A Few Thoughts on Personal Style

So I've got A LOT of patterns I want to make now and when considering which one to make first I've been thinking about which patterns i might get the most wear out of and therefore what I could wear with them to make an outfit. This in turn has led me to thinking about my personal 'look' and how these items would fit into that and what I would like that look to be.

Katy Perry - CLEARLY has an abundance of individual style

I've never felt cause to feel proud of my personal style, I've never really thought it was particularly 'put together' or interesting or even very 'me'. I've always somehow compiled a wardrobe of things that I've seen in the shops and liked so bought. There's nothing wrong with this of course, the outfits we feel best in are complied of things we like. However, all of these items don't really go together to achieve a particular style. I know you may think that maybe this mismatched look is a style in itself, but it doesn't really say anything, it's not kookily mismatched, it's just clothes. I don't ever feel like I've created a good look or combined items to create a great outfit when I get dressed in the morning. I'm not saying I want to cause people to stare when I walk down the street or dress like I'm living in a music video (my life is not that of Katy Perry or Gwen Stefani although I have used them as examples of individual style this is not how I aim to dress!). I just want to feel confident. For a girl who reads Vogue every month I don't think much of that fashion food is shows. I think I used to be a lot better at it than I am now and this may have something to do with the fact that I now get up for work much earlier and leave myself minimal time to dress and more time to sleep!

Gwen Stefani - An Icon in the Personal Style Stakes

There are lots of other sewists whose blogs I read who have a great sense of style and a real consistent look going on such as Casey, Elsie and Oona and I wonder how they go about pulling together their outfits day to day in limited time? I have heard or read about various people's method of putting together looks, from those who plan out all their outfits for the week on a Sunday night, through those who lay it out the night before, to those with the enviable skill of just throwing various items and accessories on in the morning to create something wonderfully interesting and 'them'.

Casey from 'Casey's Elegant Musings'

I want to try and compile a wardrobe of fewer well made and nicely cut pieces around one stronger look than the mishmash I have going on at the moment caused by having fingers in too many pies! I love vintage clothing but don't think I could pull off dressing completely as if I've stepped back in time. I think I'd like and would feel most confident in a look combining vintage details with a contemporary twist. But where to start...

The late 1960s - an era suited to those with a more Twiggy-esque physique

I've always liked the late 60s and have bought a few bits and pieces, mainly dresses from that era but I don't have much else to go with it so never feel very 60s when I'm wearing it. I've also gradually become aware that this era of clothing doesn't really suit me. Those little mini dresses and beautiful swing coats look best on people much straighter up and down than me! Also the mini skirt is not particularly practical for climbing up ladders at work! So I'm looking a little earlier for fashion inspiration this year. Spurred on by Mad Men I'm looking at the full skirts and pencil skirts of the late 50s/early 60s, which will suit my curvier figure more. I'm not sure how practical these outfits will again be, but hey you don't know 'til you try! I'm also very easily led by current fashion trends which I feel may sway towards the 1920s during the year so I may dabble in a bit of this too but I want to be more aware of what aspects of these trends will suit my shape and the rest of my style and wardrobe.

The early 1960s style works with curves

My plan is to try and construct a wardrobe of outfits, or pieces that go with many other pieces, perhaps around a few key pieces I make over the next few months. I also want to make more use of accessories to complete outfits. I always get this 'bored of my look' feeling in winter especially as I'm wearing coats all the time and it feels like I'm emerging from the house in the same boring old thing everyday. Basically I want to put myself together, through mainly made but some bought pieces too, a wardrobe that makes me excited about getting ready in the morning and proud of walking down the street.

How do you feel about your personal style? Where did it emerge from and how do you put it together?