The TRUTH About "Signature Style"
Plus, book club has been rescheduled!
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Book Club Has Been Rescheduled To July 25th!
This month we are reading nonfiction (we switch up month-to-month) and the book we will be reading is…Conservatism: A Rediscovery. I asked you all this month to help me choose our book club selection, and you chose this!
Due to a last minute speaking event with YAF, our book club will be taking place a day earlier on Tuesday, July 25th at 8:15 PM EST. I wanted to give us all some extra time to make our way through this book as it’s more involved than our last reads. Looking forward to seeing you all then!
What You Might Have Missed At Classically Abby…
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Quote of the Week:
“The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow into our souls.” ― Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Classic Style Inspo
Sometimes, an easy casual look with a few extra accessories is the best outfit! I started with a stretchy black T-shirt dress, and then simply threw on a trucker hat and a cozy zip-up. Simple, comfortable, and cute!
Things I’ve Been Loving: Carcassone
Jacob ordered this game when we visited his family and it was a huge hit! It’s really great for kids and adults alike, and everyone had fun playing it together.
Welcome to Classically Abby!
I'm a wife, mama, opera singer, entrepreneur, YouTuber, and your guide to becoming the classic woman you've always wanted to be! Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter to see how! And together, let's be classic.
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The TRUTH About "Signature Style"
Hello friends! We are BACK in the sunny state of Florida and we are so happy to be home. Even though we had a wonderful time with my in-laws, it’s always nice to get back into your routine and back in your own bed. Mr. Baby had an amazing time in New York with his grandparents for three weeks and even learned how to climb up and down the steps on their backyard patio! Now that we’re home he’s much more conversational and is even starting to say a few small words like “more,” “that,” and “no.” It’s so exciting to see his development and each milestone reminds me how big he’s getting!
Speaking of getting big, my belly is definitely growing as we are almost at the halfway mark. I’m 19 weeks along, can you believe it? We even have our anatomy scan at the end of the week. It’s amazing how slow the first trimester goes as you’re moving through morning sickness and fatigue, and then how quickly the rest of the pregnancy seems to move. As well, we recently announced the gender of baby #2 - and we are so excited to be having another little boy! Since our children will be 21 months apart, we were hoping that they’d both be boys so they can be best buddies, and it was so exciting to find out that was the case.
As far as getting back to Florida, we had a crazy travel day that exhausted us both. First, Mr. Baby woke up in the middle of the night before we flew because he had thrown up in his bed. I think he simply ate too much, because otherwise he was fine - but that meant we were all exhausted in the morning, especially because he was up for the day at 5 AM! Then, because of the weather in New York, we ended up getting delayed in the airport and then again on the flight. So after leaving the house at 10:30 AM, we didn’t end up arriving home until 8:45 PM. It was quite the trip. But thank God, Mr. Baby did amazing and all of my toddler travel hacks came in handy!
Today, I want to chat about signature style. Signature style is essentially the idea that you have a specific look that is associated with you - one that works with your lifestyle, your body type, and that brings you joy. When you think of Audrey Hepburn, you can immediately conjure up her signature style - beautiful, tailored dresses, small heels, well-groomed hair and makeup. But what does signature style look like in real life?
I personally love the idea of having a signature style that people associate with you, in the same way I’ve always loved the idea of a signature scent - a perfume that is linked with you and always brings you to mind when noticed lingering in the air. A signature style can also incorporate many elements of minimalism, such as a capsule wardrobe. If you only have a certain amount of pieces that you wear and mix together, you’ll necessarily have a signature style, as well. All of this makes total sense to me and I love it in theory.
But, as it turns out, I don’t subscribe to the concept of signature style in my own life.
Perhaps it’s because my lifestyle doesn’t generally allow for the kinds of clothes that generally appeal to me, such as more tailored styles and beautiful dresses. I need clothes that can be thrown in the washer and dryer frequently because I need to be able to get dirty and messy with my son.
Perhaps it’s that I’m not really a minimalist. I enjoy having options and alternatives, and I like wearing everything I own. When we were in New York, I had only brought a limited number of pieces of clothing - essentially, a capsule wardrobe of my own. By the third week, I was so sick of my clothes I couldn’t wait to get home to see the rest of my closet.
But even more than those things, I personally like too many elements of fashion and trends to stick with a classic, signature style. There are days I like to wear something comfy, casual, and trendy. There are days when I love a flowy dress with sandals and beachy waves. And there are days when I want to put on a tailored pair of pants and a button-down shirt, my hair tied back in a smooth bun and my makeup minimal.
Even though I would love to say I have signature style, I just don’t.
There are some women who enjoy the ease of having one style they stick with, and more power to them! If it streamlines your life and makes you happy, I’m all for it. I am just realizing that it’s okay not to have an “aesthetic” closet. It’s okay if all my clothes don’t fit in the same category or have the same design elements. It’s okay if I wear a trucker hat and a sweatshirt one day, and a beautiful, feminine dress the next.
I always say, style is a reflection of who you are. It’s important to put your best foot forward and show your personality. But that can also fluctuate based on your moods and the tasks on your docket for the day. At this time in my life, “who I am” is a mom of a toddler boy who gets into everything - and that means my clothes and my style will be a reflection of that. As well, as someone who enjoys trends as much as classic fashion, I may look more trendy today than I will tomorrow. I may prefer to wear something that fits in with the local fashion while on vacation, and when I get back home return to my old faithful pieces.
If you’re like me and often like to mix up your style, I’m here to tell you - that’s okay! As long as you are trying to look put-together, you don’t have to always look the same. You can look put-together at your most casual as well as at your most dressed up. Enjoying fashion is fun - and not everything has to be defined, compartmentalized, and put into a box.
As the joke goes, “I have two looks, and that’s it.” Usually, the punchline is that you either look completely incredible or like a mess. Well, for me, my two looks tend to be trendy and classic. I’d love to know what yours are - leave them in the comments below!
I'm either dressed for chores around the house or walking the dog -- that is to say, leggings and an old t-shirt or tank top -- or I'm wearing a nice skirt or dress and have taken the time to do my hair. I don't think that either if these is better or worse, it just depends on what the day calls for! I also tend to change multiple times in a day as my tasks come up. If I'm walking the dog in the morning I'll start my day in leggings and a comfy shirt, but if I'm then going out to run errands I'll put on a dress or a skirt, but then I'll often change back into leggings when I get home to finish up my chores for the day!
I will be out getting a pedicure during bookclub! 😭 (But also I'm really excited for the pedicures haha)