The Development of a Personal Style

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Diana

Me, October 2008

When I first started writing this blog, I had only a vague idea of what my personal sense of style was. As I took photos of outfits and gave more thought to what I bought and wore, I began to get a better idea of what I liked and what I didn’t like. My wardrobe inventory really helped me to hone in on what I love to wear and what languishes in my closet.

When I first started really thinking about style, one of the exercises I was told to do was to write out a list of what things I was attracted to in style, as well I what things I didn’t like. I didn’t have a really defined idea of my personal style then, so many items on that list didn’t fit, and they were kind of haphazard. Recently, I decided to go through this exercise again, and I think the list is helping me to really understand what my style has developed into. Of course, style is always changing, and these items aren’t concrete. Some items on my list are very general, while others are very specific. But they’re what I love (or don’t) and they may help keep me from an impulse buy that doesn’t fit in with what I love at all.

Me, August 2009

What I love:

1960′s Mod
Saturated, vibrant colors (but not 80′s colors)
Euro chic
Classic styles
Stacked heels
Wedges
Above the knee hemlines
Dark wash denim
Vintage, local, handmade, second-hand
Quality fabrics
Clean lines
A touch of punk rock
Silver toned jewelry
Red, orange, yellow, kelly green, turquoise, aqua, teal, white, rich purple

What isn’t me

Hippie-chic
Earthy
Distressed/destroyed clothes
Ultra Trendy
Light or acid washed denim
Stilettos
Chunky shoes
Hemlines below the knee
Polyester
Mass-produced
Gold toned jewelry
Pink, emerald, neon 80′s colors

Advice to Etsy Sellers

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Diana

I do a lot of browsing and a good bit of shopping on Etsy. Every week, I put together a themed set of beautiful items that I find there, called Etsy Love. And I’ve noticed what features will make me not stop thinking about items, as well as what keeps me from giving one a second thought. I thought I would compile these into a list for Etsy sellers, or those hoping to become one. Here’s my advice for what makes a good Etsy listing:

Firenze $47

Kenton Beadworks

Only post well-lit, in focus photos.

Nothing turns me off more to a listing than a photo were I can’t clearly see the items, either because they’re blurry or the lighting is horrible. Invest in a good camera, or borrow one from a friend. Set up a lighting system that can showcase your items, or take pictures outside. Do whatever it takes to get clear photos of your items.

When I make Etsy love sets, even if I adore the item, I won’t post it if the picture is bad.

Mini Truffle in Mustard $172

Morelle

Have at least one photo that offers a perspective of the size of the item

If you’re selling a necklace, have a photo of a person wearing it. Or show it next to something to give a relative idea of size, like a quarter. Or both. Sometimes I’ll see an item that I think looks gorgeous, but I’ll have difficulty picturing what it would look like on me (or in my house, for non-wearables).

smallest hoops

Smallest Hoops $11 (on sale)

Sara Westermark

Give all measurements and materials used

One of my biggest pet peeves is not knowing how long or wide something is. I’m very particular about necklace lengths, pendant sizes, hip widths on skirts, etc. Always give measurements, and please don’t list only metric measurements. Maybe this is jsut a symptom of United States ignorance, but I have no concept of how long 10 cm is, and having a conversion in the listing makes it that much more likely that I’ll buy the item.

Describe the item as well as possible

This goes along with the previous statement. Give me as much information as you can. I like to be as informed as possible when I’m considering laying down hard earned money for something I can only see on my computer screen.

Terrain Necklace in Azure $44

Pearl Everlasting

Keep the item title simple and memorable

I admit this isn’t as big a deal as the other statements. But I find concise, creative titles much more interesting and memorable than long-winded ones. And short titles are much easier when I’m putting together Etsy love sets. Thus, the title “Sterling Silver 60s Bohemeian Amethyst Lobster Clasp Neo-hippy Necklace” would really turn me off, whereas something like “Bohemian Elegance” could catch my eye.

Add lots of relevant tags

Good tagging can really facilitate searches, whereas bad tagging can frustrate it. If your item isn’t mod please don’t tag it as such. Do tag with descriptive elements, such as “silver”, “pearl”, “necklace”.

Package your items nicely, and add simple extras

Once someone buys an item from you, what will keep them coming back? For me, it’s beautiful, attractive packaging that gives the excitement of opening up a Christmas present. Little extras, such a lip balm, a simple pendant, a printed card, can make a purchase that much more memorable. And include attractive business cards, such as MooCards with pictures of one of your items. If you offer return customers a discount on those cards, even better.

Every girl has it…

Posted on June 20, 2009 by Diana

(photo by me, of me in 2006)

You know what I’m talking about. That type of day where everything you try on makes you look/feel like a cow. That day where your body is suddenly full of every possible imperfection. That day where your hair refuses to do anything that you want it to. That day where you spend an hour trying to find an outfit in your bursting closet only to wear the exact same thing you wore last week.

Ladies, I’ve been there. And I think it’s safe to say that every female has experienced this at least once in their life, if not once a week. Not matter how beautiful or self-confident we are, there will always be days when we feel like sh*t. There will always be days when we are way too hard on ourselves for the minor amount of belly fat we gained over the past few months. There will always be days where we can’t stand what we see when we look in the mirror. And even when we just recently spent a lot of money on new clothes, there will still be days where we feel like we have nothing to wear. It happens. To everyone. Men and women.

