“Ka revealing ba ana!”
“Wa man siya’y angay.”
“Ilisi na imong gisul-ob uy.”
Familiar phrases, right? I bet you even hear it in the voice of a family member or maybe someone you know; they’re usually the ones who are hyper-critical. It totally ruins your confidence and makes you second guess everything you wear.
As someone who grew up in a conservative community, individuality in fashion was not really a choice. Showing skin was taboo and wearing clothes that do not fit the norm was criticized – in hushed tones or in a screenshot forwarded to a group chat, no less.
That’s why instead of expressing myself through fashion, I conformed with what the community expected me to wear. It’s easier, but also boring.
The digital revolution opened the doors to different cultures and perspectives. Gone is the narrow-minded mindset that clothes are just meant to be worn as insulation and protection from adverse climate conditions. Instead, it shifted as an outlet to express oneself and to reduce the gap between your inner state and outer appearance.
There are a lot of factors that affect one’s style: preference, environment, budget, newest trends, movies and TV shows, and people’s opinions among others. But you know what? These factors are just mere bases to guide you in recognizing your own individuality and expressing it to the fullest. So when people will tell you to, “Wear pink on Wednesdays,” wear black for all we care! You are not obliged to follow — you decide how you want yourself to be presented especially now that fashion is an instant language.
We can’t deny the fact that celebrities somewhat play a pivotal role in manipulating the audience. One example is the movie Mean Girls. Though it was released 16 years ago, it still has a very big impact in today’s day and age when it comes to the cycle of what’s hot and what’s not in the fashion industry.
One reason why The Plastics’ style will always be a classic is because each one of their wardrobes was critically picked to fit the characters’ identity. Just by looking at Regina, Gretchen, Kate, and Cady’s outfits, one would be able to have an idea of what their attitude and characters are. I guess this is also why people were hooked: they could clearly see the individuality, authenticity, and originality of all the characters.
Finding your own style is not as easy as it sounds. It is the act of developing a sense of self rather than absorbing the latest trends. It is wearing what makes you feel the most confident and at the same time comfortable.
Comfortability doesn’t ultimately mean slacking off on your outfits, but rather it is wearing and styling clothes you are most confident in. It’s hitting two birds with one stone — looking good while also feeling good.
If you’re struggling to find your own personal style here are some tips for you:
Find inspiration
Go on Instagram and Pinterest and look through different inspos may it be celebrities or influencers! You can also take note of how people around you dress through fashion magazines – if you have access to any! Once you see something you like, collect and organize photos to create a mood board that will further help you find your personal style.
Rummage through your own closet and create a capsule wardrobe
Finding your own personal style doesn’t necessarily mean a new wardrobe. Try to rummage through your closet and find pieces that fit your aesthetic and then try to mix and match them however you want.
Pro tip: Start with your basics then slowly incorporate statement pieces that will up your
outfit!
Experiment with other unique styles
Once you’ve found the perfect style for you, don’t stop there! Remember fun things
happen whenever you start going out of your comfort zone. Don’t forget to always
explore and play with fashion!
Bottom line, it is not bad to take fashion inspiration from other people, but make it your own. Integrate pieces that will leave an impression and will make heads turn when you enter the room.
Your personal style is just that: personal. It’s your identity and a form of self-expression, so it’s important to maintain that sense of self.
As Gianni Versace said, “Don’t be into trends. Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live.”
wow nice article i truly love that bit about how you said fashion is an instant language because there's so much more to communicating than just through words, it can be through many other things like body language and just as u said, what you choose to wear. i think that's another way of looking at fashion entirely that it's not just doing the most for the sake of it but having to go through a process to find whats best suited for you because that's how you want to express yourself. ofcourse, there will still be prying eyes whose judgement will be distasteful but slowly, i feel like as more people can see this side of fashion, that it…
Nice article! Congrats, Cat and to the team ❤️