The words fashion and style are often used interchangeably, but they’re different things. At Toolally, we believe it’s important to understand these differences to make more informed choices for how you embellish your look. Let’s dive into the differences between fashion and style, why they’re important, and how you can use them to feel great in what you’re wearing!

Fashion: The Pulse of the Moment 

The biggest difference between fashion and style is that fashion is timely. It relies on current trends and revolves around the social value that we as a collective give to something at a certain time. Fashions undergo life-cycles, and they rotate faster than ever in this age. The moment you jump onto the latest trend, a new one is already in the works. It can be hard to keep up! That’s where style comes in handy…

Where fashion is a huge industry controlled by some of the richest people in the world, style is an art form unique to you. You cannot buy style, but you can develop it. It’s all about being confident in your own tastes and letting them shine through your visual aesthetic. 

Your personal taste is influenced not only by your likes and dislikes, but by your education, the way you were brought up, the culture you’ve adopted, the way you swing when it comes to music and sports… the list goes on. There are many factors that contribute towards your personal identity, and often these things lead to influencing your visual identity (Toolally dictionary incoming!) 

Finding your style…

There’s no point in skirting around this point, and honesty is always the best policy. So here goes: while everyone has a personal identity, not everyone has style. And a lot of people never will. It’s actually a pretty difficult thing to achieve. It’s important to know that someone who is actually stylish understands exactly what complements their appearance and brings out their personality. 

No matter how effortless they appear, people who are truly stylish have likely put in a fair amount of work to figure out what it is that makes them look good. They’ve taken time to experiment with combinations of different pieces and have used this information to build a wardrobe that churns out look after look every day. 

There are certain methods to finding not only your style, but how to pull it off so that you look beautifully put together at all times. No, you don’t look great in everything, but there are reasons for that. We’ll break them down for you: 

You’re wearing the wrong colours

If you’ve ever had your colours assessed, you’ll know that everyone’s colouring can be broken into 4 categories, and then broken down further into subcategories. The big four are as follows:

• Spring
• Summer 
• Autumn
• Winter

There is a lot of research that has been done into colour analysis. It can be impacted by your skin, eye and hair colour, and some fashion gurus insist that your personality can have an influence too.

In truth, your colouring will suit any and every colour. It’s not necessarily the colours you need to focus on, but the shades that fit with you. 

Right, shut your eyes, and picture the scene. Actually, open your eyes back up again. You need to read this. So you’re out shopping, you find this pink top (imagine your dream top here), and you absolutely adore it. It’s a bright pink, with a warm undertone. You try it on, and something isn’t quite right. You ate your Weetabix this morning… Why do you look so washed out?

Then you spot another, very similar top in a slightly different shade. This one is more a dusty rose than a hot pink, not quite the vibe you had in mind, but you try it on anyway. You look in the mirror and you’re no longer a ghost of yourself. Your eyes seem brighter and your complexion appears more radiant. 

So what was that all about then? The cool undertones in the second top simply complimented your colouring a thousand times better. Keep that colour in the bank as one that suits, and keep the momentum going! Whenever you try something on, if you find a shade that’s right for you, snap a picture and add it to a ‘colour wheel’ album in your phone. Soon you’ll have a portfolio built up and you’ll be one step closer to achieving that elusive end goal of stylishness.

Keep an eye on The Edit here on the Toolally website for an upcoming blog about colouring and metals, and what it means for your jewellery.

You’re wearing the wrong shapes

Everyone is built differently and no one fits a mould. Your mate Amber probably looks brilliant in those chunky horizontal stripes, but you need to question whether they work for you before you start walking around in someone else's shapes. 

This rings true when it comes to jewellery - especially statement earrings. Again, experiment on your own to begin with. Try on a bunch of different shapes and sizes and assess how they look against your own shapes. Consider the space between your chin and your jaw - what’s it like? Is it a straight edge? Does it curve around and point at the chin in a heart shape? Is it round?

Play with the different shapes and sizes you have until you’ve found the earrings that complement your face. Once you’ve ticked earrings off the list, go through the rest of your jewellery closet, and then the rest of your wardrobe, until you’ve got a collection of things that suit best. Make sure you are considering proportions and symmetry as you do so, and pay close attention to the fits that flatter you the most. 

You haven’t got the gall!

Yes, it takes formulaic experiment and hours of your time to get your style pinned down. But once it’s there, there’s one more step: Be confident. 

You’ve chosen your pieces and you’ve made your decisions for a reason. You’ve spent time on your outfits and you know they look good. So make sure you don’t crash at the final hurdle and bottle it before walking out the door - confidence is key to pulling off a great look. 

Toolally champions confidence and making a statement. You will always be cool if you aren’t afraid to differ from the crowd, and we reflect this through our designs. The key is to always make the most of what you have and put your best look forward. 

You’re heck out of accessories

I mean you might think we would say this, because we’re a jewellery brand. But here at Toolally, we believe it is your jewellery that can make or break a look. Wearing jewellery that complements your outfit and your style has the power to pull an entire look together and complete it. And, as our founder reminds us constantly, the jewellery we wear should be a considered choice everyday. 

(It's also good to get into the habit of taking your jewellery off at bedtime so you won’t be wearing it the next morning in the shower and getting it covered in products galore - not a great way to treat your precious pieces.) - that was another edit from our founder, she’s full of advice! It makes sense. Choosing your accessories each morning means you will visualise and match your accessories to your outfit, keeping your look fresh and styled. 

When shopping for jewellery, we recommend you search for timeless pieces that will suit what you’re wearing now, next week, and 10 or 20 years from now. The key is to choose wisely. Consider the outfit you are wearing and how you can work pieces in to elevate it and bring it all home! Toolally jewellery is designed for the bold, there is truly something for everyone, every colour, every fit and shape. 

Remember, finding your style is a long road and will include ups and downs. Just enjoy the process. Be open to change, and be creative with your choices, never losing sight of what you like! Keep an eye out for my next blog on colour analysis and metal jewellery. See you there! Daisy x