On these types of days, it can be really hard to be kind to yourself. But that is the key to making it through. Maybe, instead of trying to come up with something amazing to wear that day, you should throw on a standby that you know and love, like your favorite jersey dress, or those jeans that fit you just right. Maybe, instead of punishing yourself for a few pounds gained with a three hour spin session at the gym, you should go for soothing walk somewhere that helps you feel calm and clear your head. Maybe, instead of throwing away all your clothes in frustration, you should consider what in your closet needs alterations, what items simply don’t work, and what items you really need to make you feel good in your skin. Maybe, instead of trying to force your body into all the latest trends, you should focus on buying clothes in fabrics and cuts that make you feel good while wearing them.

Because nothing is more important than feeling good in your own skin. No matter what size you are, no matter where your lumps and bumps reside, if you feel good in what you’re wearing and who you are, you will project beauty. But if you’re feeling crappy about yourself, then no matter how much physical beauty you have, no matter if you are a size 18 or a size 2 or anything larger, smaller or in-between, you won’t appear as beautiful. Beauty is much more about a feeling of confidence and self-worth than it is about size, or hair color, or skin texture or anything else physical. To feel good in one’s own skin is beauty. And some days it’s not easy to feel that way. And that’s okay. Life is a learning process. There will be up days and there will be down days. We just have to learn to make it through the down ones, and savor and relish in the good ones.

The Balancing Act

Posted on May 30, 2009 by Diana

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(photo by me)

I find that in style, as in all things in life, balance is key, and extreme in either direction is not so good.

For example, on one end of the spectrum you have the most dowdy woman ever. Never concerned about whether clothes fit or flatter, she wears whatever she has to cover up her body. For her, life is simply about getting by without getting noticed. She just wants to be comfortable. She doesn’t care if all her clothes are what she wore in the eighties. She sees no problem with wearing sweatpants to a nice restaurant. She’s been wearing the same hair style since she was 15. She never stops to look in a mirror because there’s nothing to see.

On the opposite side, you have the fashion victim. She endlessly reads up on all the latest fashion trends and couture. She spends all her money (and credit) to scoop up the latest trends, only to toss them once the season ends. She constantly frets about her appearance. She bears with insanely painful shoes for the sake of fitting in. She can’t bear the thought of putting something on from last season. The thought of buying clothes from Target or Old Navy appalls her. All her thoughts and conversations revolve around how to bring herself closer to style perfection.

Both of these views are extreme and unbalanced. Comfort is good, but it is also possible to be comfortable and wear things that flatter your body at the same time. Style is about learning what you love to wear. There’s nothing wrong with embracing trends, as long as they don’t control you. There is something wrong with putting yourself through physical, mental and financial anguish for the approval of others.

Do numbers control us?

Posted on May 12, 2009 by Diana

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(photo by me)

As you may have figured out from my budgeting process, I am a very number-oriented person. I like to create spreadsheets for everything. I took additional math courses in my undergrad years because I found them fun and easy.

But there are some places where I think it’s better not to focus too much on numbers: weight and clothing size. And yet to so many women, myself frequently included, these two numbers are more important than anything else.

I work-out at the YMCA about three times a week, and I always weigh in right when I get there. And I’ve noticed that what the scale says can affect my entire mood and attitude towards my work-out. If the number has risen by even just one or two pounds, I feel like crap and push myself extra hard during the work-out. Then while getting dressed later in the week, all I can focus on are my “imperfections”

But if I weigh in and I found that I’ve lost a few pounds, I feel light as a feather (no pun intended). I feel like every exercise is effective. When I get dressed, I feel good about how I look.

But the fact is that my body really isn’t that different from one scenario to the other. Maybe my jeans are a little more or less snug. But my measurements haven’t changed signifcantly.

It’s the same way with clothing size. American sizes are so inconsistent – I may wear a 12 at one store, a 14 at another, etc, etc. And in sewing pattern sizes, I can go up to 16, depending on the company. So why is it that I feel so much better about myself when I can squeeze into a 12, and then feel like crap when I realize that I need to cut out the size 16 pattern? My body is still the same in both cases – only the number is different. My body hasn’t changed – only my perception of it has.

So I’m trying to learn not to give numbers too much importance. It’s not an easy task, but I want to learn to love my body no matter what size or what weight it is. Because really, why should our self-love be so controlled by numbers?

Why I hate polyester (and other synthetic fabrics)

Posted on February 18, 2009 by Diana

I hate acrylic. I hate polyester. And a new goal I’ve set for myself is to never buy anything (clothing, fabric or yarn) again containing either of these two fibers. (I’m not tossing out any clothes that I already own, just not buying anything new that has synthetics)

This is not as easy as it may seem. I received strange looks at Victoria’s Secret once when I said I was looking for pajamas that weren’t polyester. I think I managed to find one cami and bottoms set in cotton and 0ne pair of shorts in silk. Everything else was synthetic.

I’m not sure if everything in this article is legit, but it might make you reconsider synthetics.

Personally, I’m not keen on the idea of wearing fabric made from chemicals and or plastic. I would much rather have a material coming from a plant (cotton, linen) or an animal (wool, silk) any day.

I like to be able to understand where my fiber comes from. But I still have trouble grasping exactly what polyester is.

For more information about the benefits of natural fibers, I recommend checking out The Knitter’s Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes. While it is a book geared towards knitters, there is excellent information in here on different types of fibers, where they come from and what properties they have. Even if you don’t knit, this beautifully designed and photographed book can teach you a lot about where your clothes come from.

My exception: Modal is actually made from wood. I’m still a bit confused as to how it actually works, yet I love this super-soft, cotton like fabric.

What’s your opinion on synthetics vs. natural fabrics?