Fashion inspiration can come from all around. Art, music, movies, TV shows, and, of course, the runway all influence how we dress and express ourselves. But drawing inspiration from high fashion may feel intimidating and even unattainable for some. There can be many barriers to entry in the fashion world. From cost to sizing and availability. It can be difficult to curate a personalized style when everything seems to be getting in the way.
But it is possible and easier than you think. Here are our top tips for incorporating high fashion into your daily wardrobe.
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Identify What You Like
How do you know what you like? Is it just that feeling of recognition when you see something on someone and know that it was made for you? And how can you untangle this feeling from simply identifying something as ‘trendy.’ When you fill your wardrobe only with what is ‘trendy’ and not with what you actually connect with, you are not building a sustainable wardrobe. Certain trends, looks, and silhouettes in fashion are timeless. Look at any Chanel runway show in the last 20 years; they are all distinctly different but share style elements that made the brand iconic.
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Resist Microtrends
With the rise of TikTok and the lightning-fast speed of the internet, a slew of microtrends have taken over everyone’s social media feeds leading them to believe they need this latest style to be happy. If you see a certain microtrend and connect with it personally and stylistically, amazing! Find a way to incorporate this trend into the wardrobe you already have. But if you’re not clicking with a certain microtrend but are feeling the pressure to indulge in it, do your best to resist. Fashion is so multi-faceted—there is no reason to wear something you don’t feel confident in.
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Improve Your Style Vocabulary
Take a look at runway shows. What do you identify with? The punk anarchy of Vivienne Westwood? The girlish bows of Sandy Liang? The alien appeal of Mugler? These designers, both modern and dearly departed and legendary, have influenced the fashion conversation in their own individualized ways. Identify what it is about their collections that connects with you. Do you like something with a classic, clean line? Or something deconstructed and daring? Do you prefer accessories to be carefully curated or organized chaos? Zero in on what exactly you like in fashion and build your wardrobe out from there.
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Practice With Your Current Wardrobe
It may be tempting to go ahead and donate everything in your closet and start from scratch. But what if there are pieces that simply need to be styled differently? A silk scarf can go around your neck, hair, waist, or even hang off of your bag. Some elastic-waisted skirts can be repurposed into being a dress. Jeans can always be artfully torn, bleached, or embroidered to give them a new life and a new style. Everything in your wardrobe got there by clicking for you in a certain way somehow. Try to reconnect to that and breathe new life into these pieces.
We may all think we know exactly what it is we like, but it can get a lot trickier when it comes down to it. You can think of your personal style the same way you think of your personality or your life. You mature a bit more and become more comfortable as the years go on, but each piece builds upon the previous one to create a fuller picture. Once you’ve identified what you like, what you want to keep, and what you want to seek out, you can go to a clothing outlet and fill in the gaps for how you want to fully curate your personal style.
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Find the Right Size
This can be one of the hardest parts of building out a wardrobe. Sizes can change dramatically, and you may be a different size in every store you walk into. And it is no secret that high fashion has often only catered to one body type, but those days are changing. Marco Rambaldi featured four curvy models in his Fall/Winter 2023-2024 Milan Fashion Week show. Younger designers often don’t conform to the rigid standards of yesteryear when it comes to fashion, and there are so many trailblazers changing the game.
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Know Your Measurements
Sizing is all over the place. A size 8 in one brand may be a size 4 in another. Having a good sense of your measurements can help you to know exactly how a piece is going to fit you. Don’t be afraid to contact a brand's customer service team to learn more about the garment, or search online on forums to see how it tends to fit other shoppers who have a similar body type to you.
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Look For Models Who Look Like You
Gravitate towards brands that have a variety of model body types displayed for their clothing. Fashion Brand Company, the quirky style house out of Los Angeles, always shows their clothing on models of different body types, gender expressions, and styles. This will give you the best idea of how a piece will actually fit you.
Figuring out sizing can be a frustrating, and emotional, experience. When looking for something in your size, our number one tip is to always be kind to yourself and remind yourself how good you’ll feel in a garment that is made to fit your body. When in doubt, don’t be afraid to utilize a local tailor to get a garment to fit you more precisely.
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Accessorize
No outfit is fully complete without all of your favorite accessories. You can level up your look with custom pieces or go for something unexpected. Sometimes mimicking a designer accessory is an easy and approachable way to incorporate a new look into your wardrobe.
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Repurpose, Reuse, Recycle
Some of the most iconic accessories are everyday objects that get repurposed into fashion. Think of Vivienne Westwood’s use of safety pins or Sandy Liang’s use of simple ribbon bows. You can fashion impactful accessories out of everyday objects you may not have considered before.
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Multi-Purpose
The best accessories are the ones that you can take from outfit to outfit and have a completely different vibe. Some big hoops are going to look different when you style your hair up or down or when you have a shoulder-baring top. You can play up and play down elements as you please to create something unique and truly you.
Accessories can be the best part of putting an outfit together. With the right accessories, you can take a look in a fully new direction. Collect the things you love and don’t be afraid to experiment.
Be Yourself, Truly
The best designers in the world got to where they are by being themselves. If they had just copied someone else, no one would have cared. When you’re drawing inspiration from high fashion, remember to only take the pieces that feel good and true to yourself. By putting together those puzzle pieces, you can find a personal style that is all your own. Who knows? Maybe people will start to take fashion inspiration from you.
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