How to ROCK Your Style

Today I’m sharing five ways to ROCK your style! After years of struggling to find clothes that screamed “me”, I’m excited to  share some of the things I’ve learned with y’all. 

If you are anything like me, then you know what I mean when I say my wardrobe and clothing styles have changed drastically over the years. When I lived in South America, it was really too expensive to buy a lot of clothes (plus we wore a uniform at school), so I was never really “on my own” clothing wise until the last few years of my high school career. And it’s taken me the past eight years to finally figure out me. Not just who I am, but what my “style” is. It’s been a long road here, and I thought it would be fun to share some of the things I’ve learned along the way to hopefully help you ROCK your style.

How to ROCK Your Style 

1. Don’t get caught up with name brands

In high school, having the latest and greatest designer or store brand trend was, of course, the thing to do. I eyed all my classmates’ shoes, purses and jeans. I would save up all my hard-earned money just so I could buy one or two pieces of clothing from an “in” brand. And then I was always comparing what I was wearing with what my friends wore, and would end up feeling inferior. I struggled a lot with insecurity growing up, and hated that I was an “outcast” (in my mind) since I couldn’t afford things they bought. 
It took me a while, but I eventually realized that comparing myself to others and only wanting something that was from a specific store or designer was ridiculous. I was never happy, and honestly I don’t think I looked that great in the things I bought. I just got them because of where they were from, which is something I wish I could go back and change! 

If you only buy from specific stores or brands, all the power to you! But I just can’t do it anymore, and instead I look for things that are affordable (spending over $30 for a shirt or pair of pants hurts my heart a little), will last me a while, and that I look good in. Because honestly, who cares where you got it from if you look awesome in it! 

2. Go for quality, not quantity

When I entered college, I went to the other extreme and bought clothes on super sale. I’m talking hitting up used clothing stores, resale shops and cheap online websites. My wardrobe grew exponentially, but none of the things I owned were of very high quality or value, and I honestly didn’t love much of the things I owned. I was never happy with how I looked, which would lead to more shopping, more cheap clothes, and no more hangers in my closet. It was a scary time. ; )
If there’s one thing I learned from all of that nonsense, it’s that it’s more important to go for quality over quantity. I will admit, that you can find some pretty awesome stuff at used clothing stores (once I found a brand new Banana Republic sweater that I adored), but more times than not, I’d leave with a bunch of junk that I only wore once, then donated back. The things I did keep would end up frayed, torn, pilled (which is my biggest pet peeve about clothes!) or even worse, shrink, meaning I had to go back out and buy something to replace it. 

Now I look for items that will last, from brands that I trust, and that I know I will still love in 6 months. Because I’d rather have a small wardrobe of high quality items than a HUGE wardrobe of cheap things that won’t last a week. It can be an investment, especially if you’re used to $2 shirts like I was, but it’s worth it, I promise! 

3. Make sure you LOVE it

As my friend Brittany says, “if you don’t love it in the dressing room, you’re not going to love it at home”. Ever since she first told me that, I’ve played it on repeat in my mind every time I go shopping. I am SO bad about putting on an item, thinking “eh I guess it looks good”, buying it, then never wearing it because I never truly loved it. I’ve also fallen prey to “well… it’s what everyone else is wearing”, which is great if that “everything else” looks awesome on every body. But it doesn’t, and I’ve come to terms with the fact that crop tops, low rise pants, short shorts and midi skirts just don’t look good on me. No matter how many times I try them on at a store, they still won’t look good! 

Instead, I’ve found things I am comfortable in and absolutely love. Dresses are my go-to choice nowadays, I have a huge scarf collection (just ask my husband!), and you will probably never see me in jeans (they are the bane of my existence). I know which styles flatter me the most, and stay away from items I know I will never wear outside of the store. Because why waste your money and time buying items you will never wear?

4. Remember that beauty starts on the inside

It took me a while, and I know it’s mostly by God’s grace and the patience of my sweet (then) boyfriend, Isaac, but I slowly came to realize that my clothes didn’t define me. I didn’t have to have the newest, latest stuff. And that what really matters is what’s on the inside (the fact that Isaac can tell me I’m beautiful first thing in the morning is testament to that!).

What I’m trying to say is that self-confidence does not come from wearing the latest fashions or coolest designers. It doesn’t come from having new outfits all the time. It starts with accepting who YOU are (not who you want to be or who your friends say you are), and realizing that there is so much more to you than your outward appearance. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE shopping for new clothes, but that is only skin deep. For so long I covered myself up with clothes, makeup, hairspray and other shallow things. I was only focused on the materialistic, and that in turn made me unhappy and ungrateful for the things I had. I forgot that I am so much more than that! I am a child of God, and I am beautiful, no matter what I wear or how I look. That is the beauty that truly matters, and it changes my entire outlook on life and, you guessed it, the clothes I wear. 

5. Just be YOU

This may seem obvious, but it’s SO important! The key to rocking your style is to simply be you. When I stopped trying to imitate the outfits I saw on my friends, or what I thought was “in”, was when I found my style. I feel confident and awesome in my clothes because they scream me. It may not be what other people would wear, but I love it and I like being different. When I began buying clothes I love love love, I felt awesome, because I knew I was being me, not what fashion was telling me I needed to be. I was happier, my wallet was happier, and I loved the way I felt in my clothes.

So for my very first official outfit of the day (OOTD) post, I’m sharing one of my favorite workout outfits with y’all! Since I have a half marathon coming up, and I have a special place in my heart (and wardrobe) for workout clothes, I knew this would be fitting.
This outfit is one of my absolute favorite workout outfits. The leggings are from Fabletics (shout out to Kate Hudson, y’all!). If you have never heard of Fabletics, then girl you don’t know what you’ve been missing out on! That store is ah-ma-zing. Not only do they periodically have some AWESOME deals (like 2 leggings for $24), but it’s also some of the highest quality, most comfortable workout attire I’ve ever worn. And it doesn’t help that everything is so freaking adorable. The leggings are my new favorite things, because they are stretchy, stay in place and the waist is SO high. One of the things I hate the most when running is having to pull my pants up every few steps. But with these bad boys on, I don’t have to worry about that at all, AND I look awesome out there. Win-win!

The pullover is one of my Amazon finds (they literally have EVERYTHING), and I have worn it every day since it arrived. The material is so super soft, it’s not too clingy, and it’s perfect for layering. My only piece of advice is to order big. And I mean BIG. After reading a bunch of reviews, I decided to order a XXL (I normally wear a medium) and I’m glad I did. It fit like a large, which was the fit I was going for… I’m all about the loose and flowy workout tops!

Shop the look: Pullover | Leggings | Socks

Now it’s your turn to talk! Answer one of these questions in the comments below:
How do you rock your style?
Would you like to see more OOTD posts here?