Growing Up and Getting Stylish (Finally)

Posted in Daily Outfits.

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Wearing: Ted Baker dress via charity shop, Gap long sleeve tee, Topshop tights, Primark brogues, Zara bag, ASOS scarf, Miss Selfridge ring
On: Tuesday 25th January
For: Acting all professional-like

Question – do you notice a difference in your style from year to year? I think blogging is a brilliant way to catalogue sartorial shifts. It’s like the digital version of those old photo albums stored in your loft – page after page of floral sleeveless shirts and floppy velvet hats (my early 90s Blossom phase coincided with the purchase of a new family camera).

I’ve only been writing this blog for a year and a bit, but the difference between my 23-year-old dress sense and my current, 25-year-old dress sense is noticeable. I like simple, high quality basics, clean lines and subtle ‘fashionable’ touches, like the shoulder pads on this dress (christened ‘shoulder boobs’ by the Mr).

Take the stripy, nautical-themed outfit I’m wearing here and compare it to this one, worn a mere seven months ago. The two seem poles apart and I no longer own any of the items in the older outfit. Have my tastes really changed that much?

Well, no. I still love cute tea dresses, bright tights, quirky jewellery and classic brogues. Those pieces form the backbone of my style and will always feature in my wardrobe. But as I get older, I feel more comfortable in my clothes – I’m more sure of my style now. I’ve grown into it.

Do you feel like your sense of ‘style’ (whatever the word means to you) gets stronger as you get older?

28 Comments

jaljen

I think I’m much the same as I have always been. I’m faddy. Fads can last a long time though.

I believe I will never go back to skirts and trousers and will stick with shorts forever. But I don’t really KNOW. I can go for years wearing only black and vow never to wear colours.

So I remain the same in that I’m as stubborn as ever but also likely to find a new fad at any time.

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Hannah

My style changes quite a lot I think but I still have clothes from long ago that I just style differently. I think that even though I’m 24 sometimes I probably dress younger because I’m still experimenting with my style. This dress is lovely on you and the shoulder pads are fab! I enjoy watching people’s style change and develop over the course of their blogs.


Hannah xx

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LilyLipstick

I think the building blocks of my style have remained the same since I started uni 3 and a half years ago but I do feel that my style has matured gradually…there are definitely some things that I wore at uni that I would not wear now! I’m starting law school next week so this post feels really relevant at the moment as I’m trying to put together outfits that are still “me” but that are a little more grown up and mature. It’s really difficult but should set me up for a smooth transition to the “working wardrobe” next year…x

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Helen

Some days I do and some days I don’t – since starting my first ‘adult’ job I’ve made more conservative dress choices, more smart dresses and heels. But then at the weekend I still dress the same! I think it has toned down slightly from when I first started my blog – I mean I was only 19/20 when I started my blog. I think my style is constantly changing though.

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Laura

i definately think it does. from the start of college to when i left last sept, i noticed a massive difference in the way i dressed. i think seeing others and how they put things together really helped me to create my own ‘look’ and i’m sure it’ll be very different in another couple of years time 🙂
xoxo

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Filipa

Whoa, you even look different in those two posts! 🙂 I really like your hair darker like that! I think I’m only growing into my style, as during my teen years it was mostly jeans and a tshirt. Believe it or not I did not even own a dress nor a skirt! Crazy I know! In summer I would wear shorts, in winter jeans. But now I think I’m maturing ( I still have a long way to go) but I see that I care about what I wear and how I look whereas before I never did ( I guess that was sorta my teen rebellion! 😛 )

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Iris / London Fashion Diary

Shoulder boobs hahaha this made laugh so much!

My style has definitely evolved in the sense that I ‘dare’ to try more things since I’ve been in London, even though I tend to wear the same kind of things like blouses, high waisted skirts and flat boots! I need to work on that 🙂
You look great in this outfit, really smart!

xx Iris

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Cherry Pullinger

Interesting post! I definitely think my style has grown as I’ve got older. I remember the days of wearing jeans and a hoody an while I stick to the skinny type of jeans, I hope that my style has developed and is at least a little more fashionable.

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Kelly

You look so different now. You always look great but you’ve really found your style and you look amazing.

My style has changed hugely over the past few years. Dating an older man I always felt I needed to dress older but I feel comfortable in my own skin now.

xxx

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GoldenGirl_Sio

I deffo think my style has changed since I hit 21.
I think back to college where it was all
about striped tees and band tees with hoodies and black jeans.
Now I feel like I dress how i feel, mixing my casual dress (skinny jeans and a simple tee or blouse) to wearing cute simple dresses.
I think your personality starts to appear in your outfits when you hit your twenties when you begin to feel comfortable as a person.

On a different note, I am very tempted to try out the 30 for 30 challenge, so tempted that i have bought a big box to hide the clothes I cant wear out of view!

Anyway love the posts as usual 🙂

Siobhan

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Ren

Ho ho, yes definitely! I look back at clothes I wore just months ago and wonder what the hell I was thinking. I am still finding my style, I am stuck in a real style rut right now, being in a foreign country hundreds of miles from my favourite UK shops doesn’t help either, but hopefully in a few months I can look back and say that I have evolved!
x

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chris_swan

You’ve got me thinking now Jen! What was I wearing a year ago? Hmmm, probably similar to what I wear now. The trouble is, the older you get (especially if you have a very conventional job), it’s so easy to drop into the boring “black suit and white shirt” combo. I do try to be adventurous – especially if I have a big meeting coming up when I know I need to be noticed – and remembered.

