By Julie Roth, Style by JR
Welcome to part 2 of our How to Build Your Personal Style series. I’m excited to share with you last three pieces of advice for enhancing, streamlining, or building your own personal style.
4. Shift Your Perspective
A top as a top isn’t always a top, a dress can be worn as a skirt, and let’s be honest, if you live in Alberta, your outerwear can be worn inside. Shift your perspective from what you know of your typical wardrobe blueprints and instead, think of them as a great opportunity to layer. Challenge yourself to pairing a tank and/or t-shirt with a blouse and a sweater, wear a sweater over top of your dress to create the illusion and silhouette of a skirt and top or simply tuck your shirt in all the way. These little alternatives can help you figure out what ways you want to build your style and how they will contribute to your signature look!
5. Add a Touch of Sparkle
Take from this what you will. When I say sparkle, I mean it could be as minimal as a pair of earrings or as maximalist as a sequin suit, like the one I wore last week. Never underestimate the power that a little bit can have – it can strike up a conversation, break the ice or if you’re a hand-talker like me, it can be very eye catching for those listening/watching. Overall, my favourite and signature tip for adding a touch of sparkle? Wear sequins on a Monday. Trust me on this one.
Like I said, a little can also go a long way, so think of this in every category: jewellery, accessories, handbags, makeup, tops, bottoms, blazers, shoes, and jackets. You may not think you’re into sparkle, but it could become your next signature piece that you never leave the house without!
6. The Right Eyewear Can Enhance Any Look!
Whether it’s sunglasses, your everyday eye glasses, or the wonderful new blue light glasses, eyewear always make a great accessory! And I always defer to Bethany Thompson at Sphere Optometry for help on how to choose the right frames for my face:
I always choose frames for people that will rest along the angle of the cheekbones (for women) and just inside of the cheekbones if we’re hunting for a fun round frame, so it doesn’t detract from natural angles in the face. Or having a bit of lift in the corners naturally draws the eyes up (facelift in a frame, yes please!). I also try to find shapes that will follow the shape of a browline because this also enhances natural angles in the face.
Fit is very important. You want to wear the glasses, they shouldn’t wear you. All too often we see people who have a fun frame, but it’s much too large and no amount of adjusting can keep the glasses from sliding down their nose. Oversized frames are fun but should still fit! You also don’t want glasses that are too small. If the arms of your glasses are squeezing the sides of your head, or if the eyewire of the glasses is resting too far inside your cheekbone area, it’s a good indication they’re too small and aren’t the frame for you. One way to know if your frame fits well when you’re trying it on, is to see if it’s resting snugly across your nose bridge (no gaps at the top). You also want the temple to go a ways behind your ear (remember this is heated and bent to your ear shape afterward), if it isn’t long enough that way it can’t be adjusted and will have a tendency to slip down. When glasses are comfortable, you can wear them all day without having to give them a second thought, which means they can fulfill their purpose and help you see.
When you’re looking for a frame that will be a fun statement, it’s good to keep colour in mind. If you only have one frame, going bright red may not be the most ideal option as it won’t always mix well with a variety of clothing colors and you may tire of it fairly quickly as a result. If you like to have one frame to suit a variety of needs, I always recommend going with something fun and bold, but more neutral in color so it can be versatile for you. Alternatively, if you’ve been hankering for a really funky eyewear piece it can also be a good idea to do the funky piece as a second pair you can put on when you feel like making a great statement.
If you feel like letting your inner Iris Apfel run wild, go for it! Find a piece that you absolutely can’t live without that you feel makes the exact statement you’re looking for and wear the hell out of it! There is such a wide variety of frame shapes and styles available now that you don’t need to feel like you’re stuck wearing one particular shape; don’t be afraid to try different styles.
Click here for Part 1 of How to Build Your Personal Style.
