tomboy style

this weekend i picked up a copy of the book Tomboy Style at the book signing party, held at Ann Mashburn in Atlanta. it was a wonderful time! the best part of course was having the opportunity to meet and chat with the author, Lizzie Garrett Mettler herself! she's friendly, down to earth and well dressed. just like you would imagine her to be if you read her blog, Tomboy Style.

i couldn't wait to get home and open up the book. and when i finally did, i was struck by how much i identified with what she had to say about the idea of "tomboy style." yes, its a way of dressing [think trousers, blazers, worn in jeans, boots, loafers, button downs, stripes..] but the outer layer is only a small detail. the clothing itself is not the defining characteristic, but rather a symptom of whats on the inside of those stylish women. confidence, intellect and originality all come to mind. 

all of this got me thinking. 

when i really sit and think about the women and men who have influenced my personal style over the years, i am kind of surprised by the fact that there were so many that actually dressed very plainly. no frills. and to anyone who follows "fashion," they were probably far from being considered "stylish." but while going down my mental list of these women and men whom i wanted to dress just like, i realized that it wasn't their fashion sense at all that attracted me to them, it was their confidence, wisdom, wit and strength. the people who influenced my style the most were influencing me in a way that was much deeper than just the outer layer of clothing. they helped me to find myself and discover that its okay to be exactly who i am even if who i am is considered weird to someone else. 

i think that by them handing down that confidence, i found the freedom to dress exactly how i wanted to. skinny neck ties paired with pin-striped [pajama] pants, shaved head [twice!], big black doc marten combat boots, high-top converse all stars, holey jeans, thrift store t-shirts, newsboys hats and beanies, wool pencil skirts paired with fishnet tights and velvet blazer... all of these things may sound hideous to you, but to me these things represented the freedom i had to display the real me. i felt different. so naturally, i looked different. 

reading Lizzie's book reminded me of the importance of being true to yourself. think of your style or fashion as an extension of who you are. 

have fun with your clothes! be creative. be confident.

<3 jojy