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Are you ready for a really good Q&A Thursday episode? I hope so! Because today, I’m answering a question that came in from our friend, Jen, about where in the heck to find style inspiration. If you are not a fan of Pinterest or if you find that you’re stuck in a loop of seeing the same outfit pins over and over, this episode is for you.

I’m sharing 6 places you need to start looking for style inspiration (that aren’t Pinterest!). Most of these sources I’ve never talked about on the show before and I can’t wait to dish them all out to you, so you can get out of your style rut, start feeling inspired again, and have way more fun putting outfits together.

❶ Your Favorite Stores

I’ve already told you how much I love window shopping online.  When I updated my own Pinterest Style Mood Board this past spring, most of the images I pinned were from my favorite stores.  I hopped on Anthropologie, J.Crew, Banana Republic, Amour Vert, Sézane, Reformation, {insert your favorite brands here} and pinned pieces and outfits that resonated with me.  

What’s great about this is you’re looking through styles that are current.  When you’re looking for inspiration from online stores, you’re seeing what’s out now, whereas on Pinterest, sometimes you’re going to see looks from years ago.  Now, if you have a Classic Style, that’s not as big of a concern, because you’re likely drawn to those timeless styles anyway.  But if you’re looking for ways to make the pieces in your wardrobe feel modern, it’s helpful to see how merchandisers are styling pieces in the current season.  

Round up a list of your top 5-10 stores, or more if you like, and then browse through their latest collections at the start of each season.  Not only will you be able to add to your Pinterest Style Mood Board, you might find items to add to your wish list or Window Shopping board while you’re at it!

❷ Online Magazines

I used to LOVE getting magazines in the mail.  You remember my shopaholic days?  Well, I fed my fashion addiction with subscriptions to probably a dozen magazines, from Vogue to W, to Elle and Vanity Fair and Women’s Wear Daily.  I had stacks upon stacks of fashion magazines piling up at my door every single month.  But now, we have this wonderful thing called the Internet, where you can access everything digitally with the click of a button. 

If you want up-to-date and often ahead of the curve style inspiration, skim the latest articles from a few of the top online fashion magazines.  Remember, the beauty of Pinterest is that you can pin images from almost anywhere online!  If you download the Pin It extension, you can pin as you peruse relevant style articles from any of the publishers I already mentioned and more.  This is a great way to get a fresh dose of outfit ideas and get those creative juices flowing again!

❸ Fashion News Sites

Similarly to all the fashion magazines you know and love, you can also find out what’s happening in the industry and keep your pulse on trending styles and current outfit inspiration by following a few fashion news sites.  A handful worth noting are Who What Wear, The Zoe Report, StyleCaster, Editorialist, and Fashionista. 

Keep in mind, you’re going to have to comb through articles to find topics that speak to you, you’ll need to weed out a lot of articles about celebrities and things that you may or may not care about. But you can find great articles on what’s trending, street style looks, and all kinds of other cool features to keep you in the know.

❹ Style Bloggers

Are you surprised I mentioned this one?  I told you in the last episode, I’m NOT anti-influencer.  I just want you to be mindful of who you’re following, the effect it has on your mental wellbeing, and also making sure you aren’t falling into the more is more trap that comes along with following ANY of these sources.  This includes fashion news sites and online magazines as well!  I recommend popping back to episode #18: Who’s Influencing Your Style? for a few helpful parameters to keep in mind before you hit the follow button!  

But there are a couple of style bloggers I revisit every so often for fresh inspiration with my own wardrobe. If you find the right influencers, by all means, use them as a source of style inspiration and pin away!

❺ Movies and TV

You can find style inspiration absolutely anywhere!  Search for images from your favorite shows and films online if you want to add them to your Pinterest Style Mood Board.  But sometimes, it’s fun to take your fashion sourcing offline completely.  Just start paying attention to what outfit details, makeup looks, and hair styles you’re drawn to the next time you sit down for a Netflix binge or head to the theater!

Here’s a list of my personal favorites:

• The Devil Wears Prada
• Confessions of a Shopaholic
• Clueless
• Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion
• The Break-Up
• Sex and the City
• Emily in Paris
• Gossip Girl
• Mad Men

❻ Art, Culture, and Nature

The beauty of fashion and having the ability to express yourself through your style is that there is no limit to where you can find inspiration.  So maybe this last one is a cop out, but the real question might be where can’t you find style inspiration?  I want you to challenge yourself to start looking in places that might surprise you.  Maybe get OFF of social media and Pinterest for a while.  Go back to good old fashioned people watching.  Take a walk in nature and notice the colors and patterns.  Head to a museum and see which pieces of art draw you in.  

So often, I think we fall in line with what everyone else is doing or what we’re told is on-trend.  We don’t really think about what moves and inspires us.  And I love that this question came up, because I don’t know that I would’ve thought to issue you this challenge. 

If you’ve been stuck in a style rut or if you’re feeling tired of the same old outfits popping up in your Pinterest feed, maybe it’s time to go a little rogue!  Visit a thrift store and see what treasures you find. Or put on a movie that moves you.  Start looking and thinking outside the box and I bet you’re going to start having a lot more fun when you go to put your outfits together!