âFashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.â
COCO CHANEL
style by inspiration
Style is a tricky thing: everyone wants it, and few have it. Creating your own personalized version can be an expensive, time-consuming, what-was-I-thinking?-filled process that goes on for years. And if that wasnât enough, no matter how committed you are to the quest, great results are not guaranteed! Itâs enough to make anyone get annoyed, give up, and go buy a lifetime supply of uniforms, just to avoid having to make any more fashion choices!
But letâs assume, just for a moment, that you are up for a little self-discovery style adventure. No matter if youâre a total freshman who canât tell the difference between Marni and Mayle or the Chancellor of Fashion herself with a closetful of next seasonâs Balenciaga bags and vintage Philippe Chevallier sunglasses, everyone could use a little help along the way. Just think of us as your friendly tour guidesâsans pleat-front khakis, of courseâwho will help you learn how to become a better-dressed, more fashionable, style-savvy version of yourself.
Now, before we hit the metaphorical trail and start searching for that rare and covetable beastie, stylus personalusâotherwise known as personal styleâletâs discuss our game plan. Regardless of your budgetâs size or the current state of your closet, itâs important to do your research. Weâre not talking about cramming your brain full of fashion facts and statsâinstead, we want you to focus on the one simple thing that is the crux of every excellent outfit or admirable look: inspiration.
SECRET STYLE WEAPON:
inspiration boards
At the Who What Wear office, we have an entire wall thatâs dedicated to inspiration. Itâs a constantly changing hodgepodge of our favorite runway images, celeb photos, editorials torn from our beloved overseas magazines (Paris Vogue in particular), fabric swatches, album covers, movie stills (we love Hitchcock), ad campaigns, black-and-white photography, and product shots of yummy coats, hats, handbagsâwhatever! The oversized collage might seem random and crazy, but it actually displays everything and everyone who inspires us and informs our work on a daily basis. The wall is a shrine to fashion and our favorite tastemakersâso itâs is really quite fabulous looking and definitely adds an arty edge to the dĂ©corâbut at the end of the day, itâs just a really gigantic inspiration board.
People often pooh-pooh the inspiration board, as they associate it with the sort of scrapbook-style assemblages you make with your junior high pals, but we promise that itâs actually a powerful tool to help discover your personal style. Plus, by creating a mood board, youâll be in fine company: most fashion insiders, including designers and editors, make new ones each season. The board lets these stylesetters channel their creative energy in a concentrated, playful way and provides them with a risk-free environment to try new things and experiment.
We highly encourage you to create your own version at home, though of course you donât need to dedicate a whole wall to your board. If you donât have enough room for a regular bulletin board, or fear that it might look too juvenile, just use the backside of your closet door, or even the inside of your bathroom cabinet, instead. Perfectionists take note: your board shouldnât be pre-planned or something that needs to reflect your taste in twenty years. It doesnât need to be cohesive or have a clear direction; it just needs to appeal to you in some way. Even if your instincts seem ridiculousâwhere would you even wear that avant-garde dress?âif an image appeals to you, grab it!
Just think of this as a simple snapshot of your taste at this particular moment in your life. You know how a mix tape (aw, weâre dating ourselves) or playlist can conjure up a vibe or transport you to a specific moment? Your inspiration board should be similarly evocative and current.
hillaryâs board
katherineâs board
making your inspiration board
As for the actual nuts and bolts of assembling your inspiration board, there are only three things to keep in mind.
1
nothingâs off limits
As we keep saying, inspiration can come from anything and anywhere, so keep your eyes peeled for things that delight you. Fabrics, photos, magazines tears, and personal mementos are all great sources for mood board materials.
2
follow your instincts
Let your subconscious take over and guide your mood board selections. You donât have to understand why youâre pulling something for your mood board; you just have to find it interesting. If you pick things that spark an immediate reaction, youâre going to have an honest and revealing board.
3
embrace fantasy
The point of creating a mood board is to delve deep into your desires, so donât stop and analyze what youâre selecting. This is not the time to think about whether or not a particular silhouette would be flattering on your figure or if your accessories selections are in your budget, so just ignore those realities. Youâll have plenty of time to be practical later!
interpreting your board
Once youâve spent an afternoonâor an eonâcreating your inspiration board, what the heck does it all mean? Sometimes itâs easy to see a pattern. If youâre drawn to platform peep-toe pumps, fishnets, peekaboo bangs and pin curls, tap pants, and pictures of sultry stars like Veronica Lake, your style is very 1940s femme fatale.
Of course, not every board will showcase such a âpureâ look, which is certainly fine. Many of our favorite fashion icons blend a couple of different styles together to create their signature looks. If your board shows a seemingly incongruous mash-up of inspirations and youâre unsure about what it all means, donât freak out. Here are a few examples of boards that hopefully will help you understand the deep mysteries of your style!
board examples
1
on your board:
Strappy flat sandals, beaded accessories, fringe bags, vintage concert T-shirts, stills or posters from Festival Express and Velvet Goldmine, high-waisted jeans, oversized aviators, pictures of Anita Pallenberg circa 1969, paisley prints, metallic fabrics.
defining themes:
Earthy hippie-chick standards, glammed up with sexy rock ânâ roll elements.
translation:
Bohemian Rocker (think: Kate Hudson, Sienna Miller)
2
on your board:
Motorcycle boots, skinny jeans, latex leggings, a picture of Joan Jett on stage in the late seventies, images from Alexander Wangâs early runway shows, body-conscious dresses, bondage-influenced jewelry, little leather jackets.
defining themes:
Tomboy insouciance fused with sexy punk pieces.
translation:
Vicious Chic (think: Erin Wasson, Rihanna)
3
on your board:
Editorial shots from Bazaar in the forties (preferably by Richard Avedon), slinky pencil skirts, strong-shouldered blazers, leopard-print accessories, Joan Crawford in Humoresque, spike heels, patent clutches, petite hats.
defining themes:
Forties classics toughened up with eighties bombshell basics.
translation:
Hypercolor Heroine (think: Claudia Schiffer, Scarlett Johansson)
4
on your board:
Movie stills of Grace Kelly in Rear Window and Faye Dunaway in The Thomas Crown Affair, perfectly worn-in Leviâs 501 jeans, ballet flats, crisp white button-downs, simple column or Grecian dresses in solid colors, vintage brooches, ladylike clutches, racer-back tanks, Michael Kors and Narciso Rodriguez runway images.
defining themes:
Timeless silhouettes energized with a few sporty pieces.
translation:
Classic Americana (think: Katie Holmes, Reese Witherspoon)
5
on your board:
Clunky spectacles, APC jackets, wedge heels, long-strap shoulder bags or briefcase totes, Margot Tenenbaum, high-waisted wide-leg jeans, quirky colors, the Lisbon sisters in The Virgin Suicides, paparazzi shots of Michelle Williams, milkmaid braids, penny loafers.
defining themes:
Laid-back seventies style mixed with a dash of geek chic and French flair.
translation:
Subversive Prepster (think: Kirsten Dunst, Chloe Sevigny)
6
on your board:
Super-pointy stiletto heels, Balmain and Givenchy runway images, skinny black pants, kohl eyeliner and bare lips, tuxedo jackets, Alaia bondage belts, textured ankle boo...