Your Aesthetic Style BLOG
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 Have you ever felt overwhelmed by all the beautiful images on Pinterest or social media—so much so that you think, I could never pull that off? Or maybe you’ve been told that what you love “doesn’t match” or “isn’t the right fit” for you?
These mental blocks don’t just affect how we express our personal style—they also impact our approach to consumption and sustainability. Through my work in interior redesign and aesthetic styling, I’ve identified three key challenges that hold us back from fully embracing our creativity and making more mindful choices. I call them The Three C’s: Comparison, Consumption, and Criticism. 1. Comparison: Overcoming the "I Can’t Do That" Mentality Social media is filled with stunning interiors, outfits, and creative ideas—but instead of feeling inspired, we often feel discouraged. We assume that only people with a “good eye” can create beautiful spaces or styles, and we hesitate to trust our own instincts. How to Break Free from Comparison:
When we want a fresh look—whether in our wardrobe or our home—our first instinct is often to shop. We think that a new purchase will bring inspiration or change, instead of first looking at what we already have. One of the biggest shifts I made during my time as an interior redesigner was realizing that people often wanted to buy new furniture simply because they felt uninspired by their current space. But when we rearranged and restyled what they already owned, they were amazed at how fresh and beautiful their space felt—without spending a dime. How to Shift from Consumption to Creativity:
This is perhaps the biggest barrier of all. Many of us have had experiences where someone—whether a stylist, a designer, or even a friend—told us that something we loved wasn’t right for us. Maybe they said a color didn’t match our skin tone, or that our home decor wasn’t “on trend.” These comments can make us doubt our own sense of style and creativity. I’ve worked with people who stopped wearing certain outfits or abandoned their favorite decor choices simply because someone else criticized them. This is a huge loss—not just for personal expression but for sustainable living. When we don’t trust our own style, we’re more likely to keep buying, hoping to “get it right.” How to Overcome Criticism and Trust Your Own Style:
These three challenges—comparison, consumption, and criticism—don’t just affect our confidence. They have real consequences:
Through workshops like the VIBE Class, I help people rediscover their creativity, repurpose what they own, and build a more intentional, stylish, and sustainable lifestyle.
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Shopping Your Closet: How a Simple Challenge Transformed My Style Perspective (Mako's story)3/28/2025 We've all been there--staring at our wardrobe, feeling like we have nothing to wear, and itching to buy something new. That was me, feeling stuck, until Yun-A posed a simple but powerful question: "What is it that you like about leather?" At first, I was puzzled. I love leather, but I had never really questioned why. Like many of us, I shop based on instinct—I like something because it’s pretty or it catches my eye. But Yun-a’s challenge forced me to dig deeper. Discovering My True Style Preferences As I reflected, I realized it wasn’t just the look of leather I loved. It wasn’t even about the color or the smooth feel—it was about the contrast it created. I adore mixing textures, like pairing leather pants with a chunky knit sweater, rather than wearing leather-on-leather. The magic was in the interplay of different materials, something I had never consciously acknowledged before. Armed with this new insight, I turned to my own closet, searching for pieces that created this same sense of contrast. I sorted through my wardrobe and found silk blouses, feminine cardigans, and dark-toned pieces that contrasted beautifully with lighter ones. It was a revelation—everything I needed was already there. The Fun of Shopping My Closet What started as a style challenge turned into an exciting discovery session. Instead of rushing to the store, I shopped my own wardrobe, rediscovering clothes I hadn’t worn in years. The best part? The thrill of experimenting, mixing, and matching different textures and colors without spending a dime. My goal was to create three completely new outfits, and I did just that:
