1. Learn how to dress for your body shape
I used to not pay any attention to how I dressed no matter how much I wanted to develop a sense of style because of how conscious I was with my bust and legs. I still am self- conscious but, what really helped me come out of that shell, was understanding my body shape.
It is such an important foundation, yet it is so overlooked by many. Some cuttings of clothes do not work for specific body shapes. No, you do not have to lose 10 pounds for the dress to fit perfect on your body. Instead, you have to source for an alternative cutting that flatters your body! For instance, I have always had negative experiences with jeans, until I came to a realization that all along, I was purchasing jeans that did not complement my body shape. As my body carries most of my weight in the lower half, skinny jeans would accentuate my hips and make them look unbalanced whereas high-rise flare jeans would elongate my silhouette perfectly.
This brings me to my next point, understanding the different types of clothes that flatter your body shape. A-line skirts, wrap dresses and wrap tops make the majority in my closet since it defines my waist. I avoid buying belts, bottoms with details and embellishments and bright colored bottoms as it would make my hips and legs appear wider. Regarding tops, if you are just like me who is conscious about your large bust, I would recommend purchasing them in darker colors. I absolutely adore smocked tops and getting them in darker colors has definitely helped me feel less conscious wearing it. Additionally, I have found knitted tops to work just as fine too! You have to wear clothes that you like, don’t force yourself to wear something that makes you uncomfortable.
2. Pick out clothes you are comfortable in
This is best done by looking through your closet, picking out outfits that you wear the most and understand why. Perhaps it’s the color scheme, the way it fits on your body or the type of fabric. One reason or another, there must be an answer as to why you gravitate towards wearing some clothes more than the others. This is really important when you begin to develop your style! I will explain it more in the third tip!
For me, I prefer wearing either dark or dull colored tops with minimal and simple designs such as daisies since I do not want to spark attention in the top half of my body. You do not have to suffer in your own clothing to be deemed fashionable. I believe this is one of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to developing your style. Naturally we would all be drawn towards buying clothes that are usually on trend, even though we might find ourselves being uncomfortable in it. Likewise, for me, I am in love with the corset tops that are gaining popularity recently and would love to have them in my closet. But deep down, I know that I would never feel comfortable in wearing one out, and that is completely fine!
“Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live.” — Gianni Versace
3. Finding fashion inspirations
Remember how I said it is important to find clothes that you are comfortable in? Once you understand the type of clothes that makes you feel comfortable, the next step is to find fashion inspirations. I would highly recommend browsing through Pinterest with the keyword of your style! For instance, ‘cottagecore outfits’. Instagram is also another platform to seek inspiration from! My personal favorites are @fashioninflux and @angelsfits. Most importantly, remember, you are looking for fashion inspirations and not a reason to dislike yourself. More often than not, when I was sourcing for fashion inspiration, I found myself wishing to have the same features as the model wearing the outfits. It is important to distinguish someone who is wearing the outfit, from the outfit itself and questioning whether it alone is something you would wear and feel comfortable in.
Finding your style is a whole journey as you truly begin to understand the core of your identity. Do not put limitations on what you can and cannot wear, instead, have fun and experiment all you want!