What makes people wear what they wear?  Did you ever wonder why YOU are drawn to certain pieces of clothing in your wardrobe? The obvious answer is that they make us feel good about ourselves when we wear them. It’s one of the reasons that our Goodwill stores have so many great bargains in fashion as well! What I mean by that is if you choose to wear items that make you feel and look good, you should probably donate the ones that don’t work out so well to one back to Goodwill so someone else can find their “favorite” right?  When I cover Mercedes Benz Fashion Week to score ideas and see the latest and greatest in the world of fashion, I’m also drawn to the DIY runway going on outside in the Plaza at Lincoln Center.  These people all have some kind of “it” factor that fascinated me, and great style as well. The following photos were all taken by yours truly.  

Seeing spots?  When done in the right way for you, leopard prints are, and always will be, a viable fashion statement. When the tones are muted, like in this young gents sweater, it seems fashion forward and understated at the same time. He achieves that balance by giving the rest of his outfit a prep school vibe with the cuffed jeans, leather saddle shoes and button down shirt. Classic RayBans and a cross-body bag in a contrasting tone make it pop!

A classic tent dress, or its cousin the trapeze dress, are narrow at the shoulder and generously flow away from the body from the bust down. Sometimes it’s like a baby doll when it’s short, but in this photo it’s all business! This chic lass is in the magazine game, but she’s originally from the Milwaukee area. I thought that was very cool! Her classic black-and-white print dress is off set by the pop of red of her bag, and  her choice of jewelry is spot on. Notice how her oversized gold watch and layered necklaces don’t compete with the look. Her lace-up cage sandals are adorable with this and echo the graphic dress. I am a fan of the oversized cat eye shades she’s sporting too! This is the epitome of a confident professional and yes, comfortable daytime ensemble that any woman might take some style pointers from!

Navigating nautical? I think this wacky look is great. It has some elements that read nautical or patriotic, like her red-tipped hair and the white and blue of the striped skirt. Somehow I think this outfit works for her. I actually like that she didn’t match her shoes to the blue in the skirt, she’s breaking some rules and owning it! Not for everyone, but if you took away a few of the accessories and gave her some classic black pumps it would be another story right?  It does make you think about how accessories can change EVERYTHING!

Summertime is a great time to experiment and let your fashions fly with your best friends. These two girls are rocking totally different looks! On the right we have a southern California beach vibe, replete with maxi skirt in a cute print, nameplate necklace hat and tank top. I shouldn’t like this but I do because SHE looks so happy to be with her friend! On the left we have a bright fitted floral look that she has accessorized simply with the hot-pink high heeled sandals. Her radiant smile says that she feels great and knows that she’s showing how she feels.  

Clothing that we love makes us feel great about ourselves, and automatically draws us to the people who wear them. That’s why it’s all about finding those things and wearing them just like these real people in New York did!  Goodwill is a great place to start dressing like you feel, and ditching the duds that bring you down. Those donated items will help someone receive training and got to work through our mission, and that’s a beautiful thing.