Improve your style - A Fashion Diagnosis
After providing six reasons why caring for your appearance is important and how appearance affects your life, it is time to present 3 reasons why you do not like your style. This article will focus specifically on clothing.
Let us begin with the definition of styling. Styling is aligning the image you have of yourself with your physical appearance.
To do that, you must be more intentional about what you wear to accentuate your natural beauty by highlighting your best attributes.
Not everyone has a good sense of style, and it can be attributed not to a lack of information about the topic but to a lack of action regarding that information.
It is hard to be objective about yourself, so let me help you.
If you can relate to any of the descriptions below, you probably make at least one of these 3 common mistakes and need to read this post to fix them. You can look at it as your fashion style diagnosis.
“Looking at your wardrobe makes you feel bored and stifled. You are never excited about what to wear and are always indecisive.
Your outfits don’t look particularly good or bad. They are enough to get dressed and leave the house every morning but not enough to impress yourself. You feel that your clothes no longer reflect you.”
If you relate to one or more sentences, let me tell you that it is not supposed to be like that!
A good closet will have pieces that serve and work for you and your lifestyle. It will make you happy every day and not just on special occasions.
Let us move on to the three fashion mistakes that are ruining your sense of style.
1. You do not dress for your body shape
The first fashion mistake you are making is that you do not dress for your body shape.
We are all different in size, shape, curves, and height. Body shapes were divided as – apple, rectangle, hourglass, pear and inverted triangle.
What dressing for your body shape does, is elongate your figure to make you look taller and more proportionate.
Knowing your body shape will help you figure out what works for YOU. It will help you find out what cuts and silhouettes work best for your body and how to work with them.
Right now, you spend a lot of time trying to imitate how clothes look on other people and their dimensions. What you should do is, adjust every outfit to YOU based on how YOU look.
Clothes are all about shape, silhouette, and fit. You have several pieces in your closet you thought were beautiful when you bought them, but now, you never wear them.
This happens because you either do not know how to adjust them to your body, or these clothes were not made with your body shape in mind.
If you want to improve your style, you can begin to follow styling recommendations for your body shape.
Although it is only a suggestion on how to dress, it is important to dominate the basics before you break them.
Find your body shape and ask yourself some questions.
How do YOU want to feel today? Comfortable? Chic? Sexy? What do you want your body to look like? What features do you want to accentuate?
It is all possible with the right outfit. There are ways to achieve the look you want based on your body shape.
Download my free guide to help you take the first step in improving your style.
2. You don’t know your True Size.
The second fashion mistake is that you do not know your true size.
There is more to fit than just getting your body into a piece of clothing. Clothes need to have the right fit to look good.
Having a well-fitted garment does not imply that the clothes have got to be body-hugging or tight.
Clothes should leave room to move comfortably but still look good without further adjustments.
Generally, the size on the label is identified by a letter or number, like XS, S, M, L, 32, 34, etc.
But sizing varies from one label to another, meaning different stores can have different measurements for the same size making it difficult for you to shop for clothes with a good fit.
As you can see in the image below, although the difference is not extreme, it will affect how the clothes look on the body.
It is time to throw away the regular size chart of S, M, and L.
From now on, knowing your body measurements is a necessity for getting clothes in the right size.
Begin by taking notes of your measurements in cm of your neck, shoulders, bust, waist, hips, and height.
Anytime you shop, refer to these measurements instead of just buying clothes based on size.
Focus on how it looks on you. Do not be afraid to size up, or down as needed.
Having your measurements will also help you determine your body shape, which is essential in dressing better.
Your buying decision is affected the most by the improper fitting of clothes.
Because you do not know your size, you may be passing on some amazing pieces for your closet.
Once you know your measurements in cm, you can navigate clothing stores better.
You can skip the process of trying on clothing. It will automatically improve your wardrobe and make your shopping experience less frustrating.
3. You are Afraid to Take Risks
The third fashion mistake is that you are afraid to take risks.
How does this translate into your wardrobe?
You have already decided what looks good and what does not, so you stopped trying new things.
You see a dress on a hanger, but you never try it to see if it looks good on you.
Your closet is a combination of the same five shirts and three pairs of jeans in the same 7 colours. There is no real versatility in your clothes.
Also, let me ask you this. If you always shop at the same stores and you are unhappy with your style, then why are you still shopping there?
Instead of buying more of something you do not like, go to a different store. But this is something that does not even occur to most people.
Your closet should not be boring to you. Getting dressed as a process should not be exhausting and difficult.
Even though you have a limited number of clothes to work with, there are many ways to take risks with what you already have.
All you require is imagination. I’ll leave you a few tips to help you get started.
How To Take Fashion Risks
Taking fashion risks is not equivalent to wearing a ball gown to the supermarket, but it is instead trying some new ideas.
It does not have to be something extreme. It can be as simple as adding a statement piece or a new colour to your outfit.
Another way to do it is to add accessories and jewellery to your style, instead of clothes.
Accessories and jewellery are easier to add to your look without having to create an outfit.
It can be scary to try new things. One of the things, that holds you back is the fear of looking bad.
A lot of the fear comes from believing you will be too much and the judgment that follows that belief. “The lipstick colour is too bright for work, or the pants are too tight and the top is too sexy.
There is no need to be afraid of expressing yourself through fashion because you do not owe anyone an explanation.
As long as you are comfortable push through the judgment. Everyone else will get used to you.
The good news is that when it comes to fashion, you only need 30 seconds of courage to try something new.
If you do not like your clothes, you can always change into new clothes.
I’m not gonna lie, you will regret some outfit choices.
It is the risk of trying new things, but every mistake will help you define your style.
A great tip is to try something new/risky with something you are comfortable with.
This way it is easier to determine if this new piece fits into your closet and lifestyle.
For example, if you only wear black, wearing a bright colour can be challenging.
Instead of cutting black outfits completely, you can combine black with one neutral piece (top or bottom), or add a pair of red earrings with your black outfit to make it more wearable.
Conclusion
Now that you know the 3 fashion mistakes that are holding you back, you can easily fix them.
First, take your measurements, second, find your body shape, and third, analyze your closet to mix and match outfits according to your body shape in a different way. It will level up your style closer to where you want to be.
It takes bravery to admit that you are not happy about your style and want to change.
It is easier to keep doing the same thing than to try something new.
Most people will finish this article and do the same thing tomorrow. You can be different.
Download my free guide below to help you on the first 2 steps of this journey.
Disclaimer: This article is informational only. All the pictures belong to The Princientist and cannot be used without the creator’s permission.
Body Shapes Articles
Understanding what body shapes are can be confusing. In this post, you find the basics of body shapes explained – What are body shapes? Are Body Shapes Important? Can Body Shape Change? What Body Shapes Exist? How To Find Your Body Shape?
Yes, you can be in between body shapes! And it is very common. There are 5 main body shapes – apple, rectangle, hourglass, pear and inverted triangle. Most women will fit into one of these categories, but it is not always the case.
Find The Complete Guides on How To Dress Your Body Shape, with images.
Apply The Fashion Strategies and Level Up Your Style.
