Stahl: Twitter makes following fashion, Kardashian family easy

I started using Twitter recently. A little late in the game, I know.

I haven’t done a whole lot with it yet. At this point, the sole reason I joined Twitter is to follow the entire Kardashian family. There’s something particularly warming about knowing exactly when Kim is headed to the gym or how happy Khloe is about getting married that I couldn’t resist any longer.

My weird obsession with the Kardashian family is hard to explain. I’m certainly not suggesting that these girls are intellectual role models. No — I would never recommend that anyone drive under the influence (Khloe) or make a sex tape (Kim). The family, in case you don’t know, is a group of people famous for no significant reason other than that Ryan Seacrest decided they’d be entertaining enough to have a reality show on E! Really, I think the reason I like them so much is that they dress well.

There’s something about having style that makes you a more intriguing person. Think the Olsen twins. I harbor quite the fixation on the Michelle Tanner duo, not because of their acting skills — trust me. I’ve seen “New York Minute,” and that’s exactly how long it took for me to forget it. But because of their fashion sense, I’m a total sucker for anything with an Olsen twin on it. Mary-Kate’s the cover girl of some fashion magazine? I’ll buy the issue right now.

I’m hesitant to use the term “girl crush” because it’s a little too Seventeen magazine for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been a fan of the glossy since middle school and enjoy reading about packing the perfect healthy lunchbox as much as the next girl, but as I approach the age of 22, I feel like I shouldn’t be relating to their cover features anymore. I’m not exactly hankering to steal Hannah Montana’s style secrets. Give me more credit than that — I’m at least up to Selena Gomez’s level.

Anyway, I’ll admit that I have a passionately idolizing view of certain people. I’m a huge fan of Kate Winslet. More for her regal beauty than style choices, though they’ve certainly improved recently. Thank God you can’t trot up to the stage and grab that Academy Award in a potato sack.

My love for Rachel Bilson was delayed, for I refused to watch the first season of “The O.C.” because it all seemed too dramatic. Then my hairdresser convinced me to watch a few episodes, just for the clothes.

“Sam, these girls are going to dictate fashion right now,” he proclaimed like the Vogue version of Nosferatu.

So I watched; my hairdresser was right. Since the show’s unfortunate ending, Miss Bilson has continued to impress me with her ability to put together casual but completely on-trend daywear.

Since Josh Schwartz has a knack for selecting “It Girls,” I also must thank him for giving me Leighton Meester. Her headband-wielding “Gossip Girl” character Blair Waldorf is a personal favorite of mine. This is another instance in which I was first sucked into a television show for the sole purpose of wardrobe analysis.

My tomboy roots relate to British transplant Alexa Chung’s quirky pairings, while my feminine side lives for Scarlett Johansson’s ultra-femme, retro ensembles.

I look to all of these girls for fashion inspiration when I’m stuck in a style rut. There’s nothing that pulls you out of the wardrobe doldrums quite like a quick flip through a celebrity-laden magazine. That’s not to say you shouldn’t come up with your own clothing ideas, though.

You know that scene in “Mean Girls” where Gretchen is crying in the girls’ bathroom? She’s explaining how Regina wouldn’t let her wear those “really expensive white gold hoops” because they were “her thing.” I shouldn’t admit this but, I’ve always sided with Regina on this one. Her desire to be unique is practically a fashion commandment.

And yet, I’m a total hypocrite. To borrow the words of Chuck Palahniuk, “Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everybody I’ve ever known.” I’m constantly on the lookout for outfit inspiration. The amount of time I spend reading fashion blogs is probably on par with the most dedicated cancer research labs.

I actively follow what people are wearing and subtly let it influence my own ensembles. Personal style is a stealth operation. Copying another’s look too blatantly is a major fashion offense. The trick is to draw influence from a pool of sources wide enough that the exact origin can’t be placed.

So the moral of the story: Cast a wide net, fish around for ideas and then make them your own. Feel free to show me the outfits you come up with on Twitter — just don’t be offended if I end up stealing your ideas.

Talk fashion with Sam on her personal Twitter page @SamthaStahl or e-mail her at samantha.stahl@gmail.com.