Welcome back to The Velvet Runway and this feature about the five most common style mistakes I have seen in ten years of styling and blogging with my tips for how to avoid them.
When it comes to women’s style, the difference between looking put-together and missing the mark can often come down to a few simple errors. Whether it’s copying others instead of dressing for yourself, dressing for the body you wish you had rather than the body you have now, or worrying too much about other people’s opinions, these common mistakes are easy to make but just as easy to avoid with a little guidance.
We all make style mistakes — it’s part of being human. Most of us can look back at old outfits and wonder how we ever left the house wearing them. Sometimes it’s a trend that didn’t suit us, sometimes it’s clothes that no longer fit our bodies or our lives, and sometimes it’s simply a lack of confidence shining through our wardrobe choices.
The problem with style mistakes is that they can :
- make you look dowdy or frumpy
- make you look like you’re trying too hard
- make you look shapeless and/or larger than your actual size
- make you look older than you really are
- make you look “like you’re not you!”
What’s important to remember is this: style mistakes are not failures. They’re signals. They tell us when our clothes no longer align with who we are.
Over the last ten years, I’ve seen the same patterns repeat — regardless of age, size or lifestyle. In this post, I’m sharing the five most common style mistakes women make, along with practical, realistic ways to avoid them — not by chasing trends, but by dressing with intention, confidence and self-awareness.
Many of these style mistakes link back to deeper themes — body confidence, wardrobe foundations and dressing with intention. I’ve linked relevant posts throughout if you’d like to explore any area in more detail.
What Style Mistakes are you making? Read on to discover the 5 most common style mistakes and how to avoid them!
5 Common Style Mistakes and How to avoid them.
This post was originally published in 2020 and has been thoughtfully updated to reflect a more intentional, modern approach to personal style.
1. Copying others instead of dressing for yourself
Drawing inspiration from celebrities, influencers or friends is natural — but problems arise when inspiration turns into imitation. What looks effortless on someone else can feel uncomfortable or “off” on you, even when you can’t quite explain why.
Looking at a picture of a celebrity in an outfit and then thinking, “Oh, she looks amazing, I’ll buy that” is a surprisingly common mistake, and the reason it doesn’t work is :
- they have a different body shape to us
- they have different colouring to us
- and even if, they have the same body shape and colouring, the chances that they have the same personality as well is seriously low!
Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t get inspiration from celebrities/ friends/ colleagues or anyone else whose fashion sense you admire. In fact, one of my tips when trying to discover your style personality is to “pin” all the outfits you love! But, there is a difference between using this for ideas and inspiration and copying an outfit from “head to toe“
That’s because style isn’t just about body shape or colouring — it’s also about personality, lifestyle and energy. Clothes need to reflect you, not someone else.
Focus on shopping for your own personality and body shape — and learn how to adapt fashion trends that fit your personal style — and you will discover that your outfits feel more flattering and authentic.
Pro Tip: Use inspiration selectively. Instead of copying full outfits, ask yourself what you like — the colour, the silhouette, the mood — and adapt that element to your own wardrobe.
2. Dressing for the body you wish you had
This remains one of the most damaging and common style mistakes. Many women hide behind oversized or shapeless clothing while waiting for a future version of themselves.
The truth is simple: the body you have now deserves clothes that fit and flatter it today.
I can’t emphasise enough the importance of embracing your body shape : whether you are satisfied with your current figure or not, whether you are on a diet or a fitness program, you should always dress according to the figure you have RIGHT NOW!
By dressing for the size and body shape you now have, you will highlight your assets and feel more confident and happy!
All body types have positive and negative aspects, and the key rules to dressing for your body shape are:
- Accentuate and draw attention to what you like
- Camouflage what you don’t, and finally
- Flaunt your assets (within reason!)
For a practical example, see our guide to the best skirts for your body shape, and don’t underestimate the importance of wearing the right underwear, as by getting the right framework on your body underneath your clothes, your outfits will look so much better.
Dressing for your current shape builds confidence immediately — and confidence changes how clothes look far more than size ever will.
Pro tip: If nothing in your wardrobe feels quite right, start with fit rather than style. Small alterations can completely transform how a garment feels and looks.
3. Worrying too much about other people’s opinions
I firmly believe that the way you present yourself to the world and your external image have a huge impact on the way you feel inside, and that appearance plays a huge part in not only how we are perceived by others, but most importantly, how we perceive ourselves.
These Style Mistakes manifest in two ways:
i) the fear of not looking good enough , which leads us to buy expensive clothes, to buy “labels” to impress even if the clothes don’t suit our body shape or our personality and relentlessly following trends, even if they don’t flatter us!
