How to find yourself and eventually your style?

This might be my very first kind of personal post here. I find this interesting myself since it hasn't been an easy journey for me to find my very own personality, my style, what I like and why. Many teenagers and not so teenagers nowadays are struggling with the so many possibilities and choices available out there. Many of us followed the mass trends, just as today. We are always taught to follow the mass. But is it really what we want deep inside? Is the similarity so special or the copycatting? Well, for a very long while I believed so.

Few years ago I started to ask myself why to spend my time and money in trying to follow all the trends coming, and soon after, going. It was actually being a pressure...and fashion and style shouldn't be about that. I was missing someone that would encourage the uniqueness, who would write about their own experiences and teach us all how to find ourselves and even if fashion is all about trends and following it, style is about uniqueness, I would say.

Over-analyzing these things during a warm lonely summer in Spain, back home, I've slowly started to believe in myself and care less about what they might say, what they might think. I went back to my room, I looked around and I told my parents I wanted to paint my room. Everything started with a color. Everything started with my love to most bright pale colors. My lovely mom helped me out with the painting, and my room was finally looking like a piece of what I most like.
I was often going to this one river nearby my house, just to get inspired and reflect about the things I like around me. Nature was so beautiful. It actually helped getting out, more than anything.

What are my tips for you? If you think you're feeling that you're not being yourself when dressing, when decorating,...you might not have found your style, you are probably not reflecting the real you but you're reflecting things you see and not really pay attention yet you want to imitate and accept just the way it comes.

Open your eyes to the things outside, forget about your smartphone for few days, forget about watching TV, about browsing through Internet websites, forget about watching catwalks...you need to build your own self, get inspired by the purest things out there, go have a walk in the nature, a beautiful landscape can help a lot. Pay attention to small things, beautiful paintings, visit cities might attract you. Think about everything. Think about the culture you belong to, you might want to be identified with, about the classical music heard at the many beautiful castles hundreds of years ago, colorful paintings, beautiful spring mornings and picnics, simple things,...go back to where you've come from...to what you most love and appreciate. 

It might take some time, because we've been growing in such a fast world, everything is changing everyday, new social networks are emerging everyday, we move too fast, trends are changing and every season brings something new. But what's something you could never spend your everyday without? Do you have such a thing? It could be a scarf, a perfume...a scent that might remind you of a sweet memory you want always with you. 

It's not easy and our environment is not helping, but if you feel strong enough to build on some confidence and discover who you really are...you are definitely going to make it.
Don't let anything and anyone bring you down during your journey...it might be tempting to get biased, all the media around us, wishing to control us, it is certainly not easy...but be strong, it's worth, it is.

Who am I? The industry I am educated in and going to work for requires a very professional standard...and it's OK to me. I like to wear suits and classy wardrobe. I actually love it, for the right event. But is that really me? Oh no. I am a very girly girl kind of childish, I love pastels, cute things, small details, brightness, simplicity at the same time. I have tried so hard to wear black and it's just not working. I cannot wear black everyday, it feels like a punishment. I have been buying lot of black clothes while I have been here in Finland.
I like dresses, and love the old classy style, nicely marking the waistline, something I am very proud of.
I still remember when I was wearing pants, all days...looking back I am so happy for finding out my real myself, it feels comfortable and confident, not caring what others might think when they see your outfit. Couldn't care less...uniqueness is beautiful, and we should be taught about it since our very first steps in education, find yourself, learn how to listen to yourself and raise your voice higher than the other fashionistas. We all have a different edge, but some individuals just do not want us to discover it so they can continue their fabulous businesses.

And yes, this comes from a girl that buys Ted Baker bags (which are trendy nowadays, I guess) and likes a bunch of brands and blabla...but it's just because you don't need to hate Fashion, just the opposite, show love to the Fashion industry by being yourself, be unique, wear and combine those fave items you have the way you want and the way you feel. Fashion is supposed to guide us but not through all the journey. Don't buy skinny jeans because they're trendy, buy them if they suit you good and if they're not too tight for you. Don't suffer from those überhigh heels just because they're from the newest collection of Jeffrey Campbell and you want to show your friends you're following the elite...wear them with love, take care of your back and feet...JC is not going to give you new feet and back when these are getting too old and sore for his shoes...

Learn how to love yourself, accept the way you are, build confidence, pay attention to everything around you, inspire yourself from what you've mostly appreciate in life and what means something to you, look in the mirror every morning and repeat the words that truly define you.

 There are millions of people out there trying to do the same everyday, show the world you can do what they say you cannot. You need no guide for guiding your own steps, you're the best guide for yourself...

What are you like? Have you found yourself? What about your style, so to say, how is it like? What's your source of inspiration?

Summer 2011...fruitful.