How I Found My Personal Style

My personal style has changed a lot over the years, I feel like my old self was barely recognisable and I look at photos from even only a few years ago and think 'WHAT THE HELL WHERE YOU THINKING CAITLIN'. I'm sure we are all guilty of going through stages of wearing things that were on trend yet didn't suit you at all, and being honest you didn't particularly like either. I put my hand up to that unfortunately. However I have finally found my style and I am so effing happy about it. It's taken time and patience and a lot of mistakes but I feel like I am a happier Caitlin in that I dress for me and my personality. I'm bubbly and a little bit weird so it only seemed right that my dress sense matched...correct? I definitely think so! 

But just what was it that helped me get here...

Confidence:

Confidence is bloody key, I'm not going to lie. Having the confidence to turn up in an outfit that you put together and feel totally yourself and happy in isn't always as easy as it sounds and It's taken me a lot of time and effort to get to where I am today in terms of my style and feeling good in the way I dress. Confidence was something I never struggled with hugely but still that voice in the back of my mind telling me people wouldn't like my outfit or to wear something less bold always seemed to win in the past. Wanting to fit in seems easier than admitting you are different and wanting to be seen differently to others. Yes I've worn things that I felt completely in love with and had people turn their noses up at me, or make remarks that yes I took as 'banter' but deep down knew were serious. It's as if society wants you to dress accordingly, follow suit and never have fun and play around with your style. But to me that's boring and with time and more confidence I now dress just how I've always wanted to, colourful and bold. 

Trial and error:

Nobody get's an outfit right first time. I'm sure even the biggest bloggers in the world take a few attempts to get the perfect outfit and play around with styles and colours in order to get those insta-worthy shots. For me trial and error is just what is needed to find the perfect outfit. You can have vision but sometimes that vision doesn't translate into the outfit, so you have to play around with accessories, shoes, tees etc, etc in order to find out what works best for you and what you feel most yourself and comfortable in. I look back at my school days and god I think I took trial and error a little too far, wearing things that really I should have left in my wardrobe...or just at the shop! Now I find it easy (most of the time) to know what works with what and how to style each piece in my wardrobe. and that has been all down to trial and error.

Inspiration:

I am constantly inspired by different bloggers, photographs, places and sometimes something as simple as a colour of an object. I have always been the type of girl to feel inspired, creating scrapbooks and wall collages since a young age. I like to collect images of everything that inspires me so that on days I am feeling a little lost I can look to a book or a wall for that little bit of inspiration.

The moments I feel the most inspired is when I am abroad or in London. There's something about being away from home and being somewhere that oozes art and creative flare that inspires me. The style is more out there and free willed than my home town which makes me want to dress more daring and be completely myself. You feel less judgement when you are in a city or somewhere that isn't your home town.

There are so many bloggers that inspire me with my style. There are bloggers like Megan Ellaby and Holly White who inspire me to dress and live colourfully and to be unafraid of what I wear. There are bloggers like Lucy Williams and Lizzy Hadfield who inspire me with casual dressing. Then there is Courtney Trop, Carmen Hamilton, Taylr Anne, Chloe Plumstead, Karina Woodburn and many more who also inspire me on the daily.

At the minute I am inspired by everything yellow, red and pink as I know a lot of you are. I think having a few go-to colours that you enjoy wearing is a step towards finding your personal style. You feel most yourself in them and find them easy colours to style and play around with. 

I am so inspired by photographs. Constantly on tumblr and pinterest to find photos that make me feel a certain way. Street Style photography is a major thing that inspires me and is something I've loved for years. Seeing the off catwalk looks being made into ready-to-wear outfits is something I LOVE! I also love editorials from magazines and how daring and out there the outfits in the photos can be.

Not Giving a fuck:

I'd honestly be lying if I said I cared about anyone's opinions on my style. I used to always care what people would think of what I wore, scared to wear anything that would get heads turning, now I just put on what I want, smile and head out the door. It's so refreshing the point you stop caring about peoples opinions on your dress sense and start wearing clothes for you. I go out my comfort zone quite a lot with fashion and enjoy doing so, but having the right mind set and attitude to do so has taken some time and I am just so happy I've finally go to the stage I no longer look to other people for approval of what I wear. If you like something wear it and be proud of the way that you dress, because that's the new motto I'm going to live by when it comes to my style!

MY PERSONAL STYLE PICKS:

What I'm Wearing:

Jacket: H&M
T-Shirt: Asos
Trousers: River Island
Shoes: Office *similar
Necklace: Accessorize 
Earrings: Topshop *similar

Photos by Katherine Mcmorran:

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