4 STEPS TO FINDING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE
Over the years my style has changed. In high school, I was the girl with the crazy eye shadow, fun hats, and stand-out style. In college, I worked at J.Crew for a while and I swore by their catalog for all of my style inspiration. Now, I'm all about comfortable, easy dressing.
As we go through the different phases of our lives it's difficult to define our personal styles. But once we're older and we have a sense of who we are it becomes easier. If you're in your late 20's / early 30's now's the perfect time to define your style. Now, defining your style isn't the easiest, but if you're up for the challenge I've compiled a 4 step plan to help.
1. Toast To Your Personality
When you're wearing clothes that fit your personality you will be more comfortable and confident. If you don't understand how to do this, look at some of the characteristics below and what they may suggest about your style.
For example, if you're:
Laid Back/Easy Going: you prefer a low maintenance look. Your current or aspirational style is effortless; a pair of jeans and t-shirt may be your go to's.
Sophisticated/ Mature: your style is classic. Perhaps you like a neutral palette, with well-fitting clothes similar to a blazer or crisp white button-down.
Feminine: If you're connected to your gender as a female you may express it with bright colors, floral prints, ruffle detailing or silky fabrics that suggest your femininity.
Outgoing: If you're outgoing you may want to express that through your clothes. You won't be shy with bright colors, fun prints or avant-garde trends.
2. Look at what's in your Closet
While matching your style to your personality is a great starting point for discovery, you may need to dig deeper. Humans are complex, and so our personal styles won't fit under one label. To help define your image further, you should analyze your current wardrobe. The best time to analyze your wardrobe is during a closet consultation. Ask yourself, "what pieces do I wear most?" Then note what clothes are in the "Donate" pile. Brainstorm on why these no longer resonate with you, then note your findings. Is there a common theme in the pieces you love versus the ones you're donating?
3. Note your Lifestyle:
Before focusing on how you want to dress, you need to be mindful of life's expectations. While your job may require a dress code, you can still add a personal touch to your wardrobe. Ask yourself the below questions and note the answers for the next task:
If you work, what is the dress code for your current or future position?
What activities do you engage in outside of work?
How do you envision yourself dressing for the top activities in your life?
Keep these in mind for the next task.
4. Gather Inspiration:
You also need a visual representation of your style. Gathering images for inspiration is a great starting point. While magazines are an option, they don't often feature everyday style. My favorite place to find inspiration is the internet. I use Pinterest to pull up images of bloggers or celebrities and put together personal style boards.
** Use your notes from the previous steps to ensure these images are a true representation of YOUR personal style.**
Pro Tip: While you can build one personal style board, I like to break by boards by season. This is less overwhelming and also provides a shopping list by time period. I use one board for each season and make sure I have inspiration for all the aspects of my life.
To get you started I’ve gathered a list of bloggers to search by aesthetic. While completing this last step be sure to remember your lifestyle needs, the clothes you love/hate, and what your personality suggests about your style.
Tada! There you have it! Your personal style is complete. Use the images you've gathered to build a shopping list of items and then, to help style your outfits.
Psst, feeling overwhelmed and like you can’t do this all on your own. Check out The Wardrobe Revamp where I coach you through building a functional closet you absolutely love.
