About a year ago, I found myself in a fashion slump. Every time I’d look in my closet, I was troubled by thoughts that I had nothing to wear despite seeing a wardrobe full of stuff staring back at me. Every time I’d go to the mall or a clothing outlet, I’d either leave empty-handed or buy something that lost its novelty after a few days. I felt aimless and in desperate need of change.
Fortunately for me, YouTube is chock-full of amazing style influencers and designers of all kinds. Here are the ones who helped me discover my style and transform my wardrobe:
- Dearly Bethany
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Bethany is the first fashion YouTuber I came across in my search for inspo and, let me tell you, her style is the epitome of a minimalist but chic aesthetic. As a trained designer, she knows everything there is to know about colour theory and how to make different textures and tones work together.
More importantly, she is a conscientious and sustainable shopper who promotes slow fashion and investing in quality over quantity. This means her wardrobe is mostly comprised of neutral vintage-inspired pieces that can easily be mixed and matched with each other and won’t ever clash with the rest of her closet. As she often says, “I like to be able to close my eyes and pick clothes out of my wardrobe, and still have them match.”
Her fashion videos have been a godsend for me. Since she is petite like me, she’s produced countless style tip videos on how to look taller and maximize your look effortlessly. Not only this, but her channel also features videos on wellness, books, beauty, and sometimes even a guest appearance from her fluffy cat! Highly recommend you check her out.
- Audrey Coyne
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Audrey Coyne’s style is somewhat similar to Bethany’s, both in wardrobe and in video production, but where Bethany rocks a vintage cottage-core look, Coyne likes to sport a more business casual, boss girl look.
Coyne puts a lot of work into her videos and does her best to make them more conversational rather than simply going through her tips and ending the video there. It is easy to connect with her on a more personal level because of this and helps us see the context behind her choices. As someone who also likes to sport a minimalist, sustainable look (notice the pattern here?), she strongly promotes mindful shopping and buying only what you absolutely need.
This is a wonderful channel to follow, and also features various videos on how to dress for certain seasons and how best to wear certain colours. Not only this, but it also features general life advice that can be very helpful when you are feeling lost. The added fact that Coyne is a trained opera singer with the most soothing voice imaginable is definitely a plus!
- Christie Ressel
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I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a Canadian stylist on this list. Unlike the previous two YouTubers, Ressel is a bit more on the funky side of business style. Even though she promotes conscientious and mindful shopping, she is different in that she encourages wearing whatever bold colours and wild patterns you like, so long as they make you happy!
As a professional Toronto-based stylist, Ressel has a trained eye for what helps women look good. She makes several videos providing advice on how to dress for your body type, your height, and even your bust size — because anyone with D-cups and bigger knows the struggle. Among her biggest and most long-standing style tips is to pause before purchasing a piece of clothing and ask yourself if you can wear it three different ways. If you can’t, it may not be the best choice.
Ressel’s videos are loaded with good vibes and positivity. You can really tell she wants every woman to be the best and happiest version of themselves, making her super likable and approachable. I was even lucky enough to have interviewed her for one of my first feature articles on fast fashion!
- Justine Leconte
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You can’t go wrong with taking style tips from an actual French fashion designer. Leconte is super knowledgeable on the latest fashion trends and how to develop the most cohesive wardrobe for yourself — and for anyone who wants to achieve that effortless French girl look, so this is your go-to gal.
Leconte produces various technical videos on colour theory, body shapes, face shapes, and effects of patterns. She is very succinct and straight to the point in the way she speaks, so you know she won’t beat around the bush or waste your time. She also features more high-end brands such as Chanel and Gucci in her videos, so those looking for advice on what’s worth splurging on will definitely find their answer in her channel.
With these four talented women combined, I was finally able to develop a cohesive wardrobe that was actually catered to me and my body type. Now I know exactly what I want when I go shopping and have no trouble selecting items to wear before going out. It’s a huge relief to know exactly what your style is and hopefully they can lead you to discover your own!