TRENDY VS. STYLISH

It’s always an amazing feeling to be greeted to a styling session by the host with a huge expression of pleasure on their face over your outfit but it’s even better to be thanked for your input and told that “you didn’t really need to be here”, nevertheless I always love hearing the wise words of individual stylists and knowing what works for them. Google style sessions in your area - they are a great way to find out your body shape and what styles best suit you as an individual - better yet, email me anytime you like via my  contact link.

I think the main thing people can’t distinguish is the difference between trend and style. Seriously, these are two majorly different things okay.... and to be honest, if you can’t differentiate between the two, I hate to say but you probably don’t naturally have style as such (but you can learn I promise). For a start - trends are called trends for a reason, they are a quick burst of (sometimes utterly ugly) current pieces or looks that are getting slammed by celebs, the media, bloggers, teens, etcetera that get disposed of after roughly 3 months of non-stop coverage because everyone is just so damn sick of seeing whatever trend has blown through this season. Style is the way in which you dress, the way you want to present yourself and the way you execute your looks to maintain visual appeal.

And let us not forget the fact that just because something is labelled with big dollar signs doesn’t make it necessarily stylish. I have received the most compliments yet on a pair of $4 statement earrings I purchased from sale at a little jewelry boutique in the mall. So it’s not about who it’s made by or how much it cost - it simply comes down to whether or not you can create a look or see the potential in a piece no matter where you shop. Did I mention I’m on retail award wages so I do not have green backs on constant supply so shopping smart is key. You need to assess your wardrobe situation and figure out what pieces are needed to compliment items that have been looking at the back of the closet door for a while before you enter the mall.

As much as I love the big designer brands - the price range is very much out of reach without months of saving (and by that time, the mesmerizing piece I had my eyes on will be thrown in the “that’s so last season” basket) so taking a different approach to shopping is the only answer. Growing up without plenty of hand-outs from my parents like the rest of the kids in my school meant I had limited spending for my closet and once I hit the double digits I was definitely not letting my mother dress me. Don’t get me wrong my mum has remarkable style (definitely where I get my eye for fashion from) but it’s just not me. I started saving my pocket money and eventually got a job at McDonalds where I began my downward spiral to excessive spending in thrift stores and cheap online shops. From the get-go I dropped at the knees over anything black, embellished, laced or over-sized. 
There are so many perks to growing up having to sieve through neglected or abandoned clothing, in particular getting to know your materials and having to bring your creativity to the table to find something that will work in your closet. You actually get to physically touch a vast assortment of materials which is the key to learning garment quality and sometimes you event score a designer item for less dollars than fingers on your hands! On the plus side to spending your hard earned wages, you are buying and donating at the same time - so it doesn’t feel as bad leaving the store after spending $100+ if you know that someone who needs real help will actually benefit from your purchase. Thrift-ing is a great way to get to know you as a person and how you want to feel when you get dressed, you also know there’s a very slim chance you’ll rock up to the next function dressed in the same thing as your style rival (winning) and there is higher chance all eyes will be on you if you’re sporting a little vintage number no one has managed to spot in the major malls. There is just something nice about owning a piece and knowing you are one of very few in the world holding that item - it’s like buying art to me.

All of those cheap jewelry stores that you think are waaaaay too tacky for you, well stop, turn around and walk back in. There are some really rad and inexpensive pieces in those stores seeing as their Head Office teams are always onto it with the latest trends. Don’t be a brand snob (no one likes those girls), opt for cheaper pieces of jewelry and spend a few extra dollars on the dress you loved instead - I guarantee 90% of the time you will get more compliments than when you buy some snazzy overpriced jewellery piece and it will make you feel so great. On the sheer fact that shops may look tacky, doesn’t mean that they automatically are and you probably should just try your luck because you never know what you’ll find beyond the main window display.

My style in a sentence: Boy-meets-girl in monochromatic colour palettes smashed with over-sized layers and eye-catching accouterments infused with a grungy, Asian influence.

Clothing has become disgustingly disposable and we need to remember the butterfly effect we have on the world each time we visit the shops to ensure it’s really worth it in the end and will you actually wear it? Style Smartly. 

Addio per ora i miei amici! XX