Alright, so I decided to dive into this whole ‘Nola fashion’ thing the other day. Heard the term floating around, saw a few pictures online, and thought, okay, looks interesting. Seemed kinda laid-back but with a bit of flair, you know? Not too fussy. My kind of thing, maybe.
So, the first thing I did was try to figure out what it actually means. Is it specific colors? Types of clothes? Honestly, seemed like a mix of stuff. Some vintage vibes, some flowy things, definitely looked comfortable for warm weather. Not like a strict uniform, more like a general feeling. So I thought, right, let’s give it a shot using what I already got.
Went straight to my closet. Which, let’s be honest, is usually a bit of a disaster zone. Started pulling out pieces that felt kinda right.
- That one loose linen shirt I barely wear.
- A couple of brighter colored tops.
- Some wide-leg pants.
- Maybe that old patterned skirt?
Started mixing and matching. Put the linen shirt with the patterned skirt. Mmm, not quite right. Looked a bit sloppy, actually. Then tried a bright top with the wide-leg pants. Better, getting closer maybe? It’s harder than it looks, trying to capture a specific vibe without just buying a whole new outfit labeled ‘Nola style’.
Realized I was probably missing some key elements. Accessories maybe? Dug through my old jewelry box. Found some dangly earrings, a few bolder necklaces. Tried adding those. Helped a bit, but still felt like something was off. It wasn’t clicking, you know? Felt like I was just wearing random clothes.
Finding the Missing Piece
Got a bit frustrated. Thought maybe I needed one specific item to tie it together. Started browsing online shops, searching for ‘New Orleans style’ or ‘Southern fashion’. Saw a lot of stuff, some nice dresses, some cool prints. But also a lot that looked kinda… costume-y? Like stuff people wear to Mardi Gras, not everyday wear. And the prices on some things, wow.
Decided to scrap the online hunt for now. Too much hassle. Went back to the closet. This time, I just focused on comfort and ease. Picked a simple, soft cotton top in a muted color, paired it with those comfy wide-leg pants again. Then I added just one piece of slightly funky jewelry – an old pendant necklace I forgot I had. And some simple flat sandals.
Looked in the mirror. Was it textbook ‘Nola fashion’? Probably not. Who knows. But it felt good. It felt relaxed, easy-going, practical for walking around, but with just that tiny hint of personality from the necklace. Wasn’t trying too hard. Maybe that’s closer to the real spirit of it? Not forcing a look, but just being comfortable and adding a little something unique.
So yeah, that was my little experiment. Didn’t end up with some perfect Instagram outfit, but I put something together that felt right, using mostly what I had. It’s a process, this style stuff. You try things, see what sticks. Better than just buying stuff you don’t need anyway.
