How to keep your style CURRENT & FRESH
Maybe it’s just us (we don't think it’s just us), but it seems like there has been a major style shift over the past few years, and our sense is that the shift has been disorienting for some people (read: everyone older than Gen Z). Where to shop? (Shop Tuna Gs). How to not look out of style/OLD ? (Youth is a state of mind, ppl.). How to seem hip & current, but not try-hard, not look like you’re wearing a costume, not look like you’re trying to be a teenager when you’re not. How to not look too trendy, but still look “cool?”
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Below are some of our tips and tricks for keeping up with the style times.
Identify what “classic” means to you. Identify what style vibe you’re going for, regardless of trends etc.
Classic may mean Audrey Hepburn, or Nina Simone to one person, Jane Birkin, or Keith Richards to another. Even Nirvana grunge is a classic approach to style. All are valid. The important thing to think about is what worked then that still works now. When you look at a picture of a style star from years past, think about the elements of the outfit the person is wearing separately. Jane was known for her basket bags, Audrey her nod to balletcore, Keith put a bohemian, piratey spin on classic tailoring, Nina’s style was majestic and all about a headpiece moment, and Kurt Cobain was into being snuggly, chill, and a little bit wacky.
Celebrity stylist Allison Bornstein has a good trick for achieving the vibe you are going for at any given time. Think about three words that describe the style of the person you’re trying to emulate, and three words that embody the vibe you already embody, or would like to embody, and remind yourself of those keywords when putting together an outfit.
For example, her three words for Alexa Chung are 1. Preppy 2. Whimsical 3. Edgy. She has a great TikTok series about this going on if you need more examples.
It doesn’t have to be as strict as three words. Think critically about the energy and aesthetic you’re going for, write it down, journal it. Just get some concrete thoughts out so that you have them for reference next time you go shopping. And do the same with style stars whose vibe you would like to try to mirror. Breaking something visual down into words makes it feel more approachable and less intimidating to try to recreate. When you have the three words (or your version of what the tree words are), you can more easily pick and choose elements to incorporate into your own closet.
Once you have figured out our own particular brand of classic you can start to play. Like clogs? Try a funkier, fresher style with your go to jeans and tee. Like a classic trench? Try going for one in a more unusual fabric (like vinyl, leather, or even denim). Wayfarers your typical jam? Try a slightly tweaked, or exaggerated shape. Once you identify your style words, your personal brand of “classic,” you can start putting spins on tried and true pieces. Et voilà, all of a sudden you’re very au courant.
Alternatively, incorporating a very, very classic piece—say a timeless fisherman sweater, or a pair of tried and true penny loafers—into an otherwise trend-heavy outfit is another way to put a personal spin on a look. What you want to achieve is the twist. The twist is what’s gonna make the outfit look like you, like it’s yours, and not something simply stolen from the closets of teenage cool girls everywhere. No shade to teenage cool girls. We think this rule applies to teenage cool girls, too. The point is, in order to achieve great style your looks need to look like they’re coming from your brain, not someone else’s. Ain’t nobody got time for lemmings up in here.
2. Identify what trend(s), no matter how small, you like.
First of all, we can’t overstate how useful thoughtfully curating your Instagram feed is. MUTE anyone who makes you feel less than, bad, cringey… FOLLOW people who “have something” (this can be an energy!) that you aspire to embody. This will help you start to notice trends, and identify which ones appeal to you.
Over the top style is often more about expressing a mood, or idea, than representing practicality. Think of it as art. It’s similar to going to Paris, walking into a museum, being overwhelmed by the pastels in a Monet, and starting to incorporate a similar color palette into your everyday life. Your instagram feed should feel inspiring, and if it’s not, it is within your power to change that.
Another great place to go for inspo is Vogue’s RUNWAY website. Start flipping through the shows each season and you’ll start to see the relationship between street style and the runways. Obviously some of the best of the best are working the shows and styling designer’s clothing in new interesting, fresh ways. It's a great way to start to train your brain to think outside of the box (especially if you live somewhere where people tend to stick to a sort of uniform, or are less likely to wear new things in new ways).
Re incorporating a trend: take the bucket hat for example. A little too casual, or funky for you? There are so many refined versions of the bucket hat available these days… Your spin on a trend makes your participation in that trend even more unique and stylish. See if the store you are already comfortable shopping at has made a version of the trend you’re digging these days–it will probably be more in your wheelhouse if it’s coming from a brand whose vibe you already dig and are comfortable with.
Alternatively, see if designer brands on resale sites like TRR (or on sale!) have versions of the trend you are playing with. Because their products are expensive, they often cater to an older clientele and will offer more accessible versions of the trends being started/worn by the younger generations.
3. Give yourself some time and a little bit of grace when getting used to a new look.
Clothes often mean more to us than we consciously realize. They are about expression of self and thus often unconsciously become wrapped up in our sense of identity. But we have good news–it’s fun to switch up and play around with who you are, who people think you are, how you present yourself. Keep ‘em guessing!
That said, it can feel strange to pack up a piece of clothing that has become like a uniform and trade it in for a piece that is really different. It’s okay if you feel strange at first, it’s okay to give yourself the grace to adjust. Remember: they’re just clothes! Sometimes the people at the office, in your family, your friends etc. will have a hard time adjusting to your new look as well. That’s okay. Let them make their comments–they’re recalibrating. Change freaks people out, it just does. But change is the only thing we can really count on in life…. So don’t worry about it, they’ll adjust! And so will you. You are not a fraud because you decide to dress differently one day. You’re a style scientist, and these clothes need testing!
Maybe the trend you’d like to play with is more like a style hop–say from skinny Jeans to a wide leg silhouette. Allow yourself to feel weird for a while when you look at your new look in the mirror. You feel weird because you look different and our silly little brains are programmed to detect things like change in order to protect us. But you ain’t in danger. And you already know that you like wide leg jeans on other people… this is how you know your silly little eyes are still adjusting. Avoid mirrors for a while until you feel physically comfortable in your new silhouette if you must (that’s actually a pretty good hack). Once your body adjusts, once the clothes start to feel like you, your brain (and eyes) will follow. Just keep your feed, your visual food, honed in on the new look(s) you're going for, and in time the feelings of awkwardness will settle down, we promise.
One last thing. There is nothing that we hate more than style “rules.” There are NO RULES in style. Style is about CREATIVE SELF EXPRESSION, and creativity and the self have NO BOUNDS. “New” and “different” are just IDEAS! And there is nothing more divine than an idea. If someone tells you about style rules, what they are really saying is that their way is the best way… and that is sus.
Good luck!!
XX, Tuna Gs