Dear, Collegiettes!
As an avid shopper, I have been in my share of dressing rooms. Something I’ve noticed over the years is that, in a majority of the stores I’ve been in, upon leaving the dressing room, at least one of the store’s workers asks me one question: did it work for you?
I finally asked one of the workers in a clothing store why most of them asked that question and she told me they were trained to! I found it very fascinating that I was rarely ever asked “did it fit?” or “did you like it?”
Which brings us to this week’s topic: What works for you?
Fashion and style is a huge part of society. Everyone wants to look good and everyone wants to feel good. Some have mastered their personal styles and fashions while the rest of us are still trying to figure out what works for us.
Sara Elliott of television network TLC’s website wrote in her article “How To Find Your Fashion Style” how to discover and personalize what fashions fit you best. Elliott said in the article that we must understand three things when trying to find our personal styles: our bodies, our temperaments, and our lifestyles.
“Developing a fashion style can be lots of fun. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ exercise in self-discovery, though,” Elliott said.
Body Type:
Whether you are stick-thin, curvy, short, or tall, what you like may not flatter you. It is your job to know your body and know what will look best with your long neck or your short torso. Sometimes you may have to compromise; something that you don’t initially like may look amazing on you. Likewise, something that you absolutely love may not work for your body type at all. Compromise is a small price to pay for looking amazing.
Temperament:
I know you absolutely adore those hot pink six-inch heels that you saw in that store window the other day. But if your temperament is shy and reserved, you have to ask yourself if you would be comfortable wearing something like that. Our temperament is who we are, both inside and out. Although it is great to take fashion risks, wear what you are comfortable in. If you wear something that makes you feel self-conscious and insecure, it will definitely show.
Lifestyle:
When I think of a “lifestyle” one word comes to mind: image. This is how others see you, how others perceive your temperament to be. As I expressed earlier, it is always great to take risks, but I think you should always do your best to portray your true self to people. You may not describe yourself as sexy and flirty, but if you’re wearing a mini-skirt, a bustier, and high-heels that’s definitely the impression you are going to give people. I’m not saying you should dress for others, no, you dress for yourself. However, I encourage you to find fashions that compliment who you are. Dress like yourself, not like anyone else.
Body type, temperament and lifestyle are all important factors to take into consideration when building your fashion identity. However, the most important thing about finding your personal style is confidence. No matter what you wear, if you wear it with confidence you will automatically present yourself as a trendsetter. Hold your chin up high, stand up tall and flaunt what works for you.
Char :)