Group Project: 8 Weeks to a Better Me (Week 7: Personal Style)

Elsie of A Beautiful Mess is such an inspiration to me. When is she not doing something creative and inventive, not only with her wardrobe, but in the way she lives her life? I was so happy to see her as the featured blogger on Sometimes Sweet, talking about personal style in the seventh installment of Danielle’s group project, 8 Weeks to a Better Me. Elsie advises readers to know their bodies and only wear clothes that look really great. Go against the current and skip trends that do nothing for you.

I am not particularly trendy, and I pair thrift and vintage finds with off-the-rack options. I like to perk things up with handmade accessories and vintage jewelry. My relationship with my clothes is somewhat related to my relationship with my body. When I feel confident, I dress more confidently, too. I may wear a trend I would have otherwise skipped. In this case, the risk is its own reward. When I feel so-so or not-so-good about my bod, I tend to wear more staples, such as scoop neck t-shirts in solid colors and my best-fitting pair of jeans. No risk. No failure. While a larger goal would be to always feel good, no matter how I look, I am looking forward to taking simple steps to ensure I look good, no matter how I feel.

 
1. Dress in the moment. - What I am looking for in my wardrobe now is much different from what I looked for ten years. ago. Ten years ago, I was an art school student, and my goal was to dress to express. I wore wacky combinations, such as a blue sequined grandma dress with hot pink fishnets and tennis shoes. I still enjoy expressing my personality, but now the goal is to do it in a more timeless, 9-to-5 appropriate manner. I want a wardrobe that glides effortlessly from work week to weekend. I also want clothes that fit and flatter my body now, not the body I had five or ten years ago. I am going to purge my closet and pass along the clothing that is not working for me, so I can work it every day of the week.

2. Adorn myself! - I own quite a bit of jewelry, much of it vintage. However, I tend to gravitate toward the same few pieces and wear them for weeks on end. My goal is to rev up my style by wearing a broader range of the jewelry I love so much!

3. Stir things up. - I have a lot of clothes. I often wear the same clothing combinations over and over again. I could come up with some “new” looks without a swipe of my credit card by simply swapping one cardigan or pair of shoes for another. Instant. Wardrobe. Update.

How do you define your personal style? What are you wearing this summer? Do you have any shopping or closet clean-out advice? If you are following along with 8 Weeks to a Better Me, let me know. I would love to check out your blogs.  

Alison