The Relationship between Self-Expression and "The Rules" when dressing.

The "rules" of how to dress hold varying amounts of weight depending on the person. Sure there are some that are more absolute and should be followed strictly (i.e. formal black tie dress etiquette), but a lot of them were made some time ago and have not been revisited in the minds of many.

While some people take these "rules" as absolute, I do not believe that is how they were necessarily intended. A lot of the "rules" are more so general guidelines to help people less advanced in their fashion sense avoid fashion faux pas. A couple of examples of such guidelines that come to mind are "don't wear white after Labor Day" and "don't wear black and brown together". Both of these sentiments are some of the more difficult styles to pull off for the average dresser because they require a more extensive knowledge base of colors, color blocking, fabrics, geographic factors, and etiquette than the average clothing wearer has.

It takes a lot of time, practice, and messing up to get to the point of expertly putting more advanced looks together. That being said, you obviously have to try looks on to know if what you're envisioning actually looks good on, so if you're hesitant about a particular look, try and find some style pros or icons in similar looks, and try and figure out why what they did works so well. If you're not sure, ask a friend for their opinion, and try not to get discouraged. No one knows what you put together in the safety of your own home, and if you go out in something that isn't the best, people's attention spans and memory aren't the best these days, and unless you're a celebrity or the star of the show, there likely will not be any widely viewed photo evidence of your outfit. Fashion is meant to be fun, and the journey to discovering your style is ever-changing, so enjoy it as it happens!

The next step is discovering what your style is, and how to best express who you are with it! Our experiences, perspectives, and what we identify with make us who we are, and are what make us unique. The image you portray outwardly (clothing, hair, posture, etc) speaks volumes to who you are on several levels, so it is very important that they are well aligned. With that alignment comes a greater sense of self, higher level of confidence, better posture, more room for your personality to shine, and overall higher levels of happiness.

If we think back for moment; way way back to the days when kings and queens ruled lands in castles and the hierarchy of a village was extremely prevalent; the clothing that people wore immediately told people what your place in the community was, how much wealth you had, how important you were, what job you held, etc. Hell, even just 60 years ago the level of self-expression through clothing was far lower than today.

As time has gone on, the ways we express ourselves through clothing has expanded immensely, and now clothing of all types of styles are available at several price points, making the ability to find what speaks for you that much more attainable. All of that being said, although there are more options, that doesn't mean you have to try them all, and yes it can be daunting for many reasons. It just means there is a way to express yourself no matter who you are, which is a great thing! Take the time and effort to explore. Break some "rules" if you feel like they hold you back! After all, they are really only guidelines. What matters most is that you feel 100% like yourself in the clothing you wear. If you do, then wear it!

If you need a second opinion, or want someone to do it for you, that's what people like me are here for!

-Nate