Find Your Muse - How To Get Inspired By Fashion

Some days I get sooo uninspired about my wardrobe. I go to my closet, stand there for minutes and come up completely blank. Those voices in my head say "you just wore that" or "you always wear this" etc. as I peruse through my clothing. Sometimes you need a fashion muse to get you out of your fashion rut. At times like these I look through some of my favorite magazines, read my favorite blogs, or hop on YouTube and find my fav fashionista's to help find ways I can remix items I ALREADY have in my closet.

Here are a few key things to remember when you are selecting your own fashion muse/inspiration and remixing a look to fit your own style and personality.
1. ) Find a fashion muse who's style is similar to yours or (to challenge yourself) find someone who will totally push you out of your comfort zone.
2. ) Find one picture that will inspire you to create an outfit (it could be a color, a pattern, a specific item etc.).
3.) Search your closet for similar pieces that your fashion muse is wearing.
4.) Create the look putting your own fashionable stamp on it!

Here's an example of how I was able to take a look from an email I received from the Rachel Zoe Report (a daily fashion report that give you tips on everything from fashion, accessories, and beauty products) as inspiration to create two looks starring a leather tee for work and play. As Rachel states in the excerpt below these looks can be used to transition into fall seamlessly.

WORK HARD
As you can see from the Rachel Zoe (RZ) inspiration board, I took my black leather tee (with a sheer back) and paired it with a white long sleeve button up, and a red pencil skirt (remixing the look a little to fit my taste and items I already had in my closet). I added my black leather bag, a black patent leather skinny belt, a long twisted silver necklace, and my black Steve Madden booties. The nerdy "Clark Kent" glasses give off the illusion that I'm ALL about business.

::Black Leather Tee (with Sheer Back): Off the 5th Outlet::
::Red Pencil Skirt: Thrifted::
::White Button Up: Target::
::Black Booties: Steve Madden::
::Clark Kent Glasses: Forever 21::
::Necklace: Gifted::
::Leather Bag: Gifted::

PLAY HARD
For this look I took the same black leather tee and instead of pairing it with leather jeans (like RZ did) I paired it with my oxblood leggings with leather panel detailing, my tie up wedge booties, my gold ID name plate, gold watch, and my oxblood red snakeskin clutch (it's not the same as the leopard print clutch shown above, but it's still in the animal print family and works perfectly for this outfit). 

::Black Leather Tee (with Sheer Back): Off the 5th Outlet::
::Oxblood Red Leather Panel Leggings: H&M::
::Gold ID Name Plate Necklace: Rainbow::
::Lace Up Wedges: DSW::
::Gold Watch: Target::
::Oxblood Red Clutch: Target::

I was able to take one staple item (my leather tee) and create two separate looks by just swapping components like a pencil skirt for leather paneled leggings or booties for lace up wedges. It's really simple to recreate looks. And the more you do it, the more easier it becomes. Here's a recap for using fashion inspiration to create applicable wardrobe items that you can steal from the pages of magazines (Instagram, TV etc.) and wear in real life. FIND a muse, LOOK in your closet to see what you currently have (or shop for the items of inspiration), then lastly, (re)CREATE the look. And always remember the look is there as mere inspiration. You don't have to get the exact same items or even the same colors as the inspiration. It's merely there to guide you into a look that you can tweak to call your own!

Hopefully, this post will help you go out and look around you for inspiration to recreate looks and get inspired. When you look at the world around you as your fashion "vision board" things get really fun!! So try it out. I promise you once you do, you will be HOOKED!

-Ali