When finding my tribe, I was instantly drawn to 'Scenester' due to the description that suited how I feel about my own style "Setting themselves apart by creating new trends by co-opting fashion and music from accross the Tribal map and blending it with their own individual attitudes. Ever difficult to pin down, they move at lightning speed through youth culture." I often take inspiration from film and sub-cultures from the past, and mix it with more contemporary brands. I sometimes think that you can't really categorise every person's style by these tribe guidelines, but after reading through them it's more likely you could. Personal style is such an interesting topic, as everyone has different views on what it means to them, and have a huge range of inspirations across all media that influences this. I like to think of it as curating yourself through your image; dressing as the person you wish to be, which subsequently tells others your interests and who you are, as well as the more obvious of what tribe you relate to.

 With social media making it so easy to blend and alter distinct styles into your own, sartorial taste is even harder to pin down. For my own inspiration, I look to Patti Smith and her feminine take on menswear, Anna Karina in Jean-luc Godard's films, and I always find myself going back to the staple of style that is Alexa Chung. Over the past year I have definitely been more drawn to uniform dressing. A Man Repeller article called it "personal style nirvana - that rare, unshakable understanding of who you are and the outfit that expresses it". It isn't just for ease in the morning when picking out an outfit, it's more about feeling comfort in knowing your style and feeling comfortable, without falling into repetition. I don't think I'm completely there with my uniform, as some days I will switch it around and lean towards different decades or styles, but I definitely know what works for me and what's a safe option. For me, a jumper, culottes, dr martens, and a fur coat is playful and contemporary, but comfy and safe enough to get on with the day ahead without worrying about what I'm wearing. Then we have the final touch; what tote bag I will be using that day. My 'Shakespeare & Co' if I want people to know I wish I was Parisian, my 'Velvet Underground' if I want to jazz up a dull outfit by reminding the world I like good music, or the fail-safe 'Beyond Retro' that half the population of Brighton also owns, but still says something about me nonetheless. I think I definitely fall into the 'Scenester' tribe due to this mixing of media and interests, to remain 'fashionable', but not focusing on whether it's 'trendy'. 




I spoke to photography student Elspeth Vincent about how she views her own personal style. Elspeth has over 40,000 followers on Instagram, so knows how important social media can be in influencing style. Elspeth gets most of her inspiration through Instagram, due to the ease of gaining ideas from other bloggers. Although social media is a huge factor, Elspeth still understands the impact going in-store and seeing window displays has, as well as fashion & culture magazines like Suitcase, which show a fresh take on style through editorials. In relation to her time on Instagram, Elspeth says "you get immersed in it, because it's so interactive through talking to other bloggers and exploring other people's styles". The communication that's found on Instagram is what makes it the forerunner in influencing consumers. When asked if she also relates to the Scenester tribe in terms of music and film influencing her style, Elspeth says "It's more of a passing influence. My whole identity doesn't drastically change, but listening to certain music or seeing a film set in a different era will make me think differently about what I'm wearing that day". Elspeth is interested in Art History as well as photography, which gives a unique element to the thought behind her style. Being a fan of Abstract Contemporary art, "I'm more aware of how important visual impressions are, and to look for upcoming trends." We then talked about uniform dressing, agreeing that it's more than being physically comfortable; "It makes you mentally comfortable in yourself, which makes you feel confident". Elspeth's uniform tends to be a variation of loafers, skinny jeans, an oversized top, and a statement bag, which keeps it open for alternative styling without losing the essence of her own identity. Much like associating yourself with a tribe; it's the foundation of your personal style, while leaving room for your own personal influences and interests.

montage images are from observer.com, rebelcircus.com, and huffingtonpost.co.uk