It was a classic cable knit sweater, except it wasn’t. This light blue, lightweight sweater was adorned with colorful, shiny, plastic-like discs around the collar. It was 1998, so ditching the butterfly clips and wedge shoes was a bit unheard of. Understanding at a young age how to walk to the beat of my own drum, with classic styles and under-the-radar icons in mind, I have always combined very classic and slightly edgy styles, forming a hybrid of something fully my own. Hot pink leather bell-sleeves with a simple jean and an elegant set of pearls- yes please!
My motto is strict and unwavering: dress only according to your body type and personality, and of course, budget. I love the notion that we can take current styles and have them fit us, and not the other way around. If we look at today’s fashion trends: bell sleeves, lace, turtlenecks, leather, culottes (though they’re on their way out) and so many more, women of all body types and personalities could most easily choose one or two of the countless trends to make their own, picking and choosing the most flattering styling and sizing, staying true to their personalities, being able to absolutely rock their look, in both body and mind.
Right now, the mom jean is back in full-force. Ignore my pregnancy body for a moment; my usual build is skinny, athletic and short. I gain my weight in my bottom half: even though my legs were very slender before the pregnancy, the mom jean looked awful on me; all that did NOT need expanding was fully expanded. In my opinion, unless you’re built like Kendall Jenner and have legs for days, mom jeans generally don’t work. Yet, there are alternatives to trying to capture a particular trend or style and adapting it your body type or build, and even financial ability.
Fashion is gaining tread and stead, breaking into so many new realms. Fashion has hit an all-time high in terms of variety and palate and elegance, all paired with ease and coolness, intended for many bodies, adaptable in different locales. Many brands are coming out of the woodworks and making replicas of clothing built for the rail-thin, or for women with very deep pockets. For those with alligator arms, or a more average-sized body, many companies make a baggier version of the ankle skinny jean, emulating the style of the mom jean, but without all of the fuss and lack of flattering fit. Luckily, many of these less expensive brands are designed for the higher-waist, for the normal-set body type and for the average sized wallet. For example, if your style is wacky and your body is thick, there are options for covering what needs covering and still rocking your altered mom jean: tweak the jean or style to fit you, without bursting the bank, or your button.
I am one-too-many pieces of leather away from considered being classically dressed. Khaki pants bore me, yet cardigan sweaters excite me when paired with fresh blow-dries and incredible ballet flats. Fashion really is wearable art and it defines us in our day-to-day; it’s critical that we find ourselves within our styles and underscore the importance of our wallet and our curves and our personalities when trying to dress ourselves in the morning, or at night. For me, this automatically translates to classic and nice with everything spice- never too revealed, yet never forgettable.
A Life Without Recipes 