Who or what are your style inspirations?

[TheOneAndOnlyAlpha]

So I'm flicking through the various Saturday magazines and it's occurred to me that I don't really have a 'style'. I certainly can't shashay into Topshop and be down with the kids but I'm not ready to give up quite yet.

Background: mid thirties, petite (but not in a short skirt kind of way; damn genetics) size 8-10. Default outfit is converse, jeans and a t-shirt or jumper.

Where or who do you get your style inspiration from?! I need help I feel.

I read the doesmybumlook40 blog. I like a lot of what she wears. Not everything. She is a size 8 and i am a 12 so I am curvier but we are both tall and i am i think 4 or 5 years younger so i generally think if she can wear it, i can! She has inspired me to buy a pair if boyfriend jeans recently for example.

Oh and i discovered Cos about a year ago and it's like i found " my style". I adore their sort of industrial fuss free take on clothing. It's very "me".

You need to get on Pinterest , you can search for anything and put a scrap book together. I get loads of style ideas off it

Main style icons are Audrey Hepburn and Minnie Mouse. This means I tend to veer between complete minimalism and craziness. I do like Pinterest but need some new people to follow, as have got a bit bored of it.

I find style inspiration on this forum and on blogs. Magazine images are always over-styled and often tricky to translate into a personal wardrobe. Developing a style requires research, I don't always automatically know what I like, images are absorbed and ideas are formed before I shop.

That's the thing! I can't find a magazine that's 'me' and the Style mag in The Sunday Times is just ridiculous. Mmm. I haven't looked at Pinterest before.

I like WIT blog. Lots of jeans, shirts, cashmere, stripes and leopard print which is badically my style!

Right now I love Marlien Rentmeester and Hedvig Opshaug and Irina Lakicevic.

Also Columbine Smille and Garance Dore for high fashion news.

Of course I don't take their outfits literally, but from them I get a lot of ideas what is fresh and current and their blogs are visually pleasing. Feathers and Frills can be great and more down to earth too.

WIT and The Frugality are nice too.

Blogs I like include With Love From Kat

And Fashion Me Now and also They All Hate Us and Tiffany Wendell, but I follow lots of people on Pinterest, so I see them and others on Pinterest. I read blogs I like, too, like SusieSoSo and Poppy's Style and ThankFiFi. Stupid ipad refreshes if I move away from this page so will have to spam you with individual posts with single links. Ah, the technology!

www.whatiboughttoday.com and www.thankfifi.com

tiffanywendel.com

poppys-style.com

susiesoso.blogspot.co.uk/?m=1

www.theyallhateus.com visual feast.

For me it's a strange mix between Jean Seberg, Corinne Drewery and Cos clothing.

Gosh! You're all so stylish! Maybe I should rethink my outfit today and jig around my existing pieces. I really can't afford to splash out regularly, but I could budget for one key piece per month. Thanks for all the advice and blogs, keep it coming!

Charlotte Gainsbourg, she's so cool and chic, IMO, in an edgy but not OTT way and she's about my age.

Also like the model Freja but she's a lot younger so wouldn't necessarily 'copy' what she wears.

I like the my bum look 40 blog mentioned up thread.

My style inspirations are people like Camila Batmanghelidjh and Patti Smith, not because I want to look like them but because they each have a style that they have created for themselves and which they have made their own. These are the people who are inspirational for me - the ones who transcend fashion and beauty. Very few people can do it and you certainly can't copy it.

I think I have found my style. That's sort of Mint Velvet combined with All saints plus a bit of Phase 8. I love unusual boots (can't wear shoes really) and lots of accessories. It's harder when you're older, I think.

I'll give anything a try. I don't like fuss though and avoid peplums and frilly bits.