What is my personal style?
Your personal style reflects your personality, lifestyle and values. Style tells a story of who you are before you even say a word. It is a powerful communication tool that can draw the right people and opportunities to your life.
Do you ever find clothes in your closet, never worn with the tags still on? We hear you! Our stylists say the main reason for this is not having a defined style. Sometimes we make clothing purchases based on trends, a great sale, or how amazing it looks on a model, but then get it home and find it just doesn’t quite fit our personal style or inspire us. The items then get lost in our closets and forgotten, wasted.
We have a great guide to overcome this and take your style to another level of authenticity and empowerment.
Here are 5 steps to defining your personal style:
1. Who you are and what is your style language?
Style is very personal and requires a little soul work. To get started, think of 3-4 adjectives and how they translate to describe your style. If a friend or colleague were to say, “Lilly is very _______, what words would they think of?
Here is a list of possible style adjectives. There may be more than what you see listed. Remember to narrow it to 3-4 words so your style message is clear.
You can then start to create an aspirational style board based on your style words.
2. Create an Aspiration Style Board
Build an inspirational style board by sourcing photos that inspire you and reflect your style words. Begin creating a “My Style” board on Pinterest. Search each of your style words for example, “Chic Style Outfits Women”. You can also search by colors, silhouettes, and other aesthetics that appeal to you. Knowing your body type can also help in your style board search.
Pin and make notes about what aspects of each outfit you like and how it relates back to your key style words. The more images you pin, the more crossover and repetition you will see in all of the looks. Also, take a break and come back with fresh eyes to edit down your looks to clarify your most defined style.
Bonus points: Print out 10-20 of your favorite images from your style board and create a collage that you can hang in your closet or take with you shopping. This board will act as your blueprint for your style.
Extra tip: Don’t forget to look to your favorite celebrities, film characters, and fashion icons as inspiration, especially ones who have a similar body type. These people usually have a team of stylists and designers honing their image message and selecting their best clothing colors and silhouettes.
Lastly, don’t forget other sources of inspiration that aren’t fashion related. Art, architecture, or interior design can spark ideas for color palettes, textures, or silhouettes that you may love and incorporate into your wardrobe. You may find a common thread in your home design and clothing style.
3) Edit Your Closet
Now it’s time to apply your style aspiration board to a closet edit. Go through your entire wardrobe and see what pieces exemplify your style board and which items seem out of place. Editing will clear out the pieces that do not reflect you or your style and make room for the items that do. This will also streamline your decision-making process in the morning and make you feel inspired to get dressed.
For more on editing your closet, see our Wardrobe Edit 101 post.
4) Look for clothing versatility and consistency
When adding anything to your wardrobe, think of the “The Five Outfit Rule”: Can I create 5 different outfits with this piece and wear it in 5 different ways? For example, can I wear this blazer with 5 different tops and pants? Or, can I style this blazer in 5 or more ways?
If you are buying a stand-alone piece that doesn’t fit in with your wardrobe family, reconsider purchasing it. An exception to this rule is special occasions outfits as you will have items in your closet that you wear less frequently. However, 80% of your closet should be things you wear on a regular basis. Renting is also a great way to get special occasion wear or try on a style and see if it fits.
5. Experiment and Have Fun
The wonderful thing about finding your style is you get to create your own rules! Let your creativity go! Though it is important to identify specific attributes of your style, there are many ways to express this in outfits and color combinations to accessories.
For example, if your style is chic and bold, a whole outfit in neutral tones can be the right background to highlight a statement necklace or pop of color from your shoes. Or an eclectic vibrant patterned skirt with a neutral colored top with a modern silhouette or cut.
And if you want to save time and get expert help, our Style Space stylists are here to help! With their expertise, they can guide you effortlessly to your best style.
Here are some great style sessions to get started: