Guest Blogger: Jessica Fulkerson O'Brien

guest blogging today by jessica fulkerson o’brien of “under construction”

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you know the phrases, “fake it ‘til you make it” or “dress not for the job you have, but for the job you want”? they recommend projecting an image of yourself beyond your current means, as a way to will that act into reality.

by acting or dressing a certain way, you almost change the reality of your situation. if you dress like a successful business woman, a trendy fashionista or a polished, pulled together mom – people will see you that way and treat you as such. is it that simple? no, of course not. but i truly believe finding and owning your own personal style can be transformative.

ask yourself… who are you? who do you want to become? what do you want people to think about you when they see you? is what you’re wearing now, reflecting who you are striving to be? dressing the part of your “dream you” instantly makes that dream become real, if even just in this very small way.

i’ll walk you through three ways to define and love your own personal style:

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1) pick your personal style words:
having a set of words helps you define your style and keeps you on track when shopping or assembling outfits. if you decide you want to be edgy, modern and bold, you may talk yourself down from reaching for ruffled, floral-print skirts, or visa versa.

they can be any words you like, but here are some to get you thinking: classic ▪ chic ▪ edgy ▪ modern ▪ trendy ▪ hip ▪ sexy ▪ powerful ▪ bold ▪ artsy ▪ unique ▪ quirky ▪ fun ▪ lively ▪ polished ▪ laidback ▪ downtown ▪ uptown ▪ cultured ▪ fearless ▪ preppy ▪ funky ▪ sweet ▪ elegant ▪ young ▪ ethnic ▪ beachy ▪ vintage ▪ sleek ▪ romantic  ▪ relaxed ▪ fabulous ▪ glitzy ▪ tailored ▪ comfortable ▪ bohemian ▪ relaxed ▪ sophisticated ▪ rough ▪ intelligent ▪

• pick your words.
• pick ones of not just who you are, but who you want to be.
• change them as your life changes.

2) see beyond the garment:
when shopping, either for new clothes or within your own closet, don’t let the original style of garment limit you. you have the power to style pieces to fit your personal style words. here’s an example of 2 pieces, done 3 totally different ways:




here, a button-down top and army green shorts simultaneously work for three styles that could be defined as: a. preppy, classic, refined; b. well-traveled, casual, beachy; and c. edgy, bold, downtown.

• don’t think you have to wear an item as intended.
• layer under, layer over and accessorize, to make a piece fit you.
• be empowered to shop any type of store. it’s the garment that matters, not the store’s overall style or ad campaign.

3) set the tone each season:
one of the best ways to keep your personal style goals in line as you transition through seasons is to create a goal “look” every few months. each season, i make a mood board on polyvore.com – a community website that allows you to pull images off the internet, then mix-and-match those in collage style templates.

my boards feature clothes i currently own paired with items i am shopping for, or even dream items (hello $1,105 purse)! do i end up buying or wearing half the stuff pictured? ha, I wish! what they do for me though is help me see new ways to wear old pieces and identify what gaps may be in my wardrobe. mostly, they’re fun and get me excited to get dressed. and we’re talking fashion here – isn’t that the point?!

• tear out magazine pages that inspire you.
• make a “shopping list” for the mall, just as you would for the grocery store.
• play around with polyvore.

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Jess,
I've admired your timeless style (not to mention your scrapbooking skills!) for years and years. Thanks so much for sharing these great tips with us. This is better than any fashion mag! :)
love, Amy