FASHION MOOD BOARDS

 Hey there, welcome back! Today we’re discussing fashion mood boards! I am a massive mood board kinda gal and have been since I was eleven and watched Jennifer Garner make one in ‘13 going on 30’.  If you’re trying to get into fashion and have no clue where to start, putting together a mood board offers ample inspiration. Get your creative caps on and jump in!

    

Mood boards are visual tools that help conceptualize ideas with clarity. There are a hundred different kinds of mood boards you could make for various projects in your life. I tend to make one at every chance I get- when I’m changing up my room, doing an assignment I’m interested in, organizing an event and most often when I’m investing in clothing or creating the perfect outfit for an occasion.

It is a great place to start and truly helps you understand what you want better. The key to a successful mood board is for it to have purpose and to be well researched. For your daily style, sitting down to make a whole mood board might seem wasteful. However, there are situations that certainly benefit from one. For example, when you’re rebuilding your wardrobe, experimenting in a new style, styling yourself for an occasion or investing in an expensive piece- these are times when knowing what you want and being prepared is extremely helpful.

To put a mood board together, start with inspiration. Inspiration for fashion is EVERYWHERE. Pick up on things from the shows you watch, look on the internet, use Pinterest (I love Pinterest), look in magazines until you are inspired with a theme. Next, pick a palate. This is super important when making a mood board, especially for fashion. It could be neutral, neon, pastel – whatever you want. Adding a palate really helps narrow down choice and provides clarity. Focus on details – the cut of the clothes, different ways to style the same piece, the accessories, the makeup. Fashion designers make beautifully detailed mood boards for their shows, some even down to the hair color of their models.

Here is a board I made for an outfit to wear to a fancy dinner. I used a photograph of the exact outfit I’d like to get made, spent some time on the internet looking for variations and details that fit with my ideal and put them together with my preferred color palate. I used Canva for the template, you could use any of the websites available for digital mood boards or even create pleasing spreads on paper (personally, I’m not too skilled with paper). I am a notoriously indecisive person and having a mood board is meant to help me make choices, not overwhelm me with too many, so I keep them pretty crisp and simple.

Some quick tips to finish with – firstly, a mood board must serve as a guide for your style. Always make one with clear intention. Secondly, get as creative as you can with it. Draw, use color, maybe swatches of fabric, buttons – always focus on the details. And lastly, have fun with it. This is my favorite part of starting a fashion project, even if it’s just a board on different trouser styles I like so I know what I’m looking to invest in beforehand (this MASSIVELY simplifies the shopping process and if you’re like me and can get easily flustered while shopping, it is a huge help!).

Mood boards for your personal style journey can feel silly, like you’re putting in too much effort for something only you will see. But there is beauty in effort, especially when it’s for yourself. So whenever you have to make a fashion choice, draw up a mood board and I guarantee it will help!

Till next time, have fun dressing up!💜

-Parinita Rajasekhar