“At its essence, style is a complicated, endlessly fascinating human capacity. It is our spirit and what we think, our creativity, our individual way of being, and our intention for our clothes. To nurture a meaningful relationship with fashion, our task is to understand style, to hone it, to carefully craft it and make it our own.” – Nadine Farag
Style is substance. What is your relationship with style? In reality, clothing affects everyone, but there is this notion that personal style is for people who are overly fashion conscious. When it comes to personal style, the big name here is you. Your style may not go platinum if it was a record but one thing is certain: it distinguishes you from the many personal styles out there, with or without features from the well-known big names in clothing and style. You don’t necessarily have to dress ostentatiously to stand out. You can be a beacon of modesty, if that makes your personality – which in my opinion should be a regular part of your arsenal – shine through the clothes you put on. Part of going “platinum” with no features means not having to worry about if anyone else thinks you look good, freeing you up to exult, without a hint of self-consciousness.
Back in the day, my school uniform was at times a proper fraction – small upper, big lower. Other times, it was an improper one. It was a source of laughter for most of the kids. I was trolled a lot because of how I looked in the uniform. It was in many ways a crushingly human moment, the point at which the dreams and unfettered ambition of childhood seemed to collide with the severe reality of… chale forget! Fast forward to recently (quite distant past though) and then to now, welcome to my sunny day. Fashion gave me power, respect, connections and now I’m no longer the laughing stock I used to be when I was very young. There’s a defining link between fashion and power and when I found it my life totally changed.
I want to share with you a few tips to help you give meaning to your personal style and make your wardrobe your second mirror – you should see yourself when you look at your closet.
- Be inspired.
Start by doing research. Learn more about yourself by looking out into the world and see what sticks, and what doesn’t. Magazines, street style, fashion shows, movies, friends, history and more can help you figure out what works for you. Trends can still be a source of inspiration, as long as you aren’t blindly following them. You can also do a Pinterest search of “style icons” and save the images you are drawn to. You’ll start to see a collection of repeat people who you can look to for inspiration.

- Be real. Be you.
You have to be honest with yourself about your lifestyle and what is most practical for that. Look beyond the names of your inspiration photos and focus on the outfits. Pick a few words to describe the vibe of the looks. Settle on a handful of words that feel true to your style, and write them down for future reference, as they will help you clarify and define your look. A “truth” the fashion industry tries to convince us of is that if we like something we have to have it. You can have great admiration for a designer, trend or a clothing item, but not wear it yourself. Some things are better appreciated from afar.

- Be confident.
Now that you’ve dreamt up your perfect wardrobe, and brought it back down to earth, it’s time to find confidence in the style that is all yours. Lean into the items you gravitate towards and have determined to be practical for your life. Every time you realize that the way you dress is your way and not a carbon copy of someone else, you build confidence. You know those special days when you walk out the door feeling like your most stylish self? Snap a quick picture for future reference. These are the outfits that epitomize your true personal style and should serve as inspiration for spin-off outfits.

- Be creative.
After finding what is right for you, and makes you feel special, there’s room for experimentation. Play to your strength. Is there something people compliment you on? Wearing clothes that play up your best style strengths will always look stylish, no matter what is currently trending. Also, you need to own a signature item that becomes part of your style identity. It can be as simple as a personalized piece of jewelry or as memorable as a Donegal tweed waistcoat. We as humans are always changing and so too will our style, but with a better understanding of who we are as a whole. Your style is an extension of you. Let it be.

Regardless of your purchasing power, do your very best to look good all the time. You don’t need to wear the most popular and expensive brands to look spiffy. You can live within your means and make a good impression on people with your clothes. I’ll do a write-up on budgets and clothing next week to help you with that.
The revolution will be televised. #youroutfitmatters
Source: Nii Laate (Mantopia)