, you can’t decide if you should buy something or not. You’re on the fence. Ask yourself, if you purchased it, would you grab it out of your closet? If not, then don’t buy it!
- You Can’t Compromise on Style. Comfort is important… But, no matter what! You can’t compromise on style! The shoes may be comfortable, but if it doesn’t go with your outfit, no can do! Those sweatpants may be super soft…but slouchy and frumpy is not stylish! Does it have an adjustable/elastic waistband?! Then, the answer is no! I know t-shirts are easy to throw on, but your old high school t-shirt from 10 years ago is not stylish!
I hope you found some of these styling principles helpful! Leave a comment and let me know which principle you plan to incorporate into your decision-making process. Or, if you have your own styling principle, please share it!
Thanks for visiting!
-Mel