By Carla Luthwood
Do you rush out to copy the latest outfit every time you see it in a magazine? What about emulating your favourite celeb down to her last bobby pin? If that sounds like you, it’s time to set your look apart from the rest. Rescu. tells you how.
Have you have lived every girl’s nightmare of turning up to an event feeling like a million dollars only to find three other girls wearing the same outfit? If you have, you’ve probably succumbed to the lifestyle of a fashion victim. Sure, you don’t want to look like the odd girl out, but having your own individual style is a great way to keep one step ahead of the pack.
Here are some questions to see where you fit:
1. Do you religiously follow the fashion forecasts?
2. Do you think the more expensive something is the better?
3. Are you immersed in the image of a celebrity and losing your own identity?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, you need to have a good look at your sense of style and how you can make it more about ‘you’ and less about ‘fashion’.
It’s not hard to stand out from the crowd and develop your own individual calling card, but it does take a bit of thinking. Nicole Ritchie has her oversized sunglasses, Victoria Beckham has her shoes, and Sienna Miller has her boho princess style. So what do you need to do to develop your own signature style?
Evaluate your look:
Firstly make a serious evaluation of your current style; is it more traditional, modern, fashion-forward, casual, boho? Once you have established what your present look is, you then have to decide what you are trying to achieve with a new signature style. Think, are you trying to be more memorable, develop a chic look, or just have more fun with fashion?
Do your homework:
Flip through fashion magazines and walk through shopping malls to get ideas on what sorts of styles suit you. Study famous style icons, everyone from Karl Lagerfeld with his ponytail to Gwen Stefani’s with her glam-punk style. There is nothing wrong with trying to imitate a look as long as you can make it your own. Just make sure it fits in with your personality.
Experiment:
Think about what you are willing to change. Are you prepared to change your wardrobe, the colours your wear? Your hair? What about accessories? If you’re going to change your hairstyle or colour, try doing it in stages to see how it works. If you’re choosing a new wardrobe colour, you could start by incorporating it in as a tie or scarf to see if it suits you. This also gives you a chance to play around with colours and different looks to see which one brings out the real you.
Accessorise:
Try sunglasses, bright or patterned hosiery, big pins and vintage handbags. Accessorising is an easy, safe and inexpensive way to start a signature look. You could try to incorporate other areas in your life; i.e. if you’re into music, your signature style could be as simple as a necklace with a guitar pendant.
Tips:
- Think about using your signature style to camouflage flaws, or draw attention to your best features.
- Try on clothes that you usually would steer clear of.
- Be careful not to become obsessive about a certain look, keep it simple and your own.
- Choose one item that resembles ‘you’.
- A signature style doesn’t have to be about changing everything. It can be something like a piece of jewellery or your fragrance.