Written by Reagan Roper

Being a fashion design/merchandising major, how I represent myself and how I feel in my own style is important to me. Also, with the upcoming theme of Sartorial Magazine being ‘The Magazine We Needed Growing Up,’ I wanted to share with people of all ages how to be confident in a style that is all theirs. I know that younger people deal with not being able to wear what they actually want, which can be the case for people in all phases of life. The first step to truly becoming confident in your own style, is to find things that you actually want to wear. Keep in mind that it takes time to find your style and it’s not something that will happen overnight. 

Personally, I didn’t start wearing clothes that I actually wanted to wear until my first year of college because I was afraid of what people would think or say. I’m still trying to find confidence in a lot of things I wear — I’ve still got a ways to go. However, sometimes our culture glorifies a lackadaisical attitude in various aspects of life. In the realm of style, the “just rolled out of bed” look can be amazing, comfortable and cute.  Some people prefer to dress that way because that’s what they feel best in. But keep in mind that it’s okay to look like you put effort.   It’s okay to care about what you look like. I know that when I try hard to put my outfit together and I do my hair and makeup, I feel amazing and it sets up my day to be positive and productive. However, just because you put a lot of effort into your outfit does not mean that beauty has to be pain. The phrase “beauty is pain” is very common and has been used a lot throughout my lifetime, but the fact is, you don’t have to be in pain or uncomfortable to be beautiful. If you want to wear sweatpants and no makeup everyday then go for it. If you want to wear a dress and heels everyday then go for it! Just remember that it’s whatever you feel best in. The key to self-confidence is making sure you are comfortable in what you are wearing.

Sometimes it’s hard to find your style. I figured out that the best way I find something that I like is looking through Pinterest and Instagram and making mood boards of things that catch my eye. Magazines are also a great way to find inspiration but social media like Pinterest can be ideal . When you’re looking at social media for style inspiration, be sure that you are looking at the actual outfit and not who’s wearing it. It’s easy to look at someone who’s wearing what you like and think, “They look good in it but I won’t.” Many of us get caught up in wanting to look a certain way, but when you take time to separate the outfit from the person, you can really figure out what you like and what you would want to wear. 

The next step to finding your style is knowing how to shop for clothes. Once you have your mood board, pick out a few pieces you think you would wear a lot or that would be staple to your wardrobe. When I shop and I see something that I like, I think to myself, “Will this go with something that I already own?” This prevents me from buying clothes on impulse and it saves me money. Your wardrobe also doesn’t have to be expensive, secondhand shopping is a great way to find affordable used clothing. 

Having confidence is easier said than done and it takes time to not care about what others think of you. Everyone has different opinions and not everyone will like how you express yourself, but keep in mind that as long as you feel good, that’s all that matters. If you’re still having trouble with others’ opinions of you, try easing yourself into your style. One week try wearing a shirt that you wouldn’t normally wear but keep the rest of your body in something that people are used to seeing you in. Then the next week or month, however long you need, try changing your shoes or pants into pieces that you really love but wouldn’t normally wear. Eventually, you’ll be comfortable enough to dress yourself in whatever you please, and you won’t care if it’s popular or if others like it. I know growing up it’s easy to wear what’s popular because you want to fit in, but remember that fashion is being able to stand out and wear what others wouldn’t. Yet, if you love wearing popular trends, go for it! At the end of the day, it only matters what you think and how you feel. I hope that this article can be a start to the magazine that we all needed growing up and I hope that I helped someone find more confidence to wear what they please.