A year ago, I think I would have chosen printed palazzo pants, a crop top and a long necklace as my first STYLE GURU BIO post. Although there is nothing technically “wrong” with the latter outfit choice, I still look back and cringe at some style choices: jeans that did not fit my body type, sheer shirts that were the most in-style piece one could own [at the time] and some questionable top and bottom pairings that just were not at all cohesive. Once the chains of ghosts of wardrobes past stop clinking around in my head, I realize that just like life, personal style is a journey. There is not one piece of clothing that defines you or who you are, but it is the collection of pieces you have accumulated and even gotten rid of over the years that build a wardrobe that truly becomes representative of you, where you have been and where you will go. Just as life is the collection of memories and experiences that make you who you are, fashion does just the same.
This time around, I choose a long white Eliza J midi dress with a textured top. Paired with double pearl tribal earrings (inspired by Dior, found at Target), black strappy sandals and Ray-Ban Clubmaster sunglasses, the dress takes on new life than when it was previously hanging on the rack in Nordstrom. While it has the modern matching separates look that took over spring and summer runways and the streets of New York City, the dress evokes a vintage feel of the ’60s, brought to fruition with the classic Clubmaster sunglasses that will never go out of style. The small opening in the back gives the dress an edge that freshens the entire ensemble. A white dress offers a feeling of fearlessness and maturity, characteristics that are all too important in the world of fashion and in the happenings of everyday life.
Procuring pieces like these, instead of a polka-dotted sheer cutout blouse, makes me realize that as you grow older and mature in ways that allow you to flourish, your wardrobe does the same. Because we live our lives in what we wear each day, there has to be some type of understanding and, frankly, acceptance that our wardrobe does make us who we are. Whether you like to wear jeans and a Jimi Hendrix vintage t-shirt, Nike track pants and running shoes or a pristine white dress with heels, those choices are a true reflection of the inner self that is just dying to break free. In fashion, rules are meant to be broken, bent and changed. While it does take courage, dare to break the rules and let your wardrobe mature and grow along with you. Do not be afraid to chuck the garments that no longer inspire you and invest in a piece that is timeless. It is time to live your best life and hang up your best wardrobe.
