6 Habits of Stylish Women
Tips to cultivate a great sense of style
Creating A Style All Your Own
When I was a child there was nothing I loved more than playing dress up. By the time I got to high school I was keeping notebooks full of my daily outfits in an attempt to not wear the same thing 2x in a month. It was a fail. However, keeping that notebook allowed me to explore my sense of style and try new things. In addition to keeping my daily outfits in the notebook, I also kept cut outs of stylish women, fashion articles, and local shops I wanted to visit thanks to Lucky Magazine. I still keep such a notebook.
It’s no wonder that by the time my senior year came around I was planning on majoring in Fashion. In 2005 I graduated from Marymount University with a degree in Fashion Merchandising, and from there my career began. I started working as a intern in the fashion department at Vibe Magazine, and went on to work in wholesale luxury accessories, fashion styling, and for a consultant for brands like Marc Jacobs.
Fashion continues to play a huge role in my life, and I love an occasion to get dressed up. I mainly work from home and it’s easy to get sucked into wearing sweats and pj’s, but I make it a point to get dressed from head to toe to keep me in a work frame of mind. Also, I need to wear these clothes I have and being dressed allows me to also be able to run out the door for meetings or auditions.
Now that Summer is JUST around the corner, I wanted to share some of my tips for living a stylish life. Below are my tips for becoming a bit more stylish this Summer! I thought this was the perfect time to write this blog because now most people are switching out their closets, adding pieces to their wardrobes and might be stuck on what they should be buying and doing. Not wanting to waste money I keep these habits top of mind so when I do have to make purchases they are purposeful.
DR | Summer 2018
Habit 1: Invest in Basics
When I say basics I mean it. In a former life when I worked in retail I was amazed at the women who would come in a drop hundreds of dollars on the same t-shirts, jean styles, etc in different colors. Over the years I adopted the same habit. The Modern Tee from the Gap has been a wardrobe staple of mine for YEARS! I have the tee in black, white, and grey. It fits me perfectly and is a great compliment to many of my skirts, jeans, pants and pairs well under blazers for a casual look.
Habit 2: They Don’t Copy
It’s one thing to be inspired but don’t copy! I am referring to copying someone’s entire look from head to toe. What I suggest instead is that you create a mood board on Pinterest of the looks that really touch you. See if you can find themes. Do all the people in the photos wear accessories? Are the women dressed in flirty, airy styled clothing? Perhaps most of your photos are of sneakers, casual shoes, or bright colors and patterns.
Use the board to dissect what aspects of others looks really connect to the style you’re trying to capture. Use the inspiration as fuel to start building your signature style.
Habit 3: Shop EVERYWHERE
There isn’t a consignment shop or thrift store that I won’t check out. When I was a youngster I was introduced to the world of thrifting. Of course being a kid I didn’t get it, in fact I was like HELLLLLLLL NAW! I was not interested in wearing clothing that someone else had already worn. Overtime I learned how to strategically shop second-hand stores and have walked away with some of the most amazing finds. I have some awesome earrings from a random af thrift shop out in Bensonhurst Brooklyn that people compliment me on…
Don’t be afraid to pop into a Salvation Army when they open and have a look around. One tip I can share is use thrift stores and consignment shops as an opportunity to grab some staple pieces. For instance, maybe you want to try a trench coat, or boyfriend jeans. These are great items easily sourceable in a thrift shop, especially things that are trendy. No need to spend crazy coins on fashions that’ll fade away by next season.
Habit 4: Accessorize
I don’t play when it comes to my accessories, especially my jewelry. Growing up my mom had a jewelry armoire and about 9 years ago I got one for myself. I realized I’d amassed a nice collection of accessories and they needed to be stored and organized accordingly. To be honest, it was getting hard to find my favorite earrings, bracelets and bangles because things were everywhere. Now I know where my headbands, grillz, watches, etc are at all times, it was one of my best investments. Accessories (jewelry, handbags, sunglasses, etc) can totally elevate an outfit and knowing what pieces look well together is an essential part to building style habits that always make the mark! * This weekend spend some time experimenting with your accessories, layer some necklaces, rings and bangles. Lay out some outfits and mix up your bags, shoes. Have fun re-creating looks with items you already have.
Habit 5: Labels Don’t Mean Sh*t!
Never allow anyone to make you feel less than because you aren’t wearing designer items from head to toe. There is no need to break the bank, blow your budget and credit score trying to buy the latest designer pieces. Learn what works for your body type and buy quality items. Throw in trendy pieces here and there and if you can afford to splurge on a luxe item, then do so.
But remember style is not about BEING perfect or wearing expensive labels. In fact true style exudes…
Habit 6: CONFIDENCE
“Let nothing dim the light that shines from within” – Maya Angelou
Cultivate confidence. Make it a habit to speak positively about yourself. The most stylish women I know are confident in themselves and it radiates their outfits in an almost ethereal way. I believe it to be true, the old saying that if you look good, you feel good. Take some time to pull your looks together. I used to set out my outfits at least 2 days in advance if not the entire week.
The last thing I want to worry about is is my outfit it too tight, too short, or anything else that would make moving about the world uncomfortable.
You walk different when you look good. You feel different when you look good and you know it.
Don’t let anything dim that light!
Putting your looks together should be fun. Your going out into the world, use clothing to express yourself.
If you have a vacation or big event coming up, start working these habits in before the big day!
Enjoy your summer and elevate your style!
DR | Summer 2018
