This article will be a little practical guide to getting started in the world of fashion . From time to time we receive letters from customers who are new to the wonderful world of women's fashion. Generally, these are people who have never been interested in ready-to-wear trends. They never really paid attention to their clothing. And yet, today, they want to improve their sense of style or dress better. They often state that they feel excited about evolving their personal style but also feel completely overwhelmed.

If you're starting from scratch, the fashion world can seem like a complex and strange universe, with millions of rules and options. One of our clients, who only wore band T-shirts and jeans, sent us this message: "Entering the world of fashion is like being in a foreign country without mastering the local language.

The people around me seem to instinctively know how to create great outfits and find clothes that match their figure, their style... How do they do it? I've no idea ! » The comparison between dressing well and speaking a foreign language is particularly justified. Indeed, developing and/or mastering fashion is not something innate. It’s a skill like any other. A skill that can be learned with a little practice.

First and foremost, your goals should be to observe, to develop a better understanding of the different aspects of an outfit and how the different pieces that make it up work together. You need to have a clear idea of ​​what attracts you personally.

Don't worry too much about defining your personal style or streamlining your wardrobe just yet. Wait until you can put outfits together and know what types of clothes and looks you like and why, before launching into a complete wardrobe overhaul . Mademoiselle Grenade invites you to follow the following 4 steps to develop your sense of style and fashion .

1. Become an expert observer

The first thing you can do to improve your sense of style is to observe what other people do and wear. What types of clothes make up their outfits? What colors do they associate with each other? What shoes complete their outfits? How do they accessorize their looks? Etc.

Imagine that you are in a foreign land and you want to learn as much as possible about local customs. Use your everyday environment as a laboratory. Sit in a cafe and just people watch. Pay particular attention to the outfits of your colleagues, your friends, etc., use Pinterest and fashion blogs to supplement your studies. Don’t hesitate to explore as many styles as possible. The range is wide and you will gain a lot from studying all types of fashion, even those that seem far from your personal tastes. The goal of this process is to refine your sense of fashion and style .

If you see an outfit that you particularly like, spend a little time with it to understand what makes it so great to you. Is it the general vibe of the look (preppy, casual-chic, bohemian, minimalist, etc.)? Is it the colors that make it up that appeal to you? Is there a specific piece that catches your eye? This is how you train your eye: by observing and paying close attention to the way other people dress. By studying the things that interest you and those that don't interest you.

This advice may seem obvious, but if you ask them, people who have a sharp style will certainly tell you that they already follow it, and have done so for several years. Over time, you will have a clearer and clearer idea of ​​the type of clothes and outfits you like. You can then use this information to improve your wardrobe, either by wearing your favorite pieces in a whole new way or by adding new clothes to your closet.

2. Imitate, imitate, imitate again…

Do you know how art school students learn their craft? Quite simply by studying and copying the style of other artists. Of course, the goal of this article is to develop your personal style and therefore ignore other people's rules. But, for a newbie, imitating others can be a particularly useful technique. This gives you a starting line, a plan to follow.

Most people who want to get into fashion feel overwhelmed. They know they need to experiment, but just don't know where to start. There is probably no better advice than to invite yourself to imitate. Choose an outfit and copy it. Then, analyze what you like and what you don't like, change the outfit by making a few corrections according to your tastes and...start again.

Find an outfit on Pinterest , on a fashion blog or on the street. Consider wearing this outfit to work or on your next weekend trip. Then, use your own clothes to replicate this outfit as closely as possible, or go to a store to try on this new look.

Copying a look will help you on two levels:

Firstly, when trying to copy an outfit as closely as possible, you will be forced to pay attention to details. You will have to study the cuts of the clothes and the materials to recreate the general silhouette of this outfit. When it comes to style, every detail is important.

For example, the timeless look created by a simple white T-shirt, jeans and a brown belt will differ depending on the cut of the T-shirt and jeans used. Besides, imitating is a great way to experiment and perfect your personal tastes.

Best case scenario, you love the look you copied and discover a new outfit that you can wear however you want. And if you don't like the outfit you're wearing, you can take the opportunity to learn more about your style. You just need to figure out exactly what you don't like. Is this the silhouette created in general? Is it the materials? Colors ? Could you make a modification to make this outfit more suited to your personal tastes? Do any elements of this new look appeal to you? If so, how could you incorporate them into your wardrobe?

3. Get out of your comfort zone

On Mademoiselle Grenade's blog, we regularly invite you to find or develop your personal style and to change or evolve your wardrobe. If you are new to the fashion world, this may seem impossible. After all, how would you know if you prefer bright colors over neutral colors? How would you know if you feel more comfortable in bohemian style outfits or chic clothes ? The best way to find out is to try. Quite simply.

The one and only way to find your style is to step out of your comfort zone. You must try, experiment, in order to discover what you like and what you don't like. Testing new things will also allow you to discover what is suitable for your body type . All the people you meet and to whom you attribute a great sense of style have gone through this phase of experimentation and still continue. They would probably be able to tell you how many inappropriate outfits they wore before finding their style.

As a novice, you can do things to speed up this process, but you can't avoid it.

How to try new clothing styles?

Make it as fun as it is effective. Actively look for new styles, colors, silhouettes... Don't set too ambitious goals so as not to feel overwhelmed. Take some time shopping to try as many things as possible. Make mental (or actual) notes of what you like and don't like and walk away without buying anything.

Another way to get out of your comfort zone is to set yourself small challenges. For example, go to a store you've never been to. Challenge yourself to find a complete outfit that you love and would wear. You can also try wearing a piece that you love on your friends but that you imagine you won't be able to wear. Try this piece and make sure you put together an outfit from it.

If you like challenges and want to discover new challenges that will help you in your quest for style, do not hesitate to browse our 50 techniques for having an inspired clothing style .

4. Use your favorite pieces as a starting point

Even if you're unhappy with the current state of your wardrobe, chances are you have at least one or two pieces that you love to wear. Use these pieces as a starting point. It's a simple and flawless way to improve your wardrobe and your clothing style. Here's how you can do it: First, determine what separates your favorite clothes from the rest of your closet. Try to figure out why you don't wear the other pieces in your wardrobe more often. Think about the colors, the fabrics, the cuts...the general style as well as the details.

Again, at this point, make sure you are particularly specific. Instead of just thinking, “I like these comfortable, well-fitting pants ,” try to figure out what features make them so comfortable and well-fitting. Is it the material? Her high waist? Its cut ? Once you've defined what you love about your favorite pieces, you'll be left with a perfectly detailed list of everything that will build your personal style. You can use this information as a guide when making your next purchase. Since you've been wearing these clothes for a while, the risk of buying something you won't wear is less.

Another thing you can do is look up online how other people wear the pieces you can't put together. Let's say you have a nice white blouse in your wardrobe. Simply type the keywords “Blouse + White” into the search bar on Pinterest or Google Image . So you will discover a multitude of outfit ideas to experiment with.