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008 – Style pt 2

Hey, I’m glad you came back!  Today we’re going to talk about the practical aspects of having a style. Before we start, I want to make something perfectly clear: there are no rules with fashion.  You wear what you want, however you want it. Still, it can help to have some guidelines to get you started. Some of the things we’re going to cover are colors, cuts and how to vary your style once you’ve found it. I’m no fashionista or anything, I’m just your dad. Like always, you make up your own mind about the advice I’m giving you. One more thing. For the purpose of this exercise, I’m going to be completely transparent with you. I’m going to do this with my actual, real body type, using clothes that I have in my real closet. First off! Let’s talk about color. Maybe you’ve heard people say they’re an “autumn” or “winter”. This refers to the tone of your complexion. Different colors work better with different skin tones. Warm tones play off colors differently than cooler tones. If you’re really serious about this, there’s people out there whose entire job is holding up swatches of fabric to determine what you look good in. There’s also guides online, for us poor folk. Search for “color for your skin tone” and you’ll find a whole bunch of ‘em.  The easiest, and perhaps best way is to think about what colors you think look good on you. Here’s an example: I’m a dark haired, pale Scandinavian with pink and blue undertones. If I wear pink or light grey, all that pink in my skin gets brought out and I look a lot more flushed than I am. What I’ve found is that darker jewel tones like navy, purple or dark green look nice. Gold is also a great color. This helps me with two things: choosing a color palette for my wardrobe, and knowing which colors to avoid. Next up, body type. We have the bodies we have. We’re not supposed to fit our clothes, our clothes are supposed to fit us. While someone might have a lot of reasons to want to change the way their body looks, I’m not getting into that today. That said, it can help to know how to work your proportions. I’ve got a big chest from genetics, and thick thighs and butt from being a horse girl in my youth. A little belly pouch, where I keep my estrogen. I’ve also got a pretty slim neck and wrists. The way I dress can either balance all that out, or make me look thicker or skinnier than I am. Figuring out what works for your body type is a lot of trial and error, but there are a few key rules you can follow. Tim Gunn said something years ago that stuck in my head. If you wear clothes that cut you off at your widest, you’re going to look even wider. Here’s how that works for me. This is an outfit pretty close to what I would’ve worn when I was in my 20s. The sleeve cuts off at my deltoid, making the arm look thick up top compared to the rest of it. The neckline cuts off right at the neck, which makes my head look smaller! The low jeans cut me off right where my hips are at their widest. This is what I wear now. Waistband at my natural waist smooths out some lumps and bumps, cuffing the shirt on my lower arm makes it look a little thicker. Having a more open neckline means my neck isn’t a toothpick.  High waisted pants and skirts are the only way for me, a lad with big naturals, to wear shirts my size without showing my whole belly to the world. Fashion isn't kind to so many of us. That's why we gotta be smarter. Color helpts here too: light colors enlarge, dark colors reduce. If you want your butt to look bigger, wear lighter colors! Let's talk about how to curate your closet without breaking the bank. First off, this is an ongoing project. As you evolve as a person, clothes will come and go. This is natural, but we can do it in the most sustainable way possible. Number one: start small. Don't throw out your entire wardrobe and buy all new stuff. You need to take your time and figure out what works with this style you've created, and what doesn't. Start with your existing closet: what do you already have that fits in the style? This is a good opportunity to clear out clothes you really don't like, or that don't fit you anymore. Those clothes can be sold, or donated to a thrift store or charity organisation if they're still in good shape. Clothes beyong saving can be recycled, or reused as cleaning rags! While we're on the subject of thrifting, second hand stores are a great way to find unique clothes for a fraction of the price Finding the size and style you want can be a challenge, but if you got the patience for it, thrifting can be so exciting and a great option to fast fashion if you're on a tight budget. Speaking of fast fashion... while it's no good for the environment and perpetuates horrible working conditions, you are not the worst people in the world if you have to buy clothes from a fast fashion place. Some of us are broke, and need a particular size that's difficult to find in a thrift store. I've padded out my closet with fast fashion pieces, especially pants. There are companies I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole and with the rest, I try to only buy stuff from the final season sale, to save items from the landfill. Having a style also means you don't switch out your wardrobe every time the trend shifts. These Monki jeans are going to be worn again and again and again, for decades. Style is about creativity, and that makes it a sustainable practice. If you want to support more green brands or smaller fashion designers, you can always save up and splurge on a hero piece when you can! And if you're good with your hands, learning how to mend, alter or make your own clothes is a sure fire way to develop your own style. I'm a knitter, so I add more and more handmade pieces to my closet. They're not perfect, but neither am I! Finally, I want to talk about how to mix up your style. We dress for different occassions, and a style needs to carry us through whatever life brings. I like punky, bold patterns and colors but that's not always appropriate. I still want to feel like myself, so I got some more toned down options for meeting the in-laws, or when I need to be professional. Once you figure out what you like, you can dial it up and down depending what the situation calls for. It's a good thing to think about as you build your closet. Eventually, you're going to a funeral. Don't forget about hair, makeup and accessories! Maybe your clothes are simple, but you put a personal spin on it with cool jewellery or a smoky eye! To summarize: in order to find your personal style, you need to be patient, creative and honest with yourself about what you think you look good in, and what clothes make you feel happy. And then you just gotta... do it! If all else fails, just remember the most important rule of them all: you do what the funk you want and no one can tell you otherwise. Can't wait to see all your cool outfits! I love you, kiddo!