Anyone can get online and read tips about fashion or absorb visual starter guides for how to put together a decent wardrobe. The problem is there are millions of people reading and following these tips, so there’s a good chance that your wardrobe will end up looking like everyone else’s.
How can you make sure your wardrobe is unique and capable of showcasing your signature style?
Table of Contents
Starting With the Basics
Source: aarp.org
Every wardrobe starts out with the basics, almost exclusively. That is not an issue; in fact, you’ll be using many of your basic staples in many of your unique outfits moving forward. But it’s important to recognize the simple basics as a mere foundation. As you grow and diversify your collection, you’ll be able to experiment with new combinations and see what new styles fit your natural appearance and personality.
This isn’t a call to totally scrap your wardrobe and start from scratch. Instead, it’s more about finding tasteful new additions and working more creatively with what you already have.
Shop Handmade
One excellent option is to start shopping for handmade, artisan clothes and accessories – like handmade leather purses and bags. If you buy something off the rack, you can rest assured that thousands of people like you have bought something functionally identical. Stores, especially chain stores, are at the end of a long distribution chain, and at the beginning of it is a factory mass producing identical copies of the same item.
But there are two advantages to shopping handmade when it comes to making your wardrobe more unique. First, you’ll get access to an artisan’s vision, which means you’ll get access to interesting new trends and fashion ideas long before factories and retail outlets do. Second, you can rest easy knowing that your piece is truly one-of-a-kind. Even if this artist attempts to make a similar piece in the future, it will probably have details that vary from the initial piece.
As an added bonus, handmade goods are generally higher quality than goods made in a factory, so your clothes and accessories will probably last longer once you get them.
Broaden Your Sources of Inspiration
Source: medium.com
If you’re looking for creative new ideas, consider broadening your sources of inspiration. Look to many different channels and sources before integrating new items into your wardrobe.
- Social media. Social media is arguably the best place to look, but you’ll need to make some unconventional searches if you want to find influencers who are truly unique. Step away from the mainstream and dig into rabbit holes that expand your horizons.
- Fashion magazines and brands. You can also look at fashion magazines and brands, but again, try to stay away from the most mainstream sources. Look for unique zines and similarly small-scale publications.
- Old movies and TV shows. You can also get inspiration from different eras of fashion, enabling you to utilize clothes and accessories that fell out of fashion prematurely – or those that could potentially come back into fashion. Watching old movies and TV shows is an easy way to do this.
- Media from other cultures. You can also get inspiration from other cultures, though be mindful of not culturally appropriating historically and culturally relevant pieces of attire.
Add Unique Twists to Old Favorites
Making your wardrobe more unique doesn’t have to be an exhaustive effort. Sometimes, you can look more interesting simply by adding unique twists to old favorites. Adding a small customization or a new splash of color can instantly improve any timeless staple in your collection.
Thoughtfully Add Accessories
Source: sassytownhouseliving.com
Accessories can instantly elevate any outfit – and make it more interesting and unique. Stock up on as many colorful, bold, and unique accessories as you can, and make sure to pepper them in with outfits that are otherwise somewhat bland.
Create Your Own Vision
If you’re feeling particularly creative and bold, consider creating your own clothes and accessories. Fabric and the supplies necessary to work with it are relatively inexpensive, so if you have a vision for something, you should try to make it a reality.
Break Some Rules
As any artist can tell you, sometimes it’s good to break the rules. Most great artists start by learning the rules, and finish their trajectories by thoughtfully and deliberately breaking rules for the sake of advancing the art. You can do something similar; once you’re familiar with the core tenets of good fashion, feel free to deviate from established norms.
Finding a way to look totally unique can be challenging, especially in an environment where you’re taking inspiration from the same sources and following the same trends as others in your social group. However, if you’re willing to do some experimenting, and if you put some effort into developing creative fashion flourishes, you’ll eventually create a wardrobe that’s unlike any other.
