In this post I shared a few of the fashion rules that I always break and in today's post I want to go over a few that I always follow. Even though rules are often meant to be broken and fashion shouldn't have too many regulations and requirements, these simple guidelines help me feel stylish, put-together and appropriate every day with minimal effort. After all, life is too short to spend it worrying about what to wear.
RESPECT THE DRESS CODE
First up is to always follow the dress code if one has been shared.
Whether you're attending a wedding, a bridal shower, baby shower, anniversary party or another gathering, I think it's so important to dress for the occasion and to follow the dress code if one has been shared.
Especially nowadays with our access to google and the internet, there is little to no excuse for not dressing appropriately. After all, when putting together a nice event, the person or persons planning the party put forth a lot of time, energy and often money to make it a memorable affair and it's out of respect that you should meet their expectations with how you're dressed.
As someone who planned their own wedding and planned countless events when working in PR in the city, I can confirm that a dress code is given a lot of thought and the details of an event (including venue, music, meal etc) are often coordinated with the dress code in mind. If, after doing research on the dress code you're still unsure about what to wear don't hesitate to reach out to another guest and compare notes. If all else fails, in my experience it's always better to over dress rather than under dress - within reason of course - and to show up with a smile and contribute to a lovely gathering.
SHOP STRATEGICALLY
Next up is to shop strategically and be very thoughtful about what you bring into your closet. If you've been here before this should come as no surprise, but I think it's so important to be strategic with what you bring into your closet, and I highly recommend only purchasing items that you can wear multiple ways and with many other items in your closet.
Before adopting a strategic approach to my closet, I would haphazardly purchase anything that caught my eye. This method of shopping not only resulted in an overflowing closet of pieces that rarely lasted beyond one season, but also in a shockingly limited wardrobe. By instead only purchasing pieces that are well-made, versatile and timeless I have been able to fill my closet with a selection of pieces that can be mixed and matched effortlessly across all four seasons and getting dressed is easier than ever.
To help me stay on track and avoid making impulse purchases, I like to make a shopping list complete with outfit inspiration at the start of each season - you can see my spring capsule planning here and here. This approach ensures that I only purchase pieces that fill existing gaps in my closet and will help me create looks I know flatter my personal style and lifestyle. Also, it's important to note that I try to not make a purchase just for the sake of checking an item off my list. Instead, I'll forgo that item if I can't find the perfect piece. I've found that this approach helps me to stay on track with my larger goals of having a minimal, versatile wardrobe and if I still feel the need to fill that spot in my closet, I can continue searching well into the coming months and years if necessary because I'm not following an arbitrary deadline.
FIND A GREAT TAILOR & USE THEM
One of the secrets that stylish people all over the world rely on is the power of a great tailor and I encourage you to do the same! I've touched on this in past posts and videos, but it's incredible what great tailoring can do for your wardrobe. In fact, when I was in college I purchased a very simple tweed style jacket from Charlotte Russe and with some careful tailoring, I was asked if that jacket was Chanel EVERY time I wore it! Plus, if you find a great tailor that you trust, they can help guide you toward the tailoring that suits your style and wardrobe and the more you know, the better you can shop. By knowing what can and can't be adjusted on a garment, you can shop more strategically and avoid purchasing items "to be tailored" when they actually can't be.
DRESS FOR THE LIFE YOU WANT
Next up is to dress for the life you want. Often times we'll hear this applied to our careers when we're advised to "dress for the job or promotion that we want," but I think we should apply this mentality to our lives as well. By dressing the way we hope to be perceived, we can control how the world sees us and ultimately stay true to who we are. Let's say for example that you live in a very casual environment and everyone around you dresses very casually. Even though there's certainly nothing wrong with dressing casually, deep down you prefer a more dressed up look. Well, don't let that stop you! Wear what you want, when you want and do so with confidence. Try not to let anyone else dictate how you dress and always stray true to yourself because I think you'll be happier in the long run, and happiness is one of the major cornerstones of a life you truly love.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Much like shopping strategically, I can't recommend choosing quality over quantity enough.
When it comes to building a classic closet that you can wear year-round and for years to come, a small selection of classic, well-made pieces is key. Before I started capsule dressing I, like many others, thought that in order to be stylish I needed a massive closet of endless pieces. Once I adopted a minimal approach to dressing though I realized that less truly is more, and that a few high quality pieces could be mixed and matched (with carefully selected accessories) for an endless array of outfits.
CLASSIC OVER TRENDY
Along those same lines, if your goal is to achieve wardrobe bliss and cultivate a closet of well-made, versatile pieces, I highly recommend opting for classic over trendy.
I know this is often easier said than done (especially right now when we're being inundated with all the new trends during fashion month), but when in doubt it really is better to opt for classic over trendy. If you haphazardly adopt every trend that comes your way, you'll be left with a closet full of trendy pieces that offer little to no assistance when it comes to putting together a great outfit. If instead, you start with a base of carefully selected, classic pieces, you can incorporate a few trends that will compliment and complete your outfits for a closet full of pieces you can mix and match year-round. Now, this doesn't mean you should never wear trendy pieces but it does mean that you should be very selective with your trends and only adopt those that compliment your lifestyle and personal style - rather than hopping onto every trend train just because everyone else is.
And there you have it! You can see my corresponding video to the left and like always, thank you so much for stopping by!
