Although I’m a very decisive person, I do in fact get bored really quickly and over the years, my style, like many others, has evolved. Despite this change in personal style, I’ve learnt some style rules to live by, especially since I’ve been selling some items on my Depop shop (@charlottexmas). That being said that my style hasn’t drastically changed, but it’s evident that certain elements most definitely have. The following tips are style rules to live by to help make some smart and conscious purchases that you won’t regret in a week, month or even a year later.
01. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
There’s no point in purchasing lots of poorly made items for the sake of filling your wardrobe. They’ll more likely end up not getting worn or they’ll just end up falling apart on the second wear. Instead of purchasing five inexpensive versions of the same item, purchase one or two, better made items that you know will last longer, and over time, the cost per wear will decrease. My mum always told me, “buy cheap – buy twice”.
02. A CONCISE CAPSULE WARDROBE
Once you have constructed your capsule wardrobe filled with all the basics, you’ll have the absolute essentials and this will help you to expand and incorporate pieces that are on trend that season. A capsule wardrobe helps to ensure that there are no gaps in your wardrobe/closet and it ensures that you can easily curate outfits that you feel good and comfortable in.
03. STOCK UP ON BASICS
You would be amazed at how many vest tops and V-neck tees I have lurking about in my wardrobe. I wear them on pretty much a daily basis, whether it is on their own or under a shirt to layer items. Basics are so important, and irrespective of your style they are absolute staples, so make sure you have a few in your stash.
04. INVEST IN ACCESSORIES
Accessories completely make up an outfit. You can’t really tell whether someone has on a £40 or £250 pair of jeans on, as long as they fit well, but you can tell whether someone has a £10 or £800 bag, so by saving on clothes, you may be able to splurge in other areas such as accessories – shoes, bags and classic jewellery etc. as these complete and elevate an outfit. By spending more money in these areas, you’ll get better quality and they will most likely stand the test of time.
05. IF YOU BUY SOMETHING & DON’T WEAR IT WITHIN 10 DAYS, RETURN IT
My theory is, If you haven’t worn it when it’s brand spanking new from the shop and still has the tag on, you most likely won’t wear it in weeks to come. Obviously, if you’re purchasing an item for a particular event, then that’s different, but you don’t want items taking up valuable space in your wardrobe. As I’ve found when selling items on Depop or giving things to the charity shop, It’s slightly irritating when you’re selling or giving clothes away that still have the tags on and have only been tried on, as it’s just a waste of money.
06. IF IT FITS LIKE NO OTHER, STOCK UP!
There have been many times when I’ve purchased an item, fallen in love with it and then when I go back to stock up on more, it’s nowhere to be seen. Something that comes to mind is a particular pair of ripped jeans I got from Primark, which fit me like a glove – no gathering or stretching – just comfortable and perfect, but now they’re no longer there and I’ve honestly not found a pair like that ever since. So stock up!
07. PURCHASE BLACK FIRST, THEN OTHER COLOURS
If you purchase something in black first, you’ll be able to gage how much use you’ll get out of it. If you don’t get much wear out of the item when you have it in black, you most likely won’t get much out of it if you were to buy it in a more garish colour as black is a universal colour that goes with everything – unless you love to wear colour of course!
What are your style rules to live by?
