Maya Rudolph stepped onto the Oscars red carpet two weeks ago in a bright pink, flowy caftan-style dress, and all the ladies watching at home clasped their pearls and collapsed onto the floor. Social media was atwitter over it. Not surprisingly, most people hated it (it was designed by Giambattista Valli, by the way).
My Thoughts
I did not love it, honestly. But, do you know what I did enjoy about it? I loved how she loved it. Look at her posture and her face in this photo. She is relaxed and comfortable. I think there is a slight “devil may care” look in her eyes, as well.
What is Personal Style?
Maya is doing her thing, and that is what personal style is all about. Style begins where fashion rules end. In case you don’t know, Maya Rudolph is a comedienne. She makes people laugh for a living. If she were to wear classic, stiff dresses, she would be doing herself a great disservice. Above all else, personal style must be a reflection of your person.
Personal Style Goes Beyond Rules
Fashion rules have their place. Yes, you should know your most flattering colors, the best shapes of clothing for your body type, the proper scale for accessories and prints, and the proportions that make you appear taller and slimmer. That is great information, but personal style looks deeper.
When searching for your personal style, it is important to understand what makes you happy. Consider your favorite colors and the words you would like others to associate with you. As you look deeper at yourself, you move closer to creating your style statement. Once you find a few style words that resonate with you, own them and dress like them. You may not know at first how to do this. That’s okay. Keep your style words in mind as you shop and as you edit your wardrobe. Your style words will guide you.
My Style Hero
My daughter Vivien, photographed here, is a tomboy who prefers boy-ish clothing with slight touches of feminine (note the lip color). She wears her hair in a pixie haircut, a style that flatters her fine-boned face. I took this photo before she went on a Daddy/daughter date night at our church last weekend. Her outfit is not what one would expect from an 8-year old. She adores her look, as you can see. To her credit, she doesn’t ask anyone to understand her style. Somehow, at her young age, she understands that being comfortable with her style is the most important thing.
Your Style is Yours
We won’t always understand or agree with the fashion choices around us. It isn’t our job to. Our job is to find our own style and to work it fearlessly. Are you with me? Message me if you’d like my help finding your style. It is a fun, exciting process!
Catch this on my Podcast!
If you love podcasts, I spoke on this topic in Episode 5. It is a quick 7-minute listen. My podcast is called Bethany Says – Beauty, Style & You, and it is available on Anchor (where I create it), Apple, Spotify, PocketCasts, RadioPublic, Breaker, Overcast and Google Podcasts. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode, and tell your friends!