I tend to buy a couple of dresses a season that fit into the “look at me” category. Usually in a classic style and if I get it right, they’ll fall to pieces before I tire of them.

I do however, splash out on accessories. That way, you can really change an outfit without spending a mint and can bring in key trends.

And yes, I do still wear things I bought 20 years ago!

You’re an inspiration Jen – love the blog 🙂

Chris x

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Pink Flower

Shoulder boobs did make me giggle!

My styles defiantly getting more feminine every year. I use to be the rocker in all black, converse, jeans, black black black. Every month i’m heading ever more into pretty little pastel cardis, vintage tea dresses and cute little tops.

Although i’m starting to not recognise myself literally in the mirror i’m feeling more at ease and “at home” with how I see myself. Mind you this could be due to just the principle of growing up as much as its down to morphing and changing clothing styles.

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whatkatiefound

I feel the same! I’m approaching 25, and I have to say that this is the happiest I have ever felt with my ‘style’. My wardrobe used to be full of a mish-mash of various styles and colours, things I loved that didn’t suit me or go with anything else. Over the past 6ish months I have been ebaying, charity shop giving and recycling, and my wardrobe is FINALLY starting to look like the one I have aspired for!
I’m starting to feel very grown up, and this makes me happy 🙂

x

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Steph0188

Well firstly, looking back at your earlier photos- I much prefer your hair like this, both shorter & darker. You look a lot more stunning, and like glowing with hair like this.
I think it’s hard to find ‘your own style’. With fashion bouncing up & down every where, every few months, it’s hard to find your self, no what suits you & what you like and also grow up with that
You look lovely here, more simple- straight to the point & confidence
xx

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Sherin

I think my style’s defintiely changed since I started blogging. I defintiely have more confidence, so I’m wearing pieces I wouldn’t have a few years ago.
Love how you wore the stripes. I’m completely obsessed with stripes.

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Madame G

I hit 30 just last month and I truly believe that I’m still growing into my style. I hope I NEVER stop growing. I totally agree with you about looking back over a year’s worth of outfit posts and tracking what’s changed and what’s stayed the same.
I think blogging and reading other people’s blogs has really increased my confidence and introduced me to so many new and different styles.
So, thank you girlies!

MG x

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dinoprincesschar

I think my style has changed a bit over the past few years – i no longer wear jeans for instance, which when i was in college i probably wore every day.
i think i am a lot more creative and confident with my style, it doesn’t faze me at all to go out in a hat or something ‘statement’, but i wouldnt’ say i follow fashion tredns – then or now..i buy what i like, and i keep wearing it, maybe differently, for as long as i still like it.

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SabinePsynopsis

Yay to your shoulder boobs, Jen! I think the one thing I’ve learned over the years is my body shape and what goes with it (and what not). Still up for all kind of fashion failures though…

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Sarah

My style has remained constant over the past 5 or so years. I know what shapes suit me and don’t deviate from these regardless of what’s in fashion. I don’t own any trousers or shorts and live in 50’s shaped dresses and skirts with full skirts and nipped in waists as that’s what makes the most of my figure. I try not to think about what I used to wear at 18… Haha xx

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Alice

That dress suits you perfectly. I think I’m still (like many a woman) waiting for that moment where I think ‘yes this is my style’ xx

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Kate

Your style is so different from there, to now. From preppy, pretty pizazz to grown-up glam. You’ve still got your funky side though. I don’t really ‘notice’ the difference as such until somebody mentions it, then I look back & realise that yes, I guess it has changed slightly. But in the past year, I wouldn’t say it has changed that much – I’m still a little bit punky, a little bit rocky. Who knows where the next year will take me though! That’s why I love outfit photos, so that you can actually see these alterations!

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Nicola

In the last two years I’ve made the switch from jeans to skirts, which is a Big Deal in my book. The formality level of my outfits has been ramped up, but they’re also more adventurous too. My work outfits are definitely better now than they were a year ago, which is just down to practise. It’s only since last summer that I’ve been dressing for an office job, before that I was working in a special school so my clothing choices were very limited.

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Winnie

I definitely agree that as I get older, I’ve been able to buy things that I know definitely suit me. Plus blogging allows me to seek different types of inspiration from people who might even be similar build etc/styles which is handy!

Love those brogues, can’t believe they’re from primark!

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Penny Dreadful

I think my sense of style is directly related to my own confidence in myself. I didn’t really used to know who I was, in style or indeed anything else. Now I know what suits me, what I like wearing, and what sort of person I am and want to be. It is so much more enjoyable, I have to say! xx

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Arash Mazinani

Interesting thought I think my style has changed slightly I’m more particular about the fit and the cut of my pieces. I still aim to go for classic pieces but now I tend to shop less frequently but spend more on my pieces.

I started keeping a look book a while back so I kind of have some outfits documented and it’s interesting looking back over some of them. The idea is there but the pieces just aren’t up to par in some outfits. However as I don’t do outfit posts I don’t really have a huge collection to draw upon.

Blog:http://www.arashmazinani.com
Twitter:@arashmazinani

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