Has your creative eye for fashion reached a dead end? There are countless resources available for you as you undertake the challenge of finding fashion inspiration that will fit your unique style. These tips will point you to the most accessible resources you can turn to for inspiration and help you know what to pay attention to during your search:
Social Media
Social media may be the most obvious source to check in your search for fashion inspiration, but it can also be the trickiest to navigate. Some of the most popular platforms that feature fashion content include Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok. Start with one of these or a different platform you feel comfortable browsing in. As soon as you find a look that speaks to you, follow the post back to its channel. While you’re browsing, be sure to save styles you like the most.
As you’re looking at your saved styles, try to determine what you like the most about each look. What speaks to you the most? Is it the color? Or perhaps a specific piece of clothing that catches your eye? Be careful not to compare yourself to the model in the picture. Envision yourself wearing what they’re wearing. Would you feel comfortable in their outfit? What would you change about it? What would this style say about who you are and what you represent? You may consider jotting your thoughts down as you ponder this experience.
Entertainment and Role Models
Other great sources of fashion inspiration include role models and forms of entertainment. Make a list of your favorite TV shows, movies, books, magazines, and wherever else you get your entertainment. What styles are trending in the media you consume? Could you see yourself wearing any of them or modifying them to fit your style? You could even go to the library or a bookstore; there are plenty of books featuring a variety of trends, designers, and time periods. Try to determine what you like about the outfits that stand out to you, just like you did with the styles you found on social media.
The next time you find yourself in a movie theater, flipping through a magazine, or considering a role model, think critically about the styles these individuals are wearing and decide if it is something you would want to emulate in your own style. Think about a relative, religious or political leader, member of your community, teacher, or influencer you admire and why you admire them. Are there elements of their style you could mimic in your own that inspire you to be more like that role model? It’s easy to be inspired when we’re thinking about the people who give us the determination to continue thriving!
Themes and Challenges
If you have experimented with these first two tips and are looking for an extra push, this third pointer is sure to provide a challenge. Try choosing a theme or character that will inspire your outfit. It can be a character from a TV show, a favorite Disney princess, a music artist, whoever you want! You can also pick a setting or a time period. Some examples may include a garden party, a day at the beach, or the 1980s. Whatever setting or character you pick will be the focus of your outfit, but as always, experiment with your theme to make it look like you. This tip can also be a lot of fun to do with friends, sisters, moms, cousins, or anyone else you like to conduct fashion experiments with!
You can also create a fashion challenge for yourself. Maybe you want to try to create ten outfits out of ten pieces of clothing or maybe you want to try assigning a color to each day of the week and building an outfit around that color. Get creative with your challenges! If there is an element of your fashion game you feel the least confident about, start there. Give yourself permission to try new things and take risks. You will never know what your creative limits are until you stretch them as you never have before. Inspiration for your next favorite outfit is everywhere—you just need to look for it. Happy styling!