This post is about the best tips for discovering your own unique personal style.
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Finding your personal style can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be.
Personal style is a way to express your individuality and personality through what you wear. It can be a reflection of your interests, values, and even your mood. However, discovering your personal style can take time and experimentation.
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If you’re feeling lost when it comes to defining your personal style, fear not. With a few simple steps and a bit of exploration, you can uncover a style that is uniquely yours.
Whether you’re looking to revamp your wardrobe or simply enhance your current look, understanding your personal style is key to feeling confident in what you wear everyday.
In this article, we will delve into the process of finding your personal style, from understanding your body shape and color preferences to curating a wardrobe that reflects your unique identity.
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My Style Evolution
I’ve loved trying out different outfit styles since I was a little girl playing dress-up in my mom’s clothes.
As a Gemini who occasionally has about five different alter egos to play around with, switching up my style is just part of my nature, lol.
Some days, I feel in my urban element and want to wear a streetwear look; other times, I’m in my more feminine era and want to put together a tomato girl-inspired outfit.
From my classy soft girl era of 2020 to my wanna-be Insta-Baddie aesthetic of 2022, experimenting with different fashion styles has always been a hobby of mine.
I’ve been revamping my wardrobe lately, so sticking to minimal and basic pieces has been my go-to. In this case, I’d probably identify my current personal style as normcore, streetwear, and Y2k inspired.
Evaluate
Before you can consider what new things you want to add to your wardrobe and what trends you’d like to experiment with to elevate your style, it’s a good idea to evaluate.
What is personal style? Your personal style is the way in which you dress that reflects your interests, lifestyle, and creative process, curating a unique and personal wardrobe that fits your specific characteristics.
Evaluating will help you get a better idea of what you will look for when you go shopping, help you to save money and not purchase unnecessary items, and help you to know what pieces are more flattering than others depending on colors and body shapes.
Your Current Wardrobe And Style
Starting from the beginning, let’s look at your current approach to personal style and what your wardrobe consists of. This can vary from person to person, depending on your lifestyle.
If you work from home and only go out a little, your wardrobe may include more casual pieces, such as sweatpants and hoodies, than someone who works in an office all day long and may have a wardrobe with more blazers and pleated pants.
Trying to find your signature personal style can be way more manageable when you know what your current looks consist of and what you hope to add for the ultimate outfit, whatever your style may be.
Do A Closet Clean-Out
How would you like to improve on your look?
For work-from-home women who stay in PJs all day, this could mean getting dressed up a little every day and adding more work-casual items to their closets.
For the ladies who are always at work and don’t have plans to go out often, this could mean getting out a little more for some post-work marg’s or a dinner date with friends and investing in more classy night-out looks.
When I first tried to improve my personal style, I needed to evaluate my lifestyle and what I wanted it to look like.
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I cleaned out my closet and discarded clothes that weren’t flattering, didn’t make me feel my best, or weren’t conducive to how I envisioned myself looking.
I found that the fewer sweatpants, hoodies, and baggy, distasteful clothes I kept in my closet, the more I was forced to dress up and, in turn, try new things with the pieces I had in my wardrobe.
Not sure where to start when it comes to closet clean-outs?
Come back to this article when you’re finished reading. It’s a complete guide to decluttering your closet, organizing your wardrobe, and evaluating which pieces to keep, donate, and discard!
Identify Your Best Assets
Identifying your best assets is the most essential part of evaluating before you dip your toe into the different styles and fashion aesthetics you want to try out.
It’s an excellent idea to get a clear picture of what things look good on you and what parts of you you love and want to accentuate compared to others before starting to shop for new things.
For example, I’m 5’6″ and have a short torso and long legs, but my long legs are just one of the many qualities I love about myself and my body.
With this in mind, I often lean towards outfits that can highlight that favorite quality of mine. Mini skirts, bell-bottom jeans to accentuate the legs, high-waisted shorts, etc.
If you have curves that you love, keep pieces in your closet or make a mental note of items that can accentuate those best parts of yourself!
Knowing these specific details will help you a ton when shopping for new clothes and when you’re evaluating your current closet pieces.
Colors And Coordination
Similar to knowing your favorite assets about yourself, knowing all about colors is also helpful. From what colors look best on your body to how to coordinate them to create the perfect look that fits your personal style.
