My Style Evolution- How it reflects me

Today I went through my Instagram story archive, looking for outfit images I have taken from my late teen years up until now; a single, 27 year old stylist currently going through her own financial and career crisis. 

In those 10 years, my style evolved and changed, reflecting my physical body shape but also different versions of myself as I became a student, formed friendships and relationships, joined and left companies and developed as a young woman. It was refreshing looking back, which is so easy considering every event in my life is documented on social media, even as far back as my prom photos. All the outfits are faulty style-wise, but that’s OK, because it shows how much I have grown as a stylist and will continue to do so. In ten years, I hope to write a similar blog post looking back at my style today and feeling relieved that I don’t dress the same anymore. 

Style should be considered as a living entity that lives alongside you and mirrors your life as you experience challenges and accomplishments. The images I found on social media of my outfits would’ve been what (at the time) I considered to be my very best. Who knows what I was wearing on my not so glamorous days! Social media didn’t get to see those looks and I find it hard to remember them. In this post, I will be reflecting on my style journey and providing context for what was going on in my life at the time the photo was taken.

Where It Began...

From 2014 to 2018, these three looks summed up my style perfectly... I had no clue who I was and was just following the trends and copying other girls around me. My main reason for styling myself was to gain acceptance from friends and attention from boys. However, I do feel like most people go through this when they are young- a lot of change is happening and it's hard to stay true to yourself and reflect your identity within your style. Especially when your identity is changing so much. During these these four years, I joined sixth form, had my first relationship, got my first part-time job at Phase Eight and then left home at 18 to move four hours away to enrol at Huddersfield University. I think my style truly reflected my confusion!

Influenced by the workplace...

During my first three years of University, I supported myself financially by working for a range of high-end fashion retailers. The uniforms required for these roles introduced me to new ways of styling and the value of high quality garments. After Phase Eight, I moved to Ted Baker where I experimented with a more feminine style and classic silhouettes. I was still, however, using fashion as a way of getting attention from guys and believed that tight fitting clothing was the way to do that- I still wasn't dressing for me and had yet to form my own style. In the second photo, I had began a relationship and started to dress more elegantly yet still showing off my silhouette. The third image is from my time working at Hugo Boss, my first fully male store. Here I had to wear suits, a huge change from my feminine Ted Baker attire.

I am in my element...

The final year of University was a time of feeling confident, sexy and ready for the future ahead! I was receiving distinctions in all my assignments, I had a new relationship with someone I adored and had used my knowledge from my fashion course and retail experience to mould my style- under the influence of sustainability (the main focus of my assignments). I re-used dresses and experimented with the outfit building (you can see in all three images how my outfits were inspired by Hugo Boss, Ted Baker and my time at Mulberry too), learning how to use fashion as a method of expression.

I joined the corporate world...

My degree was in Fashion buying and after graduating, I joined John Lewis as a personal stylist due to my retail experience and love for the fashion industry. However, I didn't want to return to retail and moved to a category assistant role at the head office in London. By this time I had been living with my partner for over a year and decided to chop my hair off to reflect the more corporate environment I was in. I tried to embrace being in an office and commuting- but did I enjoy it? No. I tried to embrace my new, serious, office lady look- but did I feel good? No. I felt shit. I felt like a failure and that I had made a mistake. My degree was in buying but it was not what I thought it would be and my outfits at the time reflected that, I was trying to be someone I wasn't and work in a role I thought I was meant to do. Honestly, I missed styling and working in a retail environment- chatting to customers, styling my clients and putting on fashion shows...

I knew I was meant to be a personal stylist...

This was a time for me to learn as much as I could, style as many people as possible and put on as many fashion shows and events as was allowed- I knew what my calling in life was and I loved my job! The admin skills I had learnt during my time in buying were put to use as I began documenting my clients purchases and followed up each appointment with tailored advice for each individual, growing my repeat clients and pushing myself as a stylist. I was forming a reputation and was eager to learn more. I experimented with outfits, silhouettes and prints- I discovered what it was like to dress for me!

I enrolled with London College of Style and applied what I had learnt

I took on more events and hosted collaborations with make-up brands for my style talks. I was also given more responsibilities, including styling (on behalf of John Lewis) an external company's workforce to create a cohesive office dress-code that reflected their branding and industry. I applied what I learnt from the 9 week London College of Style Womenswear training to my appointments, giving my clients the highest quality of styling service (considering my appointments were free too!) I was loving my job and eager to grow as a stylist and keen to figure out what the next step for me would be.

It's amazing how quickly your life can change...

Before completing my London College of Style Menswear training, my life pivoted. My five year long relationship amicably ended and I was faced with the financial burden of living on my own and an unclear image of what my future was. The outfits I wore show my complete lack of confidence in myself- some outfits worked while others flopped. I was trying to put on a brave face whilst learning how to live on my own for the first time ever in my life and the first time being single since being a student. Ahead of me will be a year of intense learning, DIY projects, budget cuts, financial ruin, depression and confusion...yet I will also discover that I can do it and that leaving the relationship was the best decision for me.

I picked myself up and tried my hardest...

I had only my job to focus on now. I completed the London College of Style Menswear course and went on to complete the London of College of Style Colour Analysis course too, investing the last of my savings in to my qualifications. My body shape changed due to my financial situation and taking on DIY projects in my home- my first project was painting my kitchen pink! I felt good about myself and even though life was tough, I was actually happy! The happiest I had been in a very long time- I was broke but independent and I was the only person in-charge of my future now.

Which brings me to today...

I know who I am now and what I want to do with my life. I love my clothes (although most of them no longer fit me, but that's ok) and I love my little house too. I may not be able to afford much but I am so proud of myself for not giving up. So what's next? I have an idea but life has taught me to embrace opportunities and to not be scared of change. I have also realised that I don't care about what other people think about my style, I'm so confident in myself now that I feel like I could wear anything and still turn heads. My style has developed, yes, but only as a result of my own personal growth.

Why did I write this?

It's been a mentally and emotionally exhausting article to write. Fashion is more than the clothes we wear and style is deeper than looking good. I hope this helps illustrate that we all start from somewhere and I am no where near the end of my fashion story! It will never end and I will never stop changing my style- and I will never stop looking back at old photos and feeling grateful for that growth!