The toxic relationship between 'personal style' and 'style inspos'
Let me offer you this perspective into this ever-evolving idea
Recently, I wanted to take on this immensely nuanced topic and explain it in my own words, solving the cold case of personal style. It is a relevant discussion because it is perhaps one of the most asked questions within the online fashion circle, indicating prevalence. As a collective, we have gotten so good at copying that we forget what it means to have a personal style, which can be pretty detrimental depending on how you view it.
This is what it looks like now.
The current social media climate has corrupted many’s process of searching for their style.
You open TikTok or your choice social media platform for style inspiration, you see various influencers in different styles, some you like, others not so hot about. This goes on for another 30 minutes, and in a short period, you are presented with different styles and trends, laced with comments on what you should and shouldn’t wear, what’s in, what’s out, what’s REALLY in, what’s cringey, etc. All of this information, whether you actively engaged or passively consumed, you stored it in your memory, knowing it will be helpful.
The next time you go to your closet, you look at the collection of clothes in front of you, and the overwhelming waves of style advice come rushing toward you. You decided to shut these voices out and tell yourself, ‘I will just dress the way I like it, true to myself.’ Moments later, after you’ve meticulously picked out what you want to wear for the day, you stand in front of the mirror and realize this is precisely what one of those videos described. It’s not a bad outfit, you actually quite like it, but something didn’t feel right. Nothing is personal about it.
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