Hey guys, today's post is going to be about my experience being a regular person who is interested in fashion and the bad side of putting a lot of your self worth into clothes as well as discussing overconsumption and the urge to buy a lot when you move to a big city. no longer being "the fashionable one" and feel a bit like a fish out of water.
- not feeling good enough
Since moving to a big university in a big city, it has been crazy how many people dress well and look exactly like Pinterest boards. You would be surprised with the amount of Adidas sambas I have seen and how everyone looks good but also looks the same. It has caused mea bit of an identity crisis since every trend I pretentiously thought was between me and Pinterest is also being shared with every other person my age.
- trendy or actually fashionable
I hate to say it but I am being influenced. For example: I, for the longest time, didn't want to buy baggy jeans and preferred the straight leg silhouette but since I have moved and everyone is wearing baggy jeans, I want them. Now it is usually quite hard to discern whether you are being influenced and you won't like something once the trend is over or whether being exposed to the trend more and more has given you opportunities to see how it can be styled differently and makes you want to join in too. Another tricky question for me is whether people are actually fashionable or just trendy (me included). Since there are such straightforward archetypes of "fashionable": baggy jeans, adidas sambas and some form of 3/4 zip or other baggy jacket, I have realised what I'm envious of isn't other people being more fashionable than me and me not being good enough and instead is about how I want to be perceived as fashionable (which really means trendy) because I want to look like everyone else.
- basing your identity on being the fashionable one in a small town
I think what people choose to wear says a lot about them and I have the bad trait of thinking trendy = cool. if you dress a certain way, that tells people where you stand socially and then people will like you. That is why it has been hard since when I get overwhelmed with school and just want to go to my lectures I usually don't wear anything special and just jeans and a jumper. Then in class when people are dressed so stylishly around me I feel like a little sibling that wants to impress their older siblings friends - I dress well just like you guys I swear. (not literally of course I never speak to these people).
- consumerism and the urge to buy buy buy
Now this feeling of not dressing 'cool' enough has caused me to want to buy a whole new wardrobe, and I would if it wasn't for my lack of money. A noticeable thing however, is that there is nothing specific I want to buy, I just want more things, new things, trendy things. I feel I did a good job developing a wardrobe with lots of basics so I always have something to go for, which I think is why there is nothing specific I want. I don't need anything I just want more so that I have variety and look like less of an outfit repeater, which I understand is stupid.
- online shopping tips from me
A good tip I have to not be impulsive is always letting items in my basket "marinate" for at least 2 days, it's really saved me from buying things that are supposedly a good deal when in reality are just a bit ugly and that is probably why they are so discounted. Another tip I usually do is only save outfits on Pinterest I can literally imagine myself wearing and looking good in (which tends to coincide with pieces I already have in my closet). This is good because it prevents you from seeing a completely new outfit that isn't your personal style and buying every piece from it. Saving outfits with simple items you already own like jeans and a plain top, allows you to discover what parts of a simple outfit you actually like and can teach you which silhouettes or accessories you prefer. From there I try and pick out specific details I like and use it to help guide my searches when online shopping to narrow down what I am looking at and making sure I don't make the mistake of buying something I won't like for long.
That's all from me but thank you so much for reading my post, I realised I haven't talked or been interested in fashion for a while and wanted to articulate why with this post. I had a great time writing it and making the image for it so I hope you had a fun time reading. :)