I love when an individual’s style has become so streamlined that every piece in her wardrobe works with another. There’s consistency, versatility, and ease that comes with understanding your personal style at that level – you need only a few pieces that lend themselves for infinite combinations. Less is more. It’s at that level of style nirvana where shopping is no longer a mindless task, but a process of curation. Your wardrobe is your life story.
(I kid, it’s not that dramatic really. I get carried away with metaphors.)
You are your personal stylist. You are your buyer, your personal shopper, the curator of an exhibition. Yours. Take that literally: if your wardrobe were to be the feature presentation of the Costume Institute, à la Daphne Guinness’ in 2011, would – could – your clothes tell a story with continuity? No hiccups, no staccato, no gaps that leave quizzical museum-goers with questions as to who you are. Consistency is key.
It’s not to say you should fall into a pattern of safety or rely upon repetition; consistency is comprehensibility. Who are you? Food for thought. Without knowing, you lose the beauty of dressing for yourself, and begin dressing for others – your friends, the opposite (or not) sex, other women, societal standards. It’s not necessarily a terrible thing, per se – it just becomes a dreaded chore. We’re meant to enjoy every moment of our being, not to just do because we have to. What makes you happy? What inspires you? What gives you heart palpitations whenever you slip into it? What brings back fond memories, of a first time, a best time, an emotional moment? (More on that later.)
Dress to fancy your every mood. You can. Style is dynamic, never stagnant. But safety is.
Equipment blouse, high-waisted skinnies, patent flats, Sofia Coppola x Louis Vuitton handbag
cotton tee, cashmere scarf, burgundy tote, black ankle-length pants, pointy-toe pumps
Miranda Kerr is one such example; every ensemble is deliciously, sartorially inspirational. From work to weekends – these are the perfect outfits for the working girl sophisticate. Classic, elegant, modern. Feminine, not girly. Note the distinct signatures – oh, to have one! – the rich, burgundy bag, the fitted pant, the neutral color palette, the pointed pump. Once you find something you love and know works for you, you gravitate towards it.
Style is organic. Innate.
Namaste.
For more on style, read “Defining Style: Part I, II, III.”
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{images via}
a bit coquettish 