It's better to stand out from the crowd

I have a small blackboard on the wall beside my back door and I’ve been leaving subtle messages or ‘words of wisdom’ for my children to read and the last one I wrote was “it’s better to stand out from the crowd than to fit in”. It got me thinking about how I’ve applied that to all aspects of my life, for most of my adult life, and not follow trends or buy things just for the sake of buying or having them or that everyone else has them.

I just recently watched a really interesting documentary about Steve Jobs “The Man in the Machine”, the founder of Apple, and it really hit home about how much “standing out from the crowd” can be applied there for me. You see, I’ve never owned an Apple product nor know much about them but I’m so glad I never jumped on that bandwagon. I was impressed with his vision and determination but how he marketed his products to make people think that they couldn’t live without them just made me mad. Also, how cheaply the products are made at the risk of people’s lives just for the sake of making a dollar. At the end of the day, that’s all that company cares about. Their shareholders.

I only have to look at my own children and how obsessed with their iPads they are. (I didn’t buy them. Their father did as a way to communicate with him when they are here with me.) It really is near an addiction. I do put limits on their use and maybe they weren’t swayed by Steve Jobs’ marketing ploys but the people who queue for days only to be the first to get the new iPhone is beyond craziness. 

Fashion

I like to stay up with the latest fashion trends but it doesn’t mean I go out and buy everything new from the fashion outlets. I use what I already have or pick up what I need (and I mean need, if I have enough clothes that will do, I won’t buy anymore clothes). Year after year, season after season, people are convinced that they need the latest fashion styles and spend up big, whether they have the money or not, for what? Just so they can fit in? I’d much rather stand out from the crowd. I love my own individual style. I wear what I feel comfortable in and whether it keeps me cool in summer and warm in winter. Shouldn’t that be enough?

Homewares

Same goes for homewares. With social media being a huge marketing tool for homeware stores, there is this must have mentality from consumers that they just have to go and buy the stuff whether they need it or not. Our home should be our safe place. A safe and secure place where we can eat our food, rest our head and take shelter from the elements. It shouldn’t be filled with cheap Asian imports especially because retailers are telling us we need it. It’s outrageous. In 6 months time there’ll be another lot of stuff just waiting for consumers to buy it and the stuff they already have will end up as land fill.

Environment

I know we need an economy to make the world go around but at this rate, at what price? There is so much harm being done to the environment manufacturing all this stuff. Why not just use what we have? What’s wrong with hand making adornments for your home from fabric scraps or repurposing old furniture with a makeover? How individual would that be? Wouldn’t that be much better than following the crowd? I know that’s what I prefer to do. It does the same job at the end of the day.

Lesson

And as far as the lesson I’m trying to teach my kids, as they approach the teenage years, the message couldn’t be more appropriate. Already we’ve had one incident with my 11 year old daughter wanting to fit in because her friend convinced her to do something she shouldn’t have. I’ve explained that although it may not seem fair now, when she is older it will all make sense and she’ll realise that we were only out to protect her because of the love we have for her. Standing out from the crowd and being an individual will always be a better lesson for my children to learn whether that goes for behaviour, fashion, homewares, the car they drive or anything they do with their life. 

We were born an individual. There is no one else like us in the world so why not stand out from the crowd and don’t be a sheep. Don’t be fooled into following trends. It’s harmful on the environment and your wallet. Save your money for an experience and not stuff.

Not About Size

Do you feel in a bit of a ‘fashion funk’? Not sure what to buy to suit your style or size? Do you feel you’re wasting money on clothes that aren’t the right cut or colour for you? Well, there’s an online course that’s been designed just for you. The Not About Size personal styling course created by Australian stylists Wendy Mak and Rachel Worden is due to start it’s next session on June 19 and you won’t want to miss it.

I’ve never thought of myself as a ‘fashionista’ or even someone who likes to keep in touch with the latest trends. I’ve always been one to wear what I like and what feels comfortable. It’s not since I had my children over 10 years ago, that I sort of lost my way in what I wore and rather just wore clothes as not to be naked. When you’ve got young children you don’t get much of a chance to concentrate on yourself (well, that’s what happened to me) so when I found out about the Not About Size personal styling course, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Not About Size personal styling course is a 6 week online course run by Rachel and Wendy both leading Australian stylists. The course aims to give women of all ages, sizes and shapes a guide to help them avoid wasting money on pricey fashion faux pas.

While the topic may be familiar to some, Mak and Worden are one of the first to capture their expertise in styling thousands of everyday women across Australia into a self-guided online tutorial. The program is based on the philosophy that armed with the right knowledge anyone can be their own professional stylist and dress their best – no matter their size.

The self-paced course, which is only open for registrations three times a year, includes six video modules covering easy-to-implement lessons on finding your personal style, choosing the most complementary colour palette, body shape, creating and editing a cohesive wardrobe, shopping like a stylist and how to accessorise.

Program participation includes 12 months of access to the tutorial videos, learning worksheets and bonus lessons to help boost styling knowledge.

Women also receive members-only access to the Not About Size Facebook community where they can share experiences, get additional style feedback and post style triumphs with Rachel, Wendy and other members.

 

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at the Not About Size online course and after

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only 2 modules, I can already see an improvement in what I decide to wear each day. Let’s face it. My life consists of daily drop offs and pick ups of my children from school, taking them to dance classes, housework and the occasional morning tea out with the girls so it’s not like I need any major fashion pieces but I’ve worked out what colours best suit me and how to add the right colours to the basic black items I tend to wear a lot of. I’ve got quite a few statement jewellry pieces that I need to wear a bit more often to compliment my outfits. Even though I don’t need a high fashion wardrobe, I do like feeling good about myself and sometimes having those right pieces can be enough to make you feel good about the clothes you wear. I also won’t be tempted to just buy every single piece of clothing I see. I’ll be more fussy with the pieces I buy and whether or not they’ll fit my budget, my current wardrobe and my colouring. This course is suitable for any woman of any age or size and it doesn’t matter what your budget is. It’ll work for anyone.

Ladies can register on Not About Size to access four free mini tutorials to get a feel for the course. These taster lessons include the 2-minute method to determine your body shape, 4 ways to look slimmer instantly, 5 essentials for every wardrobe and the biggest issue with personal style.

Wendy Mak, Not About Style co-founder, says the course is perfect for women looking to step up their styling game from the comfort of their own home.

“We created this course for ladies who are struggling to work out their personal style for a variety of reasons and who, like most of us, don’t have lots of time or the budget to hire a personal stylist. We’re here to show how easy it is to shop and style themselves better with simple, timeless tips.”

“Not About Size proves that with a little knowledge and support, you can be a woman of any size with any budget, and still successfully navigate the often intimidating world of fashion,” said Mak.

The current round of Not About Size closes for registrations on Sunday 19 June 2016. To register visit www.NotAboutSize.com.

 

Disclaimer:  I was given free access to the www.NotAboutSize.com 6 week online course in return for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.