Tuesday 3 February 2015

How to find your style + Let's grow together {Link-up #5}


Today I want to talk about something fun: clothes! Or, to be more precise: personal style. Don't think for a second that I'm in any way some sort of expert on this topic. I am not. All I know is that I like pretty clothes, and the confidence I get wearing them.

Fashion sometimes gets a bad rep for being frivolous. And of course, it is! It is frivolous, fun, extravagant, sometimes crazy, often over-the-top, and it can be downright outrageous. But it is also much more than that:

1. Fashion gives you power. 
Put on a tailored, well-fitting suit for work and you walk a bit taller, come across a little more confident, and look more respectable to your peers.
Any woman who has ever worn a fabulous dress knows the effect one simple piece of clothing can have on men.

2. Fashion gives you confidence.
Looking good makes you feel good. Clothes have a huge influence on our mood and self-esteem: anyone who has ever worn something ill-fitting (too tight, too short, way too baggy) can attest to that. On the upside, wear an outfit that fits and flatters you, and you will feel like a million bucks!
What we wear plays an important part on how other people perceive us, since it is the first thing they see.  

3. Fashion gives you joy. 
The fact of the matter is: We all have to wear clothes every day of our lives. Why not have fun with it? I personally love the whole process: looking at outfits online, admiring them on people on the street, browsing in stores, and buying the pieces I love. Once they are in my closet, I enjoy mixing and matching, creating new outfits and re-creating the ones I like on style blogs or Pinterest.

Swedish Hasbeens sling-backs


For the majority of my life I didn't really have a style. Let's not even talk about the teenage years where I went from mini-skirt+turtleneck-wearing preppy to a wanna-be tough chick wearing army-style camo-pants and baggy sweaters over the course of one summer. (I had a huge identity crisis plus a sudden weight gain of 20 pounds.)
Even after that, I was confused style-wise. I followed trends half-heartedly, didn't really know what would work for my body, and was sidetracked by a few ill-fated career attempts (outdoorsy fleece, lightweight pants in sandy colours and hiking boots during my forestry study years; a suit-phase during my one-year stint in hospitality; a 'mom-uniform' consisting of jeans and hoodies during my first few years in Canada). It wasn't until about two years or so ago that I have developed my style. Finally. 

Here are a few tricks that have helped me:

1. Know your body type.  
Nobody can wear everything, buying jeans is a bitch, and trying on swimsuits in a brightly-lit fitting room is a special version of hell. Remember those three truths before you go shopping, okay? They are facts of life we all have to live with.
Apart from that, it's important to learn what works for your body and what doesn't. This was a long trial and error run for me, and I'm afraid that's probably the only way to figure it out. That, or hiring a stylist, but who has the money? Not this farm girl, that's for sure.

2. Find your style icons.
There are quite a few ladies whose style I admire, and where I take inspiration from. A few of them are:
Katie from Skunkboy
Elsie from A Beautiful Mess
Laura from The Band Wife
Elizabeth from Delightfully Tacky
Keiko from Keiko Lynn
Amber from Forever Amber
Kat (check out her Instagram!)

3. Wear what speaks to you. 
I swear, certain pieces of clothing call my name. I walk past them, do a double take, and back-track as quickly as humanly possible. Do you ever get that? That a brightly-coloured dress or pair of sandals catches your eye and you fall in love? I'm a hopeless romantic when it comes to love at first sight between me and clothes. There have been many happy endings (and a few minor heartbreaks), and some of us are still going strong after a number of years (exhibit A: my trusty leather jacket; exhibit B: my beloved red clogs; exhibit C: the perfect riding boots).

4. Don't take fashion too seriously. 
Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, to try new things, to be daring. Fashion is always evolving, and so can be your style! Nothing is set in stone, and experimenting is fun!

5. Choose outfits that make you feel amazing.
This last one is the most important advice: Wear things that make you feel great. Fashion has nothing to do with size and weight, and everything to do with confidence and attitude.
Iris Apfel says it best: "I say, dress to please yourself. Listen to your inner muse and take a chance. Wear something that says "Here I am!' today."

Iris Apfel
photo source

How did you find your style? Do you love clothes as much as I (or Iris Apfel) do?





Farm Girl
Share:

13 comments

  1. After having my baby, I think I've lost my style! I cant wait to loose those last couple of kilos and get back into the clothes I love :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I probably have the most boring style ever! I keep thinking that once I've lost the weight I will be able to discover and explore my style more - i think that I am a bit restricted due to my size and I do try to dress for my shape! Great post though - I love your style!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, yes and so much yes! :) I love your recommendations, I've been really focusing now on developing my own personal style. Actually thinking about documenting it on the blog but I don't have a camera anymore, lol! But I'll be definitely be following your advice, being in charge of my style without carrying at all about fashion trends has been really lifting my self-confidence lately. Thank you for this post! I feel like I'm going on the trick track now.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love this post! Love your suggestions for developing your own personal style!
    xo,
    Monica
    GlamVolution.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love your tips!! Great post!

    www.kristajacobs.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Excellent tips! I agree- fashion is fun! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ahh, love your tips! They are all so true. Fashion is fun - and a great way to let personality shine. I think you always look terrific!

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are my style icon. Your words have encouraged me to not care what others think and wear what I want. I have always had a style in my head but never when after it. Now I will wear skinny jeans and heals together and not worry about how big it might make my hips look like I used to do. I think my style is Levis meets J Crew.... like a preppy grunge look.

    ReplyDelete
  9. loving your tips and gotta ask are you close to Vancouver or totally not??? Heading there for work at the end of the month

    ReplyDelete
  10. I always love your fashion posts, your style has loads of personality! I'm more plain/classic in my style I would say. I'm not very trendy at all.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Maybe I'll put a little more effort into finding my style once I actually have the chance to show it off...seriously, right now I wear a pair of yoga pants or leggings and a top to class (and usually leave my jacket on because it's so cold). Or I wear my black/red and khaki work get-up. Or if I go to the gym, workout clothes. Other than that, I'm usually in the dorm pj'ing it because there's no one there to see!
    December 17 can't come soon enough...
    ~ Samantha

    ReplyDelete
  12. Loved this link up because we're definitely all growing together! ;)
    I love fashion but sometimes I'm too lazy to put really good outfits together so I end up wearing the same things all the time: jeans, ankle boots and an oversized sweater :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Loved this link up because we're definitely all growing together! ;)
    I love fashion but sometimes I'm too lazy to put really good outfits together so I end up wearing the same things all the time: jeans, ankle boots and an oversized sweater :)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for commenting! I always reply to comments here, so check back in a day or two!

© Farm Girl | All rights reserved.
Blog Layout Created by pipdig