Why connecting with your personal style will give you fashion bliss

We all have those moments. Those days when we can’t seem to find the right thing to wear, a fight with the closet, a tug on a pair of jeans, a loose bra, a bursting button. And then once you’ve finally settled on an outfit that may or may not match, you open Instagram and scroll through an endless stream of perfect looking fashion bloggers, fashion girls, fashion brands and more and more and more. Suddenly your already questionable choice seems a decade past vintage.

In a world that has become the ultimate consumer’s universe, with more insta trends and insta styles and insta people getting the free stuff, how do we keep up? When you are the average woman or man, with the average income and the average body, that Insta life isn’t going to cut it. How do we navigate and get to that place where we can walk into our closets and walk out feeling just as fabulous as @soandso with her own glam squad.

Luckily, we also live in a world where these days, just about anything goes. So, don’t fret, your vintage wardrobe may just be the hottest thing going (trust me, vintage is hot!) so the options are endless. So, take the time to peruse these suggestions on how to make that trip into the closet look like a fabulous movie montage (cue the 80s music).

1. Closet purge

There is no doubt that over the years you have kept some items that may be sentimental, or investment pieces or you just can’t seem to let go of those pre-baby, pre-career, pre- anything pair of jeans. Now is your time. Go through your closet and take out your most favorite wearable items. Those are keeps. Try on the items you think you like and re-evaluate. Going through this process will guide you, remind you and open your eyes to what it is you truly like to wear on a day-to-day basis. Maybe you are a jeans and Tshirt gal. Maybe you live in dresses and skirts. Whatever it is, hang on to it and build on it. Everything else, sell it, donate it, do what you have to do to clear the space, to allow for your current style choices to stay clear in your eyesight.

2. Instagram detox

Scroll through your followed accounts. Take a look at them and see which ones resonate and give you the positive vibes, and which ones do the opposite. You know what to do. Follow the accounts that inspire you, encourage you and if they are fashion accounts, the ones that speak to your style. Maybe you love splurging on designer items, maybe you are really feeling the pre-loved movement. Maybe fast fashion is your game. Follow those that lead you down the road to style success!

3. Find one reason every day to love yourself.

For so many of us, getting dressed, finding a style or trend to connect to is limited because we don’t see ourselves in enough positive light. We are tired, overwhelmed, busy and so on. With a bit of work, you can get there. Keep a journal, talk to a friend, use positive self-talk. It doesn’t have to be about fashion — it could be about anything, one thing that you love or even like about yourself on a given day. Little by little you will see how much you have to offer yourself and the world and this is the key to set you on the path not only to Fashion Bliss, but Self-Love and Acceptance. Start small. Maybe you have a fresh pedicure and your feet are looking great. That’s a great opportunity to look through your summer shoes and pick out the ones you like best. The ones that showcase your toes! Maybe your skin is looking fabulous today, so what if your favorite jeans don’t fit, put on your favorite makeup and rock that look.

As a fashion stylist and retail specialist I have seen it all. I have heard the stories; I have helped women shop on their best days and on their worst. And the one constant I always adhere to is to buy what makes you feel good. Wear what works for you and your life, not what the magazines and fashion blogs are telling you to do. I try my best to offer an array of styles for women to choose from in order to encourage them to not conform, but to own their own look and leave a little extra room to try something new now and then. A pop of color when they usually wear black or a bold pattern if they mostly stick to solids. Once you own your style, your Fashion Bliss will be set free and you will find yourself as the master of your wardrobe and the pilot on your path to self-love and acceptance.