Ryan Woods is the kind of artist who can turn a sub-par day into a bright and shining one just through his music. He possesses the rare qualities of a pop star, evident in his charismatic performance style, bold fashion, and suave swagger. Don’t be fooled by his mainstream exterior; everything he does contains hints of an indie/alt edge that snagged the attention of Fearless Records and got him signed to their global roster this year.
His latest release, “Garden,” is a milestone single that marks a fresh era for Ryan‘s pop music trajectory. It’s his first release under the new label, and there will be more on the way soon! The track is groovy, seductive, and oh-so catchy. The dream-like music video brings the psychedelic influences to life with a retro backdrop and head-turning fashion that proves Ryan’s authority to speak on the subject.
I asked Ryan for some pointers on how to take your fashion sense up a notch. Here are his top five tips for mastering his ‘70s-inspired neon pop fashion aesthetic.
1. My number one rule of thumb for fashion of any kind is “find the balance.”
I would say I’m a bit obsessed with the concept of balance. There are so many fun ways to express yourself with clothes and accessories. I think the end goal when choosing an outfit is finding balance between things like spontaneity and comfort, boldness and reservation, complexity and simplicity, individuality and conformity, etc. All of these expressions are more or less on a spectrum, and your personal choices and tastes determine where you fall on each of them. Balance in fashion, to me, means that your outfit accurately represents your personality and tastes, as well as your willingness to step outside of your comfort zone and try new things.
2. Balance in color.
It goes without saying that certain colors complement different people in different ways. Factors include skin tone, eye color, hair color, even the season/weather, etc. The first step is to experiment and find the colors that you love and feel comfortable with. Back to the concept of balance, I try to limit my outfits to 2-3 main colors: usually, one main color that suits me very well, a secondary complementary color, and then a neutral tone to soften the look. Most of my shoes are either black or white, so I usually choose a more colorful top or bottom, with one or the other being complimentary. I’d consider denim neutral, depending on the wash, but a nice pair of jeans is versatile and simple. Of course, color means nothing if not considered with my next point.
3. Balance in fit and form.
Silhouettes are a great way to make your outfit more interesting, reference a certain era in fashion, and could even be the difference in feeling confident or not in your outfit. I’m a huge fan of the “small-shirt-big-pants” formula. For example, a tight-fitted t-shirt with some wide/flared trousers is a simple rinse and repeat. You can even switch it up with a tight turtleneck or a broad-shouldered jacket instead.
4. Balance with patterns and textures.
Another factor to consider alongside color and silhouette is the different fabrics, patterns, and textures. I love corduroy and I think it functions best as pants, but it’s a pretty strong texture so I like to balance it with a solid-colored, untextured top. Likewise, I love lace tops but, like corduroy, it’s a complex texture and the patterns they come in are usually quite intricate, so you balance it with a simpler choice of pants.
5. Balance in shopping.
Whether you shop at Louis Vuitton or Goodwill, the only thing that I think is important when shopping is taste and choice. What good is a 1000-dollar jacket if it doesn’t match a single thing in your closet? Or it simply doesn’t compliment you or your style? Nothing says “I don’t know how to dress” more than a poorly styled statement piece. I love collecting vintage Winnie the Pooh tees. (I only have two). Why? Because Winnie the Pooh is dope as hell, and his skin tone looks awesome with light-wash denim, of course! Sometimes you just like something. Sue me. Anyways, when I buy something, I like to make sure it matches at least three other items in my closet, and as long as you do that- boom- you have your own unique aesthetic because YOU chose it.
In my opinion, the only rule in fashion is balance. I like this rule because balance means something different to every person in the world. Consider it and what it means to you, and be free!
