NOT AGAINST THE STREAM, JUST NOT FOLLOWING IT

I have this thing for stirring clear of the mainstream. I'm attracted to things most people ignore, and I avoid things most people crave. It is predominantly because of my introversion. I constantly feel like I need to get away from where the crowd flocks and find my own little space where I don't have to compare myself to others all the time. So when there's a new coffee shop in the neighborhood with Instagrammable interior and gangs of girls fill up the reservations every brunch time for at least the first three months, that coffee shop would be the last place I'd want to be. Thankfully, my husband gets me and is happy to "isolate" together.

This applies to the fashion part of my world. I fancy all the pretty little trends as featured in the most recent month of Vogue, but as soon as I go shopping and find a piece of such trend, the first thought that comes to mind is: how many girls are wearing the same thing these days. It will only end up in my purchase cart if I can comfortably say that not that many girls, if not none, wear it. Rest assured, you won't see me in Zara more than twice a year.

It does make shopping a tad more difficult though, because no fashion stores want to sell something most girls won't buy. Consequently, I often have to look extra hard to find my treasure. 

If you're reading this and saying "that's so me!", here's how I manage:

1. Shop at the non-ladies department. This includes men, unisex, and kids department. You may frown upon that last one, but here in Indonesia, the size range of the kids department at most stores reaches the size of petite adults. Seriously. The largest size at H&M Kids and Zara Kids is designated for "kids" with 170cm of height. I'm only 164cm! (So Zara Kids would be the only section in a Zara store you'd probably find me twice a year).

2. If you have to shop at the ladies department, buy something that's NOT your size. More often than not this means several sizes larger than your actual size. This way, although you'll probably be purchasing an item that many other girls have purchased, you'll have the upper hand of styling it differently.

3. Avoid the "last piece" rack. It simply means ALL of the other pieces have gone to the wardrobe of most girls in the city, and besides, the discounts on these pieces, if any, are usually unattractive.

4. Spend some time at pop-up stores or flea markets. Especially, when they feature indie designers or vintage collection. And have an open mind while you're at it. Some pieces look undesirable at first sight, but that's probably because you're unconsciously thinking of whether and how other girls have rocked it. When you stop and think of how YOU and your wanderlust soul would style it, you might change your mind. 

I would love to hear a tip from you too! If you have any, please give yours truly some love and drop them in the comment box. Thanks, and have a wonderful week, everyone!

♥

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