Superman, retro t-shirts and sweet memories

*Entire ensemble is secondhand.

If you’re familiar with my style, you’ll know I’m into 1950s vintage dresses or just feminine style. Never been one to follow fashion trends cause my style has always been about self-expression. This is probably why my wardrobe is so eclectic. Lately, memories of a few little adventures from my childhood have been resurfacing through retro t-shirts I’ve found in thrift stores. Wearing superhero retro t-shirts has been an opportunity to reconnect and express that part of myself. And it lets me pay homage to some of those sweet, precious memories.

Retro Superman t-shirt worn here over a dress.

I remember when I was introduced to Superman as a 4-year-old. For weeks, Superman was all that my brothers and their friends talked about. The excitement was even more intense when the Superman movie was scheduled to be on tv one night. On that fateful night, I wanted to watch The Sound of Music on a different channel. I mean, it was seeing the trailer of the Von Trapp children dancing in formation and Maria singing The hills are Alive… on those green rolling hills that did it for me. There was no question, I WAS HOOKED!

Thus, began the showdown: 4-year-old Nina vs her 4 older brothers. Was it going to be Sound of Music or was it going to be Superman? The man of steel or the singing nun? Who was going to be the victor? The 4 little boys who waited to see the flying superhero or one very determined little girl? Mom had the final say. I revved up my last-born charm and it worked. Baby Nina had her way. My mom chose my movie! The boys were understandably livid (at first). As we settled into it though, they began to love Sound of Music as much as I did. Eventually, we watched Superman and loved it too.

Those are the kinds of sweet memories that come up when I see superhero t-shirts. I’ve always believed that style, like a fingerprint, is a very individual thing. It is and should always be about expressing who you are on the inside externally. It’s how from a style perspective, we validate our individuality, confidence and develop a stronger, more positive self-image. Allowing ourselves to be exposed to the plethora of styles that are served up in secondhand markets, thrift stores and garage sales helps further that process of fabulous self-discovery and expression. Following fashion trends on the other hand can be fun but they can slow down personal growth through secondhand sustainable fashion. Not to mention the fact that trends contribute heavily to overconsumption and fashion’s environmental crisis.

Another cool thing about secondhand clothes is that consumers reduce their carbon footprint by 82% when they buy used items instead of new items according to Global Fashion Agenda and Boston Consulting Group. They believe that the CO2 emissions of the clothing industry will likely rise to about 2.8 billion tonnes a year within a decade. This level of emissions is equivalent to that produced by about 230 million cars driven within a year!

♥ Nina Gbor

Insta: @eco.styles

The secret to Audrey Hepburn’s timeless style and magic

There’s so much to say about the greatest style icon in history. This is why I’ve written two articles about her style and her humanitarian work. Today would have been Audrey Hepburn’s 92nd birthday. Her style was timeless and she’ll probably always be the biggest style icon there ever was.

I believe what made Audrey Hepburn so enchanting was that she had much grace, integrity and a strong sense of self. As film star in Hollywood’s golden era, she changed the landscape in the 1950s by being herself, instead of playing up to the unsavoury narrative which most women were subjected to at that time. She enjoyed the glamour but she never seemed vain about fashion. The clothes did not define her. Instead, she brought a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to her outfits. She presented herself with a lot of empathy for people and authenticity which compounded her style and made her even more memorable. She was simply who she was. Her integrity is what torpedoed her style into timeless, iconic status. And it’s the reason that the magic of Audrey Hepburn is still just as fresh as it was in the 1950s.

There’s a major lesson to learn from Audrey’s example. We’re in an era where our external image defines the lives of many of us. The obsessive, narrow focus on what we look like, the size of our bodies and all the other physical, external stuff has become extreme. It seems we’re forgetting to develop the internal higher values along with the external. Things like genuine empathy, real connection, personal growth, authentic kindness, care for the environment, etc. Without all of this, there’s a chance that vanity becomes the driver for our decisions. In which case, many issues occur which are unhealthy for people and planet. Attaining the perfect wardrobe and body might be fantastic but the full package is really complete when you’re also diligently working on those internal values. Without them, we’re in danger of just being like a shell. Empty. Albeit a good-looking shell, but still shells nonetheless if we’re not growing internally.