The Takeaway: Style is About Exploration This experience taught me that style isn’t about buying more—it’s about understanding what you love and finding creative ways to express it. By shopping my closet, I satisfied my shopping urge while learning more about my own aesthetic. So next time you feel the itch to shop, take a step back. Ask yourself why you love certain pieces. Look at what you already own with fresh eyes. You might be surprised at the incredible outfits waiting to be discovered right in your own wardrobe! Experience this for yourself in the VIBE Before You Buy class.  Why would a giant corporation like IKEA collaborate with a tiny business like Your Aesthetic Style (YAS)? 👉 A shared service-centered brand promise. IKEA = “Make the everyday better.” YAS = “Love the home you live in.” Most brand collaborations are product-centric. Think #barbiecore. This YAS and IKEA collaboration was service-centric. This was the third experiential event I coordinated in November 2019, as part of IKEA Oslo’s ‘Hack Friday’ to deter ‘Black Friday’ shopping. The event started with me presenting the YAS Method and the audience took a mini YAS quiz choosing their favorite one out of three aesthetic styles (design element & principle combinations): 1. 'Contrast & Texture' 2. 'Line & Space', 3. 'Color & Balance'. We then walked to The Green Room (the showroom with the most sustainable products 😏). One of IKEA's interior designers highlighted the eco-friendly items in the room. Finally, I redesigned the room in three ways; demonstrating how to rearrange and style the same decor based on the three different aesthetic styles. Can you spot the differences? 👀 It was an innovative and refreshing experience for our customers and because of having similar brand promises - the concept fit like a glove! When it comes to brand collaborations rooted in service and sustainability, there’s a ‘blue ocean’ of possibilities, yas!
 Less telling - more showing. 💯 needed in sustainability but that's easier said than done. Listen and learn from an expert is one step but applying that knowledge, especially if it involves shifting behavior, is twice as hard to do. This was my observation from DIY Days event I'd held in June 2019. Having interactive stands was fun but they still had that ‘learn from the expert’ dynamic I wanted to shift away from. So in November 2019, I coordinated an event with SPACES Oslo to take this experiential learning concept one step further. We started off with something familiar: a panel of incredible entrepreneurs to show what’s possible with redesign. We concluded the panel with tips on how to apply that same redesign mindset into daily life. And that was only part one ;) In part two of the event, the panelists and the audience joined together to redesign ‘waste’ materials on the spot. Learn by doing right? 🙌🏽 It was a HIT - we all got into it lol 😂 and created some pretty cool items from hair bows, to weaved wall art, to sketches of new inventions… The biggest takeaway from that day was something unexpected but has stayed with me ever since: The fastest way to get ‘unstuck’ is together. There’s still so much needed in sustainability but the more people involved the more we figure out. All of us left that event feeling the hope & excitement of what’s possible and THAT is exactly the creative energy needed to fuel momentum and innovation. If I’d stayed in Oslo we probably would’ve done more, SPACES loved the concept so much! But my family was getting ready to move to New York in two months…after one final event I was co-hosting. More on that next week ;)   It’s 2019 in Oslo, the question on my mind: "How to facilitate experiential learning around sustainability?" Consuming knowledge opens minds but change comes from creative action. So I decided to create & test a concept for experiential events. But I didn’t do it alone.
Co-hosting events with redesigners from a range of industries, 4x the impact because we could: - reach a wider audience - articulate multifaceted issues - highlight a range of existing solutions - create an inclusive experience The first event was DIY Days (featured images). It was A LOT of work and as a mom of two kids under 5 years it had to be a family effort 😅 with my eldest son helping set up, my husband filming…but was it worth it? 💯 Seeing a concept turn into something concrete PLUS the wider impact - it’s hard to articulate the hope & excitement it created…but I’ll try lol. Over the next week, I’ll share about subsequent experiential events that stemmed from DIY Days and how it shaped the work I do now. Stay tuned ~ |
Author
Yun-A (rhymes with 'fun' 'Ah') CEO of Your Aesthetic Style. 
Join me in a fun & free class turning shopping inspo into outfits from your closet! YAS!
Featured in:
OK!Magazine
Topic: Say YAS to Sustainability in Fashion & Interior: Your Aesthetic Style - Solving Problems with Collaboration & Creativity |