While you evaluate the articles of clothing that are already in your closet, try them on! You might find a piece that you thought was flattering on you, but when you take the time to assess how it looks, you can see that the color might be less complimentary.
This can be due to changing your hair color or simply because the piece no longer fits your taste. That’s why it’s so important to evaluate your current wardrobe status in the beginning.
After you’ve tossed all of your tried-on clothes into a dislike pile, assess that pile and identify which colors you don’t like and which colors you still love.
You can use a color wheel like the one in the photo above to help make your assessment easier. Color wheels are also helpful when choosing pieces of clothing that complement one another.
Are you curious to learn more about fashion and colors? Read this helpful article here.
Identifying Your Body Shape
We all have experienced seeing something super cute in the store or trying to recreate an outfit we saw online, testing it out, and looking in the mirror to say…” ew.”
Either because the pants didn’t fit the way that we might have envisioned, the top gave us a uni-boob, or maybe the dress just made you look way bigger than you’d like.
It always happens to the best of us, which is why knowing your body shape coinciding with all of the potential articles of clothing that flatter your specific type is vital.
You can read more about what kinds of body shapes work well for clothing pieces here and use the diagram above to identify which shape best represents you, which will help you when shopping for pieces to add to your closet that match your personal style.
Build Off The Basics
Before you begin browsing at styles you may like, consider building off of essential pieces of clothes you already own.
Not only will this save you so much money, but it’ll also save you some of the headaches that come with starting your wardrobe over from scratch, especially if you already have articles of clothing you love!
Basics can consist of solid tops, whether solid black long-sleeve tops, solid white short-sleeve tops, solid green turtlenecks, or any article of clothing that doesn’t consist of graphics, words, or embellishments.
It’s usually suggested that you keep 15-20 basic tops and 7-10 basic bottoms, so consider this when evaluating your current wardrobe.
Be Clear
Now that you’ve evaluated your current clothing situation, you can finally start thinking about your style, taste, or aesthetic and what new things you may want to add to your wardrobe—this is also known as the fun part!
Likes vs. Dislikes
Let’s begin the styling process by considering your likes and dislikes. When we do this, you will want to be pretty specific.
Here are a couple of example questions you can ask yourself when creating a list of your likes versus dislikes:
Are you into denim or pleated pants?
Do you prefer glitter and glam or laid back and more casual?
Are you a fan of graphic or minimal tees?
Are you a sneaker person or a person who wears flats and dress shoes?
These questions will help you get down to the nitty-gritty of figuring out what your personal style will consist of and what preexisting styles will best match your interests.
If you’re not too big of a fan of skirts and dresses like me, although I’m trying to force myself to enjoy them more, there may be better choices than a more girly aesthetic. If you’re more into denim jeans and graphic t-shirts, you may lean more towards trying a streetwear style.
It all depends on you and your preferences.
Mood Boards
Okay, mood boards are my favorite way to conjure up some personal style ideas, and if you’re a visual person and someone who loves deep planning like myself, then you’ll have a ball with creating a style board.
All you need is an electronic device and a free Pinterest account.
I like to search outfit ideas by season; this is easier, especially if you aren’t sure what type of aesthetic you’re searching for; otherwise, start researching some outfits similar to the look you’re going for.
You can make a board to save all of your favorite looks in one place; otherwise, if you’re more like me, I categorize them all by season, occasion, etc., for less overwhelm.
What is an aesthetic?
An aesthetic refers to the personal fashion sense of an individual or movement.
Here is a list of popular style aesthetics if you need help figuring out where to start.
Cottagecore
Cottagecore embraces all things countryside living, warmth, and peace.
Think freshly baked bread, handmade crafts, Animal Crossing, mushrooms, and vintage and handmade vibes.
To shop for a cottagecore-inspired look, you’ll need to seek pieces with soft pastels and earthy tones.
Consider an embroidery-detailed maxi dress, knitted sweaters, delicate blouses with lace, your favorite pair of beat-up Converse, and your favorite pieces of vintage jewelry.
Spacecore
This Aesthetic draws inspiration from a fascination with the stars, the universe, planets, and everything extraterrestrial.
It is all about incorporating galaxy prints, glitter, metallics, and holographic garments into your wardrobe.
When you think of Spacecore, think deep blue hues, blacks, purples, and shimmering silvers.
Barbiecore
Barbiecore originates from the 90s and early 2000s as a tribute to the iconic Barbie doll.
