Not so long ago, people followed dress codes established by society and conventions – workers as workers, well-to-do women as well-to-do-women, schoolchildren as schoolchildren, and so forth. Nowadays, these conventions have fallen away, and individuals have much more flexibility in what they wear. This is all for the better. You now have the choice to curate a style that matches your personality, taste, way of life and circumstances.
Is having a personal style important?
Yes, I do believe it is as we express our idea of who we are by the clothes we wear. It’s an unconscious, unspoken language that we direct at other people. A non-look can make us invisible, an over-the-top look might frighten others, or amuse them. If you feel uncomfortable in an outfit, it can impact your self-esteem and confidence. This is why its so important to find your own look, not mimic what you see in fashion magazines, or on celebrities, but pull inspiration together into something truly unique.
Some individuals hit on their own style at an early age, while some never do. No matter where you are, the good news is that you can get started right away. The process of creating a style that’s uniquely you is a lot of fun too.
“Don’t be like the rest of them, darling.” – Coco Chanel
Below are some of the exercises I recommend trying:
Exercise 1) Determine what you’re already wearing
The best place to start your style journey is in your current closet. What do you already like about the way you dress, what needs changing, and what skills do you want to learn?
The first step I recommend is to take photos of your outfits, every day, for a 1-2-week period. Style is such a visual medium, and pictures can show you a lot. After you’ve snapped, pull all your photos together and ask yourself:
- What was your favourite outfit and why? How did this make you feel?
- What was your least favourite outfit and why? How did this make you feel?
- How would I describe my style in a few words.
- What colours, items, styles and silhouettes did I wear most often?
- How easy was it for me to choose outfits in the morning?
- What messages are my current looks sharing with others?
- What percentage of my closet did I wear over this period?
Answering these questions will give you a lot of information about what you like and don’t like about your current style. It will also give you clues into what types of pieces work best for your lifestyle, and what you truly enjoy wearing.
Exercise 2) Collect inspiration
Your personal style is a mix of preferences for different elements – things like colours, silhouettes, items, textures, patterns and more. Your style isn’t random, it’s a reflection of your experiences and the associations you’ve picked up over the years. People with wonderful style have figured out what they like, what suits them and are sticking with it. Yes, things may change over time, but a deep underlying preference for a certain aesthetic will likely remain stable for a while, and will be used as the baseline for any future changes.
So pour yourself a cup of earl grey tea, and sit down for a few hours to go through blogs, magazines, Pinterest, television show closets and other sources, saving any image that speaks to you. Make notes along the way of what drew you to this particular picture. Instead of saving high-fashion photos though, make sure to select those that would work with your current lifestyle. Always ask yourself “is this something I would wear in real life?”
As soon as you’ve found something you absolutely love – go deeper. Search for different ways to wear it. As the process continues, your likes will become much more apparent and so will your dislikes. This is a good thing as it means you’re starting to develop your own true aesthetic.
What should you pay close attention to?
After pulling together all the images, make notes in the following categories using this free resource.
Overall vibe
Sometimes it’s not the individual pieces in a photo that are drawing your attention, but its overall feeling. For example, you may love it because the image is “so 70’s” “super romantic,” or a “little bit edgy.” Recognizing the overall themes you love might not help narrow in on specific pieces to include in your wardrobe, but it will certainly help you find your own aesthetic.
Individual items
Have you saved multiple images of suede booties, or cropped blazers paired with skinny jeans? Take note of any individual items, and combinations, you could see yourself wearing.
Colours
The colours we like to wear are personal. Are you seeing hot pink in your pictures, bright reds, or cool grays? Make note of these preferences.
Silhouettes
What clothing silhouettes are speaking to you? What fits, lengths, and cuts are in your images? Do you like high-waisted pants that hit right at the mid-line, or tops that are billowy and boho?
Materials
Another area to look at when it comes to your photos are the materials, fabric and textures. Anything from soft cotton to linen to leather might speak to you.
Styling
The last area is to make note of is the styling of pieces as this is what truly transforms a basic look and makes it your own. Do you love statement necklaces over basic t-shirts or the ever-popular French tuck?
After documenting these preferences, and combining this knowledge with your real outfit takeaways, you should have a much clearer sense of what your unique personal style is. You may only need a few tweaks or wardrobe additions to make your authentic style a reality, BUT you might also feel like you need a full overhaul. That’s okay. We all start where we are, and shopping will be much easier with your style likes defined. Remember to focus on building a wardrobe for the long haul vs. buying everything all at once. Save up, wait for the “perfect” pieces, and if your closet is far from where you want it to be, consider building a capsule wardrobe first.
Commit to trying on all of the pieces you’re drawn too, and channeling each aesthetic. Have fun in the process and don’t get discouraged. I can hardly wait to see where your style takes you.
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