Beginner Fashion Advice
People get into the world of fashion at different stages of their life and some never choose to get into it. For me, fashion became an interest around middle school. It was the time when people began to make choices that would set them apart from other people. Some started skateboarding, others dove into the world of music and following specific bands, or spent their time playing any sport they could. Like most people, I had interest in a few of these and stuck my toe into each one. I played hockey, listened to bands that I felt were more obscure than everyone else would listen to, and began looking at the way I dressed. Did I look well dressed? Was the way I was dressing going to invoke a positive reaction from people who saw me? It was then that I began the long journey that has led me to where I am today.
Getting into fashion can be a huge jump. You can read fashion blogs, follow writers and models on Instagram, follow New York Fashion Week, watch videos of designer runway shows, find forums that discuss fashion, buy books, and most importantly start experimenting with outfits and combinations of clothes you like. Or, you can take a small step. Start looking at the clothes you’re wearing and see what goes well with what, purging clothes from your wardrobe you don’t wear, have a few pieces of clothing you like altered so they fit you properly and keeping your eye out for things you like as you go through your day. Getting into fashion does not have to be an expensive endeavor. It doesn’t have to become one of your hobbies, it can just become something you begin to be aware of. I’ll give some advice for those that want to take that small step.
When I first got into fashion it started slow. However, within a year I was fully invested and digging deeper into the world of clothing and it has become one of my passions. I don’t expect you to do the same, but wanting to dress better can be daunting, so I will do my best to help with these three ideas.
The Purge
Odds are you already own some clothing, whether that be a wardrobe and dresser that are too full to close, or a closet that is barely used. Most people accumulate clothes, even if they aren’t into fashion. It happens fast and can really snowball out of control. It gets to a point where you only wear a few pieces out of the mass of things you own. Seven pairs of jeans, but only one or two that you feel fit you right. Here is my first piece of advice, sort and donate. It might seem like a chore that’ll take hours, but the payoff is worth it. Having copious amounts of clothes to choose from can be overwhelming, and can cause you to hate the idea of having to pick an outfit out in the morning. Here is how I do it, pull everything out of the closet, dresser, wardrobe or wherever it is you are storing your clothes. Pile them up and take a seat next to it. One by one pull a piece of clothing off the pile and put into one of three piles: Keep, Donate or Unsure. Keep and donate are pretty obvious, but let me explain unsure. This is where I would put things that you may like but don’t fit right, or things you think have potential but haven’t given a shot. Take the unsure pile and go through it a second time. If you feel like you can see yourself wearing it, put in the keep pile and give it a chance. Or, If it doesn’t feel or look right at a second glance, then add it to the donate pile. This process is meant to thin out your wardrobe so be fairly ruthless. Bag up the donate pile and drop it off at the nearest thrift store. Hang up everything you kept. Now you have a wardrobe you can work with.
That step alone should help you feel better about what you have. If your closet is still packed with clothes, I recommend going through the same process in a month. Think about the things you wore the most and what pieces never left the hanger.
Seven pairs of jeans, but only one or two that you feel fit you right.
Do Your Research
The next thing you should probably do is start looking for things you like. Find pictures of people dressed in a way you like. I would suggest giving Pinterest a try, it has an overwhelming amount of fashion pictures and is the quickest way for you to be exposed to an array of styles. Do some research, if you find an outfit you like, try and find who makes the clothes. The end goal is to give yourself a framework for a style you might be interested in pursuing. Styles change with time, don’t feel like you are locked into it. In the past four years I have gone through probably four different distinct styles. It started very business formal, shifted to preppy and made a small transition to Americana and has finally landed me where I am now, Scandinavian street style.
So you have a thinned out wardrobe, a style or two you like or find interesting, now where do you go?
Start to Build Your Wardrobe
This is when I would look at the clothes you currently own and see if any of them overlap the style you are interested in. It’s okay if they don’t, do not feel like you have to get rid of anything that does not fit into that style. Not every outfit you wear will be in line with that style, at least when you start. At this point you can actually begin to buy things that are in line with the style you like. I am going to say this right now, DO NOT SPEND LOTS OF MONEY RIGHT AWAY. You might be excited to buy new things and finally have that revamped wardrobe. Start slow, you will thank yourself later. Remember that it is very easy for your personal style to change. The last thing you want is a pair of brand new Red Wing boots because you feel like they’ll be a staple item in your preppy wardrobe, and then realize you don’t like dressing preppy (if that sounds like it comes from a personal experience, it’s because it does.) I suggest going to thrift stores, and go often. There is an art to thrift shopping but I will write something about that later. If you find brands you like, check ebay and second hand websites like Grailed. This stage is for experimenting and trying out a new style. I can’t stress enough that you want to do this slowly and in a way that will not empty your wallet.
Those three main things should give you a good start. Getting into fashion can be an exciting experience as well as a frustrating one. Take it slow, and make changes over time. This advice is really most suitable to those who want to change the way they dress and are interested in fashion. I hope you enjoy these first few steps and find yourself dressing in a way that makes you happy as well as confident!
