Friday, October 3, 2014

A STYLE STORY: Styling Confidence



You can't do personal style without getting personal. 

                                                                    - Sun Devil Stylist



There is one reason why I love being a stylist.  I desire to inspire young women to take a passionate approach to tell the world: first, who they are and secondly, to tell others how to treat them...personal style does that! OK, maybe that's two reasons.  

Did you know 77% of young women  between the ages of 15-21 get their confidence from the way they look?*  So, what if you are unsure of how to express your style and have never had any help?  What is your confidence level?   It has been stated by business professionals that," it only takes a quick 7 seconds to make a 'first impression' and two long hours to change it".*  That is important when you are applying for a job or a summer internship...or even making a friend!  

Club SDWP is building a Stylist Team here at ASU! We produce the largest fashion event on campus, Sun Devils Wear Prada, coming this February!  This semester we will be working with The Body Project participants to  build a community of women at ASU who are confident about their personal style, as well as their smarts, abilities and talents!

Come out to a Club SDWP meeting and learn to create your own unique personal style!!  EVERY 1st and 3rd THURSDAY 5:30-6:30pm in BA 265


Meet Bailee!  She is a Sophomore studying Broadcast Journalism

We so enjoyed meeting up with Bailee and listening to her personal concerns about creating her personal style.  We think you will be able to relate to her as she is beginning her journey of creating a personal style that fits her comfortably!  More often that not, we need a friend to come alongside us and encourage us to believe in our own natural beauty.  We believe EVERY woman is beautiful and can learn to express their unique personal style. Remember, you can't do personal style without getting personal.  Thank you Bailee for getting personal with us!  Read her Style Story below.

Bailee having fun as she is growing in her confidence with expressing her own personal style!
How do you describe your current personal style? Who has influenced you the most in your clothing
choices?

Very simple and casual, and to be honest I feel I'm a lot more stylish in my head than when living it out. I have Pinterest boards and Wanelo collections full of pieces of clothing that I'd love to have but I'm terrified to wear them – that is, I don't feel like I can pull a lot of these looks I see in the Urban Oufitters or Pac Sun catalogs and it severely limits my style. I've only recently begun to venture from the world of graphic tees and skinny jeans and started to actually test some of the limits that I'd set up for myself – limits that really had no credibility to begin with.

When did your ‘style story’ begin? What was your age and circumstances when you began to shop for yourself and choose ‘styles for yourself? How did you personally feel about who you were at that
stage of life?

I started choosing styles for myself around fifth or sixth grade, although I was so unoriginal in my style that I suppose you could call it my “own.” I wanted to dress like the other girls in my grade who I thought were cool, and I wanted to fit in. I was very insecure about myself, especially in my style. I stayed very casual and dressed down for several years simply because I didn't feel confident enough to believe I could pull anything else off but plain and simple.

What is your favorite personal feature and how do you ‘play it up’ in expressing your personal style?

Definitely the hair. As much as I tend to complain about it (it seems to be both a blessing and a curse sometimes), I absolutely love my hair. I can hardly ever get it to sit the same way twice, so good hair days are typically days I like to really express my style – you never know when another good hair day will come along again so you gotta take every chance you get! Because my hair is a bit more unique compared to how most girls wear it (and because to get it straight like “most girls” I'd have to slave away for hours at it with a flat iron), I like to see it as an excuse to dress a bit quirkier. I've already got the bold hair-do, why not go bold with my style as well?

Bailee in a 'fresh face' of natural looking make up.  

Talk about your experiences shopping in boutiques, malls or on-line clothing ordering.

To be completely honest shopping in boutiques, malls, or just person in general is very nerve-wracking for me. I feel like I'm just surrounded by all these girls who know exactly what they're doing, how to mix and match the perfect outfits and what the hottest trends are at the moment, and here I am with absolutely no idea where to start. That being said, I really enjoy online shopping. I can surf a brand's website for as long as I'd like without feeling like I've overstayed my welcome. It's also nice for a girl without a car who can't drive out to all her favorite stores.

What are one or two items that are hardest for you to shop for, and why do you think so?

Probably hats. I love seeing girls walk around campus sporting cute floppy hats or even snapbacks or beanies, but this is where the curse part of my hair being a blessing and a curse comes in. Finding the right headwear to be able to fit with the mane, and not look awkward, tends to be a struggle.

Beautiful Bailee!

What do you LOVE to shop for? Name a few of your favorite items?

Shoes, shoes, shoes. Unfortunately they tend to be one of the most expensive items to shop for, but they're great. They can dress up or dress down just about any outfit, and they last pretty long as long as you treat them right.

What do you DISLIKE the most to shop for? Name a few of your least liked items?

Swimsuits, without a doubt. I think that's pretty common for a lot of girls, though. I can feel completely confident about myself, my style, and my body, and then I try on a swimsuit and all of that seems to crumple. I'm my own worst enemy, and every “flaw” I believe exists, whether it does exist or if it's a
complete fabrication of my mind, seems to be magnified while wearing a swimsuit. (SDWP swimsuit discussion coming soon!)

When you shop for clothing, how do you feel about your body? What do you think is the most challenging part of your body to dress and why?

I'm not the most confident about my body while I'm shopping. Like I said before, I'm my own worst enemy and my flaws stick out to me like a sore thumb even if they're not even noticeable to others. For me, the most challenging part for me to dress is my legs. I played soccer for 12 years, and although I haven't played competitively for about two years now, my thighs are still a problem area. (And worse, because I'm not playing anymore I can't even blame it on my athleticism!) It makes buying shorts a huge area of discomfort for me.
Bailee and friends after their first personal style session with SDWP stylists.
You will meet them soon!



THANK YOU to JC Penney and Sephora in Tempe Marketplace and 

+Shaunti Feldhahn  *(http://www.businessinsider.com/only-7-seconds-to-make-first-impression-2013-4)

1 comment:

  1. Bailee is not only beautiful on the outside but she is beautiful on the inside!

    ReplyDelete