Fractured Aesthetic

Many so called "fashion experts" will say that you have to wear things from the same style in a single outfit or it will be deemed unfashionable. I completely disagree with this notion. Obviously, you know me to be the one who hates when people judge what other people wear, and that's one part of this argument. But I also like the idea of mixing styles together -- that's almost where I got the infamous "fractured aesthetic" idea from. As I quoted on my Tumblr when I first started this blog last November, "Fractured aesthetic -- it describes my own style, because my aesthetic is never stable and complete; it is constantly changing, even broken, because it is based on what I like, not based on what other people like. I see fashion as a way to express oneself in any way they desire, and there should be no set of rules to dictate what one should do with their style. Each person has their own unique style, and some may even call it a 'fractured aesthetic'." (For those of you who have only been reading my posts since I created the Blogger account, that's my spiel on my maybe-confusing url.) This applies to my entire style, but also to the idea that mixing up "fashion genres" in outfits is completely okay. I'm constantly doing this -- most things I own are completely different because it's nearly impossible for me to stick to just one style. This was especially relevant in my outfit yesterday, which consisted of three different styles. However, they all combined to create one, unified look that fits me, which is what I do almost every day.

As you should all know, I'm one of those people who does not have one store they always shop at. I do have my favorites, but I'm always going different places for different things. I go to Urban Outfitters for the simpler, even edgy items, Topshop for unique statement pieces, Madewell for the classics (especially denim), Anthropologie and J. Crew for more mature and professional clothing, you get the drift. It's impossible for me to just pick one style from all of these options, so I decide to mix up my wardrobe and my outfits. In this outfit, I paired a mature item with more casual accessories to make it more fitting to my age. Some may say that I dress older than 17, but I still don't want to look like a 28-year-old going on a job interview.

Anthropologie may be one of my favorite (and most envied) stores, but not everything in it fits what a 17 year old would wear on a normal day to school. However, I still immediately gravitate towards pieces in the store, like the longer dress I'm wearing in the photos. Although it's chaotic yet uniform striped pattern can be playful, the shape and length of the dress still need something more to fit my personal style. And to do this, I contrast with styles. I layered the dress with my new, army-green "mock" denim jacket to add edge to a simple look. Then, I wore my Adidas sneakers (which I have worn every day for the past week. No shame.) to add a casual yet cool factor to a professional looking dress. I completely changed a classic Anthropologie dress to a semi-casual and edgy outfit by only adding two items. Contrasting styles in the same outfit can do so much to create a brand new, even trade-mark look. Instead of trying to fit to one specific trend and style, wear what you feel is best on you. Most cannot simply conform to one genre of fashion, so the smartest thing to do is try unique looks with multiple styles, and see what works best for you. I suggest going for the "fractured aesthetic" approach -- I promise that you'll find your signature style.

Dress by Anthropologie. Jacket by Topshop. Shoes by Adidas.

Photos taken by me (self-timers and tripods are a blessing)