Fashion Resolutions in the New Year

A new year can be seen as a clean slate; tabula rasa. It is a chance to reevaluate your life and make changes for the better. If last year wasn’t your year, this year will be your year. In 2012, we gals embraced such trends as crop tops, lace and translucent maxi skirts. The boys donned colorful chino pants, Henley shirts and chunky cardigans. When I studied in Holland back in the fall, I saw all of these trends brought to life by the stylish Dutch populace zooming by on their bicycles. They were truly an inspiration as they all dressed to the nines, and in some cases high heels, biking in whatever weather Amsterdam happened to be having. For one of my fashion New Year’s resolutions, I will take a cue from the Dutch and try my best to look polished every day no matter what weather Tacoma will be experiencing. In the same spirit, I’ve compiled a list of other ways to start the New Year off right with regards to fashion.

 

Out with the old.

It will feel like a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders to dust off the cobwebs in your closet and get rid of clothes you haven’t worn in awhile. There are plenty of decent ways to go about this that even involve getting out there and enjoying Tacoma. You can see how much money you can get for your clothes at stores like UrbanXChange, Plato’s Closet, and Runway Fashion Exchange that accept gently used clothes during their buying hours. If you’re looking for an easy out, wash all of your give-aways and take them to your local Goodwill or Value Village. And if your clothes are pretty dang cool, you can use websites like Etsy or Ebay to sell your items at the price of your choosing.

 

Save money by going thrifty.

I’ll say it: thrift stores are where racks and racks of chaos meet weird smells. They repel me because I just don’t know where to start and the ratio of ugly sweaters to possible decent items is quite discouraging, if you can overcome these setbacks, the rewards can be great. Spend the time and patience going through every rack and you may find something to your liking. And for tops, it really doesn’t even matter what size you look at because some stuff looks good large and some stuff looks good small. Hopefully forgoing the used shoe section, a savvy shopper can leave a thrift store with a decent outfit totaling $25 or less.

 

Dust off that risky item.

We all have that item that we bought in a moment of sheer excitement and dare, but yet we have never worn. When will it be teal eyeliner day? How about that cool fedora that’s been neglected since its purchase? Granted it hasn’t aged past its prime (pink eye is a cruel mistress) let’s make it a teal eyeliner day every week.

 

Wear less black!

We all know how easy it is to throw on all black especially when time is of the essence. But I have found that the less black articles of clothing I wore, the more thoughtful my outfit looked. The New Year is all about varied textures and hues, rather than the absence of all colors. The more colors you wear, the better.

 

Introduce some new trends to your wardrobe.

For the ladies, peplum tops and dresses accentuate a feminine silhouette. Pieces like denim shirts and slim fit trousers and materials like faux fur and velvet are new trends that add complexity to your outfits. Applications like studs and spikes are also fun to adorn our collars and purses with. Guys should start finding their staples such as pullover sweaters, anything in the color navy, and key leather pieces. Both sexes can wear bold stripes, exotic prints and textures and the color oxblood. 2013 offers many new trends to be tried out that go well with past trends too.

 

Last but not least, stand out.

The world admires those who do their own thing and are not afraid to be admired. Branch out of your comfort zone and have fun with what you wear. Many things are out of our control in life. This is one aspect of getting ready in the morning that can make a long work or school day more enjoyable. As if Pinterest isn’t highly trafficked enough, let that site tickle your inspiration bone with all of their amazing outfit ideas for all seasons, occasions, and body shapes.

I hope these ideas help you ring in the New Year with your own personal style. How will you redefine yourself in 2013?