You know how you can see a cute fashion trend you like… and then another…..and then another.
Then you look down at your sweat-pant legs and just say, ‘meh, this works too’.
Well, no friend, it doesn’t work – unless you are planning on a cozy netflix binge with a platter of emotions, in which case please invite me to join you in my sweats. That’s my hobby. #platterofemotions
When I decided I wanted to dump the mom frump a big hurdle I faced was actually learning ‘my style’. ‘Work Shawna’ looked a little Sunday School teacher slash redneck BC girl. ‘Mom Shawna’ was all party on top and pj pants on the bottom.
(You think I’m joking….)
I wanted to change my look, but I felt disoriented by all the options. So I set out to find my own personal style….
WHY KNOWING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE IS THIS IMPORTANT
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- When you know your style your clothes start the conversation about what kind of person you are, before people have a chance to make assumptions based on what they see
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- When you know your style your closet will work interchangeably. You won’t end up in a peasant top and running shorts on laundry day, or ‘not laundry day’….just saying
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- When you know your style you can streamline your shopping and not feel pressured to have every adorable trend in your closet – just the ones that you love the most
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- When you know your style people will recognize it. Like, your sister will be able to grab you a shirt on a killer sale because it ‘is so you!’ and it will be! Money is being saved and sisters are working together, what a beautiful thing!
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- When you know your style you won’t feel overwhelmed by all the options in your mish-mashed closet when you get dressed. You can get rid of the clothes you have the don’t fit ‘your style’
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HOW TO FIND YOUR PERSONAL STYLE
The BEST way to learn your style is to pay attention to what you love.
I think the best was to do this is by starting a pinterest board. You can even start a secret one if you’re a little leary on your public display of aspirational mom uniforms.
Just pin away, pin everything you like, even if it seems like an outlier.
Follow Shawna Scafe’s board Capsule Wardrobe Summer/Spring on Pinterest.
After you have an accumulation of pins, look at the board as a whole and take note of the themes you have created in terms of:
– colours and patterns
– textures
– layers
– accessories
– fit and silhouette
– clothes fitting to a certain lifestyle
– hairstyles
When I first did this my Pinterest board had a ton of striped shirts, dark skinny jeans and flat brown booties. I knew this was a
look that I loved that would work with my lifestyle. Now I could assess my closet to see what was missing from this look.
look that I loved that would work with my lifestyle. Now I could assess my closet to see what was missing from this look. I also noticed that I loved pops of colour but my closet had pretty much zero colour. Now I can plan out what kind of item would be the best investment to add a pop of colour into my wardrobe (like these pink shorts that I’ve had for a couple years now)
Also remember to pay attention to what you love that also works on your body. You can love striped shirts but don’t just buy the first one you find to bring home like a closet trophy, but it really makes you look like you failed at maternity shopping. Take your time to find looks you love that work to flatter your body type.
This isn’t just a one and done process, you can keep your Pinterest board running and you will see a change in your style trends. As you become more comfortable in trying new looks you will pin things that we were once out of your comfort zone. And as your daily life demands shift from ‘constant nursing and never sleeping’ to ‘chasing toddlers and wiping oatmeal off your pant leg’, your style will adapt with you.
Also, this process can be so helpful if you need to identify trends for other things in your life, like how you want to decorate your living room, or meals that should be part of your regular meal plans, or activities you want to try with your kids.
By taking the time to pay attention to the things that hit that sticky spot in our hearts, and then viewing them collectively, we can identify some of the things we are passionate about that we wouldn’t have recognized. I believe the more worldly and mystic call it a Vision Board but we basic B’s call it a Pinterest Board.
Love Shawna, Your Nerdy Girlfriend Who Believes Moms Should Own Real Clothes Too
PS. Don’t forget to join me on Instagram where I share 90% momlife and 10% the plants that are still living in my garden….fine, it’s mostly waffles and laundry.
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