New year, new you, right? While you’re in the spirit of new beginnings and starting fresh and all that (what with the New Year’s resolutions and such), why not try some new things in regards to your personal style? Here are seven experiments you can try right now.
1. crown yourself
Let’s start simple…try wearing a flower in your hair. Single blooms from even the most posh florists are still totally affordable. Or, if you’d rather something that will last forever (or if you have allergies), try a handmade flower. Bonus points if you wear it on your lapel sometimes, too.
2. dispose of self doubt
Find a great example of that thing you’ve always told yourself that you “can’t pull off,” and then wear it anyway. This is a phrase that I absolutely do not believe in, and I encourage you to dispose of completely. Challenging yourself to wear it anyway is a great first step.
Believe it or not, I have heard with my own ears, beautiful, stylish, and confident women claim they “can’t pull off” something as basic as black motorcycle boots or a traditional houndstooth print. Crazy talk! Don’t listen to it!
3. unmix your matches
You probably already wear some of your matched sets separately, right? Say, take the jacket from a suit of yours and wear it with a different skirt? Well this is one step further. I’ll bet there are at least a handful of outfits in your closet that you always wear the same way.
Perhaps you put them together yourself, or perhaps you saw them styled that way in the catalog or in the store window (above, outfits from the 2011 look books of Anthropologie and J.Crew). I challenge you to break up that outfit and wear the pieces without their usual companions. You may surprise yourself with the new looks you come up with!
too much hair?
too much cleavage?
4. examine celebrity pet peeves
You know that famous person who just irks you for some reason? Every time you see them on the cover of InStyle or Vogue, you just roll your eyes and wonder why oh why must you be subjected to their [thing that annoys you about them]? I want you to stop and think why it is they irritate you so. For the record, I’m a fan of big hair and cleavage; I’m just using these pictures as examples…
too goth/bag lady?
too monochromatic?
Is that thing that irritates you about them something you don’t like about yourself? Is it something that you actually (deep down) really like, but you’re afraid you “can’t pull it off”? Is it something else entirely? Depending on your answer, it might be time to do some experimenting!
Maybe you should stop trying to tame your wild hair, or maybe you should try wearing head-to-toe black and heavy eyeliner. Perhaps you should experiment with a low cut top, or a dress the exact color of your skin. Or maybe not. Maybe you should embrace your flat hair, or the fact that wearing black makes you look consumptive. Pin-point your pet peeve, and then decide what to do about it!
5. start backwards
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut if you do the same things the same way, over and over again. Sometimes the best way to come up with a spectacular look is to think about its components in a different way. For a moment, ignore the main ingredients of your outfit, i.e. what to cover your top and what to cover your bum.
Instead, try building an outfit around an accessory that intrigues you. Choose an interesting lapel pin, a bright pair of shoes, a patterned belt, or a gorgeous scarf. You might find yourself bypassing your old standbys for something you haven’t worn in a while!
6. mix it up
I can already hear some of you telling me to go jump in a lake…but trust me, give it a try: just say no to matchy-matchy. Try putting together an outfit where nothing matches. Every item is a different color or pattern. I’m not even going to tell you to leave out your trusty neutrals! C’mon, it’ll be fun!
The outfit above is built on a gray skirt, a black belt, and a blue and white striped top. Then I added a bunch of color. You could do it backwards – start with a brightly colored top, for example, and add more subtle items to compliment (not match!) it. Let me see pictures of what you come up with!
7. lose the crutch
Finally, for the most difficult challenge. Imagine I came to your house, and took away your 10 most favorite/most worn/most trusty “go to” items. No, you cannot go to the mall and replace them. Now what?
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this. Do you think I’m wrong? Do you think I’m crazy for putting red shoes with a purple bag? What are your plans for shaking up your personal style (if any)?
