How To Dress Like A Fashionista

By Carla Rivera, 29 Jan 13:29

A fashionista is anyone who is a devotee of the fashion industry. But, more importantly, a true fashionista is instantly recognizable as such, turning heads and collecting compliments with her daily ensembles, always appearing effortlessly fantastic. She's obsessed with clothes and fashion and yet never looks like some tragic fashion victim. It’s a sad fact, however, that most of us don’t have the budgets of Kate Moss or Sienna Miller. Nevertheless, a copious amount of money is not necessary to look, feel, and live like a true fashionista. All you need is patience, creativity, and a sense of adventure. A fashionista's greatest asset is her knowledge, not her wallet and she adheres to a certain set of rules:


Read, read, read! Add Vogue to your library

Take that chip off your shoulder and read like a pro

Don't be a slave to fashion

Be unique

Spend wisely

Shopping happens - indulge in unplanned retail therapy

1. Read, read, read!

Like the true master of any subject, a fashionista must do her research and, because the world of fashion is constantly morphing, this is a consistent process. A subscription to the top fashion magazines is crucial. Cosmopolitan is not going to cut it (a fashionista cares more about herringbone v. houndstooth for fall than yet another article about how to please a man). Vogue is essential: it is the fashionista’s bible. Other key publications are Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, InStyle, and W.

2.Take that chip of your shoulder and read like a pro

Can’t afford that Christian Lacroix dress in Vogue’s latest spread? Relax. Most of us can’t. Pay no attention to price and read like a pro. For the true fashion buff, reading fashion magazines is a source of pleasure, not pain. The couture creations should be admired as works of art, awing professional readers with their aesthetic beauty, bringing joy and inspiration. Yes, inspiration! Taking that chip of your shoulder means learning to read Vogue as a crucial piece of sartorial inspiration. Want one of the oversized bags featured in February’s Vogue? Dig through your closet and find your biggest purse. Or check to see if the trend has hit the lower end of retail sales and buy one within your budget. Want to cash in on tiers, the latest runway craze? Go to H&M and browse their racks for similar items. They are usually on top of the trends.
You must learn to love the pages of these publications and cherish your time with them. Take three hours of your Sunday morning to pour over Vogue or Bazaar with your favorite coffee or tea drink. These three hours should be delicious to you, like a bubble bath or a massage. To be a true fashionista is to sincerely love all things fashion, and magazines, with their extreme accessibility, are major cornerstones of fashion’s repertoire.

3. Don’t be a slave to fashion

Napoleon Bonaparte once said that “fashion condemns us to many follies; the greatest is to make ourselves its slave.” Although this may be true in some cases, it is not a steadfast rule. A fashionista may live for fashion but instead of being a slave to its rules, she makes fashion a slave to her own personal style. For instance, take the pear-shaped woman with short legs who wears skinny jeans despite the fact that they are very unflattering, she is a slave to fashion. A pear-shaped aficionado, however, would know to try alternate trends from the season. Slaving yourself out to all the trends, no matter if they look terrible on you or not, is the opposite of being a fashionista. A fashionista carefully picks trends that conform to her fashion rules and never lets styles of the moment get the best of her. The ultimate goal of being a fashionista is not, as some believe, always having the latest fads; it is to always look your best. And this, of course, means dressing for your body type no matter what Vogue says. Remember, magazines and the seasonal trends they represent are a source of inspiration and knowledge: they should not dictate your every move.

4.Be unique

All great style icons have a uniqueness to their look; think of Katherine Hepburn and her infamous slacks; or Coco Chanel’s tan that ended the pale look as a must and gave tanned skin a new-found respect; or Marie Antoinette’s elaborate bouffant; or the wardrobe of television’s most recognizable style icon, Carrie Bradshaw, and all of its whimsical charms. Most women don’t have the body of Sarah Jessica Parker, which can carry any trend, or the desire to be as unique as the fictional sex columnist, but a bit of the unexpected or daring can actually polish your look and give you the quality of allure. I have a friend who always wears brightly colored opaque tights, whether they are in style or not. They give splash to even the plainest of outfits and always attract compliments.

5.Spend wisely.

Don’t blow your paycheck on an off-the-wall look that won’t last. A designer bubble skirt is not the best way to enrich your wardrobe. For big budget purchases, buy classic pieces or items to enhance your signature look. An expensive pair of tall, black pumps, a Chanel tote, or a Burberry trench are all good examples of classic pieces that can be worn for years to come. Or if chunky, brightly colored jewelry is your thing, spend a few extra dollars on some Tarina Tarantino.

6. Shopping happens - indulge in unplanned retail therapy

A fashionista’s style lookout is constantly working. Only shopping on planned shopping excursions can make buying clothes a chore, and three plus hours of changing room mirrors is enough to turn anyone into a strictly jeans and tee-shirt kind of girl. If you’re out running errands or taking a walk through your favorite part of the city, allow your eye to wander. See a sign for a great sale? Go check it out for twenty minutes. Spot a dress in a shop window that is to die for? Bop in and check it out. See a new store? Do your research. Go in and scope it out. You are a fashionista! You have the fashion bug! Isn’t it time to put it to the test?

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Tags: fashion, style, clothes, shopping, Vogue