- Look at your closet/wardrobe with new eyes
The first tip for dressing more fun is to change your perspective! You might be used to seeing your closet with “stale” eyes. The best way to change this is to move your mindset to one of opportunity and innovation; this will help you to figure out what pieces in your collection can be reworked and given a second chance!
Now I know that not everything in your closet will be something you want to keep or can do something with, if it doesn’t serve you in your life then it needs to find a new home! That’s why it’s so great that we have access to things like Vinted, Depop, thrift shops etc where you can either donate or sell your old clothes so others can have a crack at styling them! For the pieces that you do want to keep; I would recommend keeping pieces that are “basics” that can be used for layering in the colder months as well as statement pieces that always make you smile when you wear them!
- Figure out where unlikely partnerships might be.
This goes hand in hand with the previous tip; open your mind to the fun things that you can mix and match together! For example, you might find a belt in your closet tucked away, that would work perfectly with a skirt you want to add some pizzazz to!
Note; remember that you can transform anything you own into something else amazing; basically your wardrobe is only limited by your own imagination! A great example of this is Jewellery! If you have a necklace that you like, you can also make that into a bracelet by wrapping it around your wrist a few times depending the length, you can do the same thing on your ankle and you have an anklet! You can also make the necklace into a choker by shortening the chain or you can use the necklace pendant as a hair accessory or you can even turn it into a broach for your top! The best way to look at things is to think, “What else can I do with it?!”
- Think about your outfits as if they were piece of walking art!
The best way I like to think about my outfits is to focus on grouping of fun colours, textures, and silhouettes. If you see your outfits more as pieces of a whole vision; that will help you make more well-rounded outfits and will help you to know if something is missing or if you should add more! This is why I like interesting and unique pieces in my closet; if I have a statement top with a colourful pattern then I want my bottoms to also have a gorgeous pattern so that it holds its own too!
While I enjoy the maximalism style I do understand it can look a bit crazy sometimes but as they say, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. If you prefer something a little more understated then I recommend once you’ve decided on an outfit; think about what more can be added; for example if you have an extra long necklace, maybe try to use it as a belt. Now does that add or detract from the overall vibe you’re going for? These are the sort of questions I ask myself when im styling an outfit.
- Be aware of different styles!
The next tip for dressing more fun is to be aware of what styles exist in the world. This super important in your own journey for self expression through clothes. It can be a great help when you’re searching for some inspiration if you’re just starting to experiment with clothing or it can help to make it clear to you what styles you don’t identify with and both are really helpful!
For me, I figured out that I absolutely love the maximalist style and it really resonates with me because i get to be nifty and experiment with shapes and textures and see how they mix together! Even if none of the styles speak to you, I’m sure you can find isolated pieces that you like the look of and that can inspire you to find your own alternative!
The most important thing to remember is that nothing can be “wrong” when it comes to creativity and self expression! If you have no clue where to start here is a list of some styles that will hopefully inspire some creativity!
- Classic style – Classic style is about the professional and polished look that never gets old.
- Bohemian – Bohemian fashion style celebrates freedom, creativity, and a carefree spirit.
- Indie – Indie outfit ideas are a perfect fusion of vintage, retro, hipster and grunge clothing.
- Casual – The casual fashion style is neither sloppy nor overly elegant.
- Minimalism – Minimalism fashion is all about well-fitting, perfectly cut pieces.
- Flamboyant – Flamboyant is among the brightest fashion styles associated with drama that portrays confidence, exuberance, and stylishness.
- Romantic – This fashion style emphasizes femininity, with various elements influenced by vintage styles.
- Maximalism – Maximalist fashion has a bold aesthetic with an eclectic style that incorporates bright colours and bold prints with statement garments and fun jewellery.
- Decide what style you most see yourself in
The next tip for dressing more fun ties in with the fourth one but I also don’t believe in categorising yourself as I feel that it just puts pressure on your creativity which is the worst thing you can do! But if you have an idea of what style you most enjoy looking at you can try to recreate it with your own items and that will help to guide you to realise what you enjoy and what you want to experiment in the future!
