Keeping it Personal

Just like how that person in front of you at Starbucks orders a "Grande no-whip white chocolate mocha with five pumps and an extra shot, made with soy", everyone has their personal preferences.  Personal style is no different - a "cute, feminine, trendy girl who occasionally dabbles with the casual California beach style on the weekends, and who's never without her Tom Ford sunglasses", anyone? 

Everyone, absolutely everyone, has personal style.  Even those who don't bother thinking twice about fashion have personal style.  For some, it's clearly defined and they know exactly how they want to present themselves.  For others, they may be all over the place, taking joy in experimenting with as many different looks as possible.  I've put thought into my personal style before, but it wasn't until my friend out right asked me what my personal style is that I realized I didn't have an answer that could encapsulate everything I wanted to convey.  I know what I like, and I know what I don't, but when I look at the larger picture, I can't find a way to easily summarize what I like.  So what follows is an attempt to pick out the major looks I tend to gravitate towards, but remember it's hardly all-inclusive.  Sadly, this is also style I wish I had, not the style I actually have.  The outfits I'm showing are ones that I've put together myself, using a website called Looklet.

1) Romantic and Feminine - Ok, so I'm sure of one thing: romantic and feminine style is probably the one look I would most like to have associated with me.  The following two looks are my favourite ones out of all looks I've put together here.  My knees go weak every single time I encounter lace, silk chiffon, and pastels.  I'd love to have bow ties, ruffles, pleats and florals decorate my wardrobe, and I think I'd be a lost child if I didn't have lovely leather accessories to pair with it.

2) Chic and Polished - Closely related to romantic and feminine is chic and polished.  I always enjoy a sharp, sleek outfit, with everything perfectly in its place.  This is a great look for everyday wear; it's casual, but never sloppy.  You can look put together without looking like you're trying too hard.  However, the chic and polished look is popular with many girls out there, so with this look, the most important thing for me is high quality, unique pieces and accessories that will make you stand out, even if the foundations of your outfit are similar to everyone else's.

3) Classic and Sophisticated - I will always be a fan of the woman who keeps it classy.  With nothing tacky nor overtly trendy, being classic and sophisticated is the epitome of timeless, elegant fashion.  LBDs, column dresses and pearl necklaces steal my heart away from tight bandage dresses and mini skirts.  There isn't one person out there who can convince me that dressing more conservatively is any less alluring or sexy.  Why else would Coco Chanel and Audrey Hepburn (and no doubt Kate Middleton) remain style icons to this day?

4) Glamorous and Trendy - I may be all about timeless fashion, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy mingling with high fashion, trendy pieces.  I've always wanted a wardrobe with those stunning, outrageous pieces you don't see other people wearing.  A fashion fanatic like me can't live without a little bit of glamour.  Looking through photos of street style during Fashion Week, I ooze jealousy.  What I would do to have the wardrobe of a fashion editor!

So there you have it.  A very simplified look at my personal style, or at least, what I aspire to have as my personal style.  Beyond this, I also like military outfits, utility chic, stark minimalism, American sportswear, edgy romanticism, and sometimes even an indie look.  Maybe it's best I don't have a clear definition of what my personal style is.  I've still got many years of experimentation ahead of me.

Note: I've been obsessed with Looklet ever since I went on it, and it takes an embarrassing amount of time away from my day.  If you want, check out the website and look through some of the pieces they have.  Choose a piece, any piece, and I'll make an outfit from it.  Just give me specific details on what the piece looks like, and how I can find it in their inventory.  Go on, I dare you to find the ugliest thing.  ;)

Image Source: Looklet