Sometimes, we can get frustrated with the same old style, the same old clothes, the same old us. Your style is how you express and represent yourself, so it’s important that as you change and grow as a person, your style grows and changes with you.
If you’re looking to elevate your style with something new, you don’t need to turn straight to the fashion magazines and websites to find your inspiration. Staying true to yourself (while also staying on trend) is crucial, and we have a few tips to help you do so. Here’s how you can reinvent your look this year and find a new style that suits who you are.
Consider Your Budget
It’s first of all important to ask yourself the hard questions: how much are you able and willing to spend on your clothing, accessories, and makeovers? This will determine many factors such as how long it takes you to revamp your wardrobe, what quality of clothing you’ll be buying and many more.
It’s never a good idea to overspend on clothing, but you also don’t want to be wasting your hard-earned cash on cheap clothing that will start falling apart after only a few wears. If your monthly clothing budget is limited, rather opt to invest in new, high-quality items slowly but surely. This will also help curb impulse spending on items you don’t really love.
Change Up Your Basics
Before you decide to dump everything you own in a donation box and repurchase every item you could ever need, first consider what major changes you could make with a few simple, basic swaps.
We all have basic, essential, daily-wear items. For example your glasses. You could change your entire look by simply swapping your specs for a new pair. Invest in a pair of round cat eye glasses instead of your usual square lenses. Switch your tortoise shells for a bright bold red. Experiment with a few different pairs and see what feels more “you”. This applies to just about anything – a handbag, your staple earrings, even your lipstick.
Plan Your New Wardrobe
Running into your favourite store and buying everything you like with no ideas planned out in your head is yet another bad idea.
Spend some time looking online for inspiration for outfits you love and clothing and accessory pieces that speak to you. Consider what you already own, and what you’d like to purchase and start creating outfits in your head. Use this as a rough plan when you go shopping, or you could even make a list of the items you want and need, so you know exactly what you’re looking for.
Switch Your Styling Routine
Changing up your style and reinventing your look doesn’t have to lie completely in a new wardrobe. There are plenty of ways you can change your look without buying a single new thread.
Think of your day-to-day styling routines and see where you might be able to make a change, like a new makeup routine or a trendy new hairstyle. Simple, easy changes like these can truly go a long way in giving you that fresh, new feeling. Change your hair colour, buy. Anew eyeshadow palette and experiment with tutorials online, or even just learn some new braiding techniques.
Accessorise Properly
Again, if you don’t want to invest in a whole new wardrobe, you can completely change the look and feel of an outfit simply with the accessories you use. Change an outfit from simple and understated to bold and glamorous with a simple change of earrings and a classy scarf.
Accessories are an area where you can afford to buy into trends and keep up with what’s in fashion, making them a great way to experiment with your style and figure out what makes you tick. Try out loud and extravagant items paired with simple and classic pieces and you’ll be surprised at how well they all work together.
Try Out Something Old
Finally, don’t limit yourself to modern trends and brand new pieces – when you know how to style vintage clothing properly, you can look like an absolute rockstar. Take a look around thrift stores, ask your folks for hand-me-downs or even take a look around for stores that offer pieces that follow the vintage trend.
A combination of modern and vintage clothing is a look that most people can pull off, and you might find yourself able to salvage your existing wardrobe and completely change your look by only purchasing a few pieces here and there.