I am self-admittedly NOT good with fashion. I just recently learned who the heck Tory Burch was, I don’t own any colored jeans, flowy blouses, or fancy watches, and my jewelry collection is less than fabulous. Yoga pants consume my budget, t-shirts rule in my book, and a good pair of UGG boots for winter and flip-flops and gym shoes for summer seems to suffice.
With shows like TLC’s What Not to Wear, websites like Pinterest, and blog posts everywhere, sometimes I feel behind in the world with my sad fashion sense and lack of those “in” designer clothes and shoes. I have no doubt that there are others out there like me, and to them I say EMBRACE your lack of fashion sense, and I am right there with you. The fashionistas of the world are cringing as they read, but here are the reasons why I say accepting your “lack of a fashion-sense” is a-okay:
- Yoga pants are comfortable (and boys love ‘em): Tight, black, pants that go with nearly every color. What is there NOT to love here.
- You don’t follow the crowd: A girl who lacks fashion can think of herself more as a nonconformist than a girl who just has zero idea what colors and shapes and sizes go together. You are your own person, with your own sense of style (do black and brown go together? Who cares.)
- You save money: Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Chanel, Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, and Stella McCartney. No, these aren’t Iowa students, or famous actors, but they all make clothes or shoes…EXPENSIVE ones. Fashionistas feel the need to keep up with the latest trends by splurging on these hot designer products, but as a fashion-challenged girl, you don’t have to. And newsflash: You can get all the expensive items at TJ Maxx or Nordstrom Rack after the season for half the price. More money for yoga pants for the win!
- People can notice a difference when you do dress up: If you were like me in high school, when you put on a pair of jeans your classmates asked, “so what’s the occasion?” And yes, this still happens. It isn’t that I don’t care about myself, it’s just that I don’t care about the judgments people make about my clothes, and care more about being comfortable. But the good thing is, when I do dress up nicely or attempt a somewhat fashionable outfit, people notice, and they compliment me.
- You don’t have a certain style you have to stick to: One day you can go for the hipster look, and the next you can wear a full of glitter outfit. Try the colored jeans with a blouse on Monday, and wear jeans and cowboy boots on Tuesday. With no reputation as a fashionista, you are free to try new things, new ideas, and crazy outfits.
- There are plenty of places and resources to “get help.” Okay, so if you aren’t buying the argument that being absolutely clueless when it comes to fashion is a perfectly acceptable thing, then there are ways to cure your fashion sense (or lack thereof). Just get on Pinterest to check out what outfits people are pinning, and you are sure to find out just what is popular these days. Read our articles on Her Campus, like this one to hear from the fashionistas on campus about what is trendy and what is not. There are endless fashion blogs on the Internet that will lead you in the right direction when it comes to fashion, and if you don’t feel like surfing the web, just ask your friends. Chances are, they are more fashionable than you are.
Not understanding fashion is not a bad thing, and it doesn’t have to mean you don’t look good. You don’t have to own the latest and greatest of all the fashion trends to be stylish because everyone can be stylish in their own way. Remember, the way you dress DOES give of a certain impression to people, so you should strive to look your best when you have somewhere important to be or are seeing someone important. As long as you feel good about yourself and your outfit, than don’t feel like you need to worry about the latest fashion, trends, and designers.
Be yourself, and as Dr. Seuss wisely said, “Those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter.”
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