BE YOUR SELF!

HOW TO FIGURE OUT YOUR PERSONAL STYLE AND FIND PIECES YOU LOVE

By: Zaghra Savahl and Gina Klaff

Your clothes form part of representing who you are. It serves as a powerful expression of individualism that creates an impression on everyone you meet. Therefore, knowing and understanding your Personal Style is important. However, this is not always easy, and in most cases, finding your Personal Style and what works best for you is an ongoing journey. The type of clothes you liked last year may not be the same you like this year, and that’s perfectly ok. The most important thing is to wear clothes that you’re comfortable in and make you feel good about yourself. Knowing your Personal Style and being able to put outfits together that best represent you can be an enormous confidence booster!


Think about celebrities or characters from movies and TV shows that you like 

Are there any outfits that your favorite celebrity or TV character wore that you like? Is there a specific historical era that you love, and do you like the clothes from that era? Considering these questions can be a good starting place to figure out what sort of styles catch your eye. You can look online if you want to find an exact or similar piece that someone wore, or you can look for clothes that are reminiscent of the outfits your favorite character wears. There are lots of social media pages, especially on Instagram, that document the clothing that celebrities and characters wear, and some even include details on where to find specific pieces.

Try on clothes

​This may seem like a no-brainer, but one of the best ways to figure out what kinds of clothes or styles you like is to try them on. Go to stores that carry different styles of clothing and try on anything that you find interesting. You don’t have to buy something if you don’t like it, but you can figure out what styles, cuts, or patterns you like, and you can practice creating outfits. You can also do this with pieces from your own closet. 

Don’t be afraid to shop vintage or resale stores

Shop in physical or online vintage and resale stores if you want unique statement pieces or want to find designer items at a discount. If you’re specifically interested in clothing or shoes from a specific decade then this could be the way to go for you. Make sure you know your measurements when shopping online, but especially when you’re shopping for vintage clothes. Older clothing is often made of fabric that doesn’t stretch very much and sizes tend to run small. 

Take advantage of technology

Use outfit planner apps or websites to design outfits or find clothing that you like so you can get ideas of what to look for when you go shopping. These apps can make it easy to determine what your next purchase should be to complete an outfit you already have, or it can remind you of that one hat you never wear and how great it would look with your favorite blouse. Some examples of these apps and websites are Polyvore, Fashmates, Purple Outfit Planner, Combyne, and ShopLook.

Learn about color theory 

Learning about color theory can help you when you want to pair different colors together, picking shoes, or wear makeup that will complement your outfit. You don’t always have to play by the rules when it comes to pairing certain colors together, but it can help to understand the basics. As the saying goes,

 “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist

Finding your personal style may be an ongoing journey, but hopefully our advice will make the road a little less bumpy.

​Do you already have some wardrobe staples that you absolutely love? Who are some of your fashion icons? Please let us know in the comments!