Cultivating personal style is something that sounds easy enough, and yet due to the multitude of styles available to choose from, it can become a difficult task that can be draining and frustrating. There seems to be no end to the many styles, clothing pieces, stores, accessories and outfit combinations that one can sift through which in and of itself causes one to become fatigued with having too many choices available to them. Finding one’s personal style does take some time and work, but the process can be fun work too.
Style should be about making you feel like your best self every day. It should come natural to you as to what you already like and what looks good on your body. The fun part for me is always playing around with different styles and outfit combinations. I love putting together an outfit that is simple, yet chic. Overall, at this point most of us understand the concept of quality over quantity, but how do we put this into a practical use when curating our wardrobe? Let me explain how I cultivated my own personal style.
I will also provide this caveat before moving on, our lives are constantly evolving and styles over time evolve with us. This isn’t about trends exactly, it’s about who you are in the world at any given moment and curating a wardrobe that fits that lifestyle. If you are a stay-at-home parent for example, you probably do not add business/work items to your wardrobe unless that is a style you particularly love to wear. As our lifestyles evolve, so should our style in the same way. This is about understanding how to create you overall style and how to incorporate that into your life no matter where your current lifestyle is.
my style journey
I have always had a deep interest in the world of style and fashion, so in a way style came more easily to me due to my personal interest. But obviously I was not going to go out and purchase the Dolce & Gabbana or Gucci clothing that I would see in the beautiful pages of Vogue Magazine. I am an everyday girl on an everyday budget, so I had to learn how cultivate my style within my means to do so.
There are certain types of clothes that I have worn for decades that never go out of style for me. The articles of clothing may be new, but my style is not. Items such as button-down shirts, chino shorts, trousers, polo style shirts, simple sweaters cardigans, and pencil skirts for example will always be staples in my closet. After pinning down what types of clothing I like to wear, from there it’s about picking items in the colors and/or prints that I enjoy wearing. Most of my clothing items are solid colors with just a few pieces that may have a print. Also, most of my clothing is in a neutral color palette, but when I do buy colorful pieces, I keep it in a range of either blues and greens or dessert tones like maroons and pinks. This helps to guide my clothing choices so that not only do I simplify the process of looking through shops, but also that anything I purchase can mix and match easily within my wardrobe.
This is not a perfect practice though as I have certainly bought things that I didn’t like afterwards or that I just didn’t wear as much as I thought I would. I don’t beat myself up over it, I just either return it if I can or donate it. Luckily though this does not happen often, but this is just a way to say that it will happen to you too and that’s okay. I have also spent time trying new styles as well to see what I like. When trying this just be aware that your mind might not like it at first as it is different from what you usually wear, and therefore it may start to think things like “this isn’t you” or “this is uncomfortable, what will people think?” Be patient here and keep showing up in the style that you want, that’s what I have had to do while finding my style. Through this process I have found that my style is classic, chic, and elegant. Some style types that resonate with me are old money, feminine and minimalist.
Below are the tips that I have used for decades to create my style. This goes beyond the usual things that you have heard many times before like, dress for your body type, quality over quantity, and especially trends. These tips are practices that I do even to this day to curate my personal style and to create my wardrobe on purpose.
find your style essence words
Let’s face it, when we go out shopping, we can easily want so many things that we see. They look so great on the mannequin and the styles are trending all over social media. Sadly, though this is where we can easily purchase something that we are not going to wear too often, then we keep it in the closet for months or years because we spent our hard-earned money to buy it, then eventually we may donate it. If you have had this happen more times than you would like to admit, you are not alone. That is why finding some essence words can really help guide you when you’re out shopping. As mentioned above, mine are classic, chic, elegant as well as old money, feminine and minimalist. I keep these words listed in my phone to reference whenever I go shopping for clothes to help remind me what I like to wear. From here discerning what gets purchased becomes easier. If the article of clothing cannot pass most of these words, then it does not get purchased. The essence words will also help to keep the wardrobe cohesive, and you will create a signature style over time.
