Style should change with you, NOT the seasons

9 Reasons Why Your Style Shouldn’t Change With the Seasons

The current trending styles in fashion constantly change with the seasons. Every year there is a new viral style with every new season. This often leaves us feeling pressured to overhaul our wardrobes with each new trend. But, maintaining authenticity in your personal style, regardless of the season, is what fashion and style is truly all about. I’m going to give you 10 reasons why you shouldn’t change your style just because the seasons are changing.

Authentic Style Reigns Supreme:

Your style is an expression of your unique personality and should reflect who you are. Like I said earlier, the true heart of fashion is for people to express themselves through what they like to wear. It is impossible to truly express who you are, if you are only concerned with keeping up with what styles are in or out. Embrace your authenticity and let your personal flair shine in every outfit you wear, regardless of what the latest Tik-Tok viral shoes are.

You make be thinking, “OK, but how do I find my personal style?” My biggest tip in building up your personal style is to rid your social media feed of influencers that simply promote consumerism. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be the first one to binge watch Emilie Kiser’s videos, but truthfully, her promotion of viral consumerism trends doesn’t lend way to inspiring genuine self-expression through fashion.

Take a look at who you follow. Look at their content and ask yourself a few questions. 

If you answered “No” to any of the latter questions, it’s probably someone you shouldn’t immediately turn to when it comes to fashion advice.

One of my favorite influencers, who I feel constantly inspired by is Clare Sullivan. Her style may not match with yours, but I think she embodies all of the things a true style influencer should. Take a look at her content and look for an influencer who matches your style, but who’s content has all the same green flags as someone like Clare’s.

https://www.instagram.com/clare.sull?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Environmental Responsibility is Trending:

Constantly changing your wardrobe to keep up with seasonal trends also contributes to the cycle of fast fashion, which as we should all know by now, has detrimental effects on the environment. By keeping your style authentic and by disregarding the seasonal trends, you will significantly drive down your consumerism.

Try investing in quality pieces that you will use time and time again and that will last in your wardrobe. My favorite way to do this is to ask myself “What are five different events I can wear this too?” If I can easily come up with five places to wear it, I know that the item is worth purchasing. If I can’t come up with five places, I ask myself “Do I actually like this item, or do I just want to fit in?” These questions help me really think about why I want to purchase something and help me keep my spending in check.

You can also gauge the quality of the piece by paying attention to the small details. Take a look at the label and see what the fabric is made of. Garments made of mostly natural fibers like cotton, wool, silk, and linen are going to hold their shape and color better and last a lot longer than garments made from fabrics like nylon, polyester, and acrylic. High quality pieces also tend to have straight, strong seems and more consistent coloring and texture overall. Fast fashion, or cheaper items, are more likely to have quality control issues from piece to piece, especially in the smaller details.

By evaluating why you’re drawn to an item and by investing in quality pieces,  you can help minimize the effects of fast fashion and help contribute to a more sustainable future.

Financially Savvy Style:

Keeping up with seasonal trends can also be extremely financially draining, especially for us young adults that are the main target of these viral social media styles. Trending styles used to be cheaply made and sell at cheap price points, but especially now, the trending styles tend to be the same cheaply made products with a much higher price tag.

Instead of succumbing to the pressure to buy new clothes every season, prioritize quality over quantity and invest in versatile pieces that will stand the test of time.

Quality clothing doesn’t have to be expensive. My favorite jeans of all time are only $50 and they are genuinely the most high quality pair I own. I have had them for years and they hold their shape through every wash, they haven’t faded, and I have yet to see a rip or tear. Lee has TONS of options at an affordable price, that hold up extremely well over time. Almost all of their pieces are made out of mostly natural fibers, like I talked about above, and I have yet to notice a quality difference my new purchases from them and a pair of GOOD, vintage, denim Lee jeans I thrifted a couple of years ago.

https://www.lee.com/shop/womens-legendary-trouser-jean-WLJ3231.html

Boost Your Confidence:

Trying to keep up with all the new styles can also be draining for your mental health. The concept of a “style trend” is rooted in comparing yourself to others and in judging the way you look. Obsessing over fashion trends and what you can wear to fit in, only makes these self-comparisons and insecurities skyrocket, and it’s not healthy for anyone.

Staying true to your authentic style boosts your confidence and empowers you to embrace your individuality. By wearing what you want and what you feel comfortable in regardless of what the trends of the season are, you’ll stop comparing yourself to others as much and will feel so much more confident overall! When you feel comfortable and confident in what you’re wearing, people notice. If your confident in the clothes you wear, you will instantly look and feel better, making you stand out in any crowd, and not in a bad way. The clothes we wear aren’t meant to make other people feel good, they are made to make us feel good.

Wearing VS. Styling:

Recently, TikTok has drawn attention to the difference between wearing and styling clothes. And I think this has everything to do with fighting the viscous trend cycle.

In my experience, anytime I saw a trend that I wanted to follow, I would jump on board, but something would always feel off about the way the trend looked on me compared to the way it looked on other people. No matter what I did, it never looked as good on me as it did on the celebrities or Instagram models that started the trend. Ultimately, this led me to stuff whatever it was in my closet to never be worn or seen again.

