Confidence: The Best Accessory
Courtesy of Pinterest
After watching Lizzie McGuire go on a school trip to Rome in her self-titled movie, I knew I was destined to study abroad in another country. I had hopes of meeting my own Paolo, discovering new foods, and creating memories. While all of those things are great, nothing could have prepared me for the fashion I was going to see.
Living in England for the last month, I have already been in such awe looking at the outfits people wear here. Don’t get me wrong, it’s no Met Gala red carpet, but there are still effortless, put together, and stylish elements in many of the looks I see walking down the street.
Like Swedish Pinterest fashion icon, Matilda Djerf, I’ve noticed many people taking basics like a white sweater or button-up and blue jeans and spicing them up with statement pieces such as a thick scarf or a leather jacket. Utilizing different styling pieces elevates an outfit from something mainstream to something interesting.
Courtesy of Pinterest
The most notable styles I’ve seen incorporate different colors and silhouettes that add more to the streetwear scene. Elegant slacks styled with a pair of New Balance sneakers, muted sweaters matched with a bright-colored puffer jacket, accessorized with colorful hats and sunglasses for a casual look.
Looking around at every sidewalk, street corner, or pub and seeing the different styles— feels like living in a Pinterest board. I have drawn so much inspiration on how to grow my own fashion aesthetic. But, the thing that I admire most about every look that I see is that no matter how out-of-the-box an outfit looks, the person still holds their head high and seems confident.
With their poise and assertiveness in their clothes, they have this “it girl” or “it guy” persona that makes them more attractive. Them believing in their styling choices makes me believe in them too.
Courtesy of Pinterest
These people that I see are not afraid to take risks and be themselves in what they wear. They try new things and wear clothes that make them feel like the best, most confident version of themselves.
There is no worse feeling than walking out of the house in an outfit that you do not feel your best in. Seeing them be confident in what they wear has shown me that the true ingredient in pulling off any sort of clothes is confidence. Instead of conforming to a norm in fashion, I have been inspired to just wear what I want to and in the end, I have felt more radiant.
Strike out,
Writer: Melissa Donovan
Editors: Kayla McCall and Peyton Boudreaux
Orlando