choose one store as your main inspiration for style
There is no shortage of clothing retail stores out there on the market and I have found that selecting one that I identify most with has also helped to cultivate my style. My store of choice is Banana Republic as they embody my essence words as well. Walking into a Banana Republic on any given day for me is like walking into my dream closet. That’s not to say that I love everything that they put onto their shelves, for me it means that they embody the style that I want to create for myself, so I can visit them either in store or online for style inspiration at any time. I have more BR pieces of clothing in my closet than anything else and that’s not by accident. They have created a brand image that I personally identify with, so whenever I am in the market to purchase something for my wardrobe I will check here first. I trust the quality and fit of their clothing, so it makes it easy to save me time from having to search through endless stores as well as money (they have a loyalty program that anyone can sign up for). There may also be times where I feel like refreshing my style, so I peruse their website for ideas to inspire the next evolution in my style choices. I also shop the Banana Republic Factory store as well as their clothes are also good quality and fits me well. I have found lately that I actually like the styles of the BR Factory more than the original BR, but overall BR will be my first store of choice when looking for style inspiration.
play around with outfit combinations in the changing rooms
I love going to a store (obviously my first pick is BR) and trying on all the things that catch my interest. Sometimes it’s not even about planning to buy something as much as it is about playing dress up to see what I like. If I start to get curious about a certain style of clothing, trying different colors, cuts or combinations I will simply visit a store and play dress up in the changing rooms. The full-length mirrors and good lighting help create a place where I can create different looks to help me clarify what I like in my style. Don’t be afraid of picking things that you are curious about even if it’s not your current style. Also do not be afraid of the price tag, if it catches your interest just grab it and go, we’re only trying it on for information purposes. You also don’t need to pick out half of the store either, be discerning and grab no more than 10 items at a time to play around with. This is a low-risk way of trying new styles as you are not required to purchase anything that you don’t want, it’s just you in the changing room and you can even take pictures of yourself with your favorite looks. As per my usual way of doing things, I make it into a fun event for myself. I will get an iced coffee, maybe take EarPods (although in BR I don’t need them because even their music choice is in line with what I listen to) and really have fun with the process. Also, a little side note here, if you would like to do this, just be sure to wear something that is easy to take on and off, otherwise you’ll get put out with taking your clothes on and off to try on other things.
create canva boards for outfit ideas
If you are not sure if an outfit looks good before buying it online, create a mood board in Canva to see how it works together. I do this when making a purchase of several items to see how everything flows together. After I make the board, I will then see if it’s in line with my style essence words of classic, chic, and elegant. If something seems off from these words, then I will not purchase it as I know that it will not fit as well into the rest of my wardrobe and therefore will probably not get worn as often. Have fun creating ideas and imagine how you would feel if you opened your closet right now and these items were already present. Would you feel excited to wear them, or indifferent? Creating Canva boards will help you visualize how everything works together, and you can even create outfit inspiration as well. I recommend downloading the Canva app and from there you can save images of the clothing items that you would like to purchase, upload the images into Canva and create the boards. It’s a fun process that has kept me from overspending on online shopping as everything on its own can look great online, but to make sure that it will fit into my lifestyle, I use this visual aid as a tool.
find your style icon
While we are trying to create our signature style through this process, it is also helpful to also pick out someone whose style you love and would like to emulate the essence of. My style icon is model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. She has a style that is in line with my own with her use of neutrals, classic styles and feminine chic aesthetic. Does that mean I am going to try and copy her style? Not at all! How I implement a style icon into my personal style is first creating a Pinterest board of all of my favorite outfits that they wear as inspiration for the looks I would like to create. And I also use them as a reference for shopping, so for example if I am on the fence about an item I might want to buy, I will ask myself…. would Rosie buy and wear this too? If the answer is no, then it helps guide me back to the signature style that I am trying to create for myself. It’s like having a super-stylish friend shop with you, but in spirit. It is also helpful to find a style icon with your same coloring as well, meaning skin tone and hair. This can also help with what colors might work well on you if they also work well on that person too.
create your signature style
Just like when we sign our name and it is uniquely our own, finding your signature style is a way to create a style that is uniquely your own too. Whenever I am shopping with my girlfriends, they are quick to pick out something that I might like because my style is uniquely my own. I have certain pieces that I wear regularly that defines and creates my unique signature style. My signature pieces that I wear often are statement earrings, pencil skirts, polo style (or collared) tops, chino shorts, slim or straight fit pants, button down shirts, neutrals, classic cuts, strappy sandals, neutral flats, neutral heels, and oversized dark sunglasses. These items make up the bulk of my wardrobe and are uniquely my signature style.
