Jun 24, 20212 min read

Street Style Lesson #1: It's Not WHAT You Wear, It's HOW You Wear It

Over the past couple of weeks I have been channeling my inner Bill Cunningham and taking to the streets of NYC with camera in hand. At first, I set out with the goal of getting a pulse on the trends. Although I did see some things pop up time and again, such as bucket hats, baggy jeans and cat-eye sunglasses, I was pleasantly surprised by the creativity and individuality I saw as well. It made me stop and think about trends vs. true style. What pulls an outfit from typical to stylish, boring to interesting?

After taking the time to observe, photograph, and even chat with some people who were interested to know what I was up to, one lesson became crystal clear: It's not WHAT you wear, it's HOW you wear it. Attitude and creativity may just be the key ingredients to achieving the "je ne sais quoi" quality we all strive for.

My street style photography ended up telling a visual story about individuality and putting your own spin on seemingly simple garments. Take, for instance, a classic button down shirt or cardigan. Timeless staples, yet there are so many ways to make it your own simply by how you choose to button, tie, or wrap it around yourself. When we are more intentional with how we wear something rather than what we wear, our unique personal style shines through and we no longer need to follow the trends.