Photo Source: Style Slicker
A couple of weeks ago, sinisterrouge from Buttercup Punch wrote “What Is Fashion Sense?”.
I was really struck by her honesty:
“I have no fashion sense. None. I also have no beauty sense. I lack what people would refer to as ‘girly-ness.’ I wear barely any makeup. I don’t do my hair. I don’t know how to apply liquid eyeliner. Don’t get me wrong. I get by. I can do the basics. Like jeans and a sweater. But to put an outfit together? That is what I would refer to as hell.”
There are a lot of women out there that feel like sinisterrouge, with the overwhelming choices available to women and the trends that are in today and out tomorrow. What do you buy?
Another contributing factor to her fashion sense quandry, was her strict upbringing and a lack of a beauty or fashion mentor. Sometimes it really does go back to your childhood doesn’t it? I once had a conversation with a client who would compliment me on a pair of red Mary Jane shoes that I wore. I finally convinced her to buy a pair of red shoes similar to mine. After I delivered them to her, she revealed to me that she felt that she could never wear red shoes because her mother told her only “harlots” wear red shoes. Wow! I can only imagine what she would think of me, I wear those shoes all the time.
I think fashion sense can be an inherent trait or something you can learn. That is much of what I try to do with this blog. I sincerley try to impart helpful information with these Fashion Lessons so you can move past some of the inherited attitudes from your childhood and embrace your own athstetics.
The rules in fashion are always changing. Wearing matching shoes and handbags was a rule our parents or grandparents wouldn’t dare deviate from. Now, the only time you see matching shoes and handbags are when people are wearing black and I venture to guess that is the only color purse they own.
When trying to break out of your preconceived fashion confines, take baby steps. Choose a new bracelette or necklace. Buy a scarf for your hair for those bad hair days (the one pictured is only $4.80, click on it) or go really crazy and buy a pair of shoes with color in them, not just the black or brown variety.
When your ready for a real overhaul, invite your best friend over and have them help you go through your closet. A close friend like this should have no problem advising you if something is too old, too ugly, or too small. THEN GET RID OF IT! Too many of us hold on to a bunch of old crap that we don’t wear any more, or fit the afore mentioned criteria. It’s time to break up with the old college T-Shirt that has holes and stains from your first college kegger. Discarding old clothes does not mean that your are throwing away pieces of yourself or parts of your life.
Some people hold on to the ugliest clothes, shoes etc. because it represents some period of their life. Take a picture of it, put it in an album and move on. Make a quilt (albeit an ugly one) to remember all those pieces of your life. At least that is practicle and will leave you more closet space to usher in a new chapter in your life.
Don’t do it because you feel guilty, do it because you deserve it. Thanks sinisterrouge!
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Fashion Sensei 