Have style advices like "be yourself", "whatever you're comfortable with" etc etc become meaningless?

Question

and over-used?

Or do they still hold good?

What's your style mantra?

Answer 1

I think the mantras you've cited have been used productively by some people, particularly those susceptible to suggestion by others, to overcome a compulsive need to please others. The same mantra (along with "you can't tell me what to do" or "you shouldn't judge me") however shows a dark side in modern society, particularly with youth.

I work with many people in a teaching role, some who are aggressively "themselves" in that any criticism is interpereted as an attack on their personhood instead of an attempt to help them correct a wrong. For example, in my line of work it is important to record all data in notebooks in a particular way; however, I've had a student become downright vicious when their doing it wrongly (and ultimately in a nonlegal manner) was pointed out so they could do it right. Ultimately this person defined engagement in poor recordkeeping and illegal activity as "being himself" and fought vigilantly (and losingly) through an appeals process to be "allowed" to do things his way. In another case, a young colleague insists that to "be himself" is to wear clothing, hair, personal metallation and bodily attitude indicative of a drug user, and then he gets mad when people use his visual cues to think that maybe he's a drug user. He's just "being himself" but he doesn't want anyone else to make any judgements based on their own past experience about what that might be.. while judging them in spades.

Answer 2

The whole point in saying that, is for you to be able to still be you while you try out the new style. Have you ever noticed in magazines they first explain how to wear what is in and then they tell you to just be yourself and be comfortable? It's because designers don't want you to wear a pencil heel shoe unless you are comfortable, however, you can find something similar that will suit your comfort level, and still be the trend.

My mantra is: No matter how I look, what I wear, good hair, bright eyes, and a sweet smile will always do the trick!

I've worn regular t-shirts to the club, that's because that's my comfort level, I've worn sexy tops too, but it's just what you feel like doing that day, so just stay true to yourself, don't go killing yourself to look good, because sometimes people who try too hard to look good; look the worst!

Answer 3

I think that this kind of advice is essentially worthless. People are naturally themselves unless they are actively trying to be someone else.

What you want to be is the BEST version of yourself. You aren't changing your core personality or turning yourself into another person, you are just trying to act and dress in a manner that brings yourself out in an attractive and charming way.

For example, lets say there is a girl who goes to work every day with windblown and tangled hair. Brushing your hair every morning won't make you a different person, but it will change how people react to you and it may make a difference in your confidence level which will make you more likely to open up and let people see who you really are. Messy hair means "I'm lazy" or it means "I'm scatterbrained" or it means "I don't want ANYONE to talk to me".

When we take time to bring out the best person we can be then we open ourselves up to things like "I care about myself" and "I am approchable" which are important in business and personal relationships.

I think there is much better advice than "be yourself" such as "be more confident" or "take more time to look your best" or "take the effor to smile and make eye contact"

Answer 4

They have sort-of lost their meaning. I mean, how do you even know what "be yourself" is, really? I think my mantra is "buy stuff you like, pair stuff in unique ways, and always let comfort be a priority."

Answer 5

I believe those expressions are definitely true.

We just rearranged our furniture in the living room and we removed things that "didn't fit" the decor. Well it turns out that we put those things back because they were useful to the way we live.

The room reflects "us" and we're comfortable living in that space the way it is now.

Answer 6

Be yourself does hold meaning to me and never be forced into something that you don't want to do.

Answer 7

It depends on your values and beliefs, really. Someone who's grown up to believe to be who they want to be, when they want to be, how they want to be, most likely will "be themselves" and be/do/wear "whatever you're comfortable with."

However, most people (especially in their teens) tend to care quite a bit.

It depends on the person.

Personally, mine's "be what you want to be."

Answer 8

Still hold but replaced today with things like whatever,talk to the hand,you wouldn't understand,ect...

Answer 9

no not if your a person who takes these kinds of things into consideration, but it does have meaning, it depends on who says it and how they say it

Answer 10

hah. nobody really believes in them cuz they're to over used. yup. they're pretty much meaningless.....sadly enough.