If you sometimes feel like it's a struggle to find your authentic style among current trends and the pressures of society...please don't worry - you're not alone.
I want to share with you an empowering tool that can help navigate this fashion puzzle: Creating a mood board!
With a background in personal styling, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of owning your image. It’s not just about the clothing – it’s about expressing your unique self. And trust me, a well-curated mood board can revolutionise your style journey while staying true to your eco-conscious principles.
What is a Mood Board?
A mood board is a visual collection of ideas, inspirations, and aspirations. It can help you discover new looks, tones, and moods that resonate with your authentic self.
Why Create a Mood Board?
- To help define your style: Our style, like our lives, changes over time and occasionally needs attention to reflect who we are right now. By pinning images that resonate with you, you’ll gain clarity on your style preferences and discover elements (you may never have thought of before) that define your fashion identity.
- To keep you inspired: Everything is so fast paced in the world of fashion and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by trends. Your mood board can offer inspiration and be a constant source of creativity and motivation guiding you while staying grounded in your personal style preferences.
- To encourage mindful consumption: By creating a mood board, you’re refining your personal style, AND practicing mindful consumption. When you take the time to carefully select images that reflect your values and goals, you’re making conscious choices about the type of clothing and accessories you want to invest in.
Going through perimenopause, dealing with adrenal issues and weight fluctuations, and living a nomadic lifestyle on-the-road in our motorhome a couple of years ago, really drove home the fact that my personal style is always evolving. Now that I’m back in city life and have launched my clothing brand, I’m realising more than ever how important it is to embrace my ever-changing identity. These experiences have been a powerful reminder that our style journey is a dynamic one, always adapting alongside the twists and turns of life.
Now that you understand the power of a mood board, wouldn’t you like to create your own? This is my favourite way of bringing my style vision to life!
How to Create Your Own Mood Board on Pinterest:
- Sign into Pinterest. Don't have an account? Sign up for free HERE!
- Create a new board (you can keep the board a secret if you want to keep your ideas to yourself). Jump into a visual adventure!
- Think about the types of clothing, colours, patterns, and aesthetics that appeal to you. Focus on images that make you feel happy and inspired. Then pin 20-30 visuals that align with your personal tastes. (For example, if you love bold and dramatic styles, search for “dramatic outfits” or “bold-inspired accessories” or “dramatic hair styles”.) You get the idea!
- Pin at least 20 more visuals that represent your style preferences. Whether it’s a natural, romantic, classic, edgy, or eclectic style, search for images that reflect your unique taste. Keep adding to your mood board over time. Get creative with your searches! There are no rules here.
- Once you've reached your desired number of images, begin looking for common elements. Write down the characteristics that catch your eye. For example, do you see a particular colour, print, or cut that keeps on repeating itself? These might be what you feel most comfortable with or they could be exciting new things to try!
Tips’n’Tricks:
- Collect images that evoke the mood and style you aspire to.
- You don’t need to stick to one category or place a label on yourself. Combine elements from different style personalities and trends to create a unique blend that reflects your individuality.
- Look for images that showcase textures and fabrics you love - whether it's soft knits, flowy chiffon, denim, or structured leather.
- Keep in mind your lifestyle, environment/weather conditions, upcoming occasions and events when selecting images.
- Include a mix of close-up shots, full outfits, details, hairstyles, shoes and accessories.
- While it's important to explore aspirational images, remember to consider what feels authentic to you and aligns with your comfort level, and personal preferences.
- Infuse elements that reflect your personality, interests and hobbies.
- Don't be afraid to add or remove images as your style evolves. Keep it fresh and relevant by regularly updating it with new inspirations.
- If you see an outfit or piece of clothing or accessory you wouldn't normally wear, but you love it for some reason, don't think - just add it to your board! (You can always delete it later if it doesn't feel right.)
Take Action:
I strongly believe that “less is more” when it comes to our closets, which is why I design capsule collections at Mad Nomad. Each piece within a collection can be worn together and will also work with many staples that you already own, ensuring versatility and longevity in your wardrobe. Let’s put this philosophy into action…
- Explore Your Closet: Take a quick peek in your closet and identify any pieces that are similar to the images on your mood board. This can help you better understand your style and leverage what you already own.
- Experiment and Mix: Try different combinations of clothing items from your mood board and existing wardrobe. Mix and match with confidence, exploring new outfit possibilities that gel with your aesthetic.
- Accessorise with Intention: Elevate your looks by selecting accessories and footwear that compliment the pieces you’ve chosen. This can add some personality, and enhance your look’s overall impact.
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Capture your Creations: Don’t forget to take photos of your favourite combinations and keep them in an album on your phone for easy reference in the future.
Join the Conversation:
I invite you to share your mood board creations with me by tagging @madnomadapparel and #madnomadstyle. Let’s inspire and empower each other to elevate our style in a sustainable way!
Why Sustainability Matters:
Creating a mood board is about exploring fashion, redefining our connection with clothing and embracing sustainability. By curating timeless, quality pieces that align with our values, we reduce our environmental impact and support a more conscious fashion industry.