Do you have a habit of flipping through fashion magazines to copy the outfits of celebrities and learn the latest trends? Do you often feel overwhelmed deciding what to wear without the help of friends? If you answered yes to one or both questions and feel a bit lost when it comes to fashion in general, you might need a bit of help finding your personal fashion style.
Contrary to a common misconception, having a great sense of style is not solely about following fashion trends but expressing your true self. Essentially, you show the world who you are by how you dress, accessorize, and create different outfits. When you find your personal style, you do not have to mimic other people’s looks to feel good. You will learn to embrace your uniqueness and be confident in your fashion choices.
If you are ready to develop your personal fashion style, read on. This article will offer several strategies to help you find your signature look. We also have a section on rules to remember as you go about the process to guide you in the right direction.
Tips to Building Your Personal Fashion Style
Developing your fashion style takes time and effort. You need to think about every aspect of your life, find style inspiration, and have a deeper understanding of your fashion choices. Nonetheless, the result makes everything worthwhile. To help you get started, here are several tips you may want to consider to build your personal style:
Understand What You Like
There is probably no better way to start defining your style than by looking at yourself. You may not realize it, but you have a style preference even if you tend to imitate looks or ask others for fashion advice. So, think about the clothing pieces that make you the happiest when you wear them. Pull them out from your closet and observe what they have in common.
Perhaps you will discover that you are the type who values comfort and versatility, which is why you love purchasing denim leggings online. Or maybe you prefer classy outfits because you want to look competent and professional. Whatever your favorite wardrobe pieces reveal about your style preference is a good place to start. You can use this information to create a capsule wardrobe and learn how to elevate different outfits.
Look for Style Inspiration
Another way to develop your style is by searching for style inspiration. Look through fashion magazines to see clothing styles that interest you. You can also browse social media photos of stylish people you know to see how they put together different clothing pieces. Try to pay attention to the styles you like to emulate and print them out. Do not worry if your choices seem too diverse. Again, look closely at your style inspirations and find common elements that attract you. You may find that you are drawn to flowy dresses and skirts, for example, because most of the models you selected wear them.
You may want to hang your favorite images up in your closet door so that you can look at them for inspiration. Make sure that your choices include multiple outfits for different occasions. That way, you can use them as a guide to creating your personal style for various events.
Evaluate Your Wardrobe
Developing your fashion style does not mean cleaning out your closet completely. You only have to give your wardrobe a thorough look. Much like decluttering, assess every clothing piece you own. If a particular item is already worn out, out of style, no longer sparks joy, or does not fit, place that item in a bag for disposal to create more space in your closet.
Keep classic pieces, such as a little black dress, white T-shirts, jeans, and other tops and bottoms that you can easily mix and match. You may also want to hold on to everything that makes you look and feel good. After you are done with the process, your closet will contain clothing pieces that express your unique style. Try them out and see how you can create different looks. You can explore pairing them with different shoes and accessories. You can also experiment by matching various pieces to see what works.
Invest in Staple Pieces
If you are hesitant to make drastic changes or explore different fashion styles to discover what you like or don’t like, you can start small. Invest in staple clothing pieces that are easy to style and work well with each other. You can use these basic items as a jump-off point to find your personal fashion style. Below are some must-have items that you can use to create effortless looks.
- Pencil skirts
- Trench coat
- Cigarette pants
- Neutral-colored tops
- Cashmere sweater
- Black turtle neck shirt/sweater
- Skinny jeans or denim leggings
Try Different Styles
If you want to build your fashion style, you have to muster up the courage to step outside your comfort zone and try different outfits—even those you feel uncomfortable wearing. Keep in mind that finding your unique style requires exposing yourself to a wide variety of aesthetics and trying them out. How can you be sure that wearing vivid colors is not a good look on you if you haven’t tried wearing such an item even once?
Try looking at old photos of your favorite style icons, and you will learn that they also experimented on practically all types of looks. They also experienced fashion blunders before finding their signature style. So, don’t be afraid to try different items when you shop. You can also borrow more fashion-forward pieces from your friends. Who knows? You may learn a lot about yourself in this simple exercise.
Rules to Remember When Defining Your Personal Style
As you slowly develop your personal style using the strategies mentioned above, you may need additional pointers to stay authentic every step of the way. From embracing your uniqueness to trusting your instincts, here are rules you may want to remember as you create a signature style that highlights who you are.
- Celebrate your uniqueness. You are special, unique, and unrepeatable. So, instead of copying a celeb style that does not work well with your natural features, find ways to discover fashion choices that compliment your body. For instance, if you have long legs, do not be afraid to flaunt them. Incorporate miniskirts, shorts, and above-the-knee dresses in your wardrobe and learn how to elevate them to suit different occasions.
- Be fearless. It takes courage to express your personality, mood, and preference through fashion. You need to be bold to try outfits and styles you haven’t tried before. After all, not everyone will agree with your choices. So, you must learn how to ignore the opinion of others and march to the beat of your own drum.
- Trust Your Instincts. Remember that no one in the world is better qualified to develop your personal style than you. You alone know what clothing pieces, designs, and accessories will make you feel confident and happy. That is why you should always listen to the voice within you more than the hottest fashion trends.
- Have Fun. Perhaps having fun is the ultimate rule when developing your fashion style. Tap your inner child so that the process will be like playing dressing-up. Wear outfits you like and create whatever look you believe is good for your soul.
Developing your personal fashion style may not be a straightforward process, but it is a journey worth taking. As you try to discover clothing items that you love, look for style inspirations, and put together outfits that make you feel great, you will learn a lot of things about yourself. Essentially, you are also developing a sense of self. So, do not just be content with replicating other people’s appearance. Instead, use the information in this piece to build your personal style, and remember to enjoy the experience.
Find more fashion tips in our archives.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.