Make this your new mantra: style is all attitude.
If there’s one question we’ve thought about long and hard at Miss FQ it’s ‘How do stylish women make dressing look so damn effortless?’
And in an effort to answer this, Miss FQ digital and associate editor, Skye Ross spent ages pouring over street style shots looking for clues as to what gives our favourite style stars that elusive quality telling the world they’ve got it going on.
After some deep analysis (read: spending waaaay to much time on the ‘gram) she thinks she may have come up with a fail-safe formula for dressing. One that always lets your stylish self shine through.
1. Dress for your body shape
By now you’ve heard of body shape specifics (the hourglass, the pear, the apple, the column) and hopefully you have a fair sense of where you fall. I want to be clear: these are generalised body shapes – determined by genetics – and one isn’t more preferable over the other.
When you’re dressing, it’s helpful to have a sense of how you categorise your body – that way you can make choices that flatter your particular shape. Make clothing choices based how you want to feel in your skin, not on how you think your body should look.
The same goes for underwear – namely bras – too. BONDS’ new Mash Up collection has a range of styles, from crops and bralettes, to tee bras and underwire tube tops, making sure you find the right fit for you – and they come in a vast array of punchy, bright prints, giving you so many options for picking one that suits your personal taste!
2. Identify your personal style
There’s a saying that goes, ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.’ I totally recommend making a mood board of images that inspire you. Plunder fashion magazines (like Miss FQ, obvs) for looks you love – they are full to the brim of incredibly well-styled shoots and product pages of must-have items. If you can’t bring yourself to chop up your much-loved mags (and I don’t blame you) start a Pinterest board, or follow people on Instagram whose style you admire so you can screenshot or save their best looks.
3. Invest in comfy and cute underwear that makes you feel good
Wearing underwear that has been through the wash too many times, has just plain ol’ reached its use-by date, or isn’t cute enough to make you excited to get dressed isn’t just bad for your confidence, it’s a guaranteed outfit killer. Amp up those good feelings by ditching all your old, worn lingerie STAT and splash a little cash on a few new pieces from the BONDS Mash Up collection. Personally, I’m obsessed with the Hipster Triangle in Rainforest, $22.99, because I love the floral/pink combo, and the Lacies Deep V Bralette in Varisty Plum, $22.99, for a sexier option. The Hipster Microfibre Boyleg in Neo Strawberry, $16.99, is my comfy fave, and I go for the Lacies Skimpy in Black, $17.99, if I’m dressing up. While you might think ‘but no one can see it’, *you* see it every morning, and if you get the basics right, in my experience pretty much everything follows.
4. Know the rules like a master, so you can break them like an artist
The trick to effortless style largely comes down to be willing to take risks. If your idea of edgy is dressing head-to-toe in designer labels, more power to you, but there’s also plenty of room to mix it up with affordable options and still look totally amaze. Shop the chainstores for pieces that are right on-trend but see if you can get them to work with other items you already have in your wardrobe in new and unexpected ways. Embrace consignment stores because they’re havens for all sorts of hidden gems – especially for accessories like belts, scarves or shoes, which can make an outfit totally pop.
5. Spend time planning ahead
Finding a great outfit can often come as the result of a happy accident. It’s much easier to experiment with different looks if you’re not feeling pressured. So take some time to see what works, or how certain combinations make you feel. You might identify pieces you need to make your wardrobe work, or you might go Marie Kondo and get rid of everything that’s not you any more – either way you’re in control. We’re written about capsule wardrobes before, FYI.
Ultimately, self-confidence comes from the ability to trust yourself and your decisions. So go out there and show the world you slay!
This article was brought you by BONDS Mash Up. Isn’t it time you met your mash? Create your own Mash Up with BONDS’ Hipsters clashing prints, found in your nearest Farmers store or at bonds.com.au.
