When exploring the world of clothing, many people use the terms “fashion” and “style” interchangeably. But when it comes to sustainable fashion, trust me sis, they are not the same.
While they may seem similar, they represent two very different approaches to expressing yourself through what you wear. Fashion is about trends, art, and culture. Style is more about you.
Understanding this distinction is key to building a more thoughtful, sustainable wardrobe.
Here’s a breakdown of fashion and style, how to build a sustainable wardrobe, and ways to find your personal style.
What Is Fashion?
Fashion is fast-moving. It reflects what’s going on in the world today and tomorrow.
That affects the current trends, what’s popular on the runways, in retail stores, and social media set by trendsetters like celebrities, designers, and more. Fashion is constantly evolving, and changing rapidly than ever.
And because trends last as long as a middle school relationship, it leads to overconsumption, which contributes to the negative environmental impact of fast fashion.
You know we live in a world where everyone is trying to keep up wit the Jones’s when the Jones’s are trying to keep up with the idols on the internet.
WHICH IS FINE if that’s your business.
But the problem is when people buy, buy, and buy, and don’t have a lick of style. So that means they will wear it once or twice and then never again.
What Is Personal Style?
Style, on the other hand, is personal. It’s how you choose to express yourself through your clothing, which is your preferences, your aesthetic, and what feels authentically you.
While fashion trends has an expiration date, your style doesn’t. Personal style is when you take past (vintage) and present fashion (current trends) and make them your own aesthetic.
But let me tell you, this skill is a gift. One that takes time to build and nurther. However, it’s fun when you prioritize style over fashion, because you naturally build a wardrobe that’s timeless, versatile, and more sustainable.
Why Understanding the Difference Supports Sustainability
Sustainable fashion encourages mindful consumption, which is buying less, choosing better, and making your clothes last longer. Knowing the difference between fashion and style helps you make intentional wardrobe choices that reduce waste.
- Fashion leads to fast cycles of buying and throwing away clothes.
- Style allows you to embrace pieces you truly love and create a wardrobe that lasts.
By focusing on your unique style rather than following fast fashion trends, you can reduce your environmental footprint and curate a wardrobe that feels authentic.
Because it’s the best feeling in the world to know that you don’t look or dress like everyone else. Be a true fashionista and stand out. It’s great to know that there will never be another you. So dress like it.
How to Build a Sustainable Wardrobe with Style in Mind
If you’re ready to step away from trend-driven fashion and embrace your style more sustainably, here are some tips to get you started:
- Invest in Timeless Pieces: Focus on classic staples that align with your personal aesthetic rather than chasing fleeting trends. Think of items like well-fitted jeans, blazers, or versatile dresses that you can style in multiple ways.
- Thrift and Upcycle: Thrift stores are treasure troves for finding unique pieces that align with your style. Upcycling or tailoring older items can breathe new life into forgotten wardrobe favorites.
- Curate Your Closet: Focus on quality over quantity. Instead of buying trendy pieces that you’ll discard after one season, choose items that reflect your personality and can be worn in multiple ways.
- Embrace Slow Fashion Brands: Seek out brands that prioritize ethical practices and quality craftsmanship. Investing in well-made items may cost more upfront, but they’ll last longer and support a more sustainable fashion industry.
How To Find Your Personal Style?
Finding your unique style is no cookie-cutter process because everyone’s style is different from the next. If you have no idea on where to start, begin at the thrift store. Pick up items that speak to you, Check out the fit, color, and texture.
And if you like it, buy it. This is a great way to experimenting different styles without breaking the bank.
While at home, play around with them. Pair with pieces in your closet and play dress up in front of the mirror. Then add shoes and accessories.
If this process isn’t fun and becomes frustrated, stop. This is a sign that you need visual inspiration.
Pick up your phone and head over to Pinterest. Look into different styles and aesthetics that speaks to you and try replicating and reimagining the outfits you see.
