When I was coming of age, back in the 1700s, I used to try to be home on Saturday afternoons to catch Style by Elsa Klensch. This wasn’t hard because, at 11, my Saturday options were pretty limited. I could either play kickball with the cute twins from down the street or reread Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret. And I hated kickball. I would sit really, really close to our big wooden box of a TV so that I wouldn’t miss a single detail of her interviews with designers, style icons and supermodels. The only fashion inspiration I had, besides my monthly subscriptions to fashion glossies, was that half hour, once a week.
Now, examples of chic, wearable, totally affordable looks are everywhere, from Pinterest to fashion blogs to your inbox. So today’s assignment? Get inspired! Here, 3 easy ways to do that.
1. Find Five Looks
Scour Pinterest, blogs, and websites for 5 looks that just speak to you. These can be head to toe looks, or color combinations, accessory ideas, etc. Pin them to a board called “My Style”, or save the image to your phone or computer. Then, recreate them. Look in your closet for ways you can put together a similar look. Sometimes, it’s the combination of pieces that strikes you; other times, you might find that you are really just missing a pair of Rag & Bone boots. (Or is that just me?) Use sites like ShopStyle.com to scour the internet for pieces to fill in the gaps. You can find anything you want at virtually any price now, so don’t feel limited by your budget!
2. Identify Your Icon
I know it’s completely overdone and predictable, but I have to pick SJP. And not just the Sex & The City version. The real life mom in insanely chic jeans version. We are practically the same person. We both have curly hair and like tutu skirts and heels. Anyway, pick a person, and set up a Google alert so that you can can style-stalk them online. And then take notes. Chances are, you can pull off a similar look for less!
3. Focus on the Details
The difference between a styled look and an ordinary look is the details. And the simpler the outfit, the more critical the details. A simple tee-jeans-and-pumps look is showstoppingly chic when done correctly. It’s not just a pair of jeans, but a perfectly broken in pair of jeans. Not just a nude pump, but a pointy nude pump with a 4 inch heel. The bag, the scarf, the jewelry – everything comes together to create a memorable look.
Inspired? I hope so! Remember, the looks that you are drawn to reveal a lot about your style, so pin away on your style board and look for any trends or repetition. You might find that the same must-haves crop up in one picture after another. Those are the items to file away for your next shopping trip.
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