The Barbiecore aesthetic is all about being bold, playful, ultra-feminine, and with lots of nostalgia.
When you envision styling the Barbiecore aesthetic, try incorporating pink mini skirts, Barbie-themed jewelry, bold high heels, knee-high socks, and anything with a signature Barbie logo on it.
Colors that best represent this aesthetic are shades of pink, sky blues, and metallics.
Dark Academia
Dark Academia consists of knowledge, gothic ideologies, and classic literature with a moody ambiance.
The Dark Academia aesthetic draws its inspiration from 19th-century boarding schools.
When shopping for this aesthetic, look for blazers, turtleneck sweaters, wool, trousers or skirts, and vintage brooches.
Also, look for colors like deep browns, greens, navy blues, and blacks.
Elevated Indie
The Elevated Indie look is inspired by the blend of bohemian styles and indie culture with a more refined touch.
Opt for lace-up sneakers, flowy dresses, minimal jewelry pieces, tailored pants, knitted sweaters, and bohemian prints to pull off the Elevated Indie aesthetic.
Colors that work well with the Elevated Indie look are muted earth tones.
Soft Girl
The Soft Girl aesthetic revolves around living in your true gentle and feminine era and involves lots of pastels, flowers, and clouds.
To put together a Soft Girl outfit, try getting some cardigans, floral pieces, dainty skirts, cute ankle socks, Peter Pan collars, and high-waisted jeans.
Some colors that best represent this aesthetic are pinks, mint greens, lavenders, and pastel yellows.
Baddie
The Baddie aesthetic is inspired by confidence, self-expression, and lots of sass.
The Baddie look is best known for its figure-hugging pieces, bold makeup looks, and fierce heels.
Grab your favorite bodycon dress, crop top, chunky heels, and cut-out jeans for the best Baddie outfit.
Vintage
The vintage aesthetic heavily draws inspiration from the fashion of the 1920s to the 1970s, giving your outfits a timeless sense of elegance and class. It combines history with fashion.
For a vintage style, you may look for earthy tones, sepia and cream shades, deep reds, and navy blues.
Consider adding articles of clothing like high-waited trousers, flapper dresses, a-line skirts, pearls, or any other antique jewelry, and some classy trench coats to your wardrobe.
Old Money
The old money aesthetic embodies inherited elegance and quiet wealth from the early 20th century.
Old money is effortless, classy, and luxurious. It’s about choosing a gold family heirloom necklace over a gold piece from Pandora.
When you think of the old-money aesthetic, think of people like Lana Del Ray, Sophia Richie, and Kate Middletown.
To rock the old-money aesthetic style, keep your eyes peeled for tailored blazers, long-sleeve tops, cashmere sweaters, pearls, loafers, vintage jewelry, and silk scarves.
Y2K
Y2K style is an aesthetic inspired by the love for the 90s and early 2000s.
If you’re looking to rock the best Y2K-inspired outfit, consider putting together a look that includes pieces like mini skirts, halter tops, platform shoes, anything holographic, patchwork jeans, mesh tops, and metallics.
The best colors for this style are silvers, neon, and pastels.
E-Girl
The E-Girl aesthetic is the ultimate style that represents the digital age.
It combines grunge, street style, and anime for the hottest edgy look. Invest in some layered necklaces, platform shoes, graphic tees, leather garments, and baggy jeans to get the E-Girl to look.
Black, red, and neon colors also go really well with this aesthetic.
Tomato Girl
The Tomato Girl is all about embracing simplicity, boldness, red, and nature, cherishing the cheerful and sunny side of life through vintage-inspired fashion.
For the Tomato Girl look, add pieces to your wardrobe such as a straw bag, retro jewelry, skirts, vintage-aesthetic dresses, and high-waisted shorts.
Colors like tomato reds, leafy greens, beige, and soft yellows are the perfect hues for the ultimate Tomato Girl-esque outfit.
Art Hoe
The Art Hoe aesthetic loves all things bright, cheery, and colorful and celebrates creativity and self-expression.
For the ultimate Art Hoe outfit, choose garments with embroidery, patches, earthy tones, and bright colors.
Paint-splattered jeans, crop tops with an aesthetic feel, oversized sweaters, and art-themed T-shirts best represent the Art Hoe look.
Gothcore
Gothcore is all about eerie elements, the gothic rock scene, and dark romance with a touch of horror.
