For a long time, I struggled to figure out exactly what I liked to wear. I wasn’t a girly girl, yet I wasn’t a full-on tomboy. I was stuck in the awkward middle ground where I couldn’t quite flaunt a flowery dress nor rock a leather jacket.
I absolutely HATED shopping. It was a waste of time and money. As such, I never felt comfortable with the way I dressed nor the way I looked. In a way, I wanted to adopt the whole “I don’t care how I look” persona, but it wasn’t doing much good for my self-esteem.
It got to the point where I was waking up in the morning and putting on the same sweatshirt and jeans I’d worn three times in a row and pulling back my hair into my basic ponytail. Needless to say, I did not rock the look mainly because I did not feel comfortable in it.
So, eventually, I decided I wanted to “find my style.” I scrolled through dozens of Bustle, Buzzfeed, and Vogue articles. I tried watching a lot of beauty guru Youtubers. I took way too many online personality, color, and style quizzes.
Yet despite my efforts, I couldn’t figure out what I liked.
It wasn’t until a few weeks of struggling that I realized I was overthinking everything. I was trying to force myself into a box that felt nothing like me. I was trying too hard to fit myself into one category of style.
So I decided to do what I do best—improvise.
I started to take inspiration from the things around me. I found myself looking at other girl’s styles and pinpointing the details I liked about them. I started going out with my friends to Macy’s and trying on random articles of clothing I’d probably never consider buying (mostly because of the price). And boy, did it convert me into a different person! I started to actually put some effort into my look not by copying other people but by figuring out what trends, styles, and outfits made me feel good about myself.
My confidence practically skyrocketed!
I didn’t realize dressing up could improve your mood so drastically. I felt more comfortable taking selfies with my friends. Compliments no longer felt unwarranted. I was actually checking myself out when I looked in the mirror. But most importantly, I felt so much more comfortable with my body.
So without further to do, here are three tips that helped me feel more comfortable with my style.
- Mirror The Style of Your Favorite Characters
-
This is by far the best way I was able to find what I liked. I tend to get attached to fictional characters, and often times, I find their style suits my tastes well.
For example, the lovable Thea Queen from Arrow practically fueled my love for beanies with her somewhat rebellious yet chic looks. Becca Mitchell from Pitch Perfect made me adore plaid. The 100’s
protagonist, Clarke Griffin, helped me realize I have a thing for leather jackets (also girls wearing leather jackets).
All of these wonderful ladies inspired my style and allowed me to make it my own. So go ahead and find your own inspirations for fashion! Who says they have to be Instagram divas or runway models? - As for Everything Else, Pinterest is a Blessing
-
Pinterest is a life-saver for all things creativity: art, crafts, cooking, writing, you name it. It’s one of the best sources for writing prompts I’ve found to this day (second to r/WritingPrompts on Reddit). As such, I thought to myself, why not use it to gain some ideas for my style?
Unsurprisingly, I was sucked in. It made me realize combat boots are my favorite type of shoes, that I seriously really love any sort of beanie, and that fitted clothing (especially high waisted jeans) match my likings perfectly.
So get on Pinterest and start looking for styles that fit you! - Go Rogue!
-
I used to think my closet was rather basic, and I didn’t have that much stuff to find a proper style. I was completely wrong.
I gravely underestimated just how fun it is to go wild in your own closet and just try things on! I found so many combinations of outfits I thought I’d never wear. It was literally an eye-opening experience to
realize I had so many articles of clothing that complemented each other so well!So start digging through your wardrobe and drawers and try on bizarre combinations of items! Who knows? You might end up finding some cute outfits!
I am by no means a beauty guru. I’m not even into fashion. When I was first assigned to write an article on style, the only question going through my head was what in the world am I going to write about?
But style isn’t exclusive to fashionistas, girly girls, or models. Everybody wears clothing, no? It’s all about styling to your suiting. Your best looks are always going to be those you feel the most confident in, so don’t stress yourself trying to figure out “the perfect look.”
Just be yourself!