Wearing versus Styling: A Growing Debate

Can you relate?

As much as I hate to admit it, I have a shopping addiction.  Now if you’re anything like me, you definitely always find a reason to buy something you like.  Even if it’s not something you would necessarily wear ALL the time, you find a reason to buy something that is just too cute to leave behind.  If you can relate to this then, yes, we are on the same page here.  

I really love all different types of clothes, and selfishly, always think they belong in my closet.  However, I have bought so many clothes that are either never worn or only worn once or twice.  Sometimes they just could never go with anything else I own.  Whenever I would go on social media sites and see people wearing those exact same pieces of clothing, I always wonder what on Earth I’m doing wrong because I absolutely love the way they wear it.  Then I realized: it is the way they are styling these specific clothing.  I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “But isn’t styling just putting together clothes and making it look good?” The answer is yes and no.  Yes, because you are bringing together different clothes to make an outfit look good.  No, because it is not as simple as that.  

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York and attending a performing arts school brought so much excitement and creativity when it came to getting ready in the morning.  I loved incorporating tights, belts, sweat vests, and so many different additions to my outfits that would take a simple outfit, to something special and different.  I would always get so many compliments on my outfits, and people asking me how I thought of putting my outfit together in that way.  However, going to college in Delaware made me experience a whole different perspective.  Outfits were a lot more simple and to the point: a pair of jeans and a cute top.  Now don’t get me wrong, you can never go wrong with a pair of jeans and a cute top.  But I so desperately missed seeing fashion around me that seemed so unique to each person.  

But how do we do it?

Some ways of styling that I personally love to do is throwing on tights underneath a pair of shorts during the colder seasons, layering fancy leather jackets with a sweatsuit to give a more casual look, wearing scarves as belts, or simply wearing a collared shirt under a plain sweatshirt to dress it up.  There are so many different ways to get creative with styling so that your wardrobe never feels repetitive or boring.  For example, these TikTok videos from other creatives can help guide your style in ways you never thought was possible.

When wearing clothes, it is extremely easy to get comfortable with just throwing it on exactly how it was meant to be.  However, the fun part about fashion is: there aren’t any rules.  Styling clothing in a way that makes you feel the most confident, comfortable, and happy is the only way you should be wearing your clothes. As stated by the JD Institute of Fashion Technology, a psychologist once said, styling fashion can allow you to communicate with others and change people’s perception.  By styling your clothes, instead of simply wearing them, you are able to bring them life and continue telling your story.