On Style

Perhaps continuing my lovely versus thing I got going on, today is about style vs. fashion. (Post has nothing to do with the fact that I just found a bunch more cool sites today and I'll probably be adding some more links soon.)

First, on style, I ask you to check out Street Fashion: Life in Fashion Form. Scroll down to the weekly tip and read "Style is a Way of Life." While that's nothing new to me, they hook it all together so nicely. I'll quote the thing here since I'm not sure if (or when) they'll change it.

"Style is the way you put together clothes and make them represent who you are and how you want to portray yourself to the world. Its shouldn't be a matter of fitting in or trying to get attention. Keep in mind what you want to represent.. the music you like.. a way of life. When picking things out.. stop yourself every time you start thinking about what another person will think. If someones making what you want to buy.. you're not alone in your taste. Or maybe you are.. even better."

A lovely way to start out this post, no? But yes, obviously I agree with that sentiment and spread it to the four corners of the world as gospel truth. But, now I shall seemingly veer away from that, although I still support wear-what-you-want, child-like abandon in your dressing. What I wear is certainly not always flattering (although it usually makes up for that in some other way) and it's certainly not required for you to dress in clothes that flatter you, if ya have to wear clothes, you might as well feel good in them, and everybody loves a flattering outfit every now and then. So I present you with this article from Papier Doll. It discusses fashion from the days of old, and how each body type has had its time of being declared the ideal. Even better than that, it demonstrates how to take that knowledge and use it to find looks that flatter your shape. Awesomeness, no?

I have to say I'm very impressed by the articles I saw on Papier Doll. I've been rather bored with magazines lately as I can find everything they have to offer and report online, for free, and usually before I read the magazine. (Reading fashion blogs has tainted me.) In Papier Doll's About Us section, they state that Papier Doll was established to cover what Fashion magazines miss, and I'd have to say they do a great job at it. I'd pay for Papier Doll in hardcopy, although it being online means I don't have to flip through a million pages of adds to find the five pages of actual content.

Now, I'll actually put my tips, for those who trust me. The main thing that makes an outfit work is matching. I'm not talking strictly about colors or patterns here, you can also match thematically. If there are no words to describe a look, it's probably too random. But don't think about that. Get in touch with your inner child and wear what you feel! Contrary to laughing at ya, most people are delighted when they see someone wearing something different. Of course, there are always those close-minded, snarky people who apparently are the grand authority on all and ignore you when not gossiping and laughing about you. Ignore, rock your outfit, and you'll look great!

In the outfit featured in today's post (from last Thursday) I used a mostly warm tone palette with the jeans. Amid the orange, I have creams and whites which hook into the faded jeans. Keeps the look together. A familiar thing with a shorter sleeve top layered over a longer sleeved blouse is made interesting by me using a t-shirt. The scarf adds extra interestingness by giving this street/urban outfit a bit of an outlaw additude.

It would be lovely if I thought of all that while putting the outfit together, but I didn't. It was more like, "I wanna wear this orange top, cause I haven't worn it in a while and I love the skull bunny. I also want to wear a blouse but casualize it down. And I also should wear those capris because I haven't worn them at all and I brought them all the way here with me to college instead of my other capris. ::all pieces visualized in similar roles in different outfits:: Hey! Why don;t I hook them together!" I was actually originally going to where my black granny boots with the capris, but once I had the outfit on, my Happy Shoes seemed a more fitting choice.

My Outfit: Happy Bunny tee- Ummmmm..., blouse- mom, capris- Kohls, happy shoes- Heel and Sole Shoes, Scarf- Thrift Town

Encouraging you to wear what you want,

Ivy Frozen