This is a loaded question, one that I am still figuring out for myself. It's hard for me to think that I have true personal style when a good portion of my clothes come from Old Navy or Target. Sure, I add accessories to the mix, but overall I sometimes feel that my style is dictated by what is available in my size and the amount of money I'm willing to spend rather than what I truly choose to wear to represent my personality.
That aside, I'm still working on expressing my style at any size. I've been doing this for as long as I can remember. Dressing my barbies and wishing her clothes would magically morph into my kid sizes so that I could look just like her. Good thing for me that didn't actually happen, my barbie was kind of slutty. What I have been doing for a very long time is experimenting with my clothes. This pursuit has not always been without flaws, embarrassment or misguided direction. But, bless my adolescent and adult soul, I sure have tried.
I remember in Jr. High dressing like the boys I had crushes on. What did this mean? Band t-shirts, dickies uniforms, ball chains, and airwalks. I figured that in order for them to like me, I had to dress like them. Needless to say that did not work out. In high school I got a little better with personal style, but the plus size clothing of almost ten years ago does not compare to what we have today, not even close.
Internet shopping was still catching on and I was still way too embarrassed to shop at the fat girl stores in the mall. I would end up wearing the same outfits over and over and planned on buying new clothes when I lost weight.
I don't think it was until college or even my short stint in nyc that I really started to figure out how to dress myself in a way that represesnted who I am, and made me feel proud. This was and still is not easy as often times plus size clothing tends to be like finding a needle in a haystack filled with polyester blend tops with slits in the sleeves or glitter thread running through the woven plaid button ups or the excessive details and the, well, you get it. And its not just plus sizes, its short gals and tall gals and those who gain more in the middle or those who gain more in the hips. Its really, all of us.
Where did I start? A few years back, around my junior year in college I bought a small bright fushia spiral notebook with blank pages (my favorite kind) to fill with all of the images that inspired me. Delia's catalog and glamour magazine cutouts filedl out the first few pages, later on I added images from jcrew, anthropologie, lucky magazine and toast. Every look was an idea or inspiration. What did I like about these outfits? Was there a common thread between them? Had my tastes changed over the years?
There was and still is a common thread between what is and is not my style. What isn't my style? Anything mod (1960's go-go, bold colors etc.), logos or obvious branding on clothing/accessories, sorority style (demin cut-off skirts, a polo or american eagle/abercrombie/holister tee), holiday/seasonal themed clothing, or pieces that look like the accessories should have stopped five or ten steps ago. Figuring out what I don't like has always been much easier. And there are things that I certainly wear that someone else would go out of the house wearing, and that is how it goes.
Today's challenge (or tomorrow's, or whenever you have time) is to get a notebook, a stack of magazines, scissors and a glue stick and set some time aside to sit down and find inspiration. Try to tear down your comfort zone and outfits that you normally wouldn't wear and think outside of the box. Don't worry about "it won't fit" , "it won't look good on me", or "I can't afford it" and just really pick things that speak to you.
Maybe you like the way an outfit it styled, but maybe you would change the patterns or colors. Maybe you like a scarf, or the way they wear leggings with a short dress, anything. If it speaks to you, cut it out and paste it in your "dream outfit" notebook. Maybe you like one aspect of an outfit, but not another, or maybe you find outfit ideas in unexpected places like kids clothing catalogs, advertisements or even movies and tv shows. Stay open to were you find inspiration. It can be at an art gallery, in your garden, or simply people watching at your local museum.
You can also do this online. I have folders online under topics such as "art", "home", "food", "clothing", "makeup/hair" etc. and when I see an imagine online that I really like, I save it for future ideas and looks. There are so many fashion blogs and daily wear websites that you are bound to find looks that really appeal to you.
Once you've gathered several outfits in your style journal start looking to see if you notice a theme in your choices. Can you see a similarity or divide between your dream outfits and current attire? Are there gaps between the clothes that you dream of wearing and the outifits that currently fill your closet?
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday assignment:
Look through your style journal and see if you can replicate an outfit with the clothes you already have. Don't worry about an exact match, the colors may be off, the fabric may be different, but start thinking about your dream outfit in terms like "fitted blazer, jeans, white t-shirt" etc. Start looking through you blazers, see anything similar in shape? What about jeans? Do you have shoes that could transform this outfit into your own? Do you have accessories or a new twist that will make this outfit feel special to you?
I'm participating as well and will pick out an outfit tonight in my "inspiration" folder and recreate it tomorrow for work with a photo. If you do this, feel free to email your inspirational outfit and your translation. I will include a link to your blog and an entry in a chance to win a one year subscription to Lucky Magazine.
In need of some inspiration? Here are some of my favorite places to look online for ideas:
coquelicot on flickr
This totally reminds me of when I was back Jr. High school in the 80′s. I’d plaster my bedroom walls with funky outfits that I loved but would never, ever fit me. Bold, funky, stripes and polka-dots, pink and orange, red and blue, geometric patters…you couldn’t see the paint on my walls for the amount of styles I had on them. I never was able to wear any of them…but I sure did love collecting.
Great challenge!
I was thinking that my problem is not only do I think “I’m too big” but also I can’t afford it which are both sad excuses.
I’m taking up your challenge! Thanks for the inspiration
Plus size clothing has greatly improved the past few years. I remember the clothing in high school looking very…”old ladyish”. I was only a teen and didn’t want to wear the same clothing as my grandmother, so I always wore hoodies, sweaters, and school club t-shirts. It took me until college to finally dress nice. I think the clothing got better and I started figuring out who I was. I’m still working on figuring out my personal style, but I try to dress nice on my off days.
Great write-up.
I have a few dream outfits and I use it as inspiration and motivation.
Oh boy! What great web resources. I love darling dexter (even though she’s about 1/2 my size). Thanks for the ideas!
Great timing of your post. I am in complete need of a fashion makeover. Thanks for the links and great ideas on keeping a notebook. There are so many clothing that I like and would wear but cannot find in my size. It is completely depressing looking at the choices that we have in sizes 14-18.
Great links! I love Emily of Some Girls Wander.
-meream
This is really inspired. I am going to do this when I go home and throughout the week. I always feel like I have the an idea about style but I often end up dressing to my size and not really having any style (or style I want) because of my size. I am going to start cutting, pasting and then seeing if I can put outfits together based on clothes I have. Thanks!!
Hey Alex, I totally know what you mean. Sometimes I feel like I’m dressing my size rather than my style and often feel like I have no other choice.
Let me know how your process goes, I’d love to see pictures!
I hope you know about Fatshionista! fatshionista.com and fatshionista.livejournal.com—some super-stylish fat fashion there, and top-notch discussion.