Mix it Up: An Insight on Personal Style

Been in Europe for over a week, so you BET I have some fun photos to share!

Despite my being on vacation, it's still back to school for me. This week, we're tackling style.

Regardless of the occasion, enough of us spend a good enough time on our outfit of the day for style to become an important topic. Let's begin with an anecdote: One day during my senior year of high school, I made my mom wait a very long time before she drove me to school.

“Mija, you take so long just to look like a picture everyday! Why don’t you wear the clothes I give you?” she said as I rushed out the door with her. She was right. I was wearing the same t- shirt and jeans I always wore.

Both because of and in spite of my mother, I decided to challenge myself and wear a different outfit every day for a week. I started wearing my fashionable mom’s vintage clothes and hand-me-down jewelry. She looked surprised day after day to see me trying on her 80's jeans and lacy cardigans.

When I wore new outfits, I felt cool and confident. That saying, "when you look good, you feel good," began to make a lot more sense to me. I started to wear a new outfit every day, and I’ve continued the habit four years later. That’s right: I haven’t repeated an outfit in four years! For those of you who know that, it’s hard to believe, but it makes sense once I've explained it.

Here’s how I’ve done it + how you can, too:

1. Don’t separate your clothing into winter and summer. That floral print top you wear to the beach would look great under a gray sweater! Fellas, that button down you wear with the jeans could be worn unbuttoned with a t-shirt and shorts.

2. Got siblings? You have a whole other wardrobe to work with (TRY to ask before borrowing! Sorry, Pippa!)

3. Jewelry isn’t just for special occasions—throw it on with your groufit and you’ve got a whole new vibe. Rock those faux pearls, your watch, even that funky bandana around your neck.

4. Layers, layers, layers! Cooler months are great to throw on a tank, a sweater, and a leather or denim jacket.

5. Don’t have a lot of clothes to begin with? Thrift stores are your best friend. Don’t like hand me downs? (You’re probably not a younger sibling, so power to you!) Discount department stores like Marshall’s and TJ Maxx have plenty of cheap options.

6. Shop smart. This is probably the most important tip: When you shop for new clothes to begin with, ask yourself a couple questions: A) Can I wear this in 3 ways or more? B) Can it transition between seasons?

Here's me wearing the same green skirt 3 ways:

7. Regularly organize and recycle your clothes. Donate what you don’t wear—plenty of places offer discounts when you donate your used clothes. H&M will, Savers will, J.Crew will give you discounts on denim when you give denim.

8. Revamp your old clothes. If it means swapping out buttons, removing the ruffles off of something, or chopping up some clothes, you've created a new item of clothing to wear.

So, why bother mixing up your style? For those of you still finding your styles, it’s cool to play around with colors and prints and trends before we find our signature look. In addition, it’s like I said: When you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, you do good. The difference when you’re wearing something you love is palpable. You walk differently. You're more comfortable.

There's a reason there is so much competition in retail and why so many fashion brands exist. We want to look good. People care how you look, as annoying as that might be. How you look can make a difference in not only the way people see you, but how you see yourself. Putting in a little effort to look your best is not hard, and it can make your day much easier when you feel great in what you wear.

Similar to the way that trying new things can help you determine what you like and don't like, changing your "look" does the same thing. I learned that I love a fluffy sweater, but never a mock neck. I hate crop tops. I love lace and leather together. I hate culottes. How do you know you hate the paper bag pants trend if you've never tried it? Step out of your comfort zone and into some leather boots, for crying out loud!