To embody the Gothcore aesthetic, look for bats, crosses, skull symbolizations, blacks, deep reds and purples, and possibly some silver for an added flare.
Corsets and bustiers work well in a Gothcore aesthetic, along with band tees, leather, and mesh or lace.
Skater
The Skater aesthetic represents the embodiment of a spree spirit and the rebellious culture that comes with skateboarding, pushing the boundaries and living life on the edge.
The skater aesthetic blends graphic tees, baggy pants, oversized clothes, beanies, and aesthetic hoodies to create the ultimate carefree and adventurous look.
When going for the Skater look, choose neutral colors with pops of bold mixed in.
Kawaii
The Kawaii aesthetic derives from the Japanese term for “cute,” and this style embodies just that.
The Kawaii look is represented by a variety of pastels, cartoon characters such as Hello Kitty, and plush toys.
For the best Kawaii outfit, add some oversized bows, thigh-high socks, Mary Janes, oversized sweaters, ruffled skirts, and cute cardigans to your wardrobe.
Classiccore
Classicore, similar to the vintage aesthetic, plays into the timeless and sophisticated elegance of old fashion by incorporating styles inspired by grand ballroom gowns, classic works of literature, and music.
This aesthetic brings in inspo from history as a whole instead of being confined to a particular era.
Classiccore has many neutrals, deep blue shades, rich deep browns, and soft pastel colors.
Next time you’re out shopping for Classiccore style pieces, try looking for tailored suits, A-line dresses, straight-leg jeans, trench coats, and vintage sweater vests. Try a pair of loafers, too!
Mermaidcore
A style emerging from the mid-2010s, mermaidcore is the perfect fit for those who are into fantasy life and ethereal beauty.
When you are looking for mermaid-core-worthy clothing, look for midi dresses, scale prints, backless tops, sequins, and shell accessories, along with shades of blue, sea greens, coral pinks, and pearly whites.
Fairycore
Fairycore is the aesthetic for the girlies who are into all things mystical and whimsical fantasy and magic.
Think about nature, from little mushrooms to delicate flowers and serene streams.
For the ultimate Fairy inspired look, embrace lightweight clothing, flowy garments, florals, and butterfly embellishments.
While you’re conjuring up your style inspiration, try going for long-sleeved dresses, lace, skirts, soft purples, greens, and iridescent colors.
Celebrity Inspiration
Aside from using Pinterest, grabbing style inspiration from some of my favorite celebrities is another tip I use to improve my personal style.
Celebrities are already everyday people whom we often see all across our Instagram timelines and TikTok “For You” pages and look up to for inspo as is. Therefore, what better way to grab some style ideas from your favs?
One of my recent favorites has been Ice Spice. Her looks have evolved since she first popped into the music industry, but her newly improved sense of style has inspired me and many others to tap back into the aesthetic of Y2K fashion from the early 2000s.
Think of some celebrities whom you look up to and whose fashion sense you admire.
Are there any things you can take from their styles and replicate or remix to make uniquely your own? Whether it be a signature style of shoes or the whole look, take notes, be bold, and implement them!
Create A Wishlist
We’ve now covered the primary basis for discovering your newfound personal style, and finally, it’s time to start window shopping. Don’t get too excited and mindlessly add things to your cart!
Hopefully, you’ve been making notes and jotting down some ideas for what you’re looking to add to your wardrobe to curate the style of your dreams because it’ll come in handy when creating your wishlist.
I always create a wishlist when I shop for clothes, regardless of whether I want to switch up my style or add some pieces here and there to my closet.
Creating a wish list ahead of time helps me cut back on spending more than I need to and purchasing unnecessary items I don’t have a plan for.
When shopping, it’s always best to have a plan.
Figure out how many tops, bottoms, shoes, or accessories you will need to create x number of outfits for your new style. It is helpful to create an outfit mockup when shopping that looks like the image below.
This mockup can include pieces of clothing that you already own mixed in with some that you’d like to purchase. Creating an outfit mockup gives you an idea of how the pieces will look together before you’ve worn them!
Questions to ask yourself while creating your wishlist:
- Do I need it?
- Do I like it, or do I love it?
- Am I caught up in the label?
- Do I love it because I genuinely like it or because it’s been a trend?
- Do I like it for the price tag?
Be Aware
It can simultaneously be easy and hard to discover your sense of style.
