Style Inspiration

I've been doing some spring cleaning lately using small chunks of time to thoroughly clean out small spaces - a junk drawer, one shelf in a closet, a designated corner of a room, etc. It makes me feel really accomplished to know that something - even a very small something - is more orderly and containing only the things I really love, want, or need. My most recent conquest was my file drawer in my desk. This was actually a multi-chunk project since the file folders in there ranged from old bank statements to every single piece of paper ever associated with any form of insurance to inspirational odds and ends in every imaginable category. Some of the folders hadn't been opened in a few years, confirming that most of the stuff I had originally thought I couldn't live without ended up being not so important afterall. I'm trying to go digital in small stages - scanning important documents that have to be saved, recycling or shredding ones that don't, and just reducing the amount of space that paper-based clutter takes up in my life.

One file folder that I found particularly interesting was labeled "style inspiration." Inside were tear-outs from various magazines, mainly old issues of Lucky, showing outfits or looks that I at one time found particularly inspiring. It was interesting to flip through the images.

I guess my style hasn't changed all that much, since I'd still wear most of the looks in the folder (and my style is actually very similar to many of the looks... naturally evolving to this over time). Does that mean I'm drawn to a timeless style instead of fast-fading trends? Or that I'm boring and lazy and behind-the-times? I'm not entirely sure... it probably depends on who you ask.

What I wonder is this: was I drawn to these looks because they fit the style that I already had in my head, like a little seedling waiting for the right conditions to sprout? Or did my current style evolve from the images like these that I was drawn to? Chicken or egg.

I scanned some of the images and put them in a new folder (on my computer, natch). Looking at all of them in a virtual inspiration board, I can see certain components repeated throughout --

slim cropped pants and wide-legged trousers...

a-line skirts...

shirt dresses...

jeans with flats and boots...

great jackets...

scarves...

and other statement accessories (those tights! swoon)...

a little vintage-inspired...

a little euro-inspired...

a little preppy...

Lots of layering, lots of color, mostly safe, very comfortable... chicken or egg, that's where my style is today.