Embrace Your Fashion Mishaps; They’re Lessons

*Collaborative Post

The fashion industry is perceived as a liberating world that encourages people to express their personality through the means of clothes and accessories. From playful to professional, you can play a variety of characters depending on the outfits you choose to wear.

However, don’t be fooled by the apparent freedom you can gain from fashion. Fashion is only liberating if you do it right. Otherwise, you might struggle to convey the right message through your outfit. Consequently, fashion faux-pas, mishaps, and mistakes are commonly pointed out. Many enthusiastic fashionistas feel somehow limited by the fear of criticism. The truth is that you don’t want people to comment negatively on your look. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t let your fear of fashion failure – the infamous FFF – hold you from exploring the infinite possibilities of clothes. Every mistake you make is a lesson you can learn to improve your style. Nobody knows what works for them without testing. Trial and error is the quickest path to creating a look that is unique and engaging.

However, you’re not entirely on your own when it comes to experimenting with your clothes. This article highlights for you the most common mistakes and how to fix them.

Being fashionably yourself is an art

Lesson #1: Don’t buy from a picture

Nowadays, eCommerce makes everything available in a matter of clicks. The digital technology has revolutionized fashion shopping, so much in fact that a large number of shoppers prefer to shop online instead of trying their outfits on in the store. Consequently, you need to rely entirely on what you see on the website or the app, a.k.a. pictures. This is where you’re likely to encounter you first stumble. Indeed, most clothes never look quite the same than in the fashion photos, like the lighting, and screen resolution can dramatically affect the result. Additionally, many enthusiastic shoppers are convinced into purchasing an item on the basis of the photo. However, just because the outfit looks good on the model it doesn’t mean that it will suit your figure. A great example of this typical faux-pas is when it comes to buying stripes. While vertical stripes might look good on a model – who’s ultimately paid to achieve and maintain a thin figure – they’re unflattering for a curvy body.

Lesson #2: DIY screws up will happen

Creating your own sense of fashion means taking risks, and, more often than not, building it up as you go. When you’re surrounded by DIY and craft articles that teach you how to personalize your clothes, it’s fair to say that you might be tempted, one day, to give it a go. As a rule of the thumb, you should take time to familiarize yourself with the instructions and the products you’ve chosen to use. If you’re sewing a skirt — you can find plenty of beginner-friendly patterns online –, for instance, it’s a good idea to sew a first version using cheap fabric to make sure you can avoid costly mistakes. Similarly, if you’ve chosen to add a creative vinyl transfer to your top, it can be helpful to watch a few tutorial videos to avoid looking up how to remove iron-on vinyl because you’ve put it backwards on the fabric, for instance. The thing about DIY is that you will make mistakes as you go. But preparation can prevent many accidents.

Lesson #3: That dress makes you look sick

On the coat-hanger, the dress looked fabulous. But on you, somehow, it doesn’t quite meet your expectations. When the shape is right for your body, the next big issues that women need to learn to tackle effectively is understanding the power of colours. Indeed, dressing for your skin tone is a delicate art that can make or break your outfit. Picking the wrong colour for your skin can make you look tired or even sickeningly pale depending on the clothes you’re wearing. Consequently, you need to define explicitly which skin tone category you fall into between warm, cool and neutral. This will guarantee you can pick shades that work for you and gives you an instant shot of radiance. Warm tones tend to have a golden or greenish – olive – skin complexion. Their hair ranges naturally from dark brown to dark blonde. Their go-to colours consist of orange, red, warm green and deep turquoise. However, if you’re cool, you should avoid these shades and focus on bright blue, lavender and ruby.

Lesson #4: Your shoes hurt too much

Do beautiful shoes have to cause you pain? Despite the fashion statement that you need to suffer to be pretty, in reality, if your shoes are hurting your feet, then you’re doing something wrong. Consequently, you need to focus your attention on important details to make sure you’re avoiding unhealthy shoe mistakes. Start with the basics. Knowing your shoe size doesn’t help. You need to get your feet measured regularly, especially because they can change over time. Additionally, you need to pick shoes that can support your arches – whether low or high – meaning that a chat with a podiatrist can significantly improve your shoe pains.

Lesson #5: Quit buying clothes that are too tight

It might be tempting to buy tight-fitted garments, or even uncomfortably tight clothes if you’re trying to lose weight. The idea is that your outfit is designed to act as motivation to keep you focused on your goal. However, wearing clothes that are too tight for you can lead to health issues. Additionally, your motivational purchase can backfire dramatically. Indeed, it’s best to go with an outfit that works for your current body instead of punishing yourself without something painful.

Lesson #6: You are following every single trend

Last, but not least, it’s difficult to resist the urge to purchase every new fashion trend. However, you need to remember that fashion acts as an extension of your personality. When you follow the trends a little too closely, you risk losing your unique style for a ready-made outfit. Ultimately, following the trends can destroy who you are.

Don’t be afraid to take risks and experiment with fashion. Your outfits are the expression of who you are. Consequently, you need to learn how to speak the fashion language first, and making mistakes is, after all, the best learning process.

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.