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The True Fashionista series has been one of the most fun projects I have ever done on Wardrobe Oxygen. It has been a thrill to share the women who inspire me on a daily basis, and it has been so great to hear how many of you have found new favorite blogs because of it.  I encourage you to check out the 33 stylish women I featured on the blog; click their image to view their individual profile and their answers to my True Fashionista questions.

As always, I learn so much from all of you. If you know of a woman who has inspiring personal style, let me know! You never know, she may be featured on the blog!

Simple isn’t easy. It’s easy to pile on the trends and hide behind flashy baubles and of-the-moment silhouettes. It takes skill to make simple pieces and ensembles look chic, polished, and covetable. I’ll admit, this is something I am working on, and I am always thrilled to find a blogger who masters simple style. When I found the blog Laura Wears I was hooked, and I was thrilled when Laura was willing to be part of my True Fashionista series.

Laura makes simple chic style look effortless. She wears the same pieces over and over without it being boring or wackadoodle (far too many blog posts out there claiming anyone can make a dress into a jumper or skirt or a shirt into a skirt). She dresses for her real life – you’ll see her in outerwear, career attire, formalwear, and everything in between.

I love that Laura’s wardrobe is a mix of high and low. Thrifted gems, pieces bought on travel, popular retailers like J. Crew and Banana Republic, as well as factory store scores. Laura will also let you know the age of a piece, be it something she bought a couple years ago or something she bought back in high school. It’s inspiring to see someone truly have a working wardrobe of staples that transcend the years and the trends.

For those who mention that my outfits aren’t relevant to you because you live in a place with a colder climate (or who want to see what style bloggers wear in the snow), I encourage you to check out Laura Wears, for Laura lives in Ottawa, Canada and often poses in parkas and boots with a snowy background.

Laura shows with her blog that you don’t need an overflowing wardrobe or every hot trend to look stylish and sophisticated. Simple can be elegant and quite chic. She reminds me that often less is more, be it choosing just one accessory or focusing more on fit than trend. I am glad she was willing to be part of my True Fashionista series; I asked her to answer the same five questions I ask of each participant:

How would you describe your personal style?
I would say my style is mostly preppy and classic. On occasion, I try to incorporate other trends, namely bohemian pieces. Each season I try to incorporate a few trendier pieces into my wardrobe (ie. I finally made myself a peplum top…).

Where did you get your passion for fashion?
From a young age, I always loved seeing people (men and women!) with beautifully put-together outfits. This probably had a huge impact on my love of fashion. Also, since I am not overly artistic in my everyday life, putting together and photographing my outfits quickly became an outlet for creative expression.

Where do you find sartorial inspiration?
Everywhere! Blogs, magazines, people on the street, Pinterest, etc. As crazy as it may sound, I also get a lot of inspiration from menswear blogs. I absolutely love the simplicity of men’s looks. The no-muss-no-fuss style really appeals to me

What is the difference between fashion and style?
Style is timeless. Fashion changes each season.

Any advice for a woman who is starting to find her personal style?

1. Experiment, experiment, experiment!
2. Seek out some help from the sales associates/personal stylists at your favorite stores. They normally have a wealth of knowledge and can help you pick out great pieces.
3. Consider photographing outfits here and there… Taking photos for my blog has really helped me interpret what works for my body and what doesn’t (the mirror sometime lies!). On occasion, I’ll leave the house with an outfit I love, but when I see the photos of it, I have a what-was-I-thinking moment.

I’m kinda glad that Google Reader is disappearing. I had been neglecting it for a long while and with the news, I decided to find a new subscription tool (Feedly, which has an awesome app and plug-in for Firefox) and with it, have been reading blogs more regularly. It reminded me that there’s a heck of a lot of awesome blogs I follow, bloggers who inspire me and consistently have fun and fabulous fashion. And one of those who I have reunited with thanks to Feedly is the awesome Cynthia of Simply Cyn.

If Cynthia looks familiar to you, you may remember her blog with the old name, Addicted2Etsy. While Cynthia is still a big fan of that site and features sellers and products from it regularly, her blog showcases her personal style, as well as peeks into her personal tastes and lifestyle. Her music mentions thrill me because I often learn about new artists that I too end up loving. Her hair is amazing and she regularly writes about how she cares for it. She does reviews of fashion and décor trends and beauty products without it being overkill and they always fit her clean, bright, fun and spirited aesthetic.

And Cynthia’s personal style? Just as stated above, it’s bright, fun, and spirited. She can pattern mix like the best, but always does it in a clean, thoughtful manner. You can see her personality and lifestyle through her clothing choices, be it a vintage Coach bag from Etsy, a band tee shirt, or a pair of sandals she picked up on a trip to Barcelona.

Cynthia can rock color and bold prints without it feeling costumey. She has a good eye for proportion, balancing voluminous blouses with skinny jeans and knowing the right hem length to flatter her figure. She shops at budget-friendly shops but looks like a million bucks with her creative styling and pairing. I love how her hair is constantly changing, switching up the look of re-worn pieces and giving a whole new effect to her personal style. And her smile – gosh it’s refreshing to see a big happy smile in a sea of duck lips and pouts!

Simply Cyn is a blog I always look forward to showing up in my reader; Cynthia is positive, creative, and inspiring. I was thrilled that she was willing to be part of my True Fashionista series. I asked Cynthia to answer the same five questions I ask of each True Fashionista; her answers:

How would you describe your personal style?
I think my personal style is about being chic but with a healthy dose of ease and comfort. There was a time I would try anything that was fashionable but I learned that I feel most beautiful and get the most positive response from people when I wear something that I am truly comfortable in. Being comfortable in your clothes and in your skin really comes across. It’s about confidence.

Where did you get your passion for fashion?
My mum was always a top notch dresser. I grew up in Cameroon, West Africa and my mum actually owned a tailoring shop. I would hang out there with the tailors and watch them work and watch my mum give out instructions. I think that’s where I started really liking clothes and patterns and different designs. It wasn’t however until later that I realized how that fashion is not shallow, at least it doesn’t have to be. It can really help on a crap day, the saying that when you look good, you feel good.

Where do you find sartorial inspiration?
A few years back it would have been mostly magazines, but now it’s definitely from other bloggers and living in NYC, its the ladies & gents on the street and on the train.

What is the difference between fashion and style?
Fashion is temporary, style is forever.

Any advice for a woman who is starting to find her personal style?
Experiment. Its harder in the beginning, but if you don’t try, you won’t figure it out. Grab something you wouldn’t normally wear, pair pieces you don’t think go together. Be adventurous. You might be surprised what you discover.

The purpose of the Friday True Fashionista series is to show women who use clothing to express their personal style. Each woman has a different, unique look and opinion on clothing and fashion. These women inspire me in my clothing choices, and possibly their bold sartorial statements will inspire you. Stay tuned, there will be a featured True Fashionista every Friday. And if you know of a True Fashionista in your life, tell us about her in the comments… you never know she may end up being featured!