Friday 22 April 2011

Questions, questions, questions

I' m not quite sure how or when this tomboyish direction of my style appeared. What I'm totally sure of is that when it appeared I absolutely felt at home with it.
If I could bring more labels on the table I would say that my style borders minimalism and preppy, classic style hoping to incorporate a bit of parisian chic in the future.
I admit that using labels makes me  feel uneasy. However, I consider these labels as the signs that show me direction until I reach my final destination which is building my perfect wardrobe.
I will not lie and say that I absolutely love the clothes I own. What happens is that I made peace with the clothes I have that point to the direction I'm heading stylistically.
Take for example the clothes I have on in this picture. The basic black black v neck sweater (Marks&Spencer) was bought 3years ago .The zara light denim trousers will see their third summer in my closet and the shirt was send last year as a present for my elder son who absolutely hates shirts (for now I hope).
Still these are the tools I have at the moment to represent the style I feel dear to and as such I begun to love them and consider them special to me. From mere unwanted clothes on my throw away pile last summer they have become so close to me .

The same holds true for my husbands shirt and his pair of trousers you see in this photo. Both pieces got limited wear by him but they both fit my style so well at the moment.While I'm on the lookout for the perfect black  sweater , the light blue shirt and the perfect slimming cropped pants in cream these would serve me great.
 The same goes for the shoes. Actually , the shoes were the first that pointed to the tomboy style because since last spring everytime I laid my eyes on a pair of broques my heart would skip a beat.
This pair is far from perfect but I'm quite happy to wear because it gives that special vibe to my outfits. I'm into loafers and ballet flats and booties but I quess they have to wait for some time. At the very least I know what I'm looking for and this is a huge relief for once you know where you want to go it's easier to sail through the tremendous amount of trends there are out there.

Which brings me to the last point of this long post. Actually I want your honest opinion about this and I don't want to offend anyone who chooses differently.I might be like that in a year or two again.
But for the moment I'm so tired of dressing a different personality everyday. I want to be able to define a certain style for me.
I quess my question is if you dress so differently every day what is your style? What is one's style if one day is dressed like a 50's lady and the next day like a 70's hippie? I once again say that I don't want to be judgemental  but rather to clarify the situation. Is it the same to have good taste in the clothes you pick and have a distinct style of your own?
I know I sound a bit confused but that's the way I feel about clothes. I had these clothes above for many years but when I wore them  in various style combinations they didn't feel like they have something to say as they do now that I wear them in the context of a certain style . Has that happened to you as well? I will now stop trying to make sense and I'll go back to declutter my home a bit more. Thanks for reading that far.

11 comments:

  1. I love all these outfits, and your philosophy. you look relaxed, chic and comfortable. bravo.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Angie, your post really gives alot of food for thought. I've pondered this before also, "What IS my style?" I actually like so many things. One day it may be a girly dress and the next (though not often) it's a slouchy pair of jeans. I'm working toward the conclusion that I can like ALOT of things, but I don't have to like them all on ME. Your broques (sp) for example look ADORABLE on you! A few months ago, I would have thought, "Oh I have to get me a pair!" and I DID! But then I felt so strange wearing them.....like I was wearing a costume.

    I think it's okay for your daily style to change somewhat because it's still going to be YOUR style. Your interpretation. While it's really great to have classics that last for years (especially when it comes to investing in your clothes); it's okay to be everchanging as well. Madonna went through her cone bra phase, her lace half glove phase, her brunette phase, etc...LOL The press called it reinvention! It's okay to have an ecclectic mix in your wardrobe.....I certainly do. And then you wear what you FEEL for that day (or what's appropriate for the occasion) and not just your "uniform".

    Good NIGHT! This comment is as long as your original post! Big hug to you girly!! ~Serene

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great question. I dress in what may be considered to be different styles almost every day. This week alone I wore 70s/bohemian, preppy, prim and proper and tomboy outfits. I actually enjoy wearing different things on different days, but I'm not attempting a capsule wardrobe either.

    That being said, I've found that whatever style I'm wearing any given day all of my outfits have a common thread. Or two. One is color. I wear a lot of color and almost always wear some bit of color whatever the aesthetic. The second is that I am pretty put-together. I don't know the word for that, but I do try to make sure everything I wear is deliberate and that's how I define my style. Deliberate and colorful.

    Wow. That was a long response and I'm not sure it made any sense, but I hope it did.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gracey-)That's the exact reaction I was looking for. A kind of different opinions to give me further food for thought.i had never thought that colorful and deliberate could stand for a style definition but in the way you use it it makes sense.In this context I think I define style mostly based on periods of time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Serene-)Thanks for the immidiate response. Maybe what I experience now is just a phase in my style journey and not the end of it in the sense that I found a "place" I want to stay for a long time.But I quess only time will tell.By the way that's another reason why I love blogging. Because ten years later I will be able to read my thoughts and feelings and those of other people and before blogging this wasn't the case for most people.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I had a defined style before my blog began. I had not varied from it many years. During much of that time, I had been on a fairly tight budget. I find myself playing with different looks now, in part because I can afford it and in part because I am not yet ready to fade into the woodwork. And, in the process of blogging, I have discovered some new looks I would not have tried otherwise. My colleagues and my husband notice.

    By the way, I really like the rolled pants.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Angie! yes, your question is one that so many women (some men, too) grapple with! do i want to be fashionable, up to the minute, a chameleon, or have one style by which i am known and become maybe ossified, how will i feel making that type of commitment...so much of it comes down to 'who am i?'

    i've always liked variety - for years now i very rarely wear the same exact look twice. but i very much like a certain continuity, and as i grow older i'm drawn more and more to having a consistent style and keeping my focus on that 'me style'. i'm not so worried about looking different all the time, i'd rather look great all the time.

    the last year especially i've really been trying to work on this consistency, so i was pleased when i came up with the collage for my april 14 post - 6 definitely different looks, but they have a consistency to them - it all looks like the same person, if that sounds right. i think its like i've decided that i am who i am, and i don't feel like i have to be a lot of different people for others or occasions.

    again, like you said angie, i'm not judging anyone else - this is just what's right for ME now. frankly, i love that there are peacocks and chameleons and butterflies out there - i love them and life would suck if they were gone! it's just not me now.

    i love this look on you, btw. perfect proportion/silhouette, muted colors and textures, fabulous drape, and wonderful little details - rolled cuff, striped tee showing a bit at the neckline, brogues! these 3 pics show how a small touch makes the look when you dress simply/minimally - collar open or closed, sleeves down and button or rolled up. as Kate said, brava!!!! steph

    ReplyDelete
  8. p.s. i think you could switch out any of those trousers for any of your a-line skirts (if they still survive ;) for a great variation on this look. happy weekend! steph

    ReplyDelete
  9. Terri-)The truth is that as the economic crisis is going deeper and deeper in Greece my looks have become very minimal and serious because the vibes here in Greece are on the lowest point verging national depression.I certainly can't afford to buy clothes the way I did so maybe I was forced to polish and /or define my exact style of dressing.I think your observation inspired me on a following post.Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Angie - I wanted to thank you for stopping by my blog and bringing up an interesting point. I do think that fashion is one of those industries that control both supply and demand. They tell you what you should want and that's all they'll supply.

    ReplyDelete
  11. tinyjunco-)thanks for the details analysis-you are good at it-and I promise to follow your suggestion.I also like what you said about looking great everyday as oppossed to looking different everyday.

    ReplyDelete