Easy, thanks to this generation’s extensive range of fashion aesthetics, there isn’t at least one that you’ll find you love. It’s hard, thanks to the amount of aesthetics to choose from; there’s probably a bunch that you’ll find that you love!
Along your journey of shopping and figuring out which fashion sense best speaks to you, your lifestyle, and how you express yourself, there are a few key points you should keep in mind.
Trends Aren’t Everything
It can be incredibly easy these days because of the media to get caught up in trying to keep up with the latest and possibly not-so-greatest fashion trends.
You probably don’t need those $15 Amazon leggings you saw on TikTok that’ll supposedly make your butt look bigger to go with your “Soft girl hits the gym” aesthetic look.
After seeing the reviews many times, you contemplate giving in, right?
But trends like these aren’t everything.
As we all know, fashion trends come and go with the seasons. Not only that, they eventually even make their way back around; we’ve got all the classic 2000s pieces suddenly making a huge comeback!
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the fashion from that era, but they don’t always last, and it can become a waste and pretty draining…of the pockets and the mental lol, trying to keep up with it all.
We also can get so brainwashed in keeping up with these constant trends that we lose sight of what’s really of interest to us versus what we put on to be like everyone else.
Choose a style that fits YOU because you love it, inspires you, and makes you feel like a badass when you wear it.
Bend The “Rules”
Subpoint 2, bend the “rules.” In quotation marks because, well, there aren’t any actual rules.
Here's how I learned to discover my ultimate fashion personality! Share on XThere are, of course, basic suggestions you can follow when it comes to selecting items for your body type or choosing colors that complement you and the pieces of clothes that you’ve paired together. Still, you can wear whatever your heart desires.
I always like to say that, just like beauty, fashion is very subjective, hence why it’s called “personal style”.
Other people don’t have to love the outfit you styled as much as you do; if it makes you feel your best and looks good, it’s a look!
Take Pictures
This year, in 2024, one of my goals is to take more pictures, especially of cute outfits I’ve put together.
Taking photos of outfits you’ve styled and enjoyed can help you get a better idea of what pieces look more flattering on your body than others.
There’s always a considerable difference between pieces I’ve styled and tried on in the mirror versus how they look once I’ve taken a picture; who knows, maybe that’s just me, but give it a try!
It’ll also be beneficial in the future to look back at older outfits that you’ve styled to either get a look at how your personal style has evolved or a way for you to have your album of outfits to reference again in the future.
All in all, consider taking more outfit photos of looks you’ve put together for a clearer picture of how they may appear on you…no pun intended, and as a way of inspiration when you feel like you’ve got absolutely nothing to wear.
“For Later” = For Never
How many of us can admit to being guilty of styling an entire outfit to say we’ll save it for later, for XYZ occasion?
How many of those times do you end up wearing those “save for later” outfits?
Hardly ever?
Honestly, I’m trying so much more to do less of the “save for later” and wear whatever I want!
Sometimes, I let my thoughts and fears of being insecure about what I’ve picked out get in the way of putting the outfit on and going out. Instead, try it!
If it’s an outfit you styled and looks good to you, then take the courage to experiment with how you’ll feel wearing it outside the house. You never know; you might even pick up a few compliments.
Always Evolving
Just as I told the story at the beginning of this style article about how my taste in looks has evolved through the years, so has yours, and it will continue to do so.
With age, interests, and lifestyle changes, your style will grow from what it once was, and this can be another reason why taking more photos of particular looks that you’ve pieced together can be so helpful for seeing your style changes and outfit progressions over time.
Cultivating a personal style that truly reflects who you are is a journey worth embarking on.
By considering factors such as color, fit, and individual expression, you can confidently navigate the world of fashion and curate a wardrobe that speaks to your unique identity.
Remember, personal style is not just about the clothes you wear, but the story you tell with them.
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Embrace the process, be open to experimentation, and enjoy the art of self-expression through fashion. Let your style be a reflection of your inner confidence and uniqueness.
Don’t forget to share this article with a friend and give it a like if you learned something new 🙂
Here’s to embracing the power of personal style!
A great post! When decluttering my clothes, I ask myself the same questions about each item, sometimes you have to be brutal about the items you keep or give away! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
I feel like I still don’t know my own personal style, and I would really like to find it. Reading this was really helpful and has given me enough pointers to make a plan!