How Shopping Vintage has Unleashed my Personal Style

Do you feel that the clothing you wear represents uniquely you? What inspires you to buy something? Is it because someone influenced you into it, or is it because you genuinely resonated with the piece? These are questions that we need to ask ourselves. Many consumers unknowingly are purchasing clothing out of someone else's liking instead of their own.

The start of this began from social media. We are constantly engaging with other people's posts, ideas, and thoughts. It is very easy to become influenced by others and brainwashed into thinking a certain way. People now have jobs as influencers. Their sole purpose is to influence us as consumers into buying things. "80% of consumers making buying decisions based on a friend's social media post"

Social Media marks the end of personal style for many people. We are no longer individuals, instead we are all copying one another.

I value creativity and uniqueness. I find pure joy and happiness by something when it specifically was my own idea rather than someone else's. For example, when I find a random object in an antique store and decide to give it a new purpose in my home. That piece is something that is unique to me, not everyone can have it. I feel inspiration through things like this.

I feel that I started to branch out in my personal style and the pieces of clothing I purchased once I began second hand and vintage shopping. I find that I do not follow trends as strongly as others might and the pieces I curate into my closet are special to me. Each piece sparks an interest in me. They are not something everyone can go buy, and I enjoy that. "Vintage clothing often brings with it a story-a glimpse into a past era with its own style, personality, and craftsmanship that you simply don't find on today's shelves". I also feel that I now understand my sense of fashion and style that I shop this way. I am not buying something because everyone else is and I want to fit in. I am not buying something because it is in trend, and I want to be cool. I am truly shopping for myself and what appeals to me.

Ive realized since I’ve embedded this shopping tactic into my life, that I have become more in touch with myself and who I am. I understand what I represent and what makes me feel good. I now feel that I have the skill to shop and look at pieces for their fabric quality, the detailing, or the color. Once I stopped shopping for someone else and instead for myself, a whole new world opened. I have transformed my closet into something so meaningful to me, with pieces that I will cherish for years. They are not things that I will get rid of next year when they are no longer cool, because they were never necessarily "cool".