Style & Wardrobe Help: How I build up my current style – Part Two

Style Overview

I am reviewing my style inspiration, sources, ideas and today, focusing on personas in my current style repertoire.

Previous post:

• Where I get style inspiration from – Part One

Overview of my current style in a few photos

This longline tuxedo blazer, as a vest – I never wore or owned a vest before this one and I love it now, along with those ripped jeans I hated so much before and now love.

I also discovered that I love duster sweaters as well, and doubling up on lace cuffs like Wonder Woman…

This is my attempt at asymmetrical dress and sweater as a mix with one side open like a poncho:

My love for an asymmetrical, draped dress continues:

As with the tops as well -this look is very “me” these days:

Me trying out new things – lace sleeves which are very. feminine:

In love with a widelegged pant now:

Still into bright colours…

And mixing bold colours is still in my DNA, I just don’t do it in a naive way any longer..

And prints for me, have to be sophisticated and less rainbow-y; this one is all florals on an orange background. This one is quite bright and colourful but not in a juvenile way, where the print is a rainbow cacophony. There’s something I look for (I can’t even pinpoint it), in a print that makes me think: Cheap or Chic, and this one is Chic.

And I use it like a duster!

Still doing that lacy feminine sexy thing but with oversized sweaters and looser jeans instead of everything being super tight.

My style personas

I haven’t fleshed these out completely but I sort of came up with the following:

• Dark Biker – An offshoot of my goth tendencies as a teenager
• Assassin – My workwear look, sleek and sharp for the most part like with sheath dresses
• French Country – Parisenne chic with a laidback country feel
• Garçonne – A sleek, tailored version of “Rock & Roll style” with hints of menswear
• The Priestess – Think: Floating on a cloud with lots of patchouli and accessories
• La Femme – Very feminine, girly pieces with lots of skirts, dresses and a retro vibe

I could probably collapse a few of these looks but this is the way I feel when I dress. I have a rough idea of a persona in mind, and I dress to match it.

Dark Biker

An offshoot of my goth tendencies as a teenager, where I used to wear all black, all lace, very vampire-esque, lace-up things, long skirts with cargo pockets and high slits, which I think for a certain time, scared my parents because they thought I could be going off into the ‘wrong’ crowd when in fact I was just trying out different styles and experimenting with fashion only.

(For the record, I have never done any drugs in my life, I already get sick with caffeine/coffee so I figured with drugs I reasoned I would likely feel even worse.)

 

Anyway, the Dark Biker look has details like:

• All shades of grey
• Black
• All shades of ivory/white
• Moto details
• Leather especially leggings and a jacket
• Spikes & Studs (but not obvious ones)
• Tuxedo vibes
• Big statement pieces – cuffs, necklaces, rings..
• Ripped jeans

 

 

Assassin

My workwear look, sleek and sharp for the most part like with sheath dresses. It is more minimalist, less fussy on the accessories front, and has all the hallmarks of good workwear – comfortable, sleek, not tight, and not distracting (jangly anything is out, no bracelets for when I am typing):

It has details like:

• Loose but not oversized sweaters
• Draped skirts
• Draped dresses
• Sheath dresses
• Jewel tones
• Neturals
• Prints but tastefully done – nothing offensive
• No graphic tees/logos or anything controversial by any means (e.g. “GOAL DIGGER”)
• Pointed Flats or Heels, never sneakers
• Skirts alwas to the knee
• Absolutely no ripped jeans
• Statement necklaces only if they aren’t incredibly oversized and don’t make noise/jingle jangle

The look is: “Powerful Boardroom”, if that’s a term…

French Country

Oversized sweaters and skinny jeans for instance is a perfect example of this French Country look. I think of simple Parisenne Chic but with a more laidback vibe.

Details include:

• Oversized Edwardian nightshirts (See above)
• Lots of cognac leather details, less on the black, more navy + brown tones
• Simple accessories
• Oversized sweaters
• Oversized shrugs
• Loose pants/jeans
• Hints of skin in lace, but never a look that’s too ‘much’, but more hidden / covert, like a peek into the outfit
• Flats and lace-up details for footwear
• Simple neutral colours – less on the jewel tones and bright prints/colours

 

Garçonne

A sleek, tailored version of “Rock & Roll style” with hints of menswear. Think: Dark Biker Meets Adulting. Everything is still a bit Dark Biker, but with more menswear inspired touches, and less on the rock and roll aspect with studs and chains.

Details include:

• LOTS of blazers
• Sleek dresses are fine but have to be done with a masculine twist (see above, with a menswear tuxedo duster belted over the look)
• Cuffed jeans
• Athleisure touches because sweats are very masculine to me in my mind, and when done with a feminine twist, it looks great
• Layered pieces with touches like a moto jacket peeking out, but the entire thing is toned down with a green jacket to cover up all of that black (see below)
• Lots of heels
• Neutral shades
• Lots of pinstripes, plaid, herringbone, tweeds and professor-style fabrics
• Cashmere galore
• Trousers rather than wide-legged pants

 

The Priestess

Maxi dresses, Lots of accessories, wide-legged pants, floaty and layered pieces is where I let my somewhat repressed flower child go (HAHA).. Lots of wild prints, patterns, colours, floaty pieces and the idea of floating on a cloud.

Details include:

• Maxi dresses – they all make me feel like this persona
• Wide-legged pants – flowy, and loose, not tailored
• Loose light fabrics – linen, viscose, cotton
• Deeper V-necklines – I’d never wear these to work, my necklines are always higher
• LOTS of accessories – sometimes an overload
• Loose oversized draping in the pants, tops, and dresses
• Unusual fabrics or details that make you think of Coachella or street festival artsy vibes rather than a farmer’s market
• Short booties or flats
• NO corporate pointed heels
• Ripped jeans and undone items

 

La Femme

Super girly dresses and PRETTY pieces, I am talking very date-night, “pretty” looks that are all very fitted, and tailored.

Details include:

• Retro vibes – very long skirts for instance, like this red one below
• Lots of skinny belts or obi belts for waist definition
• Lots of heels
• Tighter tops and skirts
• Almost exclusively dresses and skirts
• Heels and wedges
• Pretty details like peplum, frills, pleats
• Lace

Next: How I build an outfit