As a young woman, I know that finding the ideal style for your personality and body type can be nothing short of exhausting. However, I feel like college has truly allowed me to develop my own sense of style. In fact, it’s led me to my current job: helping women style themselves and feel confident at the chain women’s clothing store Maurices.
Here is everything that I’ve learned, and now recommend about discovering your own style and learning to love your clothes and the way you feel in them.
Try Everything.
It might seem obvious, but you should truly try everything that you want to. There is no such thing as something being “out of fashion” or “not on trend” since the idea of clothes trending is basically nonexistent at this point. With the introduction of social media, you’re almost guaranteed to find at least one other person on the Internet that’s wearing something that you want to. Therefore, there is no harm in trying out different styles and pieces of clothing until you find the items that you absolutely adore.
Start Small.
When updating your closet, it can feel like the easiest thing to do is get rid of everything and start over from scratch. However, that can just be a confusing and frustrating experience that will lead to discomfort with the new clothes. Keeping your older clothes can help you feel safe and secure in the transitioning of your closet. It can also help to wear an old outfit and then just add one or two small things to it to guide it. For example, if you’re trying to get into a new hair accessory, wear the hair accessory with an outfit that you already have and love. If you’re trying to find a new style of top, wear it with some pants that you know you look good in. By starting small, you can work your way up to a new wardrobe slowly.
Be Mindful of Spending.
The thought of buying new clothes typically leads to one main thought: the price. It can be expensive to get new clothes, especially when you’re first starting college and you aren’t fully sure how to budget yourself yet. There is nothing wrong with going to a thrift store to grab a few things and look around to see what you can find, and you can save money while you’re still figuring it out. Whether you’re going to Goodwill to just wander and hope you find something fun, or you’re looking for something more targeted to younger adults at Plato’s Closet, you can save a lot of money by buying second hand rather than buying new.
Donate!
When you’re getting rid of your clothes as you’re getting new ones: donate the old ones! It doesn’t have to be through a second hand place if that’s not something that you’re wanting. You can always see if your friends need new clothes and they can look through them. Or, you can find a shelter or safe place that’s in your area that can use clothes for those living there! Just try to be mindful with the clothes since someone else can use them for their new style!
You’re Never Alone.
One thing that was said to me on the first day of my freshman year really resonated with me and continues to help me with my ever changing style: someone else is going to be wearing the same thing as you. Not in the way that you’re going to be completely matching someone else on campus, but someone is always guaranteed to be wearing the same kind of outfit as you. If you’re wanting to get dressed up for class now, someone else will also be dressed up for their class. If you want to wear a long sleeve and shorts, someone else will be in a long sleeve and shorts. This can really help with easing the mind when you’re finding your style since you don’t have to worry about standing out. Everyone in college stands out, so therefore no one stands out unless you want to.