Don't Sleep on Style: Why Personal Style Isn't Something You Should Underestimate
Many people use fashion and style interchangeably. However, they are not the same. Fashion is more about the collective, a set of trends that have been widely accepted as aesthetically pleasing by the masses. Style, on the other hand, is about the individual–about self–and may, or may not, be aligned with what is currently deemed fashionable. While both are important, style is the superior of the two.
Some fancy fashion as frivolous. Yet, developing a sense of personal style is actually quite important. Research suggests that it takes the human mind just seconds to make conclusions about people and settle on a first impression. When people meet you, many things impact the overall conclusion they make about who you are: the structure of your face, the way you speak, your body language, and even the clothes you wear.
Indeed, what you wear communicates something to the people already in your life and to those who may not yet be, like potential employers, would be investors, possible friends or maybe romantic partners. Everyday, you are sending powerful visual cues to people through your clothing choices. You can trust that they are using these cues to sum up your personality, your competence, your compatibility with them, and so much more. With a well developed sense of style, you have the power to shape the narrative. And, that’s not a frivolous thing at all.
Being intentional about the pieces you select, the colors, patterns, textures you pair, the style and fit you choose, can all help you to tell others the story you want to tell about who you are in this world, and who you aspire to be. We’ve all set our intentions on a thing, and created a plan for ourselves to achieve a goal we’ve set at one time or another. Do NOT underestimate how significant style can be as a component of your plans. I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage, “dress for the part you want.” There’s truth in it. When carefully developed and implemented, personal style can be a powerful tool to help you manifest the life you want and deserve.
Even more important than its influence on other people’s opinions of you, what you wear impacts how YOU feel about you. Studies have shown that the clothes we wear can impact our confidence and sense of self-empowerment. Others have shown that clothes can even impact our performance, showing higher performance on the same tasks performed by those who were dressed professionally over those who were dressed casually. But, we don’t even have to rely on studies and science here.
Think about your own experiences. Think about how good you feel when you know that you’re well put together and look fly. Think about the impact that has on your confidence and your attitude. Think about how something as simple as a brightly colored blouse can be such a boost to your mood. Recall times you’ve worn something flirty or subtly sexy and how it made you feel desirable and literally impacted the way you moved. Style can do all of that.