Why do we care about our figure flattering priorities? Why do we bother with accessories and make-up? Why do we want fabulous hair, straight teeth, and great skin? As long as we’re clean, covered and comfortable, why should we expend the effort to look appealing and attractive?
You wouldn’t be reading this post unless you were interested in fashion, personal style, and your physical appearance. But your reasons for caring about style might be different to mine. Here are nine things that drive my interest in personal style.
1. Style is Aesthetic
I’m a visual person. I’m happy, energized and proud when I’m surrounded by beautiful design. That’s why I go to great effort to make the things around me look nice to my eye. This includes our decor, artwork and garden, the way I wrap gifts, the crockery I use to present a home cooked meal, and the way I plate food. Even our Yorkie Sam’s collars, the tissue holder in my bag, my iPhone case, and our luggage tags are not chosen randomly. Thought went into whether they look visually pleasing. The way I present myself to the world is a natural extension of my aesthetic appreciation for everything.
2. Style is Creative
Personal style is a creative outlet. Our body is the canvas and our wardrobe items are the raw materials. I view outfits as a creative expression, and they are no less an art form than a painting on a wall or a nicely decorated room. And it’s a form of expression that’s available to almost everyone.
3. Style is Confidence
The way I look on the outside affects the way I feel on the inside. When I’m happy with my outfit and feel attractive, I’m active, positive, strong, and feel that I can take on the day. Of course, feeling good about my outer appearance is not the only thing that builds confidence and gets me through the day. But it helps.
Psychological studies also show that people who feel that they are dressed appropriately for a job, perform better at that job. Psychologists even have a name for this phenomenon: Enclothed Cognition.
4. Style is Communication
Our clothes, footwear and accessories overtly communicate our aesthetic preferences. They can also communicate subtle things, like our attention to detail, and cues about our personality. Our style can pique the interest of someone across the room or in a crowd before they’ve introduced themselves. Even if we don’t express anything about ourselves in our style, people will probably assume that we are and make some assumptions anyway. Like the subconscious first impression you make when you’re meeting someone for the first time. I embrace this form of communication because, to some extent, I do care what other people think.
5. Style is Entertaining & Fun
Dressing is an art form, which makes people walking works of art. I thoroughly enjoy seeing and looking at what people around me and in other geographical areas are wearing. I like observing the differences and similarities. It’s fascinating to look at and appreciate all types of style, and there is never a dull moment.
I LOVE clothes, footwear and accessories. I enjoy keeping up with fashion trends and what designers are creating. I thoroughly enjoy looking at wardrobe items in stores, online, and trying them on. I love to shop, both for myself and for other people. I love dressing other people too. It’s a hobby and an enjoyable way to spend time.
6. Style is Therapeutic
I am extremely relaxed about fashion, my own style, and my work with clients. Those areas of my life cause me no stress and give me lots of pleasure. I relax into every style analysis, closet edit, closet review, purchase, sale, hunt, shop, outfit creation session, and don’t let any of it boss me around. I enjoy online retail browsing because it can be a relaxing distraction when other stuff is stressing me out.
7. Style is Community
Fashion trends and timeless style have the power to unite people from around the globe in a way that few other subjects can. The YLF community is a very good example of this. Most of the people in our social community have never met in person, yet feel a sense of camaraderie and friendship because they share a common interest. Being part of fashion community is social, fun, and therapeutic when the members are supportive, helpful and positive to one another.
8. Style is Culture
The older you get, the more you look back on previous eras and realize how the essence of time is captured in style. The bohemian vibe that captures the social liberation of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Or space age looks that reflected the emergence of technology in the ‘80s. When looking at a picture of an event, it’s quite easy to judge the time in history based on the fashion and style.
There are cultural differences in fashion and style across the globe that make the world a more interesting place. And similarities that bring us together.
9. Style is My Career
I’m a fashion stylist, and a style activist. Fashion and style have been a part of my career for 27 years. It’s part of who I am. I love to share it with other people. It’s a privilege that I can also make a living from something I’m so passionate about.
Fashion and style can be frivolous, fickle and superficial, and it mustn’t be taken too seriously. Yet it can help us meet our needs to create, communicate, build confidence, appreciate diverse aesthetics, define ourselves, have fun, relax, and share things with others.
