About Me

Hi, I’m Ingrid Leo. This blog is about creating and cultivating your unique creativity and style! I’m happy to talk about style as a creative entrepreneur.

I have always been interested in a variety of self-expression. For me, it was self-discovery through learning and building systems – studying medicine, learning languages, discovering Latin dance and music, learning to communicate with oneself and others, writing – anything.

Creating an image and a style appears to be a limitless creative process, as well as a tool of self-empowerment.

Inspiration for style at a young age

I come from Lithuania. Growing up with my grandparents, I unconsciously learned from my grandmother Felicia. She always wore red lipstick, a pearl necklace, and a silk scarf. She had the most beautiful dancing shoes in her closet. I also liked to replicate the images of actresses from classic movies. And, of course, the music industry of the 80s and 90s has always been an endless creative source of style for a teenage girl.

Discovering vintage

Back in the day, I knew all the best vintage clothing stores in town. I even took the train to other cities just to broaden my search. And I had no money at all, just what I was saving from my pocket money. Having something like a bank card and buying online seemed like an impossible dream. In addition, there were no world-famous brands in Lithuania at that time.

Being able to buy very little, I learned to choose carefully – only what I need and as wisely as possible, that is, clothes and accessories had to be of very good quality and in as many different styles and colors as possible. As a result, I was able to create more combinations. Every piece of clothing that met my criteria was valuable to me. Knowing that there are no more such clothes, I wanted to learn how to care for them so that they last as long as possible.

The style changes as the personality grow

Over time, I began to understand that as a personality develops, its image also has to change. Therefore, I started to make sure that my wardrobe matches the current me. I created a rule, which I still strictly adhere to, that if I don’t wear an item for a year, it must go to someone else. Just like I used to get clothes from other people. And this rule is still very difficult for me. But it helps to keep my closet organized and clean. These things are a priority for me because they allow my creative energy to flow easily.

After completing my medical studies, I went to live and work in Switzerland. I began to notice and be interested in the multicultural image and even greater freedom of self-creation. I started looking for clothes and accessories in online stores all over the world, I became interested in the creations of designers and, of course, I never forgot about the vintage clothing stores. For me, it will always remain one of the greatest sources of creativity and hidden treasures.

My style guidelines

Throughout this creative style journey, I’ve also developed more rules that help me be more efficient:

• I usually seek inspiration from charming and inspiring women, favorite film actresses, and social media sites like YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.
• Only after finding the silhouette and color of a certain item and checking whether I have something similar in my wardrobe, do I start a purposeful search on the Internet. It helps me to save time and energy. My criteria are always good quality natural fabrics, easy care, suitable color palette, suitable size and, of course, good price.
• I save all the items found according to the criteria in the wish list and then wait for an email informing me when a sale occurs. In addition, it is useful to see if the stores in your country have an Outlet (try to google) with 50-80% discounts. Such planning and organizing help you not to be tempted by random purchases.
• It is also a good idea to write down planned expenses for clothing, shoes, accessories and cosmetics and then stick to that plan. Don’t forget to include the cost of clothing and shoe care and cleaning supplies.
• After receiving an item purchased online, I try to integrate it into my wardrobe. If I manage to create at least two inspiring images right away, the item stays with me.

I would like to share my journey in the hopes that it might inspire yours!