Great Style

He was wearing a lightly stained apron at waist height over his Oxford shirt. The shirt sleeves were buttoned at the wrist and had creases at the elbows indicative of a long day at work. His top was carefully tucked into crisply ironed blue jeans. He stood behind the counter-top penning detailed notes into a black dog-eared notebook whenever he wasn't taking an order. He wore metal rimmed round spectacles that framed curious tentative eyes. He stood out because his co-workers were all in t shirts and jeans.

Sitting in a cafe by the windows watching people go about their lives is a lazy afternoon pastime of mine. You're just about guaranteed to have a tremendous variety of people walk on by. What you see people wearing depends on the time of day, weather, and season. What they wear is not the only thing that catches the eye, but more so, how they wear it.

When I first encountered The Sartorialist about a decade ago as a teenager, it was an eye opening foray into what clothing could do. Bill Cunningham was another favourite street photographer of mine. I eagerly absorbed their photographs of people from all over the world, dressed in such unique ways, but all encapsulating the essence of who they were. It wasn't about how expensive their outfits were. Many of them wore thrift store finds or even work uniforms. It was about how they pulled it off. They all shared one thing in common- an unquestionable sense of style.

It's quite difficult to pinpoint precisely what separates great style from the everyday. I've walked by people whose stylistic choices were assembled in such an avant-garde manner yet suited them perfectly. On the other hand, I admire the simplicity of someone flawlessly pulling off varying shades of black in an entire outfit. A fashion forward sensibility, although related, is distinguishable from style. While fashion relies on the trends of the day, style endures through the runway seasons. So what is great style? And how do we identify it?

The Person Wears The Clothes
People with distinct and exemplary style display a sense of ownership over their outfit choice. They wear their clothes; their clothes do not wear them. It's not exactly self-confidence I'm describing. The man I observed in the cafe didn't exude it. It's more so a level of comfort that comes with wearing clothes that are in tune with who you are.

Unspoken Impressions
We often interpret what a person is like based on what they wear and how they wear it. Their outfit informs our very first impressions before they ever utter a "hello." Someone might choose to meticulously fold their trouser legs or don boldly coloured overalls. Sometimes the very first glance of someone is enough to leave a lasting memory. Take Ms. Elizabeth Sweetheart in New York City who lives and breathes the colour green. Her reason is simple- it's the colour that inspires the most joy in her.

Physique
Last but most definitely not least, understanding how to accentuate or complement our physique. People of all shapes and sizes can demonstrate excellent style. A photographer at a wedding I recently attended was dressed in a classy beige romper, two DSLR cameras with huge lenses dangling from a leather harness criss-crossing her body. Somehow the sturdiness of the mahogany harness worked well with the delicate fabric of the romper. I saw how comfortable she was in the outfit while working long before I ever noticed the empty space where an arm would be.

There isn't a set path to dressing well. Finding what works for your taste in clothes, your physique, and the impression you want to convey can take a long time, and might very well evolve just when you think you've nailed it. Some of the people I know with the most distinct sense of style have been dressing that way for years while others have slowly overhauled their wardrobes as they go through different stages in life. Ms. Sweetheart's advice was apt- maybe we should just pick the clothes that make us feel the happiest!