This is especially helpful in the beginning of your journey when you’re not sure how to put pieces together. The best thing you can do when starting out is to follow the trail of inspiration when and as it comes!
- Remember that everyone’s idea of “Dressing Fun” will be different!
This is what makes the world so much more interesting! As they say, one mans trash is another mans treasure! Its so natural to pass judgment on things you don’t necessarily understand and its the most human thing in the world but that doesn’t mean it serves you in a positive way. It’s really useful to keep your judgmental thoughts in check if something isn’t to your taste; rather I would suggest you change your mindset to the idea that if something is absolutely heinous to you, that item can also be the most magical thing to someone else!
I personally believe that there is no place for judgement and criticism when it comes to self-expression; these are in fact a paradox as you cannot have self-expression where there is criticism and judgment. If we are constantly thinking and worrying about what others think of us and how they’re judging us, we’ll find ourselves living someone else’s life instead of our own.
- Remember your inner child!
Remember how much you enjoyed your clothes when you were younger? Well you can find that joy again! I have found when I dress in what makes me feel joy; I really am pleasing my inner child! My philosophy is that you can’t go wrong when you’re doing something that brings joy to the childish parts of yourself.
I think it’s a misconception that children are immature (sure they are immature in many ways); but if you think back to being a child, can you remember judging anyone or their choice of outfit? Or can you remember picking your clothes as a child without feeling? I can’t! I think its because while growing up we get a sense of competition instilled in us; and it takes a lot of work to get out of that mindset. There is no place for competition when it comes to joy and creativity; how can you pit people’s creativities against each other? They’re going to be completely different!
- Don’t forget about accessories!
The next tip for dressing more fun is to remember your accessories! I think it’s sometimes easy to forget that the accessories are also a part of the whole outfit! The most important thing for an outfit to look amazing is your confidence in yourself! With that in mind, I would recommend trying to style an accessory you aren’t the most confident in and see if you can change your mentality to the idea of experimentation.
This mindset has helped me a lot to grow; I find that if I view choosing an outfit more as an experiment it doesn’t feel as uncomfortable! This is because I don’t let my own personal insecurities impact my thinking of the accessory or piece of clothing as I am more focused on the “experimentation”.
I always like to find accessories that will add a texture or will work as a link between the outfit I wear (e.g. wearing a pink necklace if I’m wearing pink shoes and the rest of my outfit has all different colours). If you take anything away from this blog post, I hope you take away that you are an inherently creative person and if you think something up or decide to put something together; it can’t be wrong because you chose it, and no one has the deciding vote on anyone’s creativity but yourself.
- Look for inspiration everywhere!
The second to last tip for dressing more fun is to stay inspired! The best way to never be stuck is to find inspiration in almost anything! The amazing thing about us humans, is that we can create anything as long as we can think it and in order to think something up there has to be inspiration! This is why its so important to make notes of what you see out in the world that inspires you when you come across it; can be as simple as a flower or more physical like seeing a piece of clothing on someone and you love how they styled it!
There is inspiration everywhere! As long as you keep the mindset of innovation and creativity you will always be inspired! I am constantly inspired by people I watch especially on TikTok!
- Finally, dressing more fun should be a (drum roll) FUN experience!
And last but not least; the last tip for dressing more fun is to have fun! If you are holding onto things that don’t hold any joy for you then its time that they find a new home! For me, the best part of dressing fun is finding fun pieces! I love to go around charity shops or vintage shops as well as look online (e.g. Vinted) to look for unique and interesting pieces; and thankfully for my bank account its much less than the retail price!
What I’ve found is that you don’t have to have a load of money to dress well; there are bargains everywhere! When I was really starting out, I put aside £20 a month that I would use exclusively for clothing and if you want to be really crafty you can sell the clothes that don’t work for you anymore and use that money as your clothing piggy-bank!
What I’m trying to say is that this should be a fun and exciting time for you; coming to understand your own likes and dislikes is harder than a lot of people realise! And I find that especially for women its so hard to figure out our own feelings on things because we are so used to being suppressed so that we don’t take up too much space (literally and figuratively); and we lose ourselves sometimes! So please keep in touch with your feelings and thoughts throughout the whole process and you will end up exactly where you’re meant to be!