This is not mine: how to change your style
Style is what we tell the world about ourselves. But if you think about it and look around, it becomes obvious that few people tell the truth in this way. Let’s figure out how to change the situation and why it’s worth doing.
Changes have always been turbulent for me. In 1995, I studied and worked with a team of Italian stylists: I adopted what I saw from them and on the street. Short hair, leather pants, shirt and sneakers, jeans with a jacket – they didn’t wear that in Russia back then, so I felt like the most stylish.
For many years I did programs about fashion on MTV and, communicating with designers, I always took something into service. But these were external changes: the image depended on the plot of the program. But in life, it was mostly sneakers and jeans.
And then Vika Gazinskaya burst into my life: her experience and vision made her an excellent designer. But for me she is first and foremost a stylist. We worked together on the “Making Babies” project on MTV, at the Russian Music Awards. And Vika took care of my image: she cut my hair – it had never been so short. Long bangs, bright blonde, deep smoky eyes and Roxette on her head – combined with androgynous thinness it looked – no, not feminine, but unforgettable.
She woke up my sleeping rebellious inside. I took out half of my wardrobe and filled the rest with absolutely crazy things. She introduced me to Ashish and Comme des Garcons. Vika felt the contrasts that big fashion began to discover only a couple of years ago back in 2007. As a stylist, she turned my sense of self upside down, she opened me up. Since then I have become very brave. And even now, having already calmed down and switched to casual, I am not afraid of anything and easily decide on any experiments.
Style is determined by the boundaries of perception: you just don’t know what could be done differently. All this “light skin makes you look fat” and “short trousers can’t be worn by short people” and “leopard print is cheesy” are boundaries. This is where the fun begins. What is needed for this? Nice kick. You can get it from the outside, like I did, or you can give it to yourself.
And together with my team of SoFits.Me stylists, we formulated an approach.
Drop the “Oh, that’s not mine!” and try new things . Start with what you “want and crave.” Then move on to the things you are prejudiced against. The good news is you don’t have to buy it, just try it. The goal is to find new directions: if you want change, perhaps your ideas about your own tastes are outdated. And you may like something that used to irritate you.
A new image gives new circumstances . And you may find resonance where there was none before.
What are you hesitant to do? Torn jeans – try them on! A jacket with sweatpants is a must! Men’s style shoes with a flowy dress are a must! Leopard print clutch – of course. And don’t forget the pink coat. Pay attention to the color.
Printed coats, bright brooches are what you automatically pass by with the words “this is not about me.” And also: “I have nowhere to wear this!” You don’t have a task to buy – you try. Like when you were a child, trying on your mother’s dress and shoes: you weren’t going to go to kindergarten like that. It’s fun.
Give yourself a couple of hours and go shopping for this purpose: try on something you’ve never worn. Order a fitting in an online store: things will be delivered to your home. If you don’t take anything, pay shipping, but it’s a small price to pay for a new experience.
Take pictures . Even if you don’t like anything. This is material for further work and comprehension.
Look for inspiration in what others are doing . Next destination is Pinterest! This is a treasure trove of fashion shoots and street style. Create your own board with 30-50 images that grab your attention. What do they have in common? Clear lines and minimalism, femininity, contrasts? Periodically return to the board, review, add new things, delete irrelevant ones. This is how fashion designers work on their collections: they collect albums with clippings, reproductions of paintings and stories – for inspiration and ideas.
Once you have found the right direction, do not immediately rush into shopping. The solution is closer: start with the closet. What of what you already have fits what you want? Let’s say the soul asks for brightness and sport. And you have colored sneakers for the gym. Wear them with a summer dress, throw on a biker jacket – and the look is ready. I already talked about sweatpants with a jacket.
Most often, to add new accents to your wardrobe, you don’t need to change it completely . All you need to do is buy a couple of items. For example, an asymmetrical cocoon coat and an unusual pendant will add a touch of Japanese minimalism to the most basic jeans-shirt look.
