I have a love and hate relationship with the many sartorial aesthetics I'm drawn to.
Ballerina-core? Ugh, give me the leg warmers and cashmere shrugs.
Academia? You already know my love of that from this post.
I'm intrigued by the preppy styles, the 90s styles, the cottage core. The problem is that in all these styles I often lose my own sense of style in order to fit an aesthetic. Traveling always gives me a new appreciation for fashion. Not only am I inspired by a whole new country's style I'm also limited by the items I've brought with me in my suitcase calling for creative solutions to style situations.
One thing going to England reminded me was my love of the classic, elegant styles. The photo above sums up my revived personal style very well – a classic-styled dress that fits perfectly, in a neutral color that can be worn in so many situations – from garden strolls to 9 course dinners. I felt like myself more than ever in that dress (a dress that coincidentally I bought in a boutique in Shoreditch the day before).
And it's not just about new clothing, it's about looking at my own pieces and remembering why I bought them in the first place and how I'm now comfortable styling them in order to go back to my core personal style.
If you too get slight fashion ADHD when it comes to styles and aesthetics, but then wind up forgetting what actually makes you comfortable and confident, you're doing yourself a disservice to fit a trend.
I've rounded up a few elegant fall outfits for 2022 below if you're interested in simplifying and going back to a style rooted less in the trends or aesthetics of the day and more in beautiful classic pieces, this might give you a bit of inspiration.
