1. Look at lots of inspo and break down why you like those fits. Think drape, color, material, etc. be specific af.
2. Pick 3 adjectives to describe your style. You can think of it as what that type of person would wear, or maybe the vibe of the clothes themselves i.e. artsy, architectural, outdoorsy.
3. Look at what you already like wear. What feels like you? Do deep dives (secondhand 🔥) to find interesting pieces. e.g. Ivy is cool af but I really just wanna wear trail runners and fleeces. Who is doing that well rn, or was doing that in the past?
4. Keep it small. Hot or cool institute put out a paper a bit back that said keep it to 85 pieces (including shoes but not accessories) if you live in a 4 season climate. Theres creativity in constraint, and as a plus, it keeps you from buying a bunch of stuff you don’t really vibe with.
Feb 9, 2024
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Look at the six items you actually wear and note what you like about them: is it the color, the fit, the style (casual, formal, eclectic, etc.), brand, season, and fabric.
As an example, I feel most confident in structured, classic modern outfits— I look for all organic materials (linen, cotton, silk), I tend to stick to a few favorite brands for basics, and I keep a list of what I need to replace/what’s missing in my closet so I don’t impulse purchase vintage t-shirts when I need a fitted blazer.
Thrift stores are really great for exploring your style— so are mood boards. When you see an outfit you love online, take a picture of it or note what about it was interesting.
One thing that I think goes overlooked is underwear— a well fitted bra really changes how clothes, especially shirts, hang and feel. You’ll only wear an outfit if the underwear you wear it with is comfortable. So if you have a dress you love, but aren’t wearing it because it either requires shapewear that makes you uncomfortable, or a nude/backless underwear or bra that you don’t keep in your closet, you’ll get less wear out of the item.
Additionally, know your measurements. Your body size is neutral, but language around sizing isn’t, and it can be discouraging to shop when you have a vague idea of your sizes and end up needing to size up or down. Get a soft tape measure, and get your true waist, hips, bust, shoulders, inseam, and rise. I have a very high rise to my natural waist, and knowing that helps me shop for pants and skirts with less frustration over fit.
Lastly, it’s okay for it to take time— curating your style and wardrobe should be ongoing and thoughtful; a fast fashion haul won’t help figure out what you like outside of trends, and those clothes tend to break down quickly. If you can, try to buy well made versions of your staple items— resale and thrift stores are a great place to find real leather jackets, upscale basics, and one of a kind pieces that you can’t find elsewhere.
Jun 23, 2024
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This might be a strange solution but it may help: when you see something thats not a garment that you consider beautiful for whatever reason, photograph it and then use your wardrobe to try and capture that energy.
For example, I go on a lot of nature walks and something that happens a lot on my walks is that I'll see a lot of beautiful colours that I often don't see worn together, blends of textures like where the leaves of a tree meet the sky etc and so I try to capture that. Like that's how I realised that I love the colour combination of orange and grey.
To help I may then look through old magazines and cut out images to make scrapbook pages of inspiration, or if I have the influence of a particular era in mind to express the look I may look at stills of films from that decade (that's another way you can use pinterest that's not so algo heavy).
Then you just try stuff on and see how you feel, what you like about your attempts what you don't like etc. Ultimately imo the easiest way to avoid relying on algorithms for fashion inspiration is to take inspiration from things other than clothes and to practice translating the aesthetic principles into garments.
Do you like that one brutalist style building with hedges of wild flowers near the place you work? How do you express it in an outfit. Do you keep looking at the sheen of an apple before you bite into it? What fabrics might have a similar effect?
And then use the clothes that you have to try things and edit/style your looks until you get to things you like wearing.
Nov 2, 2024
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you don’t necessarily have to be maximalist or anything to have that shit on. most of it is in the attitude. make sure the clothes aren’t wearing you <3
my shopping strategies are 1) shop less and 2) make sure i can make at least 4-5 outfits with a potential piece before buying. then it has a context in my closet
i will use pinterest for inspo but use it as a jumping off point, not as a means to flat out recreate what u see
Feb 9, 2024
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with; pets, friends, children.
Feb 18, 2024
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I don't know if they ever read them it just seems like the right thing to do
Feb 8, 2024
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for inspo. Fr this is pinterest before pinterest and all of these places are A) beautifully lived in and B) guarenteed not to be an AI render
Feb 13, 2024