Transitioning from Preppy-ish to Indie-ish

Not too long ago I rambled on about being true to yourself, and I think this concept is the cornerstone to the identity crisis many twenty-somethings of my generation face.  This is a decade where we begin to challenge the crowds we follow and find our distinct voice.  We discover that we aren't  just another character in a John Hughes movie? A brain. An athlete. A basket case. A princess. A criminal.

We are unique to only ourselves. An individual.

Some chose to express their individuality in a variety of ways- whether through music, through intellect, through fashion, or whatever medium best suits the personality they want to project. Most cases, these mediums are all connected, and even though we are diverging from the crowd, we are still (unfortunately) linked to a certain societal stereotype, are we not?

For me, this progression away from what is normal, popular, or the trend, has served as the catalyst for this identity crisis. As I was starting to question what I wanted in life, and I was turning over new stones in search of answers, I discovered a new world- music, films, writing, photography- all these different genres were flooding me with acknowledgment and acceptance.  Slowly I found myself disengaging with certain aspects of life that once served as a clear identification to who I was as a person- yet at the same time I was struggling internally with this expectation to be a certain way, to be a part of the crowd.

But, part of a crowd I am not.  I don't listen to the radio in the car, opting instead for my iPod.  I much prefer the indie scene to that of the synthetic, auto-tuned noise that pollutes "pop" radio.  You will be hard-pressed to find me in a bar (unless of course I'm working), and if you do I won't be sipping on anything domestic. But, the one thing that was really bothered me of late is my wardrobe.

Every time I open my closet I am greeted with styles of yester-year. Or, really, no style at all.  I refer to it as my uniform of popularity.  There's the corner of spaghetti strapped, polka-dotted dresses that I used to wear for girls night out, there's a handful of black and red dress shirts and mock turtlenecks for working game-days at my old job, there's also a bunch of sequined tank tops and a variety of other hideous, flowy shirts. SEQUINS!

Granted, I haven't had the budget over the last year to build up any sort of new wardrobe, so I have some defense.  I am fortunate enough that I am currently employed at a place where it's perfectly acceptable to show up in jeans and a T-shirt.  And because my social life is very non-existent at the moment there is really no need to leave my house, and thus I just wear pajamas all day, everyday.  However, it is my hope that I will soon be gainfully employed where I need to be professionally dressed, and my social life will rebound and be very floundering once more, in which an expressive wardrobe is in order.

Because this is one area of my life that I can control, I've taken a lot of interest in fashion lately. So much so, that I've actually considered doing some modeling in hopes of scoring freebies. (After all, I am 5'10" and a size zero, might as well put it to good use!) Mostly, I've been scouring catalogs/magazines, fashion websites and blogs, and really looking for inspiration, in which I have found in these four, lovely celebrities.

I love the chic, casual, yet bohemian feel of the outfits Rachel Bilson and Sienna Miller typically wear.  I love color and playing around with different textures, mismatching and having fun with clothes.  Glamour put together a little article today that I just fell in love with these bloggers' sense of fashion. I am giddy to start online-window shopping and put together a wish-list of outfits. 

What are your favorite places to shop? (I especially love Urban Outfitters)  Any bloggers whose style you admire?