Artistic Verve: Style

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I believe being well dressed is a good way to project one's self and attitude. How a person dresses embodies his/her values, preferences etc. Style is defined in a more a subjective category. Fashion trends only last a particular season and dissipates, style, is the one that lasts, an aspect valuable than money cant even buy. 

You could buy a dress for like Php 1000+ and it'll still be a dress. if you have style, you  could buy a dress for cheap (or expensive) and be able to use it in a variety of ways (do remind yourself to avoid overdoing it) and that my dear, is what you call style. Different apparels + Different colors/textures = lots of combinations! Its like dressing up (a fun thing you used to do when you were a child), before, I used to think that, wearing a tee and some jeans would do for the day (at least Im not naked) well, there's more to that.   

I admit, living in student loan made me 'maximize' what I have. I had to resort to thrifting, upcycling, DIYs etc. 

1. Thrifting - buying clothes from thrift shops, most are for steals if you look and dig (I mean this literally) deep enough. From shirts to shoes. Just. Dont buy underwear there. Some people regard this as disgusting since its  probably attributed to being fomites (an article e.g. clothing capable of spreading diseases). Just wash it all off. I remember buying a velvelt shirt for Php 10! This maximizes your money a lot! I have nothing against thrift shopping, if you dress for cheap but still look like a million dollars, well, you go gal!
2. Upcycling - a process if turning an old garment into something new and trendy. A good example of this is browsing your grandmother's old chest and upcycling old dresses into blouses, cutting off long sleeves into short ones or no-sleeves, givind old tees a remake by cut outs and dyeing, again, the possiblities are quite endless if you have an imaginative mind. 
3. DIY - this term refers to making things (usually simple accessories) from scratch, or if you're good enough, you cold sew some garments, fully customizable for your taste!  

I usually resort to buying/shopping if my wardrobe needs a good refreshing and reshuffling by buying new clothes. here are some things I usually take note:

1. The type of clothing Im gonna buy. I usually buy garments that I can mix and match with the most. and yes. those arent tees. They arent shirts either. Pants and accessories are more versatile apparel that you could use and re-use, engaging in different combinations. Same thing goes to dresses. Blazers/jackets/coverups is a fashion staple. You could change your look just by using a blazer, changing the color of jeans you wear, substituting shorts for pants and the like.
2. The color. Color is crucial for your wear. It reflects how you're feeling. Me, I usually avoid strong colors such as neons and brighter aspects of the color wheel e.g. red,orange,yellow they require more effort to match with other colors, except for Neutrals. Bolder and solid colors are the same things but turns out great if you know how to match them. I usually stock my wardrobe with softer colors such as pastels and darker ones such as navy blue and crimson. They are more easy for the eye to look at and gives sophistication and class. Neutrals e.g. black/white/browns/khakis are a must. They are very versatile to match and adds edge to your look. Remember to match your colors carefully and consult some palletes for inspiration if you're having trouble matching colors. Just. Dont dress like a clown.
3. Prints and textures. Same applies to color. They are usually hard to match just remember the rule A little goes a long way. Again, if you dress like a clown, prints are everywhere, polkadots, stripes, try not to confuse whoever is looking at you and reduce your ensemble's "elements". One print is good, dont match it with another. Textures usually apply to how the garment 'feels' like, smooth (as in satin) cottony (cardigans) sheer (most blouses today), matte, leather,  they are usually not a hassel to match, but still, dont over do it.
4. Accessories. This. I buy a lot of. Whether they are scarves, bow ties, neck ties, bracelets etc. they complement a look, even change one. More accessories means more combination opportunities so, stock up on a lot of these since they are also for cheap (well, some).

SO. those are my style tips (for now) I'll dig in to deeper ones next time so Ill create some sister posts. 

ALSO. if you too are a stylist/stylish person, you should try joining Lookbook.nu, its a site specifically for that purpose, showing off your style taste. I learned a lot from different stylists from around the world, both big and small. Most of them have blogs + there's a forum for each of you to interact, so, its a good investment!

Anyway, here are some of my looks which I posted to lookbook. Be sure to follow me and hypes if you like them!

I feel like I have dressed far too 'normal' lately. But. I've got a lot of tricks up my sleeve! so, keep your eyes peeled because Ill be updating my style journal.