Your personal style is so much more than the clothes on your back; it reflects a sense of self and who you are. Amidst a sea of runway and editorial trends, multiple styles of influence, and uncountable fashion options, finding your personal style can sometimes be truly overwhelming. Whether you’re in fine-tuning mode or working your way from scratch, discovery of your personal style is quite the fun and empowering process.
In this article, we will discuss some steps to help you learn to identify, accept, and develop a personal style that feels true to yourself.
1. Begin with an Evaluation of Your Present Wardrobe
Before you start searching for inspiration in the world of fashion, take some time and evaluate your current closet. This will be your starting point of understanding your style preferences.
1 What do you wear most often?
Look for patterns in the pieces that you are drawn to. Do you consistently reach for comfortable basics like jeans and t-shirts, or do you rather prefer elegant dresses and tailored suits?
2 What makes you feel like your best?
Pay attention to the clothes that make you feel confident, comfortable, and happy. These are the pieces that really reflect your true self and can serve as a foundation for building your style.
3 What‘s missing in your wardrobe?
Identify any gaps that are in your closet. What are the things or types of clothes that you have been eyeing up but just haven‘t been able to add into your wardrobe? This will then help to guide your next shopping decisions.
2. Find Style Inspiration
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Sometimes, it just takes that little push from outside of our minds to really stir creative juices. Sometimes, all it also takes to discover new looks and styles is style inspiration. Style inspiration may be found throughout various means of seeking it. The following are the ways to do it:
- Browse Fashion Websites & Magazines
Scroll down the fashion blogs, Pinterest boards, and online stores to determine what it is that catches your eye. Make a note of that particular outfit, color, or designer that captures your fancy.
- Draw Inspiration from your Style Icons: Find celebrities, influencers, or even historical figures whose style you admire. It‘s okay to take inspiration from others, just make it your own. A great style icon should reflect elements of your own personality—be that through bold colors, classic designs, or minimalist silhouettes.
- Follow the Fashion Hashtags
Applications such as Instagram are a gold mine of fashion inspiration. Hashtag your way through #OOTD, #StreetStyle, or #PersonalStyle to see how others are interpreting the trends and how they are building their unique looks.
3. Define Your Style Keywords
To help focus your exploration in style, consider three or four key-words that describe your fashion identity. These should be adjectives that frame what your wardrobe is or what it will become. Examples of this include:
- An Effortless Chic
You probably have eyes on minimalist pieces and timeless staples that make you look good. This is without seeming like you put too much effort into looking great.
- Bohemian Style
If you are free-spirited, you would love flowy dresses, earthy tones, and eclectic accessories as part of your bohemian style.
- Edgy Look
If dark colors, leather, and statement accessories are something that draw you in, then your personal style would have an edgy flair.
- Classic & Elegant
If you like structured silhouettes, tailored pieces, and neutral tones, then classic style is the way to go.
These are guidelines as you shop or even when you organize your wardrobe. They keep you on track as to what feels true to you and your own style. They also guide you away from the trends that don‘t fit your vision.
4. Experiment and Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
One of the best ways to know your fashion style is to have a little experimentation as to your ideal look. While it‘s great, that you know what you think you like, sometimes getting out of your comfort zone can lead you to some surprising revelations over what it is that you like.
- Play with Colours and Textures of Clothes
Go wild with colors. If you only do neutrals, then add patterns, or try both in one piece. Try to pair velvet, leather, and silk for a new chic look.
- Add Various Silhouettes
Try a completely different shape that what you are used to, such as wide-leg trousers when skinny jeans are your default. Or even try a maxi dress when you prefer shorter styles.
- Accessories: Go Bold
Accessories are a very easy way to experiment with your style. Going bold without fully committing to an outfit change.
5. Build A Capsule Wardrobe
Once you have experimented with various looks, it will be time to build up a collection of versatile items that make you feel confident, stylish, and comfortable. Building a capsule wardrobe – a small, curated collection of clothes that can be mixed and matched to create multiple outfits – is one sure-fire way to simplify your wardrobe without sacrificing your personal style.
- Focus on the Key Essentials
Think of the classic pieces of your look, such as a great fitting pair of jeans, a shirt, a little black dress, or blazer. These are the building blocks of your wardrobe.
- Add some Statement Pieces
Add a few statement or one-of-a-kind items that reflect your style keywords. This may be a show-stopping jacket, a printed scarf, or a pair of shoes with individuality.
- Invest in Quality Over the Quantity
Invest in some high-quality fabrics, some well-made items that will stand the test of time and allow you to create stylish looks without becoming victim of trends.
6. Stay True to Yourself
As you learn and experiment more with your style, remember that you are to stay true to yourself. Fashion is a means of self expressing, and it there is no an obligation to fit into any particular mold or follow any trend. If you feel that you are drawn to a particular style, be – it boho, minimalist, or something completely different; then wear it with confidence. Your style should make you feel comfortable, empowered, and totally authentic.
- Do Not Let Trends to Dictate Your Choices
Whilst trends may come and go, personal style reflects an individual’s unique and unusual identity. While it is so much fun to incorporate trends of the season into your wardrobe, do not feel obliged to embrace each and every new trend that there are. Stay true to whatever it is that resonates with you. - Trust in Your Instincts
Fashion is not just about looking good; it is about feeling good in whatever it is that you wear. Trust fully in your instincts when choosing the pieces that reflect your personality and your ultimate lifestyle.
Final Thoughts
The journey of finding your personal style – actually expressing yourself – was quite a fun and rewarding journey. Taking some time to sort out what is in the wardrobe already, experimenting with the new looks, and buying pieces that express what you mean, all go a way toward building a curated wardrobe that does feel more like you, your personality inside and outside. Keep in mind that style is personal and ever-changing. Enjoy the process, but do not be afraid to mix things up along the way.
