This little exercise from Tiktok reminded me that what’s REALLY fun is finding your own unique mix of pieces that create your signature personal style.
A couple months ago there was a fleeting Tiktok trend that consisted of posting a list of your favorite things in the context that it was the only list of things you could have/use for the rest of your life. Obviously, I thought this would be a perfect trend to jump on for a list of the 10 clothing items I’d choose if it had to be my forever wardrobe!
We all know how easy it is to get caught up in the new and shiny every season — a new going out dress, a fresh pair of sneakers, or whatever new jacket trend you’re seeing everywhere for fall.
There IS something undeniable about a new outfit that feels so of the moment- but there’s a balance!
If everything in your closet is tied to whatever is trending, you’ll be chasing (and buying) new clothes every season. And what is your go-to outfit when you need a boost of confidence? It has to be new, which isn’t very sustainable long-term (in every sense of the word..)
We all know I love a trend — it’s fun, and fashion is supposed to be fun!
But, this little exercise from Tiktok reminded me (once again) that what’s REALLY fun is finding your own unique mix of pieces that create your signature personal style. And trust me, as someone who spends my days looking at clothes all day everyday, the lines can really start to blur on what is or could be a perfect creative expression of YOU and what you feel like you should try out just because it’s been on your feed for the past month.
When I started thinking about my list, there were a couple filters I used — What are my most worn items? What makes me feel really powerful or confident every time I put it on? What makes me feel cool? What always gets a compliment when I wear it? (This one shouldn’t be at the top of your list… but sometimes it’s good to take inventory about the things that people identify you with and what looks great on you!)
Here are mine:
- Black crop flare/wide leg denim
- Converse sneaker
- Leather jacket
- Boxy white shirt
- Loafer
- Oversize midi dress
- Stripe tee
- Black blazer
- White cat eye sunnies
- Satin midi
An interesting thing I noticed when I looked over this list was the number of items I obviously love but haven’t been willing to invest in in the past. I can’t tell you how many cheap, terrible quality black blazers I’ve owned over the last 5 years. But it’s one of my favorite/most worn pieces?? That’s something I should probably invest in at a little higher price point.
Another interesting note is that all of these items are pretty trend-less.
Sure, a platform converse and a lug sole loafer have been my recent go-to’s, but a different version of those items have been in my closet for years. My list has become a pretty great starting point to check back in on when a new trend comes around. It’s like a checklist almost — Does this trend fit in with what I already have and love? What I want my outward expression of myself to be? Is this something I should invest in or just try out first to see how it feels in my rotation?
What you don’t see on this list is a crop top — sure I have a couple in my closet right now because it’s been a fun trend to mix in and I’ve found some that fit in with my own personal style. But, it’s not on my forever list, so I definitely won’t be investing at a higher price point. A friend of mine however, LOVES a crop top. I can tell you she’s her most beautiful, confident self when she wears one. She feels like a badass. It’s probably in her forever list (or should be).
Your list doesn’t have to be basics, it can be anything!
Let me know if you make your list — I want to know what’s on yours! We might even add this as a question for our style guide development process. And if you don’t know where to start…we kind of do this thing for other people 24/7! We’ll help you start from scratch and find the pieces that are going to make you feel like the most confident, badass version of YOU!
