Style Matters

What is style?

This question usually brings about the same feeling of being stumped as trying to define the meaning of life. There is no one universal answer. Style is many things and has many variables depending on the place and time and it has many factors to take into consideration.

Style is confidence, its elegance and effortless. It is a complete understanding of yourself and you’re clothing, it is consistence. But most importantly style is timeless and has longevity.

When trying to decide weather an item of clothing is Stylish and is worth you breaking into your ever decreasing bank balance, think about its longevity. Will it last? Think about what your opinion of this item would be in ten years time or one years time. Or even in a month. If you truly believe that your opinion will not have changed and you will still be able to wear or carry this item with no “this is so last season” comments or even worse “this is so 80’s.” Then voila! Stylish. However if you even slightly doubt your comfort with wearing this item in the future, than it should probably be left on the store rack for someone else to make that mistake.

In order to achieve true style you must dress for yourself. This is very important, because if you do not feel comfortable in an outfit, you will never be able to carry yourself with confidence and effortlessness, no matter how many times your friends or colleagues tell you how amazing it looks. If style isn’t one thing, it’s certainly not forced. So dress to your preference and most importantly to your body and the effortless cool will come naturally, because lets face it when we feel comfortable in our clothes, we feel good, we are confident, like we can go anywhere and do anything. This really shines through. Unfortunately awkwardness shows even more. So once again, dress to suit yourself and no one else!

Think of all those great style icons the world has seen through out the decades. Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Coco Chanel. All these women knew what worked for them, what looked good on them and they consistently stuck to it no matter what anybody told them. For example there is a fantastic story that I read about how, on a set of one of her movies Katherine Hepburn was told that it would be inappropriate for her to wear trousers and that it would be better if she were to wear a dress, she refused and walked around set in her underwear until her trousers were given back to her.

When you look at all of these women, be it in photographs or movies, there is something natural and elegant about them that doesn’t associate with their character. They are powerful in their presence and purposeful in the way they carry themselves. I assure you that this all comes down to feeling comfortable and confident with themselves as well as their wardrobe. I am sure that take away her Givenche dresses, Capri pants and ballet flats from Audrey, put her in a mini, a biker jacket and boots, she too would be awkward, uncomfortable and without her air of cool.

It really does come down to knowing what works best for you and being consistent with it.