My Style Evolution, Inspiration, & Tips

You’ve probably gathered by now that I like fashion. Not really in the runway, New York Fashion Week, what’s-in-or-out kind of way, but more so in the using clothes as a means of expression, dressing to make myself feel good kind of way. My style evolution has been a rough road, starting with a signature look of jeggings, cardigans, and ballet flats all throughout middle school. From there, my high school look was anything patterned or from Forever 21 or TJ Maxx. I also started to get into vintage, retro looks during this time, taking a lot of inspiration from the 1950s-70s during my senior year of high school. This was also the time that I started thrifting, which led to buying a surplus of clothes with the hopes that I could alter them (seriously, high school Hannah? You can barely sew). Looking back, my style during late high school and early college was characterized by not having a set look, wearing just about anything, and overly consuming.

While my fashion and personal style will be evolving for the rest of my life, the looks and aesthetics that I’m currently curating are my favorites by far. I’m constantly trying to educate myself about fashion, especially how my actions as a consumer can often bring more harm than good. Below are things that I’ve given careful thought to as I try to create a timeless wardrobe that makes me feel comfortable and happy.

Ballet/Dance Inspiration

As I discussed the other week, “balletcore” is predicted to be one of the largest trends for this spring. And while I’m not going to start walking around in my pink tights and wrap skirts, being a dancer definitely influences my style. Being comfortable and having mobility are extremely important to me when picking out clothes and outfits. I also want breathable materials, such as organic cottons or things of that nature. As well as comfortability, I believe being a dancer has made me prefer functional clothing. My days involve a great deal of walking outside, walking to and from classes, as well as sometimes having meetings while walking around campus. Much of my days are also spent sitting in class or in office spaces, so I want clothes that allow me to be both active and comfortable while still looking and feeling good.

Dressing for My Body

Being 5’2” in a world where runway models are 5’10” and above can be difficult. Some looks and styles just naturally look better on taller people. Additionally, I have a curvier figure, which can be difficult when you are on the shorter side. Wearing high-waisted pants and skirts are great for both my height and figure. I’ve also found that researching celebrities who are around my height and/or have a similar figure is extremely helpful. Since celebrities often have personal stylists who know what they’re doing, they know how to create the best look for certain body types. Seriously, I cannot stress how great it is to find inspiration in others who have similar body heights or figures to you; this is probably one of my biggest tips for creating your own style.

My Current Aesthetic(s)

In talking with people who adore fashion as much as I do, I’ve found that it’s important not to confine yourself to one style or aesthetic. This does not allow for much creativity and can just be overall extremely frustrating. In analyzing my style, it is the combination of numerous styles that have core similarities. The core elements of my wardrobe are things like comfortability, functionality, and dressing for my body, as discussed above, but also timeless, simple pieces that I love and excite me to wear.

Timeless, simple looks are clothes and styles that will simply never go out of fashion. From jeans to basic t-shirts to button-ups, these are basic pieces of a wardrobe that are unaffected by trends. My inspiration for these looks and pieces is European fashion, specifically Parisian and Italian styles. These styles are chic and the pieces allow for a multitude of outfits to be created. I feel the timelessness and chicness of especially Parisian fashion fits my personality so well and the outfits are simple and comfortable.

I also take a lot of inspiration from shows like Gilmore Girls— sweaters and jeans are never not going to be “in,” but I love taking inspiration from the early 2000s when styling such a basic outfit. From sweaters to oversized blazers, I absolutely adore the looks of Rory Gilmore and have even taken pieces from Lorelai’s work outfits as I begin to create business attire. Again, these are looks created by stylists and/or costume directors, so there has been a lot of thought and preparation.

Fashion & Consuming

People often say “I have nothing to wear!” and I am occasionally one of those people. However, in looking at my wardrobe, I know that I own way too many clothes. One major reason why I’m trying to develop a signature “Hannah” is so that I stop buying so many clothes. Whether from retail stores or thrift stores, I know I buy and consume too much, which is not good for the environment or my bank account. I want to try a more simplistic, minimalistic approach to fashion as soon as possible. I’d also like to create more posts in the future about trying a capsule wardrobe, going through my clothes, and how I plan on essentially getting rid of a good deal of my wardrobe.

I know this post was a little all over the place, but I hope you learned a bit about my style and inspiration. I don’t want to be too much of a consumer anymore, which is extremely difficult. But I do want to use this blog as I explore and learn more about fashion and my own style. Stay tuned for posts about thrifiting, going through my wardrobe, and more!