Thanks to the quick turnover rate of fast fashion, trends and microtrends come and go in droves. This can make it so hard to differentiate between the outfits I like on myself and outfits that TikTok and Instagram have brainwashed my inner material gworl to like. After plenty of double takes at the mirror when I realize that I’ve not become the model after wearing the dress, I know from experience that these tips are essential to tailoring trends to your realistic closet and preferences:
- Always try the style on in stores
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While it has become difficult to try on clothing since COVID, many places have opened up their dressing rooms and you should definitely use them to try on unfamiliar styles whenever given the chance. If you have never worn a halter neck top, you probably shouldn’t rush to buy it without seeing how the style suits you first. You don’t always need to try on clothes at the mall with the intention of buying them; instead, you can try on clothes to ensure you like the color, cut or any other aspects of the style.
If you are not able to physically try on the outfit or style, you should at least search up how it looks on people with body types and features like yours. This can be difficult for people to find, but it is important to differentiate between whether you like an outfit for its own merit or if you like an outfit when it’s on a certain body type because it sells you the fantasy that their body can become yours. This can also be helpful in subconsciously cementing the message that your body type is just as great as anyone else’s, as you will be exposed to others like you and normalize it to yourself.
- Ask yourself if the item can be a part of multiple outfits in your closet
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Statement outfits can be great, but you need some cohesive elements across your closet that help you maximize the potential of your wardrobe. Opt for basics and multifunctional pieces as opposed to ones that you wouldn’t wear twice in a given month. This not only makes it more fun to style different outfit combinations together and have items for a litany of occasions, but it is also better for the environment to make the most out of less pieces. Although the notion that you can’t rewear clothing is a very unsustainable and privileged one that has subconsciously become accepted, maximizing the various outfits you can make with as few pieces as possible is a good first step to change this belief.
- do not purchase multiple pieces that perform the same function
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This is less of a stylistic tip and more of a sustainability tip, but if you have two clothing items that you use for the exact same thing, you’re only really going to end up wearing your favorite of the two (or wear the other just to use it and regret it). Save your closet space and just donate the other, or better yet, don’t even buy it in the first place!
- Practice putting outfits together
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It may seem strange to practice a skill like wearing clothing, but this can help you discover the textures, patterns and silhouettes you gravitate towards and make it easier to purchase clothing you know how to style in the future. This also means you may find new outfits you enjoy within your own wardrobe rather than just automatically running to the store when you feel bored.
- Ask yourself why you want the outfit
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This is a seemingly obvious tip, but a lot of people kid themselves about whether they actually like a style and would wear it. If you just saw an outfit 100 times on your Instagram feed, you might have subconsciously convinced yourself that it was cute but in reality be lukewarm about it. While you may have been totally convinced, I’ve noticed that clothing is always more attractive when it’s on someone else or in a store. The moment it becomes mine, it feels like the rose-tinted glasses have come off and it just becomes a piece of cloth. That’s just how advertising projects fantasies in your head, so it’s not totally your fault, but you should actively try to work against this to make sure you are purchasing items you know you will enjoy wearing and saving the rest for others. Check if the clothing has a return policy so that you can test whether the item is something you are actually excited to wear when it comes home. Think about if you have ever been attracted to similar items before, or if it is suddenly capturing your attention when it has coincidentally become interesting just as the item has become a trend again.
Expectations will never match reality, but hopefully these tips will help you shrink the gap between the two. Clothes should be made to fit you, not the other way around, so don’t just buy something because others like it or you like how somebody else looks wearing it. Go into every shopping trip with the idea of what the clothing has to offer you. Clothing is just a medium through which you express yourself, and if it’s not true to who you are and what you’re comfortable with, then it has no place anywhere near your closet.