there's fashion & then there's style.

i often struggle with my personal style...maybe a little too often. trying to mix old pieces with new ones and thinking that there are two types of shoe for every outfit: chucks or gladiators. i'm also a bit self-conscious about having short hair, so i'm usually searching for the perfect pair of long, dangly earrings to add a little 'girl' to my look. i'm always wanting to be daring, but tend to play it safe, and still, people consider me to have 'style.' or am i fashionable?

after reading a post from the sartorialist earlier today, i started to think about the distinction. today's post includes a photo of a guy in rolled army-style shorts and the question is posed: what is "fashion" and what is "style?" according to this sartorialist writer, "rolled shorts could easily become a trend or fashion, but unless everyone is doing it (i guess in this case) it would be considered personal style." i agree that personal style and fashion are two very different things. you could copy and paste from any elle, vanity fair, or even people and look exactly like the carbon copy or you could mix things up. do the unexpected.

"...great personal style is made up of a certain percentage of 'always' items and methods, mixed with a certain percentage of 'sometimes' fashions, and a certain percentage of 'nevers'."

my sister once called me a hipster. to this day, i'm not sure how to take it. yes, i wear skinny jeans, chucks and scarves, but what else is it that classifies a hipster a 'hipster' and someone with style a person with style? i would rather be the latter...defying the 'hipster' status and creating something of my own. i want to be someone richard haines or garance dore draws.