A t-shirt and jeans. Signature style or style rut?
Am I in a style rut, or do I just have a strong signature style?
It’s a question I’ve been pondering lately as I realise I wear similar things every day. Working with a lot of women, particularly with stylish women who wear different outfits, lipsticks and accessories every day, it’s become increasingly obvious to me that I strongly favour a certain kind of style. While I update my wardrobe quite regularly there are a few items that simply seem to reoccur in slightly different cuts or colours. Oversized sweaters, cardigans, jeans, ballet slippers, t-shirts, leggings, coats, blazers and boots. This is pretty much the entire contents of my wardrobe.
My accessories never change, despite having a full size mirror jewellery cabinet that is stocked to the brim. My make up occasionally encompasses a bright lipstick, but not very often, and apart from that it’s the same clean skin, plain lips, black eyeliner, defined brows and big lashes every day. There’s nail polish, which changes sometimes (although I tend to keep it on for an average of 10 days before it changes since that’s how long I can usually get before it chips – but that’s another post), but the rings I wear have strong sentimental value and rarely change – my wedding bands and my grandmother’s wedding band on my right hand.
In my ears you’ll usually find diamond studs or pearls, sometimes white or rose gold studs in the style of Tiffany Beads. And despite the increasing array of earrings that appear every birthday, I keep reaching for the same ones.
The rings I wear every day
I am not unhappy with the clothing I wear. It’s comfortable, it’s stylish, and I always feel good. But I am wondering if I’ve found myself in a style rut, or if I’ve just finally found my signature style.
Growing up my style evolved about as quickly as my hair grew. Despite the fairly constant committment to being a (fake) redhead, I went through a great number of stages – goth, prep, spice girls, tomboy, the nanny, punk, I tried them all, spending the whole time in awe of those who stuck with the same style year after year. Those who don’t look back and think “Why on earth did I wear that?!” People like Audrey Hepburn, Judy Garland, Queen Elizabeth, who always look stylish, understated and appropriate.
And yet, now I’m here. Now, at the ripe old age of 29, I’ve finally found a style I’m comfortable with, that suits my tastes and budget (most of the time, although the Prada handbag I’ve been lusting after sure doesn’t), that is appropriate for any occasion, wearable day after day. And I’m wondering if what I had always been striving for is not to develop a signature style but, instead, to have found my own comfy style rut.
And yet, as I look back over the last 7 years, I can see that my style is evolving. Just a little slower than it did when I was 15.
And that’s probably a good thing.
Do you ever feel stuck in a style rut? Do you think I am? Or are we old enough now not to care any more?
