This is a continuation of a conversation I had with Marissa Aurora, if you missed PT. 1 : Sustainability in Fashion, be sure to go back and read it!
Whether we like it or not, our clothing choices can communicate a lot about ourselves to the people around us. When it comes to expressing ourselves through fashion, it can be difficult to figure out what is true to our own personal style when we are constantly inundated with advertisements, pop culture and social media. Marissa Aurora, an incredibly stylish, sustainable fashion advocate, stresses the importance of figuring out our own personal style to help make more sustainable decisions for the benefit of our planet and our wallets.
Personally, it literally took me YEARS to figure out my style. I would buy clothes according to the trends, colours and silhouettes that did not suit me all because I thought they looked good on the hanger and in the brief moments inside the store’s change room- only to find them hanging in my closet barely worn, months later. If you are still trying to figure out your own style, here are some of Marissa’s tips to get you on the fastrack:
Start with Your Closet
“So many people jump way ahead, and start buying new without having any direction of what they’re looking for or what they want”, says Marissa. She suggests we start by looking at what we have already in your closets and really think about why your favourite pieces make you feel so comfortable and confident.
Accessorize to Diversify Your Looks
My own personal style consists of a lot of denim, tshirts, simple knits and collared button ups in three main solid colours - white, black and blue. If it isn’t in those three main colours, I find that they rarely stay for longer than a season in my closet. The only exception are my collection of graphic tees which I really enjoy wearing- a few of which are tie dye! So with my rather minimal style I find myself gravitating to accessories to help enhance my style. It goes without saying that jewelry is a must for me to bring some polish to my uniform of tshirt and jeans, but I also love hats for the same reasons. I like having a variety of hats that can be worn in different situations to pull a look together. Some of my favourites are bucket hats, fedoras, beanies, baseball caps and berets.
“Accessorizing is another way to bring life back to your wardrobe, rather than buying new garments” Marissa says. She found that she leaned more into jewelry and accessories when she challenged herself to stop buying clothing for a summer because they were an easy way to diversify her looks. “Something so small can drastically change your look”, she says.
Style is a Process
If my own and Marissa’s experiences are any indication of what’s typical, figuring out your own style isn’t an easy process. It takes deliberate thought and intentional purchases to curate the pieces that reflect who you are and expresses your personal style for the long term. One final piece of advice Marissa gives us is, “being ok if you don’t find anything (at the store) is a huge thing, because a lot of the times you probably won’t”. Being patient in finding the right pieces is part of the process and will pay off when you have a closet full of staples that you can reach for on the regular.
Have you figured out your own style? I’d love to hear if you’re still in the process or have it all figured out, let me know in the comments!
Watch me shop and try on a few pieces at Change is Good, a local second hand clothing store in Calgary, and view Marissa and I’s full conversation here.
Photos courtesy of Marissa Aurora & Kite.
