Audrey's Cardinal Rules for Dressing Yourself
It's absolutely no secret that I have a love for clothes, shoes and dressing myself. While I wouldn't necessarily call myself a "fashionista", my 4-year-old self would like to disagree. My 4-year-old self had it's off days wearing stretch pants and turtlenecks (which was nearly everyday), other days included bikini tops with fur coats, left unbuttoned, in the middle of winter. (Mom, I would like to apologize for all the dirty looks you received at Target for letting your daughter "leave the house dressed like that" as you know you wouldn't win the fight against me to change). I'd go into more details of my outfits, but as you know, pictures speak louder than words, so enjoy these.
*no pictured: Audrey in homemade "wedding dress" made from white long sleeve shirt with white tulle sewn to the bottom of it paired with frilly socks and black patent leather boots and a signature pout and pose*
Moving on to present day - I have a habit of sharing my outfit of the day (ootd) with all my followers on twitter not only to express my love for outfits and to share my ideas to spark ideas
for others, but also because I like keeping inventory for outfits that I wear. It's fun going back to my sophomore and junior year and see how my style has changed. Below are four of my favorites from the many many ootd's I post. However, I'm still waiting on the professional photographer and hair and makeup artist to join my team.
That being said, I've been asked by lots of people how I manage to "look cute" everyday. So without further ado- I would like to share with you all my Cardinal rules.
Audrey's Cardinal Rules for Dressing Yourself
First things first, the theme these rules fall under is the three C's: "Cute, Comfortable, Convertible" meaning to make sure you look/feel cute (obviously!), know that it's not worth it if you're not comfortable, and lastly make sure your articles of clothing can used in multiple different outfits. Now let's go into detail.
1. THRIFT. THRIFT. THRIFT. - I cannot express how essential thrift stores are to my wardrobe. I am not exaggerating when I say that 75% of my clothing and shoes come from second hand shops. It doesn't happen overnight, but thrift stores have so much to offer. Some items are perfect as is, others are little projects to work on. Shop at them with an open mind and imagine what the pieces will look like after you are finished with them. Also, don't limit yourself to your gender section, after working at a thrift store, I've learned that some of the best finds can be from the mens or children's section. The photos below are outfits I've put together head to toe from the thrift store, including a vintage coach satchel I scored for $15.
2. Make sure your articles of clothing have the "dress-up, dress-down" option. I like to pair up the unpredictables to make more interesting outfits and add more options to my closet. This sometimes means pairing black nikes with a black t-shirt dress and adding a bagging t-shirt with a tight skirt, tights, and heeled boots to dress up casual pieces and sometimes I put a tailored blazer with distressed boyfriend jeans to dress down something typically more formal.
3. Never leave the house unless you're prepared to be "spotted!" by the paparazzi. If you are alright with being seen in bleached stained sweatpants and yesterdays makeup, then you are still set to leave the house.
4. Your mother's wardrobe is your best friend. Especially if you guys are similar in sizes. I have history with making fun of some my mothers clothes and the outfits she once wore. This was a mistake because the outfits I once made fun of are now some of the hottest trends today, and she now has the last laugh when I partake in them. I constantly find myself stealing some of my moms flannels, sweaters, turtlenecks, and booties. But in my defense, she steals plenty of my clothes too?
5. Plan ahead and know how you're going to be spending the day and what the weather is going to be like. If I am in classes all day, I typically avoid dresses and skirts and lean more towards leggings and big sweaters, clothes that don't involve lots of adjusting. It is 160% possible to look cute while still being comfortable.
The list could go on and on for all the rules (more like tips) I have for dressing yourself, but I suppose after a certain point, they stop being "Cardinal rules" if the rules become as vague as "rule 245. Never be afraid of stripes". Do not fret though, I've only touched the surface of more fashion related blog posts. So I hope you enjoyed this one.
XOXO
Audrey