Treat catwalk trends as inspiration, rather than something to be followed to a ‘T’. Focus instead on timeless style choices that never date, and try to work one aspect of a trend into your existing wardrobe rather than going for head-to-toe trends.
ii) the fear people will think we’re trying too hard, which means we wear dull clothes that don’t draw attention to ourselves, or we hide between baggy and unflattering clothes.
Working on your (style) confidence is the key to overcoming concerns of trying too hard. By knowing the clothes, colours, accessories and styles that will enhance your outer self, you will feel more confident, positive and radiant and ready to take on all the challenges that life throws at you!
Pro tip: Push your comfort zone gently. If a full outfit feels like too much, introduce one new element at a time and let your confidence catch up.
4. Putting yourself last
When life gets busy personal style is often the first thing to go. This is particularly common with new Mums, or working Mums with young children, as well as with “carers”, who may be looking after an invalid or an elderly relative.
But neglecting yourself doesn’t serve anyone in the long run. If you don’t take time for yourself – embracing the art of slow living through small daily rituals – you are going to become frazzled and worn out.
So, take a little “me” time and organise a pampering/ styling session. And remember, style isn’t vanity; it’s communication. It’s one of the simplest ways to reconnect with yourself.
Pro tip: Think of getting dressed well as an act of self-respect, not self-indulgence. Even small daily choices can restore a sense of agency.
5. Letting money mindset sabotage your wardrobe
Sometimes, we get a block about money. Maybe we were raised to believe “money doesn’t grow on trees” and so we feel guilty spending money on clothes, or maybe we are happy to spend money on our children/ other family members but we don’t want to spend money on ourselves.
You don’t need an unlimited budget to dress well — but you do need to let go of guilt around investing in yourself. A wardrobe built on poor-quality pieces often costs more in the long run, both financially and emotionally.
My tips here would be to focus on quality over quantity, and invest in good basics that you can wear again and again, forming the foundation of a creating a capsule wardrobe strategy. Once you’ve built up a capsule wardrobe of good quality basics, you can play around with adding a few new pieces each season.
Pro tip: Prioritise quality over quantity. Start with versatile basics and build slowly — a considered wardrobe always outperforms an overflowing one.
Final Thoughts About 5 Common Style Mistakes and How to avoid them.
Style mistakes are not something to fear — they’re something to learn from. Every misstep offers clarity about what doesn’t work, helping you move closer to a wardrobe that genuinely supports your life and your identity.
Personal style isn’t about perfection or trends. It’s about alignment — between how you look, how you feel and how you live. When those elements come together, getting dressed becomes simpler, more enjoyable and far more empowering.
To continue refining your style, explore my French-Inspired Style Secrets Guide, where you’ll find everything from timeless wardrobe essentials to seasonal outfit ideas.
I hope you enjoyed this feature about 5 Common Style Mistakes (and How to avoid them), and remember: awareness is the first step. Change doesn’t need to be dramatic — it just needs to be intentional.
If this resonated with you, I would really appreciate it if you would share it. You can do this by saving any of the images to your Pinterest board or clicking on one of the icons below the post to share to Twitter, Facebook or Linked’In, and you can also share it by email to just one person (or more) by clicking on the email icon below.
I will be back soon with more style inspiration and don’t forget to subscribe to make sure you never miss a post (you can select just style or just the categories that interest you.)
Look good, feel good, live your best life
With love,
I couldn’t agree more with these! I find that clients I work with always try to dress for the body they want.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
That’s so true, Kathrine. The temptation is hard to resist!
Beautiful post.Love them all. Thanks for sharing it!
Have a wonderful weekend ahead!
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it x
GREAT POST! I liked how you included the money aspect. A lot of people think that because we don’t have the funds, we can’t be stylish. Hell, I thought that when I was younger. While you don’t need to be making $100,000 a year to have a killer wardrobe, investing in clothes is important and must be acknowledged. That way, you don’t go spending money on the latest trend that won’t last but what, 3 washes? I really pay attention to material when it comes to purchasing clothing pieces. Thanks for writing a thought provoking post doll!
Des
Thanks Des! I’m so glad you found it interesting and thought provoking! And, I agree it’s really important to pay attention to the material and invest in timeless good quality pieces that you can wear time and time again (and it’s better for the environment too!) xo
This is so true! I’ve been guilty of doing some of these.
xx Alyssa | STYLE VANITY
I think lots of us have been at some point! Thanks for reading xo
These are all great tips, especially not dressing for our body types/shapes. Particular styles can be such mood-lifters thanks to their flattering fits 🙂 Hope you’re having a good wekeend so far!
Gabrielle
Thanks Gabrielle! I think dressing for your body shape/type is the thing that can make the biggest difference! And I believe that when we make the effort to do so we feel good too xo
Have a lovely weekend!
