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Bored Panda wanted to have a chat about unusual styles of clothing and feeling confident in our skin, so we got in touch with fashion expert Lynn Taylor, the CEO of Behind the Buckle, a bestselling author, as well as an expert featured on Psychology Today. For Lynn, fashion is all about creativity and making personal statements.

"When debating whether to wear something unusual or off the beaten path, a great Dr. Seuss quote comes to mind: 'Be who you are and say how you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.' Fashion is all about being creative and making a personal statement. Never let others dictate that," she urged people to be more confident and embrace what they want to wear.

"While there may be societal norms and general dress codes in the office (albeit more casual than ever), this is a key opportunity in life to be yourself. How wonderful to have choices and create a distinctive look for yourself each day. Remote work has certainly given people a chance to dress the way they feel," she said.

"Being able to pull off an unusual look not only involves placing less importance on what people think and making yourself happy. It also requires you to be confident in yourself and your choices. Your mindset should be, 'Hi, this is me. I hope you like it, but if you don’t, that’s okay, too!'"

Fashion expert Lynn, the head of Behind the Buckle, said that it would be "a sad day" if everyone was forced to wear "vanilla clothing" all the time, in all aspects of their lives. However, that's not to say that it's 'easy' to stand out. Many of us know from experience how nervous we can get when we're about to meet our friends or colleagues and we've got a new set of clothing on. Especially if it's far from conservative.

"Fashion was always designed to be fun, not drudgery or compliance. In fashion as in life, where there is risk, there is often reward. If you’re concerned, you can always look at this as an experiment. See how you feel in the apparel and accessories… and listen to the comments IF you’re interested in changing things up," Lynn told Bored Panda. "When other people judge, what is the worst that can happen; can their comments kill you? Likely not! If you do get a negative comment, you have a couple choices. Fight back or adopt the high road. The latter is always the one that will give you more peace of mind."

Lynn, from Behind the Buckle, was also kind enough to share some ideas for being fashion-forward this autumn and winter. "This fall and winter, you can expect to see a lot of creativity in the fashion world. The pandemic triggered the need for designers and all of us—to step out of ho-hum attire and get a little rebellious!"

Here is Lynn's advice for women: "Retro, BoHo, and Vintage may be here for quite some time as it’s such a popular look that’s been growing in popularity. This means everything from earthy colors and dressy denim, to cowboy boots, floral prints patchwork (including denim), fringes, crochet knits, and more. The sustainable movement triggered a resurgence in the artisan look, which was part of the bohemian boom."

She suggests looking for baggy jeans, dressing in layers, vests, blazers, oversized sweaters and jackets, and bright colors in coats and jackets. "You’ll see blazers paired with mini skirts, as well as pleated skirts, plaid, crop tops, corsets, cargo pants, and colorful accessories. Platform shoes, but also ballet flats are in. Interestingly, this fall and winter, skirts are everywhere on the hemline, including midi, maxi, and micro mini. Lots of choices, and super hot when paired with a cool belt," Lynn told Bored Panda.

"You can never go wrong with a time-honored, classic look, also popular this fall and winter. For example, button-down shirts, blazers, classic nice accessories, and even ties for women. That masculine twist is in vogue, as a gender-neutral trend takes hold. Belts are having a resurgence, including when worn in creative ways: thin, medium and wide, over a dress or jacket, even a couple layers of belts!" Lynn gave an example of a popular Western-style waist belt from Behind the Buckle's Instagram page as well. 

"Athluxury has also emerged since the pandemic. Designers are collaborating with athletic wear companies to make a bold new statement. Finally, your gold jewelry still has a future, but silver is reemerging. Think mainly clunky and statement style."

Meanwhile, for men, fashion expert Lynn suggests going for shoulder pads, double-breasted jackets, a classic tie, baggy jeans, patterned lounge sets, chisel-toed boots, sweater vests, geometric-designed knit sweaters, faux fur, leather (and pleather) jackets, plus varsity and safari jackets. Expect to see everything from polo shirts to turtlenecks… and a lot in between."