My Style Inspiration

inspo from: one, two, three

I asked ChatGPT to describe this kind of personal style, and it told me:

“Modern classic/Casual Chic with a French-Girl Lean“

I was pretty happy with that answer because I feel like it really nailed how I like to dress! Other terms used to describe it are:

-polished but not try-hard

-“I just threw this on” energy

-effortless

-modern minimal with warmth

I really resonated with the “I just threw this on” energy because I do feel like that is what I would want people to think when they see what I’m wearing. I give my outfits a fair amount of thought, but I don’t ever push it to where I’m really overthinking and trying to overdo an otherwise simple look.

One of the main ways I feel like the “I just threw this on” energy is portrayed is through my minimal accessories and minimal color. You’ll notice I rarely wear a belt (like, almost never!) and I don’t often wear pattern (but I will wear texture). I’ve veered away from stripes (they started to feel a little too preppy for me) and leaned into more rich browns, dark charcoal greys, and navy blues. All of those colors are easy to pair with denim, which is my favorite thing to wear, so it communicates the “oh, I just grabbed these items and threw them on” without feeling locked into a certain specific look.

My style changes with the seasons, as is natural, so I imagine I’ll dress a little more feminine in the summertime, but I love the leather jackets, the sneakers, the baggy denim, and the strong jewelry trends for this cold, dark winter. One of my favorite ways to balance out a masculine look is with bolder jewelry and wearing my hair down. I like that contrast because I feel like it makes the outfit seem like I’m wearing it instead of it wearing me.

A few of the incredibly stylish people tagged above are those I look to for inspiration, while always adjusting to feel like me. I live a pretty casual life and want to be able to stay in the same outfit from work to one of the kids’ activities to making dinner at home.

I don’t shop by outfits, I shop by pieces. I’ll usually only make a purchase if I know I can pair that new item with a handful of things that already exist in my closet. This is a way I can rule out things that may catch my eye and seem tempting, but ultimately would be hanging in my closet unworn!

Here are a few dos and don’ts that I generally stick to when it comes to my personal style and the clothes I love to wear:

One. No blazers, loafers, trousers, or strong masculine elements

Two. Nothing that requires a wonky tool for wearing (remember that belt thing for tucking your tops into? That is not for me!)

Three. Nothing with bows

Four. Nothing with strong color blocking or color contrast

Five. Slim footwear instead of chunky/heavy footwear (lug sole–not for me)

Six. No puffy shoulders (I really dislike that look on me.)

Some of the retailers I’m having a lot of success with these days are: Banana Republic Factory // H&M // AYR // Everlane // Madewell // J.Crew // Target // Evereve