There is no way that I would consider myself a fashion guru. However, after all my years of being alive, I do know what colors look best on me and what styles work on my full-figured loveliness. But, this isn’t about me. This is the counsel that I would like to provide to the teen girls that are struggling to find their unique beings within the fashion realm.
This is a great time to be a newbie in the fashion world, since clothes today are beautifully colorful, run the full gamut of design and are available in price ranges that go from what a real-life princess could afford to the girl earning her clothing allowance by emptying the trash or babysitting for bucks.
OK, enough with the commentary. Now about clothing, fashion and you. When I first started thinking about this post, I was going to approach clothing from the perspective of how to ask your mom for a new outfit that is different from the way that you usually dress. Or, the clothes may be very different from what your mom or dad would like you wear out. However, my tips on how to ask your for your parents’ permission that I wrote about in previous blog posts would hold true for this also. That is: meet your home responsibilities promptly and pleasantly, do your schoolwork well and on time, and ask in a way that is respectful. Then, respect the answer given to you.
For moms: listen and be open to what your daughter is asking of you. And, be glad she wants to talk this with you and not sneak. I know what I am talking about in regards to sneaking. We hear all the time from girls who sneak clothes in their backpacks to wear once they leave the house. In fact, I hear from older women who tell of their own teen-sneak years, so it does happen!!
But, I was given an idea by another of the beinggirl.com experts, Janelle, known as Janelle the Intern on the beinggirl.com facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Beinggirl
What Janelle suggests, that holds true for me sometimes (unfortunately) is that some teens and women are just enamored with the idea of designer clothes, handbags, cosmetics, etc and confuse that with really having their own “personal chic style”. They become a walking designer label, rather than establishing their own look. To make that point, are you the person or do you know someone who always looks fabulous and interesting in clothes that were purchased from discount stores or second hand stores. The labels aren’t what make the look unique, but the colors, fabrics and style are what come together in a way that makes the whole thing memorable and enviable. I have an artist friend who puts clothes, scarves and jewelry together in a way that looks like she should be in a fashion magazine. The clothes flatter her figure and she wears the outfits comfortably. My friend isn’t wealthy in any way. In fact, many times she struggles financially until she sells some art. However, she manages to find bargains and great looks – none designer labels. The point here is that she has chic style on a budget.
What do I want you to take away from this fashion blog post for teens and women written by a fashion-challenged, budget sensitive, and yet always learning women’s health expert? You can achieve a great personal style within your budget!! Below are some tips I found in an article on beinggirl.com titled, “Teenage Girls Style: Define Yourself”, that I found helpful for me too.
1) Accessorize: Think scarves, belts and bracelets in a less is more kind of way.
2) Hats: There are many varieties of hats to choose from like berets to baseball caps (a woman in my Pilates class always wears caps that match her outfits, so you don’t have to be a teen to wear a baseball cap. As for me, I just walk into my exercise class with wild hair that hasn’t been washed yet and black sweats. She takes an extra moment and looks great; I just look needy of exercise and style.)
3) Vintage is new and refreshing: Second hand stores are really a great place to explore for interesting and inexpensive jewelry and handbags. Or, for teens: Maybe your mom has some earrings from her teen years. If you are really lucky, your grandmother may have some from the 70s. Bet you wish you were my granddaughters, because I have a whole box of 70s jewelry that I am saving for my very young granddaughters. I also have handbags for them to use. (To you older but lively women reading this: Schedule some time with your daughters or granddaughters to explore your saved fashion stuff. You can share stories of your youth that I bet makes you both laugh. Or, you can find some second hand stores in your area and shop together. Bet you’ll have some more laughs there too, as you try on hats, scarves or jewels together.)
4) Play with your hair: Experiment, straighten, crimp or gel. There are all kinds of hair options to try. The article in beinggirl.com advises to take it a step further by matching your hair to your outfit. For example, go online and check out some styles from the 70s if you are wearing an outfit from that time and make your hair match the clothes. Recently, I had my shoulder length curls cut to a bob below my ears. What a change that has made to help freshen my look. LOVE IT (thanks Patrick). In any case, my earrings show up better and I think I look younger and more stylish. Which brings up the point that if you think you look good, your whole attitude about your being changes. Even your posture can change you will look better in whatever you are wearing. (I’ll write more about attitude and appearance in another post.)
Check out the article for more info:
http://www.beinggirl.com/article/teenage-girls-style/?utm_source=wordpress&utm_medium=NursePlummer&utm_content=link20111201&utm_campaign=comm_mgr
Would love to hear what others do to achieve their personal style on a budget.
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