Sexy Bitches Have A Brand: Bunny’s Tips for Tapping Into Your Personal Style
Written by Leah (Bunny) Overstreet
Image courtesy of @leobrooklynbaby
All the divas worth gagging about have a vibe, a brand, a distinctive thing that makes them stand out in a sea of hot babes. An instantly recognizable personal style is what makes so many pop stars, Instagram baddies, and local hotties worth watching, but it’s not as unattainable as it may seem. Your personal style is 100% exclusive to you and absolutely worth developing if you want to grow into your fullest (and hottest!) self. Here are my top four tips for discovering your own personal style.
Bunny Tip #1: Mixing and Matching Different Styles and Subcultures
So much of fashion is reverential and it’s almost impossible to avoid being influenced by your favorite fashion divas, music artists, and trending looks. Influence is not the enemy! However, it is really easy to accidentally copy-and-paste what you like, and this can sometimes feel inauthentic. However, if you embrace your influences and introduce them to each other, you can create something that uniquely reflects your tastes. This is a method that is surprisingly very effective with styles that may not seem like they have anything to do with each other. Intentionally having multiple influences also makes you a bit more choosy with what you are taking from each subculture. For example, I love both Y2K Mcbling vibes (Juicy Couture, sparkles, more risque silhouettes, low waisted everything, animal print, belly chains, and thongs) but I also really love gothabilly (more pinup silhouettes, tongue in cheek accessories featuring bones and skulls, gothic makeup influences, etc) and tiki/coconut girl (tropical florals, bright pastels, sequins and sparkles, etc). It can feel daunting to try diving pretty-face-first into one aesthetic, especially if you don’t want to feel like a complete poser. Letting go of the idea that I had to fully immerse myself in one singular vibe was, like, totally liberating. I was able to see what it is that I actually really like from a specific style whether it was the silhouette or the colors or the fabrics. I married my fashion influences and have mastered the universal unifier: cheetah print. But, you’ll notice that I’m not truly pulling off any of these styles because that’s not the point. The point is creating a look that is uniquely me.
Bunny Tip #2: Committing to Signatures
Diversifying your wardrobe can be sooooo fun but I used to feel pressure to not“ outfit repeat” or wear something too similar before I realized that the reason I was drawn to these same silhouettes or similar makeup styles was because I really felt like myself in them. I would try to branch out outside of my favorite color palette out of fear of getting stuck and I would end up feeling really off and not like myself. Hilariously, it was when friends were jokingly lamenting my lack of Pink that I realized that no one was getting sick of me doing the same old, same old, and that having a signature look was actually sooo fab. Sticking to some of your personal favorites is also a great way to ensure that you actually wear the clothes that you buy. If you have a piece that you can’t stop coming back to, then try finding something in the same color or silhouette. I am a low waisted, long flowy skirt girl and if I’m wearing shorts they either have to be cheeks-out, coochie cutters or huge jorts that go to my knees. Sticking to these silhouettes ensures that, even if I’m trying out a different pattern or material, it still feels like me. Similarly, pink is always going to be that girl to me, so I’ve given up on pretending like I’m not going to pick it every time it’s an option. This, surprisingly, gives me more wiggle room because almost everything in my wardrobe technically goes together, as almost everything I own is either pink or something complimentary to pink. Also some of the most memorable parts of someone’s style can be in the details i.e. makeup, accessories, colors, etc. Some mainstays of my style: bra OUT, pink ON, eyeliner HUGE, sparkles SPARKING.
Bunny Tip #3: Thrift! Thrift! Thrift!
Shocker! I know it sounds obvious but I specifically mean thrifting with the intention of being inspired. I’m a firm believer in letting the clothes come to you. Obviously it’s different if you’re looking for something niche (but even in that case I would always recommend Depop, eBay, or Poshmark, because I’m a slut for second hand). Second hand shopping can help you avoid the endless churn of trends which might distract you from your personal style journey. I find that thrifting is not only cheaper but also a great way to be introduced to different patterns, silhouettes, and vibes that you may not have discovered otherwise. This is especially helpful if you branch out to the men’s section, the kids section, and even the home section. Depending on what it is, you can sort of let different pieces take on unconventional lives. Sometimes at the thrift store things get put in the wrong section, sexy little something-somethings become confusing enough to be misunderstood as a skirt when they were intended to be a tank top. Thrifting leaves so much room for creativity and can result in a look entirely your own. One of my favorite things I own is a pair of men’s boxers with pigs (yes pigs!) in ballerina shoes. Another thing I love love love to thrift is kids T-shirts that I wear as crop tops! Thrifting (not second hand vintage lol) is also at a price point that makes taking theoretical fashion risks less daunting because, at the very least, it’s not going to bankrupt you. Contrary to popular belief, you absolutely do not have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe to enrich your style. I think that the most effective thing to do is look at what you already gravitate towards and try building around that. It doesn’t have to look like a complete makeover unless you really want it to be. More often than not, there are at least a few things that you already love that can be emphasized and highlighted. Thrifting offers a great way to experiment with your look but in a low stakes, low cost way that saves perfectly fabulous clothes from the landfill. Almost everything I own is thrifted because I truly feel like it’s the best way to find things I love.
Bunny Tip #4: You Are The Occasion!
My final piece of advice is to never wait for an“ appropriate” occasion to wear something. Obviously don’t show up serving sex kitten to a funeral (unless it’s“ what they would have wanted”), but remember that the worst case scenario is you looking better than everyone else. Steak too juicy, lobster too buttery blah blah blah!I discovered my personal style when I understood that I could just put on what made me happiest regardless of if an event called for it. We spend most of our lives without much reason to dress up so we have to be that reason. My signature makeup used to be something I only did when I was going out. But eventually, I realized that I wanted to feel my prettiest even when there wasn’t a“ reason” to. I wanted to wear my favorite color every day, I wanted to do my favorite makeup everyday, I wanted to dress in a way that made me giddy when I caught my own reflection. I firmly believe that finding your personal style is about dressing in a way that excites you even if it doesn’t fit the occasion. News flash: You are the occasion, act like it!
