Your clothes tell a story about YOU and about who you are. They also tell a story about who you have been.
Yesterday, Victoria Beckham tweeted a photo of the dress she wore on her first date with hubby David. She wore a cute belted shift dress, which wasn’t at all the ‘blingy’, flesh-revealing looks she wore a few years later, nor the groomed elegance she has achieved now. The dress isn’t particularly high fashion either, considering she was a member of the biggest UK girl band at the time. It is a very sweet dress though and it reflects her youth and perhaps the fact that she was only just gaining celebrity status. It may also suggest that she hadn’t really found her own style yet.
Our clothes reveal not only how styles have changed but how you have, or haven’t, developed your own style and gained confidence in your look. When you revisit old photos you can see why you dressed a certain way during a certain period of your life from being at school, your first job, university, travelling, marriage, being a mum, and so on. Whatever path you took, your clothes will have reflected your lifestyle at that time and how you wanted to express yourself in your clothes at that time. You may have had periods where you couldn’t afford to dress quite how you wanted so perhaps you didn’t bother at all or you got creative with what you had, shopped second hand or rummaged through mum’s or even grandma’s wardrobe. Or, maybe your career got you stuck in a groove of wearing particular colours or outfits and you didn’t know where to go with your style outside of work.
The important question is, are you happy with your style now? Do you feel good in your clothes and do you know what you look good in? When you look back at how you dressed five, ten, twenty or more years ago, do you feel your personal style has progressed in a good way? Do you feel your clothes reflect your personality and who you are now?
Sometimes looking back can nudge us forward. It can highlight whether we have got into a bit of a rut and that maybe we just need a bit of a change. If your style is still working for you, and we mean style, not fashion, that’s great. However, if you are feeling a little lacklustre in your clothes then it’s time for a review and to decide whether your style still fits who you are, your age, your lifestyle and your personality.
Fiona Wellins
Colour Me Beautiful