I was once at a party where the conversation turned toward style. In the middle of the conversation, a friend-of-a-friend sighed, “I’ll just never be stylish.” Admittedly, I was a bit taken aback by this statement. Not at all because I feel that you have to be dressed up in all aspects of every day life — I write this as I sit in lounge wear on my couch — but because as she uttered the statement, she resigned herself to thinking that she was somehow missing something unattainable to her, that style is a thing to possess that she will never be able to have. I firmly believe style is whatever you feel the most confident in but for the purpose of this post, we will use the term as my acquaintance did – a stylish person as someone who always seems to be put together at every occasion, and who looks distinctly herself in every setting.
The good news is the fashion industry is more democratic than it has ever been. I could go into some fashion history here but I’ll spare you the details and simply say that retailers are having trouble keeping up not just because of the consumer shift to online shopping but because of a cultural shift to consumers calling the shots on what they will buy and how they will wear it. It used to be that the entire industry dictated what everyone wore, whether or not the wearer realized it (cut to the scene from The Devil Wears Prada where super editor Miranda Priestly dresses down Andy for scoffing at the seemingly frivolous fashion industry). Now trends are coming and going faster than ever thanks to influencers and awesome women rocking every day street style who show there are different ways of looking at, and putting together, current offerings. From creating demand by styling vintage finds to starting their own lines, a new fashion elite has risen from every day people to create their own empires.
You certainly don’t need to be the next fashion darling to look and feel pulled together on a daily basis. Not sure where to start? Have you ever wondered how your co-worker always looks well-dressed, even on casual Friday? Or how that one mom at school pick up looks like she’s completely together, even when in her work out gear? These women all have similar habits and use similar philosophies to pull it all together on a daily basis, and these are all things that you can easily incorporate into your life to put your most confident self forward every day.
Stylish women stick with what works for them. Whether it’s skinny jeans, wide-leg pants or midi-length skirts, these women know what cuts flatter their figures and have a closet full of staples in those cuts that make them feel confident, allowing them to always move with ease.
They incorporate the trends they love and leave the ones they don’t. Just because they have a closet full of amazing basics doesn’t mean stylish women stop there. They incorporate the trends they love and have the confidence not to force trends that they aren’t crazy about.
They pay attention to proportion. Stylish women make sure pieces hit their figures where they are supposed to, and this usually means getting items tailored regularly, from pant length to shoulder seams.
They are patient and selective. Real talk — it can take some time — a lot of time — to find an amazing pair of great fitting jeans or the perfect dress. Manufacturers make clothes to an average of measurements, meaning it’s hard for everyone to find clothes that fit properly because very few people are actual mathematical averages in waist, hips, thighs and height. Stylish women take the time to find a version of the item that fits them the best and then usually purchase it in multiple colors.
They have clothes that are complimentary. If you’d like to incorporate more color, the easiest way to find complementary colors is to look to nature — think purple and pink with green, colors in a sunset, or the ocean and sand meeting each other. Having a closet full of complementary-colored clothing makes it easy to get ready because most items can be paired with each other.
They mix things up. Whether it’s an old concert tee with a midi skirt, leopard paired with black and white stripes, or distressed jeans with heels and a blouse, stylish women find balances between structured and soft, masculine and feminine, and even pattern direction to pull together their looks.
They know what different stores have to offer them. This is one of my top client tips — you don’t have to love everything at one store, but if a store has pants that fit you exceptionally well, or tops that hit your curves just right, it’s great to have go-to options when you need to cycle something new in.
They wear a third piece. Traditionally, the third piece is a blazer that brings everything together but whether it’s a moto jacket, statement jewelry, a fun scarf, or a hat, stylish women add just one more thing to make what could be an otherwise basic outfit a full look.
They draw inspiration from other mediums. Stylish women go beyond magazines, blogs and retailers, drawing inspiration from art, books, nature, and an array of other interests to have a closet full of options that are uniquely their style.
They go easy on themselves. Stylish women have fun putting things together but also know that it’s perfectly acceptable to run errands in leggings if that is what they’re feeling comfortable and confident in that day.
These ten characteristics of stylish women are considerations that you can employ when approaching your closet and shopping to give you the best options, setting yourself up to easily make outfit decisions on a daily basis.