Whether we’re conscious of it or not, we all have our own little style signatures. It could be something as simple as a particular shade of red lipstick that you wear every day, a brand preference that winds throughout your entire wardrobe, a dash of a texture that you always work into an outfit (sequins, anyone?), a pair of favorite shoes that you constantly wear, a particular color scheme that reappears in outfits and even a haircut (or color) that you embrace year after year.
If you’re a regular reader, you’ve probably noticed that I have a few style signatures of my own. Maybe it’s the Virgo in me, but no matter how much my clothes and personal style change, some elements are always consistently in place.
I discovered the Fall 2007 RTW Dries Van Noten wedges a little late, but once I finally tracked down a pair in the middle of 2008, it was love. These shoes are shockingly comfortable in part because there’s a hidden platform in the front so that actual rise is pretty manageable. With a few pairs at my disposal, I began wearing them so much that people started recognizing me on the street by my shoes alone!
True story: I wore my Dries to the Honolulu Airport and the security guy scanned my shoes twice because he thought that they may have a secret compartment in the heels! He then repeatedly asked me what they were…he was totally dumbfounded by them.
I used to have issues when people were meeting me for the first time and couldn’t understand what ‘Nubby’ was. The second I received my Helpless Romantic nameplate necklace, I could simply point to it, smile and save a lot of energy. Haha.
Stripes. Even when I was very young, I preferred stripes much more than flower patterns. And, during my goth days in high school, I embraced having stripey tights in every possible color combination. Stripes to me are always timeless. Yet, they can make any ensemble pop. If stripes are worn right, they have that classic French quality that everyone secretly loves.
And, black nails. I used to wear other colors (mainly reds), but I much prefer black these days because it matches everything and looks way cool against my white skin (and white Mac keyboards)! Believe it or not, three coats of the cheap stuff works just well as its department store counterparts (I prefer NYC Black Lace Creme) and for 99 cents, it’s a total steal!
I proudly carry the Mouth With Pill tote (now sold out) every day. That way, when someone offers ‘paper or plastic,’ I can politely decline. We should all try to do our part to be more green.
Miu Miu gets me every time. Miu Miu was started in 1992 by Miuccia Prada and the brand is based on her nickname. My love affair with Miu Miu started in the late 90s when I’d sit around reading fashion magazines in the back of History class. I faithfully saved a stack of ads from this time and they still strike me as being totally iconic.
And then, the S/S 2008 campaign featuring Kirsten Dunst hit. Normally, I’m not a sucker for buying the stuff I see in ads, but for some reason, I was hooked. I saved up my graduation money and bought my first Miu Miu in the Spring of 2008.
The thing about these purses is that the styling is so classic that even if everyone else has one, you never feel like you’re carrying an ‘it bag.’ Miu Miu makes the type of bag that you’ll carry until it’s totally beaten up, throw it into the back of your closet, pull it out 10 years later and fall back in love with it all over again. Mine all have stains, nicks and pen marks from constant use. And to me, that’s what fashion should be all about; everyday luxury. Use what you love instead of storing it away for a rainy day.
These red cross luggage tags hang from my bags and get a lot of the clichéd “Are you a nurse?” comments. Why the obsession with the red cross? That’s another story….
What defines your style? What elements make it unique and totally yours? Are they accidental or have they been purposely incorporated? What would you like to add to your style arsenal?
