Styling is trial-and-error and you just have to have to be ready to make mistakes because what lies ahead is your achievement, style-wise

Mari Jasmine opts for simpler fashion but shares she’s open to new things.

Styling yourself is a very personal journey. The only way to achieve the look that would best fit you is if you go through an adventure of trying on different silhouettes and outlines until you find the perfect ensemble where you’ll feel confident in.

But as the popular saying goes, no man is an island. So, it’s not wrong when you look for inspirations or pegs to help curate your own style. Styling is trial-and-error and you just have to have to be ready to make mistakes because what lies ahead is your achievement, style-wise.

TV host, blogger and model Mari Jasmine agrees to this concept. During the Stylist’s Closet event last month at One Bonifacio High Street Mall, guests were able to take a peek at the fashion icon’s ongoing style journey.

Everything is a process. Like everyone else out there, Mari Jasmine is still learning the ins and outs of fashion and her own style preference. She revealed that she, too, is still finding out what she likes and what she doesn’t like when it comes to dressing up.

“I’m constantly learning what I like and don’t like as well. I think in general, from when I was a teenager, I naturally gravitated towards simple things. I wasn’t very playful; I wouldn’t wear lots of loud prints and crazy colors. I usually go for something neutral. Still, I’m very open and I’m learning all the time so that could change,” the style icon told us.

Dressing up like how your style icons do is not a bad thing and you don’t have to feel guilty when you try to copy their style.

Searching Pinterest in summer or formal outfit inspos is not a bad thing. Asking for advice from and surrounding yourself with the right people is also a big help. A tip, based on the Aussie beauty’s experience, is to research when it comes to finding your personal style.

“Do your research. For some people, they start very naturally and they have this really interceptive eye. For others, like me, it doesn’t come that easily and so I think my process was talking to other people who were passionate about fashion and I noticed like how the people surrounding me were really interested, I kind of caught that fever. I would want to do my research and tell people to try different things on and see how it feels. I would be inspired by culture whether it’s film, TV or arts. Try not to hold yourself back too much in that process,” she said.

Trends are very hard to resist. But would it really be worth it to buy another outfit when you already bought something last week? For Mari Jasmine, it is also how she does things, thinking about the effects of following trends.

“From an environmental standpoint, I think it would be best not to juggle too many trends. I’m someone who finds more joy in slowly building the wardrobe that I think I would love for the rest of my life and other people get really excited by trying new things,” she shared.

When she first stepped on Philippine soil, the Aussie-beauty blogger was surprised at how Manila people loved to dress to the nines. But she also noticed the shift in fashion.

Mari Jasmine shared, “(I noticed how) everyone loved glam. Even the makeup and the hair. That was my first impression but I did notice a shift recently. Now, people like the tousled, natural hair and the no-makeup makeup. People in Manila like to dress up compared to other places I’ve been to but I think style changes as well for everyone.”

Still, she managed to keep her go-tos despite having to dress up more often than usual because of her line of work.

“I do want to dress up from time to time but on a daily basis, I’m very basic. I love a good t-shirt and a pair of jeans and some good sneakers. It’s my go-to. I love keeping my staples. I think you can’t go wrong with white t-shirts or black t-shirts and you can dress it up with a pair of heels or a blazer or jean jacket,” the Australian said.