Like with eveything, with in cake decorating it is very important to discover you own style. What do you like, what colours do you like, are a fondant person, a marzipan person, a buttercream person or a icing person, or do you like them all, or few of them.
For me personally (again that is very personal) i do not like to take classes, because (in my own humble opinion) it messes with your own unique style. I believe in the beauty of your own style, and not per definition what other people do.
How did/ do i discover my own style? Well that was not easy, because when i started, i started from nothing, Never decorated a cake in my life, did not know what i needed to decorate a cake etc. I think the last year and half i am slowly getting the hang of my own style.
I am not affraid to be told that something i made is not the trend, out of fashion or (and this is always a good one to hear) "nobody is going to like that". Yeah well because you don't like it, or your friend that is maybe afraid to share their own opninion does not like my work, does'nt mean it is not beautiful or good. By being yourself, letting your creativity speak during decorating, you stand out from the crowd, and somewhere a long the line, people will notice you. Stand up and believe in yourself!
I let my heart do the decorating, if i feel i need to make a cake with stripes, or beats, or hot pink, i will. That makes that sometimes even i am suprised with the result, but that is a fun part of it. It can very well be that i am making a show piece and somewhere while decorating i change everyting, and go do an complete other design. It feels good to me or not.
(not my cake, not my photo)