Photo courtesy of the Man Repeller, my absolute favorite blog to follow and someone who has a clear, fun sense of personal style.

1.) What’s fashion anyway?
Fashion in a nutshell is just trends that are presented to us every season to confuse and inspire us.
Don’t get confused with trends though: just because you follow them and wear the newest pieces down the runway, doesn’t mean you’re stylish. On the other hand, if you like to sport the latest and greatest, go for it!

2.) Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Except not really.
You know you’ve achieved your own signature look when someone looks at an outfit and thinks, “oh that’s so you!”
On the contrary, if someone looks at you and says “oh that’s so (insert name here), then you’ve failed.

3.) Go with your gut.
If you put something on and feel a bit off, then take it off. It’s not worth it to wear something that looks good but doesn’t feel good. Unless the message you’re trying to convey is “I’m a fashion victim”, then by all means.

4.) “Do I look stupid in this?”
Remember that you’re supposed to get inspiration from your fashion idol, not mimic them. Just because a pair of shoes looks good on them doesn’t mean it will look good on you. Try things on and ask yourself, “Do I look stupid in this?” (From what I see on the street sometimes, I assume the answer is usually “YES”). Even if it’s a “maybe I do look stupid”, it’s a signal from your brain saying “Don’t do this to my body.” In that case, don’t fight it. Listen.

5.) You are who you are.
If your typical style is jeans and tee then go with jeans and tee. I go to events underdressed all the time because that’s just how I dress. It’s more about you then the clothes you wear. I’d rather leave the house looking myself then leave the house screaming “FASHION”.

6.) Investments are worth it. Really.
There are things brands like Givenchy, Celine, and Chanel can offer you that shops like topshop, H&M, and Zara cannot. The quality of design and the actual product is always a million times better and can literally be a companion you spend your life with. I usually invest in bags because they’re my soft spot for brand names. We’re talking about being stylish with personal style, not spending on things that are current and trendy. Sometimes you have to give in to certain things to achieve the style in personal style.

7.) Code of conduct
Just because you’re a certain way, have a certain style, wear certain things, doesn’t mean everyone else is wrong for being different. You might not understand everyone’s style, but you have to respect it. If it’s hard to digest, I find it easiest to look at as “art.” But don’t hate. These days, boys wear women’s clothing and girls love menswear. It’s all the same. They’re just clothes.

8.) What kind of person are you?
Come up with a few words that represent you and your personality, and check to see if those words fit with what you’re wearing. If your keywords are menopause, rich, and closed minded, make sure you look that way so people will know to avoid you. If it’s young, wild, and free, then put on some butt-cheek exposing denim shorts, a printed tee, and leather jacket. You get the point.

9) Experimentation is key!
If you aren’t sure what suits you best, just give everything a go. Spend a day at Lane Crawford or H&M, and try on a million things. Take photos and go home, and see what doesn’t hurt your eyes. Fashion and clothing should be easy and stress relieving not anxiety-inducing and stressful. If you’re not having fun, then you’re not doing fashion justice.

10) Don’t listen to me!
Who cares what I have to say? Give me your two cents on personal style!