Evolution

To be honest, you’ve really done the hard bit.

In the first 5 parts of the series you established what suits you, what styles you are drawn to, how to incorporate that into your every day life and built up a small capsule basic wardrobe of outfits and accessories that you love and can be interchanged to build new outfits.

Personal style will never be a fixed point, it is fluid and evolving. You’ll find what you are drawn to changes with the seasons, current trends, what’s on TV and what you had for dinner. This doesn’t matter. If you have a clear idea of who you are and what is in your current wardrobe then you can layer these new passions and purchases on top of what you already have.

To make sure your style stays fresh and you don’t end up back in a style rut it’s important to make sure you keep evolving. Here’s a few tips to help you on your way.

Trends

Following trends doesn’t have to mean being a slave to fashion and discarding anything from last season.

Keeping an eye on the new seasons trends can be as simple as taking a look at the Vogue trends once every season. Flick through and ask your self which of the trends you like and would fit into your current look and idea of your style. Is there a new shoulder shape for a jacket or a new print you could use for a scarf.

I, for example, am unlikely to be wearing much in the way of ruffles and fringing. Pinstripes, nude tones, white and trench coats are all far more likely to be a great way of updating my wardrobe a bit.

Style Icons

Just because your current style crush is Pixie Lott doesn’t mean she still will be in a year, or 2 years. Keep yourself aware of what other women are wearing, register what appeals to you and what doesn’t and build that into your style blueprint.

This doesn’t mean copying head to toe outfits. It could mean a slight change in skirt length, a different way of layering tops, tying a scarf or carrying a bag.

You can see some of my style icons over the last year (Santa was a joke, kind of)

Shop Blind

Technically this might go against everything you’ve already done, but the point is that if you’ve built up a good idea of your style you can feel free to wander round the shops without any plan and use the windows and displays as inspiration.

You don’t even have to buy what you see. Just be inspired by what the professional stylists have done to the mannequins as inspiration for your current wardrobe, or use it as a mental map when you hit the charity shops.

Experiment

Now you’re comfortable with your style it’s time to experiment a little with other elements to stop it getting too samey.

Back in your lookbook maybe you had just the one picture with a rock chick element. Try it. Add a studded belt to that floral frock. Maybe you’re look was all gothic blacks and purples but you feel a tiny pull towards that shocking pink hair bow. Try it.

Mixing up the elements like this will make sure you don’t get bored with your wardrobe and stop you feeling too constrained. The occasional element might gradually become a bigger, more permanent part of your wardrobe.

Of course. If you ever do feel you’ve hit a brick wall and you’re not happy with your look you can always go back to step one, start all over again, ditch the girly ruffles and reinvent yourself as a killer dominatrix rock chick.

If Madonna can do it why can’t you?

image by Pink Sherbet Photography

Evolution

To be honest, you’ve really done the hard bit.

In the first 5 parts of the series you established what suits you, what styles you are drawn to, how to incorporate that into your every day life and built up a small capsule basic wardrobe of outfits and accessories that you love and can be interchanged to build new outfits.

Personal style will never be a fixed point, it is fluid and evolving. You’ll find what you are drawn to changes with the seasons, current trends, what’s on TV and what you had for dinner. This doesn’t matter. If you have a clear idea of who you are and what is in your current wardrobe then you can layer these new passions and purchases on top of what you already have.

To make sure your style stays fresh and you don’t end up back in a style rut it’s important to make sure you keep evolving. Here’s a few tips to help you on your way.

Trends

Following trends doesn’t have to mean being a slave to fashion and discarding anything from last season.

Keeping an eye on the new seasons trends can be as simple as taking a look at the Vogue trends once every season. Flick through and ask your self which of the trends you like and would fit into your current look and idea of your style. Is there a new shoulder shape for a jacket or a new print you could use for a scarf.

I, for example, am unlikely to be wearing much in the way of ruffles and fringing. Pinstripes, nude tones, white and trench coats are all far more likely to be a great way of updating my wardrobe a bit.

Style Icons

Just because your current style crush is Pixie Lott doesn’t mean she still will be in a year, or 2 years. Keep yourself aware of what other women are wearing, register what appeals to you and what doesn’t and build that into your style blueprint.

This doesn’t mean copying head to toe outfits. It could mean a slight change in skirt length, a different way of layering tops, tying a scarf or carrying a bag.

You can see some of my style icons over the last year (Santa was a joke, kind of)

Shop Blind

Technically this might go against everything you’ve already done, but the point is that if you’ve built up a good idea of your style you can feel free to wander round the shops without any plan and use the windows and displays as inspiration.

You don’t even have to buy what you see. Just be inspired by what the professional stylists have done to the mannequins as inspiration for your current wardrobe, or use it as a mental map when you hit the charity shops.

Experiment

Now you’re comfortable with your style it’s time to experiment a little with other elements to stop it getting too samey.

Back in your lookbook maybe you had just the one picture with a rock chick element. Try it. Add a studded belt to that floral frock. Maybe you’re look was all gothic blacks and purples but you feel a tiny pull towards that shocking pink hair bow. Try it.

Mixing up the elements like this will make sure you don’t get bored with your wardrobe and stop you feeling too constrained. The occasional element might gradually become a bigger, more permanent part of your wardrobe.

Of course. If you ever do feel you’ve hit a brick wall and you’re not happy with your look you can always go back to step one, start all over again, ditch the girly ruffles and reinvent yourself as a killer dominatrix rock chick.

If Madonna can do it why can’t you?

image by Pink Sherbet Photography