Now, let me make this clear, I'm no style expert, I've had my own fashion tragedies & have been guilty once or twice of only wearing something because it's "in", no matter how awful I felt in it, but over the years, through trial and error, I've come to be a great believer in wearing clothes and accessories that suit the wearer's personality, FEEL good and flatter rather than hinder.
Fads & trends come and go, but if you stick to these basic tenets you'll feel confident and comfortable in your own fabulous uniqueness.
1. If it doesn't feel right, don't wear it. Listen to your instincts. If you feel wrong in an outfit, or it's uncomfortable or doesn't sit right, you're not going to exude the confidence that really makes a look. For example, very short skirts without stockings and midriff tops will never be items I will wear again. This is partly because of my age and my body shape, but mainly because I don't feel like "me" in them, and I don't like the way they feel.
2. Some trends can be perfect for your personality. And lets face it, that's what we are putting out to the world when we wear something. "This is me. Love it or hate it." But don't make the mistake of thinking "This will suit me because it suits her/him." We are all different, with different body shapes and personalities, which is great. Even if someone says to you "I'd never wear that" - doesn't mean it won't make you feel like you're walking on puffy clouds of contentedness. Like the dress I'm wearing in the above photo. It's one of only two items I have bought in the last few years with skulls on them. But I love the colour and the way it gathers at my waist & hugs my curves.
3. Spending hundreds or thousands of dollars does not necessarily = style. How many times have you looked at a celebrity/someone with oodles of money wearing something that just doesn't seem right for them and thought "If I had his/her cashola I'd hire a stylist". There's nothing wrong with not caring what others think about what you wear, but confidence goes a long way towards feeling awesome about yourself, and it shows, even if you're not one of the wealthy ones. One of my favourite dresses (which is the prettiest shade of red & has a halter neck & swishy skirt) is vintage 1980's & cost me $15 on ebay. I feel like a goddess every time I wear it.
4. Classic pieces that never go out of style. I'm probably going to seem like I'm contradicting myself here, but with these particular pieces, you usually get what you pay for, unless you're getting some awesome budget deal :) :
Black tailored blazer: Either purchase one that fits you perfectly (test it in store by hugging yourself, raising your arms above your head and making sure the front will close or isn't too gape-y) or have one made by a good and reputable tailor. Fitted styles look super sexy on busty women and oversized blazers can look great on slimmer gals when paired with fitted pants. Also, I am an absolute fan of rolled up blazer sleeves on guys, especially when paired with a quality pair of well-fitting jeans & a skinny tie. HOT.
Quality jeans in black, dark blue and light blue: Spend the extra money here. Trust me. Cheaper jeans (unless they are older good quality ones at a bargain price) always tend to stretch out of shape, fade, don't fit right, etc. In my experience, if you spend over a hundred dollars on one pair of jeans which make you feel like a million bucks, you can wear with a myriad of pieces already in your wardrobe and last several years, you're getting better value for money than if you spend $40 each on 4 pairs of cheaply made ones that fall apart and fade after a few years. If you do have jeans like these already in your wardrobe though, they're great for embellishing, adding patches/well-placed rips etc if that's your thing :)
Formal wear: Get that awards night/ball/wedding dress or formal suit tailor made if you can afford it, if not, ensure that you don't buy something on impulse or which looks good on the rack but you're not certain about. You want to feel amazing in it if it's your big day/night and an ill-fitting garment or one that might bust it's seams after a 5 course meal will not give you the confidence and comfortableness you want. Also (unless it's a wedding dress, but even so, depending on the style, you can still make it work again), if you're on a budget it needs to be something you'll want to wear again. And possibly again and again and again. If you've got basic dressmaking skills, and don't want to attend a formal event wearing the same thing you wore last year, you could even add a bodice to a strapless dress or a bustle to the back of a fitted skirt, for example. Or guys can add a coloured pocket square to a waistcoat.
Corsets: I do own several cheaper bustiers, but there's nothing like one or two well-made, boned, good quality corsets (if you feel comfortable wearing them). They can give you the most breathtaking shape. One day I will be able to afford to have one especially made to my measurements. And then, I shall take over the world.
The biggest thing to remember is you are you and if you pretend to be something you are not because you are attempting to impress or gain respect, you'll never be truly content. But the only way to figure out your own unique style is to go crazy & experiment with different looks :) You'll eventually work out what you feel confident and comfortable wearing. It's only taken me 30 years!
Love Lady Violet xx
[Top photo: $59.95 dress bought from Off Ya Tree, Barrack St, Perth
http://www.offyatree.com.au; Bottom photo: $70 (facebook auction) boned underbust corset bought from Red Dusk Designs
http://www.redduskjewellery.com/]