And I realized, the issue wasn’t the way I looked, but the fact that I didn’t know how to style things. There’s a different in just wearing a shirt, and in styling a shirt. Wearing a shirt means you put in on and walk out of the house. Styling a shirt means looking at its colors, tones, and characteristics and building an entire outfit around it.

People don’t naturally know how to style things. It takes practice, and experimentation with what you like and what you don’t. When certain things start trending, no one thinks about how to style it. People follow the trend, “wear” the item, feel like something is missing, don’t know how to fix it, and finally turn to a new trending item because they believe that one will be different.

By learning how to style things, you break this cycle. Try experimenting with different pieces of jewelry, hats, shoes, bags, and layers. Have a little fashion show in your room and try on pieces that you wouldn’t normally pair together. Finds out what you like, and practice styling different pieces to break the unsatisfying cycle of just “wearing” your clothes.

Trying Something New VS.Falling into the Trend Cycle:

Everyone likes to try new things. Now I know I have said “don’t follow trends” this entire time, BUT there is a difference between trying something new and mindlessly consuming.

If you see a trend that immediately love and immediately want to try, that’s fine! Give yourself a week or two to sit on it and see if you still feel the same before you participate, but trying out a trend because you want to expand your style is a-ok!

Even when trying new things, go back to those questions I gave earlier. Try and think about several different ways you could incorporate it and try and look for quality pieces.

If you don’t still love the trend after a week or two of seeing it, or if you just want it because your favorite influencer has it, let it go.

Following a trend is not the same as being inspired by a trend. It can be a hard line to walk, but asking yourself what you like about the trend or what your hoping to achieve by participating can make the process a little easier.  

Versatility is Key to Building Your Style:

A lot of times, we fall into the trend cycle because we feel like we “don’t have anything to wear” or “I don’t have an outfit that’s appropriate for that event”. Building a versatile wardrobe ensures that you’re prepared for any occasion, regardless of the season.

Try to invest in quality pieces that can be easily mixed and matched to create a variety of looks and that allow you to transition seamlessly between seasons. I have always said that I would much rather spend a lot of money on quality staple pieces and find cheaper “fun” items.

Here are some staples that EVERYONE should have in their closet, that can be styled a gazillion ways, and that I think are worth the money:

• A classic short sleeve white tshirt
• A pair of clean, non-distressed, full length blue jeans (also in black and white, but blue denim is top priority)
• A white button down shirt
• A clean everyday sneaker
• A button up, long sleeve cardigan
• A grey crew neck sweatshirt

Candidly Chan on Instagram has some great inspiration on how to style these pieces multiple ways

Your Style Should Celebrate Your Individuality:

Embrace all of the differences that make you who you are and let them shine through in your personal style. Don’t be afraid to take risks and step outside of your comfort zone. Like I said earlier, clothes that you feel comfortable in will make you more confident, and confidence makes the outfit.

It doesn’t matter if you put on an outfit that is the 100% opposite aesthetic of the outfit you wore yesterday. If you like the way it looks, and if you feel good in it, wear it. One of the best pieces of advice I have ever heard is “My wardrobe doubled when I started actually wearing my clothes”.

I can’t remember who said it, but it makes so much sense. It’s because everyone is too concerned with whether other people are going to think they are too under or over dressed for the occasion.

For example, as a college student, I feel like my every day outfits should strictly be athleisure. Because of this, I never feel like I have enough work out clothes to create enough “different” outfits. So, I spend what little money I make on more workout clothes. But then, my friends and I want to go out to the bar, and everyone is wearing jeans and a cute top. And I am stuck wearing the same exact outfit I wore last time because I spent all my money on more athleisure.

But, if I simply started wearing my jeans and “nicer” clothes to class, the store, wherever, and also kept wearing my workout clothes. I wouldn’t feel like I didn’t have enough clothes all of the time. And I would be more likely to spend my money on clothes or accessories I actually wanted, instead of clothes I felt like I “needed” to fit-in.

Honestly, if you just start wearing te clothes in your closet, without worrying about what other people will think, you will realize you have a lot more options than you originally thought.

Confidence is Key:

As I’ve said time and time again, the most important thing is to wear what makes you feel good. Whether you’re following the latest trends or sticking to your signature style, confidence is the key to looking and feeling your best in any season.

When you try on clothes, pay attention to the way they make you feel. If they don’t feel right, they won’t look right. Keep paying attention to how you feel after you purchase them too! If you buy a dress because you feel great in it in the dressing room, but after wearing it for a couple hours you realize that your constantly worried about pulling down this and straightening out that, its ok! When were in the dressing room, we aren’t putting clothes to the full test. It’s OK if, occasionally, you have to put a piece of clothing up for good because you didn’t realize it made you uncomfortable until after you bought it.

Remember, comfort and well-fitting clothes are key to feeling and looking good, so it’s good to retire certain pieces if they don’t check those boxes anymore.

Your style should be a reflection of your authentic self, not a fleeting trend dictated by the seasons. By embracing your individuality, prioritizing sustainability, and staying true to your personal aesthetic, you can cultivate a wardrobe that is both timeless and empowering. So the next time you’re tempted to change your style with the seasons, remember these ten reasons why staying true to yourself is always the best choice.