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Discover and adopt your personal style today

By Tobi Awodipe
02 February 2019   |   4:16 am
Finding and adopting a personal style can be a struggle and we’ve all been there at least once, if not multiple times, as we gaze into our closet full of clothes...

Finding and adopting a personal style can be a struggle and we’ve all been there at least once, if not multiple times, as we gaze into our closet full of clothes and need something to wear but feel lost. Regardless of what life throws at us, it’s important to be able to adapt while still maintaining a style that is all our own.

Believe it or not, the right wardrobe can make a difference in that department. In terms of your wardrobe, you should really know what you like, understand what looks good on you, and how to shop. So when you find the right piece to add to your closet you exclaim, “This is so me!” And, in order to help you feel this way, we have put together some tips to guide you.

Avoid trends
Many people confuse trendiness with having style. “Being trendy” is actually what turns a lot of people off from pursuing style, because they associate an interest in clothing with having to keep up with what’s popular. Style has nothing to do with being trendy. In fact, trends are the antithesis of personal style, because they only occur when the masses buy into them. Personal style stems from an authentic attraction to an item, so forget about trends and that your friends are wearing it and focus on the items you are actually drawn to and represent who you are.

Discover your inspiration
Developing your personal style requires looking both inward and outward. If you don’t even know where to begin, consider the style hall of famers who put their own iconic spin on classic items. For an even more general search, type “female style icons” or “male style icons” into Google or Pinterest and as you sift through images, begin collecting them on Pinterest or in a Google doc. Start noting the main themes that attract you to outfits you’ve saved. Are they more classic? Are they bold and experimental? Super feminine or masculine? Casual or pulled together? Look for connections like a vintage aesthetic, an academic quirkiness, or a modern minimalism. Organize your favourite styles by common themes. Note the items, colors, textures, and fabrics you are repeatedly drawn to. Increased awareness of the styles you’re drawn to makes it easier to develop your own.

Test it out
While it’s true that your style should be unique to you, you should test out different outfits before committing to a certain look. Finding your personal style is a process that takes plenty of trial and error, but experimenting is half the fun. Trying out a different look simply means styling your clothes in a new way. Reference the images you saved in your style folder that best exhibit your desired look and consider the wardrobe you already own. How can you achieve the overall style with the items in your closet? After a day of wearing those clothes, how do you feel? If you feel confident and like yourself in them, you have found style success. If you feel uncomfortable, unconfident, or like an imposter, it’s probably not the right look for you.

Consider your lifestyle
A style that doesn’t suit your lifestyle is a great way to waste money on clothing you’ll never wear. Personal style is also about practicality, which is why it’s vital to make sure your desired style works in your everyday life. For example, if you work from home, you’ll want to stick to a more comfortable, casual style over a corporate office look. Think about your career and everyday activities and the clothing that makes sense for that lifestyle. This doesn’t mean completely disregarding the style you truly want, it just means finding ways to channel the same vibe into items you will actually wear.

Start with basic, versatile items
It’s easy to think that developing your personal style means buying a ton of new, distinctive items but creating your personal style depends upon a strong wardrobe foundation. You need items that can be easily paired together and can work for any event or occasion on your agenda. Not sure what these basic, versatile items are? They’re classic items that stand the test of time such as plain jeans, simple pants, button-downs, neutral-colored blazers and jackets and so on. When trying out new looks and developing your personal style, these basic items will serve as the perfect starting point. Allow your style to begin expressing your authentic self today, and have fun discovering it along the way.

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