S&S X WYWC
WELCOME Westwood Young Women’s Club! Consider this your resource for all the details we discuss tonight. Please feel free to come back and refer to these point from time to time.
how to style
“Personal style is just that, personal. Like a finger print, it is unique to you.”
One of the most frequent questions I get is “How do I find my style?”
Create an inspiration board and cultivate looks that speak to you for ANY reason. Once you have a good sample size, step back and see if you can notice any trends.
Stay true to what inspires you and explore that. Your personal style usually is a culmination of experiences, interests, culture. Don’t let outside negativity tether the ballon to your creative process.
Have fun with fashion. It’s not serious. There is no wrong way to do it. Be playful, make mistakes, and keep learning about what you like and don’t like. You wear it for less than 12 hours then the next day you get to choose again.
Technical details
There are 6 components to styling that will guide you in composing a killer outfit. They are;
COLOR // TEXTURE // PATTERN // SHINE // PROPORTION // FIT
COLOR. is a mood elevator. a subliminal signal that makes us more approachable. This can be utilized for sales or service industry professionals.
Color is not inapproprate for the workplace. Historically in male dominated industries such as science fields, finance, and biotech wearing color was frowned upon because it was seen as “weak or too feminine”. Now that we know that femininity is powerful we can absolutely wear color. Again colors can be utilized to capture and hold attention which is perfect for situations like speaking engagements, presentations, or every day for no particular reason as “power colors”.
TEXTURE adds an incredible amount of visual interest. Material such as suede, silk, leather, sequins, and faux fur add a level of luxury that makes an outfit feel and look more expensive. Mix and match these materials when constructing a monochromatic look.
PATTERN/PRINTS on garments can seem a little scary but they are work horse pieces. Prints are often the main character of the look and they connect colors that wouldn’t necessarily make sense together.
Print mixing is a great way to elevate your style and add plenty of personality using a more intermediate/advanced level of styling. If you’d like to learn more about how to print mix you can find a guide on my IG page in highlights.
SHINE yes, this is our moment! Metallics are a total vibe that can easily be worn day to evening. No need to save these for a special occasion, even just a touch of metal makes a big impact. Or, go bold with a full sequin ensemble. If you’re a beginner in the metallic department then start with a little touch like an accessory. A metallic shoe can make even jeans and a white T-shirt feel more elegant.
PROPORTION done well can feel like you stepped right out of the pages of Vogue Magazine. Anyone wearing a bit more fabric needs to pay attention to the supporting garments. As jeans trend toward a wider leg, pair these with a more fitted top and jacket. Visa versa if you are wearing a boxier top. Pair them with a slimmer leg to balance out that volume.
Pair a fuller pant leg with p0inty, almond, or open toed shoes. Rounded toes tend to make the leg look stumpy.
FIT is our most important component. It is also the most emotional.
Sizing is a hot button issue as we have been conditioned to think certain sizes equate to beauty. Thankfully there continues to be a societal shift in embracing body positivity, Every body and size is beautiful. Every body is a summer body. But often time the conditioning around this is deeply engrained so I’d like to help you shift the perspective. Repeat after me..
“My clothing size is not connected to my worth”
The kicker is this is a losing mentality because the needle is always moving. There is no standard sizing, from country to country, brand to brand, collection to collection and so on. It is ok to jump around sizes and see what feels best.
A good tailor should be considered essential personnel to your beauty routine. Hair, nails, esthetician, tailor. A good fit can make a fast fashion piece from say Zara look like it was custom made and tailored for you. No one is able to wear off the rack 100%. Simple little tweaks and adjustments make a world of difference.