DISCOVERING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE

Discovering your personal style can be a difficult process. It involves having a deep understanding of your sense of self (that’s my Psych major talking right there..), a great confidence in your own skin and knowing what works and doesn’t work for your body type.

Many people say that fashion is an extension of yourself, an outlet through which you can express your creativity and personality. I agree. We are drawn to specific garments, styles and colours because we are attracted to, and feel comfortable, in them. We choose them because they fit our tastes, likes and visual aesthetic.

After following fashion blogs for years, I quickly noticed how they had their own unique style. Then I started thinking about myself and how I didn’t think I had a personal style.

Then I just stopped thinking about it and just bought clothes that I liked and I felt comfortable in. I raided my closet and gave away clothes I didn’t like anymore. Slowly but surely, I was able to pinpoint my personal style that I call “classically casual”, and started a blog about it.

Below I have created a how-to list on how you can discover your own personal style. I created it using the techniques I used myself to discover my own style.

1. Know your likes and dislikes.

Ask yourself the following questions: What do you like? Which music, movies, books etc, do you like? Which style appeals to you? By asking yourself those questions, you’ll be able to understand your likes and dislikes, and it will help you pinpoint which style fits your personality.

2. Dress for your body shape.

Always dress for your body shape. The first step is to determine your body shape, of course. Once you have that, you can now shop for clothes that will work with, instead of work against, your body.

3. Analyze your closet.

What pieces are you shopping for? Raid your closet and analyze it. See which garments you are buying and then organize them into keep vs. throw piles. The ones you decide to keep will form the basis of your style. By doing this, you’ll know exactly what style you are naturally drawn to.

4. Get inspiration.

Research. Research. Research. Go online, look at different fashion blogger’s styles or open up a fashion magazine to look for style inspiration. Browse through as many bloggers or magazines as possible and bookmark all the outfits you like. Better yet, make a Pinterest account and pin all the outfits and clothes that attract your attention. Once you have that, look at everything and you’ll soon see a common theme and will be one step closer to identifying your personal style.

5. Stay true to who you are.

Finally, stay true to yourself. Don’t copy someone else’s style from head-to-toe or buy the latest trends just because it’s popular and everyone’s doing it. If you do do that, do it because you genuinely like it and it fits your personality. Always dress in clothes you are comfortable in and makes you feel confident. It’s called personal style for a reason — it’s a way for you to express yourself through your clothes and to express your individuality.

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Personal style: classically casual

Below I have included pictures of outfits that I love and that fit my style.