🍦The Key to Your Style? Literal vs Figurative Details
There are two camps of style lovers in this world: people who think style is simple and classic, and people who think style is bold and wild. I personally don’t think good style sits in either place; it’s about authenticity. Someone wearing jeans and a jumper may or may not be incredibly stylish, it’s about what the outfit says about them. I can usually tell if someone has good style by one or two unexpected details. Most people are not one note, most of us are not “French Parisian” or “gothic punk glam” every day, and in truth I wouldn’t find either one inherently interesting. The most interesting outfits are the ones where they don’t necessarily commit to the bit, where one or two things pull from different influences - this is the key to their style because its the unique, personal element of a style that already exists. This question of authenticity is at the heart of today’s newsletter topics. Enjoy!
What you will learn today…
👈 Style Framework: Literal vs Figurative Styles
👖 Why Gen Z are no better dressed that millennials
🌈 How can you wear styles outside of your lines?
Framework: Literal vs Figurative Styles
Are literal or figurative details more stylish? I once saw an argument that figurative styles are much more classy than literal ones, for example, in your home it would be better to have a nautical inspired colour palette, textures and patterns rather than literal nautical motifs such as anchors and boats. Although I don’t agree with the implication that classic is inherently better, I do think this framing is a helpful one with the kind of direction you might want to take your style
Literal
Literal styles are best for people with the “sun” style root. The whimsical, architectural and playful element of this style root makes literal styles appealing. If you want to add the eccentric, unique feel of the sun style root, some literal details are a simple way to create this effect For example
heart shaped handbag
floral print
stars, planets and moons
tropical prints
star sunglasses
anchor print
food prints or food-shaped accessories e.g. ice cream bag
eyes or hand prints
artistic landscapes
trees or leaves
animal print
childlike motifs e.g. unicorns, fairies
Figurative
If you would like a more subtle, simple and timeless style but pull in some of the themes and aesthetics of the literal details, let’s break apart how you might do that using the examples above
Ice cream bag
Colour - the ice cream bag is a literal representation of the youthful, girlish elements of the flower style root. You could make an outfit from creams, whites, soft reds and pinks.
Shape - you could echo the soft waves of the ice cream through wave silhouettes in your outfit
Fruit pattern
Colour - you could be inspired by the neon pops of tropical colour inspired by oranges, mangoes and kiwis to create a fun and playful outfit
Stars, planets and moons
Texture - take the metallic elements of the stars and moons and translate it into a metallic fabric
Why Gen Z are no better dressed than Millenials
I am getting quite tired of the rhetoric that Gen Z are so much better dressed than millennials. As someone who is Gen Z, I too am somewhat traumatised by seeing everyone in my year in 2015 wearing pleather jackets and skinny jeans, but I think this story that all millennials are stuck in the mid 2010s is just inaccurate. A lot of this messaging is coming from the assumption that today’s style is inherently better than the style of yesterday-year. I think many assume that our collective sense of style is slowly improving across time, that decade by decade we get better at style and everything from the past is bad. I don’t believe this is the case.
Firstly, the quality of most clothes made today are terrible quality. An average top in the 1990s from the high street was better made at the same proportional price than any top made today. Secondly, although it is true that there are subsects of this generation that love shopping secondhand, that are interested in curating personal style, there is a huge percentage of gen z that is over consuming from fast fashion websites like Shein to keep up with what everyone else is wearing. Much of our generation is also too afraid to dress outside the standard or too scared to look like they care (Alexa play sincerity is scary by the 1975). So, no, our generation does not inherently have better style, we just might be better at picking up on what’s trendy right now.
The truth is, the trends which I hate from the 2010s like galaxy print and plastic chokers I also disliked then. It’s not that they are from the past that they are bad, its just that they were never for me - but for some people they would be great choices whether you found yourself in 2016 or 2024. Whether you are pulling inspiration from silhouettes that were popular in the 2010s, 1990s, 1950s or 2020s, you will find good and bad things, or in other words, things you do or do not like. There are more important elements to your style than looking “current” not “outdated”.
WEEKLY CURATION
🌗 YouTube - Midnight’s does not deserve album of the year. Here’s why by the swiftologist | I love to be challenged, and I love Taylor Swift which made this a great video for me. I love criticism from fans as I think it’s the most accurate and the most interesting as you get beyond the surface level. Such a great essay!
💗 Reels - @gracetutty | Grace makes really fun body positive content. She also has scoliosis like me, and its so refreshing to see someone celebrate their real body, especially in the face of trolls
🌸 Reels - realistic style advice by @alwaysdressbest | This is such an exciting account, this girl gives style advice using the real clothes in her wardrobe which aren’t perfect influencer style clothes. Some of them are dated, some of them aren’t expensive, but she shows how anybody can improve their style through simple tricks
🛋️ Reels - be an intentional observer by @hansloreidesign | I think this is amazing advice for fashion as much as interior design. Taking time to think about why you like the things you like and breaking apart your inspiration to reapply to your life is the best way forward
🤍 Check out our Style Scholars community
Want to learn to dress your best? Go through the process of transforming your style with guidance across the year.
Weekly exclusive livestreams: workshops, Q&As, case studies
Resources: notion templates, exercises and challenges
Community: learn from each other, share your outfits and your learnings
Check out the Style Scholars community HERE
New Uploads:
👗 Tiktok - My lost first date dress | TikTok helped me find a dress I have regretted giving away for years that I wore on my first date with my boyfriend
🎨 TikTok - Why you have nothing to wear, colours edition | I break down five mistakes you are probably making in your wardrobe to do with colour
👖 Reel - How to wear cigarette pants | I establish four key ways to wear your cigarette pants that you forgot about
Ask Me a Question!
This week’s question comes from Barbora, thank you so much! She asks…
‘Is there a way for me (probably a SG) to wear BIG clothes? I am really in love with oversized things like sweaters, big dresses, long skirts and all that. But i found myself not looking my best. However I found out that the concept of wearing clothes like this is very popular in Japan where even for petite women, and I personally think they look fabulous. What do you think about it?’
Such a fun question! Yes, this would fall under the category of “creating an effect” or, in other words, breaking the rules. It is totally okay to break the rules sometimes when you are trying to create a certain feel with your outfit. Each body type has certain silhouettes which are easier vs more difficult for them OR styles which appear more classic vs eccentric. For Soft Gamines, wearing compact, contrasted styles will feel harmonious and timeless rather than youthful and quirky like similar styles might feel on a Soft Classic. As you’ve said, the women you feel inspired by look fabulous, but do they look expected and timeless? Probably not. Two SGs who dress in oversized styles are the Olsen twins. You simply could not argue that two women who launched such a successful high fashion brand (the row) dress badly. On the Olsen twins, oversized, flowing styles appear eccentric, quirky and ethereal, whereas on a natural type similar styles would simply come across as chic and elegant.
I would love to use this newsletter to get to know you guys a little and create a little community of style fanatics! This newsletter is a great opportunity to answer some of your biggest questions.
If you would like to submit one you can do so using the button below:
Until next time…
Thank you for reading this week’s newsletter. I post every Friday at 4pm. I am on a mission to make this the best style newsletter in the world, but I need your help. If you have enjoyed today’s newsletter, please share a link with a friend you think might like it to. And if this is your first time reading Curate Yourself, subscribe using the button below ;)
Ellie-Jean x
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