3 Ways to Stay True to your Personal Style and not the Trends

Copycat! Scariest words in the English dictionary when you’re like 10 right.

Lately I have been hearing the word copycat thrown around so much I feel like I’m on the merry go around sitting across from seesaw watching the two 6 year old BFFs fuss at each other.

My constant benefit and flaw is that I have always been able to see both sides, understand all perspectives. Perception rules the world and so many things influence how people perceive the world. So I try really really hard to not attack people with my opinion. I tend to always want to present the other perspective which some people can be offended by. I truly just want both sides to be considered. On the other side of the person who is being copied is the copier right. I feel for these people because I feel like they are genuinely lost most of the time, and it’s not that they are malicious creatures. They are either lost or desperate. Neither of which do I think a person desires to be.

One thing I do believe is that you are going to be influenced by those around you so understand that influence, inspiration is different from being a real life copycat so keep that in the back of your mind. In a creative circle, being a copycat is the ultimate attack to a creative person.

So how to stop yourself from becoming a big fat compilation copycat of everyone else and maintaing

1. Take a break from social media – There is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Periscope…. The list goes on and on. You are continuously immersing yourself in other people! It’s kind of like when you change schools and you find yourself using the slang. Get off. Disconnect.

2. Spend some time around your closest family and friends – When you are around these people you are the most authentic. Raw Authenticity! I was watching an episode of “Mistresses” on HULU (Don’t judge me yall) and April decided to cook this fancy dinner for this super great on paper guy for which she was pretending to be a great on paper woman and her daughter was in attendance. The dinner was painfully awkward and as kids always do, she called her mom out in at a most inopportune time, she so eloquently stated “You are being so fake right now” and she was. Get around the people you can be the most authentic around so that you can remind yourself who that person looks like.

3. Ask yourself Why? – So simple right, but seriously. Ask yourself? - Why am I picking this shirt? Am I choosing this mesh material because all the IG girls are wearing it right now and it would make an awesome photo op? OR Do you genuinely like the mesh because it gives you 90’s nostalgia or because you want an edgy piece to go with those awesome boots you found on Ebay last night? I want to help you discover your personal style!

DEFINE CREATE REFINE

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