Style Resolutions 2013

With every new year comes a new set of resolutions, and while I make the usual half hearted promise to go to the gym, I also make a set of style resolutions. As with anything in life, it’s important to keep pushing your style to develop and grow. My style resolutions are the goals that I actually work hard to keep. It’s fun to set goals for the year and look back on the old ones to see if you made them. 2013 is going to a big year, so I have some important resolutions to go with it.

1) The Balance of Form and Function
I’m starting off 2013 studying abroad in the Netherlands for a semester. The program is structured so that students attend classes four days a week and then have the weekend to travel. This means that I’ll not only need to fit 3 months worth of clothes into one under-fifty-pound suitcase, but also that I’ll have to master travel style. As someone who is used to having at least 60 pairs of shoes available at all times, this is going to be a struggle. My goal is to find a way to reconcile my love of fashion with my need for comfort and function while I’m traveling.

2) Breaking the Rules
One of my resolutions from last year was to experiment with different looks and I’ve definitely mastered that. In a few short months my style went from girly to boho to dominatrix and back again. But while I’ve grown comfortable with using all different looks to create my personal style, there are still some taboos that I’ve been afraid to break. I sometimes find myself thinking things like “I can’t buy that skirt, it’s long and I’m short,” and limiting myself based on age old rules that don’t always hold true. As a person who is always encouraging others to break the so-called fashion “rules,” it’s time I let go of them too. This year I’d like to have a more open mind about trends that I don’t think I can pull off.

3) Full Steam Ahead
Trends and Tolstoy has expanded in just a year from a casual hobby to my salary paying, part-time job. Our readership has grown from twenty or so people to over 16,000 and we’ve moved from the US to countries all over the world. I am stunned by the incredible growth of the blog, and so proud of the level of quality it has reached. In my style resolutions this year I would like to include this resolution for Trends and Tolstoy. In 2013 I want to continue to deliver fashion photos, tips, and conversation that our readers will enjoy. I want to bring in exciting new locations as Jamie and I travel through Europe this spring, and I want to showcase this year’s trends while staying true to my personal style.

2012 was an amazing year for fashion and for Trends and Tolstoy. I can’t wait to see what 2013 has in store for us. Here’s hoping glam rock makes a comeback!

Photo by Jamie Kaplan.