Thank you! Hope you had a good weekend xo
Love these points! I think a lot of people don’t think about these things when they shop and end up disappointed!
So true! Sometimes, people just impulse buy (often something they’ve seen in a magazine) and don’t really think about whether it suits them x
4 is so important, well done post 🙂
https://loveonthebrainbykinga.wordpress.com/
Thank you Kinga! Glad you liked it x
Your tip to invest into good basics is so valid. I also like what you said we shouldn’t think too much about what others think, I believe that is holding a lot of people down. Moreover, dressing our body in a way that emphasizes on what we like can be so empowering. Too many people focus one negative or what they themselves perceive as negative.
Definitely! I think worrying about what people think holds a lot of people back and the key is to wear what makes you feel good, and focus on dressing our body to highlight the parts we like. x
Yes, these are really mistakes! Thanks for sharing – I definitely will keep this in my mind 🙂
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
Thanks Rena, I’m glad you found it useful x
Great tips dear! Thanks for sharing. Loved reading this.
Adi xx | http://www.fancycorrectitude.com
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it xo
Such a great and interesting post. I like videos that you put inside and tips that you get. Thank you so much for sharing.
New Post – http://www.exclusivebeautydiary.com/2020/01/filorga-hydra-filler-pro-youth_15.html
Thank you! I’m so glad you found it interesting x
Fab tips hun, personally I like to dress for myself and stick what I think suits my body and style.
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
Glad you liked the post, Lovely. I think wearing what we love and what makes us feel good is the most important factor! xoxo
I loved reading this Julia. It’s amazing how it’s the little things that can make a difference. We definitely have to give time for ourselves and think we are important enough to look good.
XOOX
Jodie
Thanks Jodie! I’m so glad you enjoyed reading this, and totally agree that we need to give time for ourselves xoxo
I think I’ve made all of these mistakes at one time or another. You make such a good point about copying a celebrity style and not feeling like yourself when you’re wearing it. Just because you love it on someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you!
Jill – Doused in Pink
I’ve made quite a few of these mistakes too, especially when I was younger, because I think that we need to find our own style and that can take time! And I totally agree that just because you love it on someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you! xo
Great post! I totally agree with the body shape one, it’s so important to dress for your individual body type and shape as one item might not suit everyone xx
GemmaEtc.com
Thanks Gemma!
When it comes to fashion simply wear items which make you feel like yourself. Clothes are just clothes and a form of expression! Don’t worry about making ‘mistakes’ as often mistakes may not be a mistake to somebody else 🙂
Laura xo
http://www.shehearts.net
Hi Laura, I think the key to any style is ‘confidence’. You need to wear what feels good on you and what makes you happy, and I am not advocating following fashion trends in any way. In fact, the opposite! I am saying that you need to find ‘your own style’, taking account of your personality, your body shape, your lifestyle etc. xo
These are great tips and overall I think this will help to have a better mental health!
Yes, I think so too! I believe we should wear what makes us feel good and what makes us happy x
These are such great tips + things to keep in mind- especially about dressing for the body you have NOW. No sense in waiting for the day (if that day ever comes) when you’ll have lost the weight, gained the weight, toned the whatever, etc. Dress your body now and feel good NOW!
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
Totally agree, Ashley ! Dress for the body you have NOW and feel good NOW x
This is so on point. The kind of mistakes I made when I was younger and didn’t yet know my style.
http://www.fashionradi.com
Yes, I think a lot of us made these mistakes when we were younger and hadn’t discovered our style x
Such a great post! Thanks for sharing.
xx- Nina
http://www.stylingwithnina.com/2020/01/how-to-style-color-block-coat.html
Glad you liked it Nina x
I agree with all of these Julia! Women really need to focus on what looks good on their shape. Have a terrific week!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thanks Kathrine! I’m so glad you agree x
These are all so good! We shouldn’t put ourselves last and I felt like when my kids were little, they needed so many clothes and I would buy for them first and then never landed up updating my wardrobe. I’m so much better about that now!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
I think a lot us did the same, Carrie! It’s normal we look after/ look out for our children but we shouldn’t forget to look after ourselves too! x
Very informative and so true! I can definitely relate to putting yourself last. Must be a mom thing :).
xoxo, Vanessa
http://www.WhatWouldVWear.com
Yes, I think it’s definitely a Mom thing! And whilst it’s totally normal to look after your children; we shouldn’t forget to look after ourselves too! xo
Oh my goodness, I’m definitely guilty of a few of these over the years! As I’m getting older, I have definitely came into my own style and I think I’ve gotten a little better, haha.
https://www.makelifemarvelous.com/
I agree! I think as we get older we are less worried about following trends and fitting in and so we ‘come into’ our own style xo