Audrey had an abundance of beauty (internal and external), style and integrity. She was not perfect but her influence and memory are still strong even six decades after she came onto the international film scene. It’s likely her influence will remain for many decades to come.

♥ Nina Gbor

Instagram: @eco.styles

How eccentric is your style?

How eccentric is your style? The fear of being clowned for wearing something most people wouldn't wear stops many from reaching their potential.

I grew up moving around a lot and never really fitting in anywhere (and still don't). But it's great because it forced me to figure out how I could shape the world around me so that I could feel comfortable to navigate through life as myself. As opposed to say, receding into a false projection of someone most people would find more acceptable (whatever that looks like).

This quest taught me to be super comfortable with all my weirdness and to sit comfortably in my own skin and in my awkwardness. I'll let you in on a little secret of how I grew the courage to wear eccentric, unusual styles. And to be different in ways that make people accept you for who you are: with every new person, job or community, etc, start off with expressing that different version of yourself. They'll likely accept your uniqueness straight away and leave it at that. But it must be authentically you and not a false portrayal.

As humans, we're all multi-dimensional. None of us is just one thing. When we begin to evolve or express different parts of ourselves, sometimes people within our communities judge us because we've stepped outside of their comfort zone. That's why they clown us. It takes a lot of courage to stay the new course. You have to decide if you want the freedom to express yourself and henceforth live life on your own terms OR if you're going to cower into a life of suppression. To me, the latter choice doesn't feel like a life at all. But this is a decision of true strength that, at some point(s) in our lives, each one of us must make.

P.S. In addition to style, you can apply this concept to other areas of your life too. "Nothing bold or magnificent is built from fear." (Quote from BBC series, 'The Collection').

STYLING

This skirt is definitely the feature piece of this outfit. I found this late 1960s vintage skirt on a sunny September afternoon in 2017 at an outdoor preloved market. Wearing pink with yellow, red, green and blue is true to block colour styling. In the spirit of eccentricity, it’s feel free to style yourself in the ways that make you happy.

Outfit sourced from:

Pink top - Vinnies Op Shop

Multicolour Vintage Skirt - Suitcase Rummage Preloved Market

Leopard-print Stilettos - Staple from my wardrobe

♥ Nina Gbor

Instagram: @eco.styles

Breakfast at Tiffany's

In homage to Audrey Hepburn, one of the greatest style icons in history, I restyled my little black dress (LBD) in the spirit of Audrey’s legendary looks in the 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s needless to say, Audrey is one of my biggest style inspirations and many of the pieces in my wardrobe are inspired by her.

Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961).

You can wear an ultra-sophisticated look like this one to stand out at a cocktail party, as a wedding guest, formal event or any other glamorous occasion. Even better, you can host your own Breakfast at Tiffany’s party for the opportunity to wear this look. The super wide brim hat is a statement piece that turns heads and starts conversations.

STYLING

The look: I’ve had this dress for nearly a decade. Many of us have an LBD or something similar in various colours and shapes. I’ve used this dress to the office with more subdued work-appropriate accessories. For the glamour effect, I’ve worn it with lots of bling, a wide brim statement floppy hat, patent black court stilettos and my 1960s black velvet vintage handbag.

Styling tip: An LBD is a great staple to have because you can simply use accessories to style it up or down to make it fit for nearly any occasion. For example, I can style this dress for five different occasions, using accessories and a couple of additional pieces. The versatility means you can create a stylish capsule wardrobe and pack light when you need to.

For a more corporate look you can wear to the office, use less or no sparkly jewellery. You can even go with loafers or your average office/work flats. Try these tricks on a couple of your dresses.