When looking at these outfits, look harder to see which clothing items appeal to you, how they styled it, which colors they chose, and the accessories. The idea is to pick apart the outfit and try to understand how they styled it.
Another way to find your style is to learn the basic style fundamentals.
What Are The Style Fundamentals?
Style fundamentals consist of colors, texture, fit, shape, and function of your clothes.
When I first learned this, it made the process of finding my style a lot easier. It also made me think of clothes differently when viewing them on myself and other people.
Colors
Colors can make or break an outfit. They have the power to enhance or balance and make you appear larger or smaller, or taller or shorter.
When you’re new to styling by colors, stick with neutrals first. Most colors will look great when paired with blacks, whites, grays, beiges, and tans.
To learn how to use colors in your outfit, you should learn about color theory. There you will learn about the color wheel, which is a visual guide to which colors complement the color.
Texture
The texture is great for making any outfit interesting. And just because it’s sustainable doesn’t make it boring. Eco-friendly textiles such as cotton, hemp, bamboo, linen, and recycled polyester is great.
And if you have other fabrics in your closet such as spandex, jeans, leather, and such, it’s totally fine. You don’t have to own all eco-friendly fabrics in your closet to be in the sustainable fashion club.
It’s all in how you care for your clothes over time. So have fun!
You can mix textures on an outfit, but be careful. Putting two or more visually strong textures together such as corduroy and denim can be a bit much.
When finding your style, stick with textures you are most likely familiar with first, and then branch out when your ready.
Fit
Determining how you want your clothes to fit is part of finding your style.
You have to consider your body shape, your personality, and how you want your clothes to drape your body. In the early 1990s to late 2000s, the fashion style was baggy.
But today, everyone even the guys has converted to a snug look. Hence, the skinny jeans. But you don’t have to follow that route if that’s just not you.
If you have no idea which fit fits you the best, go to your local secondhand store and try on whatever speaks to you. Grab your size, and if you think you would want something to fit a bit looser, grab the next size up.
Try them on and take a picture in the dressing room. If you keep doing this, you will find your style and how you want clothes to fit.
Shape (Silhouette)
When you think of the shape or silhouette of your outfit, think of shapes… literally. Just like the fit of your outfit, the shape that it creates can either make you look great, or be misproportioned.
Your body shape resembles actual shapes: rectangle, circle, triangle, inverted triangle, and hourglass. Or you may have heard body shapes as fruit. Here are the different names of body shapes:
- Rectangle / Straight / Banana = Shoulders, bust, waist, and hips are equal proportions.
- Circle / Apple / Round = The midsection (bust and waist) is round with narrow hips.
- Triangle / Pear = The shoulders and bust are narrower than the waist and hips.
- Inverted Triangle / Lollipop = Shoulders and bust are wider than waist and hips.
- Hourglass / Coke Bottle = Shoulders, bust, and hips are wider than the waist.
When choosing clothing items, check out which shape it gives. You can pick clothes that match your shape or give you a shape.
If you are insecure about a certain body part, you can pick clothes that will help highlight it or take it away.
For instance, if you have an apple shape, wearing clothes that are tight right under the bust and flare out right at the waist can help make your waist look a bit smaller.
Or if you have a rectangle shape and want to create an hourglass, triangle, or inverted triangle shape, you can wear clothes that will either highlight your bust or butt, while snatching your waist.
Function
The functionality of your clothes is also important. Depending on your everyday routine, the weather outside, or hobbies, you want to make sure you dress for the right situations.
If it’s mostly cold outside, you want to invest in coats, jackets, sweaters, and jumpsuits.
If you work in an office, invest in business attire like trousers, slacks, blazers, and button-up blouses.
Or if you love to hike, invest in hiking boots, pants with plenty of pockets, light jackets, hats, and belts.
And the best part is, you can find sustainable brands who cater to a certain niche that will fit the need of your function.
When you consider these 5 styling fundamentals, you will soon find your style in no time. Just give yourself grace and have fun!
Leave a Reply