INVEST IN YOUR ACCESSORY STYLE TOO
While clothing may be the foundation of our look, the accessories are the extras that elevate an outfit to extraordinary. Have one piece that is signature and build out from there. Invest in a few pieces for all occasions including casual, work, going out, dressed up and formal. For me, my signature piece that I love to wear is statement earrings, but I also have plenty of necklaces, rings, and bracelets as well that helps to elevate my outfits. Also be sure to invest some bags, belts and shoes of the same nature, some for casual, work and dressed up affairs. You don’t need a lot these items as just a few basic items will elevate an outfit, it’s about pulling the look together to create well put-together outfit.
journal about your personal style
You already know that I use my journal to create my life on purpose, and style is something that I do journal about as well. If you are currently trying to discern your own personal style you can use these journal prompts to help.
-What are my style essence words? (what words do you want to describe your dream style)
-What do I currently love to wear? (this will help define what types clothing articles you already enjoy wearing)
-What would I love to try on to see if I like it? (to help define new items you are curious about)
-What are four items I like to wear the most? (to help understand where to start your signature style, do you wear dresses, button down shirts, etc.)
-How would I describe my style right now? (this will help define where you are at and to help build onto your current foundation)
-What is my dream signature style? (define the color palette, types of clothing and accessories you are wanting to add into your style)
-What colors do I love to wear? (this will help keep your wardrobe cohesive to be able to create many outfits out of just a few pieces)
-Whose style do I admire most? (to help you clarify your style icon for extra help in deciding what to purchase or leave behind)
WEAR WHAT YOU LOVE
At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you are wearing the items that you truly love. Defining our style is essential into helping us curate our wardrobe, but make sure that the things that you are bringing in are things that you are excited to wear and not just because they fit into an aesthetic. For example, I may have elegance and feminine as some of my essence words, but I do not particularly like wearing midi dresses, so I don’t buy them. I think they are beautiful and look great on other people, but since I don’t personally love wearing them, I don’t purchase any. Personal style is just that, it’s personal. Irrespective of what trends may come and go, my wardrobe stays the same in essence which creates my signature style. Style can be so much fun and there is so much inspiration out there in the world that you can discover. So have fun creating your style on purpose and make the world your personal runway.
This is such a thorough post and I appreciate you putting your thought process behind this here. It’s really helpful! I love Banana Republic stores. The vibe is always top tier and everything looks so well curated. I get a better visual of the colors and styles while in the store but I’ve had luck buying online as well. I bought some of their gold jewelry last year during a sale and it is so nice. I also really like your style words and see how it can help while shopping. I may use that to filter items out of my closet actually as I’m in a decluttering era. Things become clear when seeing how they hold up to an intentional vision for your wardrobe. I love this post!
Thank you, Stephanie for the kind words 🙂 I am happy that you were able to get some good ideas to help you with your decluttering as I know that in and of itself can be quite a daunting task. Style is something that should be personal and using the essence truly helps with making better choices for our choices. BR does provide good quality items for sure, and I love that were able to get some gold jewelry from them last year.
Wonderfully written post! So many great takeaways!
Thank you, Nicole 🙂 I am so happy that you got some takeaways from this post and thank you for visiting the blog.
Loved this post! I really enjoyed the journaling section as I think this would help me to further refine my style~
Thank you, Diane 🙂 I am so happy that you enjoyed the post and found some journaling prompts to help. I love journaling to clarify so many things in my life and am always so happy when others can use them too.