A new style direction can be inspired by all sorts of things. Runway shows, fashion magazines, trend reports, bloggers, an outfit we see on a mannequin at a retail store, a friend’s style, and street style, are all style influencers. The street style in my favourite cities tends to influence my style direction the most, as do trend reports, and what I see at retail.
Sometimes, a single item that I see in retail can be the catalyst for a new leg of my style journey. For example, seeing a red ruffle front blouse at Banana Republic made me want to add a more Romantic integrity into my style. After its purchase, I’ve added five more flouncy tops to my wardrobe, embraced flared bottoms wholeheartedly, and left my hair naturally wavy.
Seeing a ripple dot silk scarf at Nordstrom made me want to experiment with Graphic items. Since the scarf followed me home, I’ve added two pairs of jeans, a pair of trousers, a clutch, and a pair of booties with a graphic vibe to my wardrobe (half of these items were birthday gifts.)
When thinking about how to add a Graphic integrity back into my style, I thought that I would only pursue it if I could keep the vibe of my outfits Soft and somewhat Modern Retro. It just so happens that having the Romantic support act in my wardrobe was just what I needed to achieve the look that I wanted. I christened the short side trip on my style journey “Romantic Graphic”, just for fun.
Over to you. Has a single item that you’ve seen and bought in retail been the catalyst for a new leg of your style journey? If so, what was the item and how did it evolve your style?
