Fashion Inspiration Tips and Tricks

I love flipping through Vogue and Seventeen as much as the next girl. But does anyone without a seven figure salary actually emulate the styles that appear on their pages? Vogue’s clothes are just too expensive; Seventeen’s are just too out of the box. So what are realistic sources of fashion inspiration for young women? I’ll share some of my secrets with you in this week’s post.

As I mentioned above, it can be hard to get inspired from fashion magazines. Vogue’s pages are filled with designer signature pieces that are just way out of budget for us working girls. Sometimes Seventeen has interesting looks, but mostly I find myself asking, “Would any normal person wear that?” My favorite magazine for fashion advice is definitely InStyle. I will admit that their clothes are frequently pricey, but here’s the catch: the same styles can easily be found at budget stores – H&M, Forever 21, Target. InStyle does a good job of putting together wearable outfits that are appropriate for a wide range of age groups. My favorite part is that InStyle takes staple pieces and shows how they can be styled for different occasions – work, date night, or casual weekend adventure.

Another place I get outfits ideas is my favorite television shows. Personally I am a fan of Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, and Glee. These shows have good styles to use as inspiration because their characters are relatable. The girls on these shows are in high school, so their clothes are age appropriate. The outfits are wearable, as most of the scenes take place in school or other normal everyday places. And most important, the outfits are fashion-forward; the looks on popular TV shows take enough risks to make them trendy and exciting, without going over-the-top. Stumped on where you could find some of the pieces on these shows? Another secret weapon: there are websites dedicated to finding the clothes on these television shows! Check out “Fashions of Glee” and “Fashions of Pretty Little Liars” or see if there are similar sites dedicated to your favorite shows!

Last but not least, my favorite online fashion spots are Tumblr and Pinterest. My  reasoning for this: you can customize them to your own tastes. For those of you who don’t know what these sites are, Tumblr is a simple type of blog where you can share pictures, quotes, text, videos, music; you can follow other people’s blogs, and their posts show up on your main page. Pinterest is the same idea, except it is conceptualized as virtual bulletin boards where you “pin” images, videos, DIY ideas, etc. These sites are useful because you can follow fashion bloggers who have similar tastes as you. It’s like having your own circle of friends to share ideas with!

So next time you’re in a fashion rut or want to try out a new style, give these sources a try. Maybe they’re not for you; there are no cookie cutters in fashion. But hopefully I have set you off in the right direction to find inspiration. Just remember to be true to yourself, and don’t be afraid to take a risk. There is no right and wrong in fashion; it’s all about you.

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