Being that these next two months is about The Secrets of Stylists, I was so fortunate to come across InStyle Magazine’s feature, “The Big Buy Theory”. I found this feature useful because it offers a classification system for the types of ways to approach buying ones clothes. In my fashion, if you are out shopping and finding it hard to find an outfit for a particular event, or just looking for clothes that suit your style, I thought this was an accurate theory of which to base ones decisions off of. Styling the mannequins at Forever 21 this past month, I find I have to put myself in the mindset of the customers who are looking to buy from the store. Forever 21 has a huge selection, and is a treasure trove of clothes for any look, and what I have heard from customers is that they have a bit of trouble sifting through all the merchandise. If you are familiar with Forever 21, you will know that Forever tries to make it easy by coordinating different rooms for different types of girls (i.e. Girly Girl, Grungy Girl, Now Girl, Bohemian Girl, etc.). Based on the selection of clothes each room has, I have to think about what each particular girl would want to wear and present an innovative and inspiring look that entices customers to consider particular pieces to buy. I enjoy showing the ways in which to wear pieces that one might not think to combine together, and in my fashion, no matter what type of girl you happen to classify yourself as, “The Big Buy Theory” applies to each girl and how to approach selecting one’s clothes at the store.
Now, as we all know, the Fall 2014 collections were shown last month, and I have reviewed the collections! This season I wanted to approach reviewing the collections with “The Big Buy Theory” in mind. For those of you looking for inspiration on your next shopping excursion, what I have done here on #IMFblog is chosen designers that I find exemplify each classification of “The Big Buy Theory” and presented my picks of looks worth imitating if you are looking to create a modern, innovative look for yourself the next time you are out shopping. Along with my runway choices, I have reprinted each of “The Big Buy Theory” classification descriptions and InStyle’s suggestions for how to shop based on what you classify yourself as. In my fashion, I find that there maybe a little of each of the four classifications in all of us, but there is probably one of which we tend to gravitate towards the most which make us feel most comfortable in our sartorial journey. If you find that you are a generally a “Trend Spotter”, and want to appear more “Minimalist” use InStyle’s guide to help you put yourself in the mindset of how a Minimalist would find clothes. If you are a “Investor” and want to boost the impact of your look by thinking as an “Accessory Maven” would, there is a bevy of advice to consider from “The Big Buy Theory”. Regardless of what type of girl you think of yourself as, whether you are a punk rocker, athlete, or business professional, each girl can benefit from approaching buying clothes thinking about which classification to approach buying the pieces to complete a look. Hopefully the runway looks I chose help you to create new looks for yourself that keep you current and forward thinking for the coming season.
The Accessories Maven
Moschino, Chanel, Anna Sui
Your wardrobe is oh-so fabulous, but it’s in the jewelry, bag, belt, and shoe departments where you truly excel. You have an uncanny knack for coupling the mirrored glint on the toe of a stiletto with the hardware on a leather cuff. Whether it’s with a dainty pendant or a bold bib necklace, you can transform even the simplest T-shirt into a look worth imitating.
Alexander Wang, Burberry, Rick Owens
Why its easy: Your style arsenal has countless variations.
Balmain, Dolce & Gabanna, Chanel
Why it’s tricky: Piling it on can rapidly devolve into gaudiness.
Rick Owens, Alexander Wang, Burberry
The Goal: Adding depth to an ensemble with signature flourishes.
Moschino, Anna Sui, Chanel
Plan of Attack:
COLLECT A HIGH/LOW MIX ACCORDING TO YOUR BUDGET AND HABITS: If you love sunglasses or first-knuckle rings but tend to loose them, find ones at a lower price. Splurge on, say, an Herve Van der Straeten gold cuff, but skimp on anything that may go missing quickly.
Burberry, Dolce & Gabanna, Balmain
GRAB THAT AU COURANT EXTRA IN YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT FOR LIFE: If you lust after a Celine choker and can envision 300 magical things in your closet to wear with it, but it. Do so decisively since certain signature pieces never go on sale and rarely devalue. However…
Chanel, Rick Owens, Anna Sui
MAKE YOUR MONEY COUNT: The more expensive the article, the more wearable it should be. Be realistic about how long an It bag wil be “it” for you.
Moschino, Alexander Wang, Dolce & Gabanna
LEARN TO LOVE ORGANIZATION: Try a free app like Closet+ to track purchases in a virtual closet that also notes when things were last worn, making it easy to edit out what you no longer wear. For purses and shoes, keep them as pristine as possible. Muji (muji.us) has low-priced cotton-linen storage boxes that zip closed to keep items dust-free. “I keep accessories in the original packaging so I can sell them on consignment,” Says beauty director Kahlana Barfield. That fastidiousness will mean a higher resale value when you’re ready to let it go.
Anna Sui, Burberry, Rick Owens
Websites to check out:
Balmain, Moschino, Dolce & Gabanna
LATEST REVIVAL: latestrevival.com – A killer collection of investment-worthy estate jewels.
PAIRE: paire.us – The place for statement-making avant-garde brands.
CHARMING CHARLIE: charmingcharlie.com – Head here for fun, colorful, and inexpensive finds.
SELIMA OPTIQUE: selimaoptique.com – A huge selection of sunglasses to suit every whim.
