Fall 2011 Inspiration Board

While I still maintain that your early 20s are profoundly full of insecurities because you're going through a lot of huge life transitions, they are nothing compared to the teenager years. You're slowly influenced less by other people and focus more on what you actually like. And the more you focus on things that you actually like, the happier you become.

Finally, after years of wearing things that didn't really suit me just because they were trendy, I've kind of accepted my style. It honestly hasn't really changed since I was in middle school, it's just become more refined, I suppose. I'm more confident when I shop because I know what appeals to me, I know what I'll regret buying later on, what I'll get a lot of wear out of, what's worth investing in, etc. I've finally accepted that if you want to not look like crap, you have to stop buying crap. Going for the Forever 21 version of something is usually (thought not always!) going to look like the Forever 21 version. There's a reason nice clothes are more expensive -- they're nicer.

Of course, I don't have a whole lot of cash, so I generally rotate the same items over and over again. I'm constantly seeking creative ways to recycle. So, like usual, I made an inspiration board for the season. Something I can take a quick gander at when I'm in a hurry to get ready and am having a total sartorial brain fart.

Here's a peak:

In case you couldn't tell, all I wear is black pants, solid color dresses, blazers, scarves, stripes, leopard print and army green. Seriously, that's all I wear.

Now I know I'm committing a major blogger sin by not attributing where all the images came from, so for that I apologize. I usualyl just take screen shots when I see something I like and never take notes about where I got them. I can say, however, that these are some of my favorite blogs/stores/places to get ideas, and where many of these images came from:

• Net-a-porter: Where all of the white-backgrounded outfit shots are from. Totally out of my budget, but anytime I buy something I love and then don't know how to wear it, I find a similar-looking piece on Net-a-Porter and see how they styled it. Merchandising Gods over there, I tell ya.
• Wear it Both Ways: A newer blog that I think is adorable. Features a guy and a girl who pick a theme for their daily outfits, and each wear the trend in their own way. 
• Atlantic-Pacific: Everyone's gone batshit crazy for this girl. She's totally revolutionized the idea of being fashionably preppy in the blog world, where for the past few years everyone's been a little too obsessed with being overly weird and different. Not really my style. 
• The Glamourai: Aside from her great style, I die whenever she posts pictures of her apartment. It makes me want to move out of my mom's house (...) asap and start decorating.
• Sterling Style: Another fresh-faced prepster that I love.
• Gapeteria: I'm not really a Gap person (other than their workout pants and black pants collection) but I love the street style they post on their blog. Always some great ideas in there.

Confidence Builders

“Just wait until you’re in your 20s,” my mother told me when I was in high school, sobbing on the couch because, I don’t know, I ran out of cell phone minutes. “Life is great when you’re older – you’re more comfortable with who you are.” It doesn’t take much to be more confident now than I was at age 16 – for one thing, my hair is no longer a mousy, dirty blonde and I’ve since invested in a teasing comb and hairspray – but I’m not yet convinced this is the age when I reach the pinnacle of self-esteem.

While I’m certainly having plenty of fun in my 20s (God bless an age where it’s acceptable to go to sleep – not wake up – at 6 a.m.) I’d argue that it’s quite possibly one of the most insecure times of my life. I’m forever in the midst of a vicious cycle of uncertainty. Just when I think I’m pretty great, I question what my strengths and weaknesses are and wonder What the hell am I supposed to be doing with my life? Trying to find a job is kind of like waiting for some guy to call. Except when an employer doesn’t call, it’s worse. Because, you know, there’s money involved. And I kind of have this BCBG skirt that I need to be able to afford some time in the near future because it’s really bangin’.

Anyways, despite my plaguing insecurity, there are a few things I can wear no matter what and feel infinitely more confident. They are as follows:

-American Apparel pencil skirts: Instantly slimming, super comfortable, wearable in a million different ways. I literally wear one of these almost every single day. Paired with a racerback tank top, just about the only thing I wear at night in the summer.

-Aviator sunglasses: I stick with oversized, men’s iterations of the classic shades and love the way they add a splash of gleam to any otherwise-matte-daytime ensemble.

-Blazers: Probably my favorite article of clothing of all time, I collect them in all cuts and colors. It’s nice that they’re trendy right now so I can stock up for pretty reasonable prices.

-Chain necklaces: I never feel comfortable in anything too overtly feminine, so I throw them on over everything for a dose of edge.