How to find your Style...
...some tips to help you feel confident and happy with your wardrobe.
One of the most frequent DMs I get from followers on my Instagram is that my account has helped them rediscover their style and given them a new found confidence in their wardrobe. This gives me great joy because I know it’s something I’ve worked through myself, and I know what it means to me when a complete stranger compliments me on my outfit - it really makes my day!
I’ve always loved fashion and what I wear is a reflection of my personality and how I feel about myself. I think women can find it really hard to love themselves, but making an effort in my appearance definitely is an expression of self-love for me. If I don’t like what I’m wearing then it does affect how I feel. I also think we can focus way too much on the negatives of our appearance.
As I approached my 50s I could easily list all the things that I didn’t like - and let’s face it, the list is probably only going to get longer. But by focusing on the good points, and dressing in a way I love, it definitely helped me not focus on the meno-belly, the increasing wrinkles or the eye bags! Confidence definitely comes from within and if you feel happy with a knock-out outfit, that goes a long way to helping shut out the negative inner thoughts.
I didn’t always feel this way. Jump back to my mid-thirties and you probably would have seen a very different person. I am a mum of four daughters and the time I had at home with them was definitely one of the most fulfilling times of my life. I loved it, and I was more than happy to fulfil my passion for fashion by dressing them. As they got older and more independent, and my life changed as I went back to work, I started to look at myself more… and I didn’t love the reflection staring back at me.
So what changed?
Around this time I had started my Instagram account and was beginning to spend more time and effort looking at my wardrobe. I knew what I liked and wasn’t afraid to try new things, but I was often attracted to buying pieces that I soon fell out of love with. I had lots of clothes but regularly felt I had nothing to wear and would often buy something new for a night out. Each season felt like I was starting from scratch because I didn’t like anything I had bought before. I’d also see something in the shops, get it home, and then not really know what to wear with it.
It was at this point that I decided to take a really hard look at my wardrobe and have a big clear-out. This is something I do regularly now to make sure that everything I am storing in my wardrobe deserves its place. So here is exactly what I’ve learned…