How To Find Your Personal Style In 5 Steps
I'm a fashion blogger. Everyday I'm on the hunt for something new and unique but something that's on-trend-enough to style and share with you guys each day. Creating new and inspirational content for you is my passion and something I look forward to doing. However, I'm one small fish in a sea of style bloggers. I quickly found myself getting anxious and caught up in keeping up with the latest trends all the time, which seem to come and go faster than you can say "Pumpkin Spice".
It seems like every fashion blogger on Instagram is in a silk pyjama shirt or a floral print dress or a Millennial blush pink jacket. Seeing this constantly on my feed made me feel like I also needed these items to stay relevant, feel successful, and get those crispy "likes". Turns out, I can't stand floral prints on myself, I feel too pyjama-y in a pyjama shirt and Millennial Pink washes me out.
I was getting tired of this constant feeling of anxiety and comparing myself to others, especially on social media. Not to mention the burn I felt in my wallet. I decided to do some inner reflection, and really narrow down what my style is and what I like. Keep in mind that style is SO, so personal. It takes quite a bit of thought to find out what you really like, and for that matter, who you really are. Part of personal style is how you choose to project yourself to others without saying a word. This takes time, thought, and lots and lots of experimentation.
Here are five tips that helped me discover and define my own personal style.
1. FIND YOUR MUSE
Instead of comparing myself to other bloggers in a negative way, I changed my attitude and starting thinking about what it was I loved about his or her style. Was it the way she wore it? How he layered it? How it was accessorized? The colours?
Start paying attention to what appeals to you by creating a Mood Board. You can use Pinterest, Instagram Saved Items or, if you're old school, a good old fashioned cork board. You'll start identifying similarities in everything you're pinning to your Mood Board. It's a great place to start to figure out what grabs you.
2. FIND YOUR PALETTE
Are you into colours? Prints? Patterns? Textures? Your Mood Board will quickly reveal the colours, shapes and sizes you tend towards and your colour palette.
3. FIND YOUR SIGNATURE PIECE
This could be anything. Shoes, a colour, a necklace, a bag, a hat. Anything. My personal item would be a Biker Jacket, and I can be found wearing one with almost everything. The point is, it's something I always know I feel cool and confident in and is often my missing piece in every look I put together. Find your signature piece that makes you feel amazing, and you'll always feel stylish.
4. EDIT, EDIT, EDIT
Your closet, I mean.
Cull out the pieces that don't serve your personal style. These could be items you no longer wear (or have never worn...guilty!), colours or trendy pieces that do not get use, or items that are damaged or do not fit the size proportions you're going for (oversized, fitted, a mix). Your style can evolve with seasons and time, so it's a good idea to edit your wardrobe regularly. I'd suggest seasonally, or at minimum twice a year.
5. WEAR WHAT YOU LOVE
At the end of the day, this is all that really matters. Do you feel great in what you're wearing, or is it wearing you? Style is absolutely personal. You do you, boo.
Here's the thing: "style" does not always equal "trendy". And that's OK. Trends rarely last, but style does. It's fluid, and evolves with you. Keeping these 5 tips in mind will always help me stay true to what I like, who I am, and my own style.
How do you define your personal style? What are your tips? Leave me a comment below!
Photos taken by: Emma, from What She Styled
Edits: by me
SHOP THIS LOOK
