How To Develop Your Own Personal Style
It can be surprisingly difficult to develop your own personal style. In the midst of social media influencers, major retailers, and shortlived fashion trends, it’s easy to follow along with what everyone else is wearing and pay little attention to the fashion you actually like. Still, having a curated personal style can be a great way to express yourself and feel confident. If you’re interested in figuring out how to develop your own unique style but don’t know where to start, then keep reading this list for a few helpful tips!
Identify your fashion icons.
Even though you’re working on developing your own style, it’s still important to draw inspiration from your favorite celebrities, musicians, models, and the like. If there are any particular people you inadvertently model your style after, that definitely isn’t a bad thing. You might also find yourself being drawn to several people who have different styles, which can be a good thing. That way, you can determine the common elements between the various styles you like and merge those elements together. You’ll be left with an eclectic and unique style assortment!
Figure out which styles you typically prefer.
Although you might not have a specific style you wear, it can be worthwhile to take a look at your wardrobe and figure out the general style of your favorite pieces. If you have more than one style that you find yourself wearing a lot, the aforementioned advice is still applicable — you can definitely combine different styles into something personalized and unique. Next time you go shopping, try to pick out more pieces of clothing that coincide with your favorite styles, fabrics, cuts, and colors.
Take a look at fashion trends of previous decades.
If you aren’t a huge fan of current fashion trends, then you might want to do some research on styles from past decades. Even if you don’t want to look “vintage” or “retro”, you can still find style elements you like from past decades. You might be drawn to 90s grunge, 80s fashion, or maybe something even older. Regardless, it’s worthwhile to take a look at past trends to see how current fashion has developed over the years.
Wear clothes that are suitable for your daily life.
Depending on what sort of life you live, there might be some basic requirements for your day to day style. There’s definitely a lot more freedom for students, but if you work in a professional setting, you might want to consider the workplace when developing your style. Even though business or professional attire is usually rather dreaded, it isn’t always a bad thing to have something like a uniform to wear several days of the week. If you have to keep your style relatively professional throughout the week, you can still bring touches of your personal style to your outfits. Don’t forget to accessorize, wear colors that you like, and wear cuts that you find flattering!
Check out thrift stores and consignment shops.
It’s easy to get caught up in the current trends and top retailers, but that might not ring true with who you are. Instead of following along with what everyone else likes, take a step back and locate your own preferences. Right now, a lot of the top fashion trends are determined by people we consider to be “influencers”, but your style isn’t any less valid if you break away from the norm and dress how you want. Because of this, one of the best things you can do for your style development is to visit your local thrift store or consignment shop.
There are all sorts of ethical and environmental reasons to choose these stores over major retailers who thrive in fast fashion. Aside from that, thrift shops are also great for helping you locate pieces that are interesting, unique, and one of a kind. The prices at thrift shops are also super reasonable, so you can build an amazing wardrobe on a budget.
Identify your favorite colors, cuts, and fabrics.
When all else fails, one of the easiest ways to build your own personal style is to figure out which colors, cuts, and fabrics you like the most. If you can identify your ideal color schemes, the cuts that make you feel most confident, and the fabrics that elevate your sense of style the most, then you have the perfect key ingredients to shape your personalized wardrobe. Once you have these things figured out, going shopping for new clothes will be more efficient and rewarding than ever. You’ll have a sense of what clothing pieces you need for your closet, which can make the gradual development of your style relatively effortless.
Wear what makes you feel confident.
One of the biggest hurdles to having a solid personal style is finding clothing pieces that make you feel confident. Here’s the thing, though: if you don’t feel confident in something, it probably doesn’t ring true with your style, and you definitely don’t have to force yourself to wear it. There are so many different style combinations for you to explore, so if something doesn’t make you feel comfortable, then that’s an easy way to figure out what doesn’t work for you. Wear the clothes that make you feel like your best self. Obviously, this can look different for a lot of people. Some people prefer clothes that make them feel bold, whereas others prefer to simply feel comfortable. Likewise, some people prefer clothes that express their creativity, whereas others prefer to wear something simple and refined. It’s all about your individual preference, so try to figure out what your unique version of confidence looks like!
