Your Fashion Signature… And When You Should Sign
By MaryssaJoy
The Wardrobe Basics:
Your Foundation for Creativity
“That Sunday Shine is a certain sign that you feel as fine as you look!”
How do I dress well?
“I believe people should get to know themselves and their own body type and wear the shapes and styles of clothing that flatter them – whether those are in or out at the moment.” (FinnFlair)
If you want to get your standards to a higher level of what looks good or you struggle to understand why your wardrobe isn’t adding up to a good outfit, here are a few suggestions. Look at the outfits of people that you have admired for their style and pick up a new sense of normal. Look online at put together outfits such as at Old Navy, Pacsun, or American Eagle. Think about what you like about the outfits, and what you would do differently with them. Eventually you will get to a place of understanding about what looks good and will be able to pick out the flaws in your own outfits. Until then get a basic wardrobe that isn’t full of statements.
What are the basics?
I like this Wet Seal outfit but I wouldn’t wear the interesting jeans and the cute hat together. Maybe not even the necklace since this shirt is a bit of a statement too. Come to your own conclusion.
“In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Here are a few basic items to own. Also a side note: I do not spend lots of money on clothing. My shoes usually cost between 10 and 25 dollars. Remember I only shop a few times a year and my budget is very limited so if I can do it you can too.
1. Shoes – You will need a pair of nicer shoes for the winter. When I say nicer I don’t mean any more expensive, I mean something you wouldn’t play basketball in. Church shoes. Here in Indiana I need a pair of winter shoes for church and a pair of summer shoes for church. Your nice winter shoes should be closed-toed and sturdy but not cowboy boots and not Ugg boots. Can I show you an example?
Some of you may think, “I don’t think those shoes are stylish or cool.” Don’t reject, listen! Here we’re getting to that basic step I told you about. I have a pair of shoes similar to this and boy they come in handy. They are not the center of my outfit but they are not a stumbling block and, as a matter of fact, the reason they are perfect is because they’re not noticeable. You don’t have to wear heels, by the way, or spend a lot of money. I got a pair at Shoe Show for $11.
Summer Church Shoes kind of depend on whether the kind of church you go to is formal or not. At my church we honestly can look great one Sunday and be almost completely casual the next so, in my case, I have to have at least two pair. I have one pair of black flips flops ($3!) that go with a lot, a pair of purple flats ($6 dollars at Plato’s Closet) that also go with a lot and one pair of platforms ($8) that don’t go with much (they’re more of a statement).
Of course you’ll need a pair of tennis shoes. Tennis shoes usually run a higher price. I get a pair about every year for my birthday. Since I use them so often, I’m always in need of a new pair. Be sure to keep back a pair of old tennis shoes to use when you need to paint or run in the mud or something since you want to keep wearing your new shoes as long as possible. Another slightly-less casual pair would be good too like converses or maybe moccasins if you like.
Also, I’m sure you already have a pair or two of flip-flops as they come in handy all the time and are extremely cheap. I find that a nicer pair of sandals can be a great way to dress up jean shorts and a nicer T-shirt. These are also relatively inexpensive.
2. Undershirts – These come in handy about every day. These cost more than one would think. About $8-10. A shaper tank top at Walmart will cost you $15. Nonetheless, a well-fitting one with a high neckline bring an outfit together. A few white ones and a black one are best. I also have pink and blue, though, because they can make a plain shirt look good. A long sleeved one is good to have too.
3. Jeans – One or two pair of flattering jeans are crucial to looking nice! Read my future articles on your body type and jeans! Once I knew what jeans I needed, I literally walked in to several stores and didn’t look around or anything. I just walked up to a store clerk and asked them whether they had any light-wash flap-pocket jeans. It saved me soo much time! Imagine if I had had to try on all those jeans just to find a pair. At most of those stores I wouldn’t have found anything! I may have gotten frustrated and given up or settled for a less than perfect pair. We all hate jean shopping right? You can cut your dressing room time in half 3 times and move on to the fun shopping! I can’t wait to talk to you guys about that!
Basically:
Tennis Shoes
Casual Shoes
Winter Church Shoes
Summer Church Shoes
Undershirts
Flattering Jeans
Until next time! –MaryssaJoy
If you have any questions or comments please send them and your first name to maryssa_joy@yahoo.com with the words “style blog” contained in the title so I’ll know to read it. I may use these in the blog sometime so write me!