How to Discover and Embrace Your Individual Style
Don’t make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, what you want to express by the way you dress and the way you live. —Gianni Versace
Let’s be real.
We’ve all had those “I have nothing to wear” mornings. And what’s even more difficult about getting dressed is if you don’t feel good based on what you’re wearing.
So, what happens?
You throw on clothes, rush out the door and call it a morning.
Then you get to work and feel “frumpy” as if you just rolled out of bed. And if I’m being honest, this is me about 90% of the time right now. And yes, I consider myself a fashion blogger outside of my 9-5 job.
However, I acknowledge that I feel this way because I have limited myself to buying clothes for my current body. So, I just keep wearing my bigger sized clothing so I can be comfortable at work even though I don’t feel confident in myself.
For me, what I wear contributes to how I feel for the day and truthfully, I haven’t felt “great” for a long time.
And to me, it’s important to know your personal style and feel so good in what you’re wearing that you’re exuding confidence.
Everyone’s definition of individual style is different. Some see accessories as the finishing touches and wear lots of it. For others, jewelry should be dainty and minimal to let the outfit stand out on its own. That’s what I love about fashion. Each individual’s style is open to that person’s interpretation.
And if you want to discover your own style, you have to be willing to take the time to learn.
To discover your own individual style…
NO. 1 – YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE
Ask yourself the following questions: 1) What colors do I gravitate towards? 2) Are there silhouettes that work for my body better than others? 3) What are my favorite brands I typically like wear?
For me, I tend to lean towards white, black, navy, blush pinks and slate blue. Over the years, I’ve learned that my bodyframe looks better in jumpsuits, high-waisted pants/jeans and either above-the-knee length or maxi dresses. A few brands I typically wear are Anthropologie, Club Monaco, Rebecca Taylor, and other high-end designers like Alexis.
NO. 2 – EXPERIMENTING IS A MUST
Trying trends on a budget will help you determine if you’re more into styling trends or if you’re a classic style kind of girl. The key is to find an aesthetic you really love and build your wardrobe around it.
For me, I tried the straw bag trend recently and haven’t been able to get on board. Turns out, I’m a classic style kind of girl. And the aesthetic I love is neutrals with touches of blush pink, beige and slate blue.
NO. 3 – YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT
Discovering your individual style does take time and a bit of money. Once you wear an outfit, pay attention to see how you feel in it. If you feel great, what colors and brands were you wearing and what style?
For me, some days, I go for all girly girl outfits, but most of the time, I love edgy looks with a feminine touch.
To embrace your own individual style…
NO. 1 – CONFIDENCE IS EVERYTHING
Let’s be real. I’ve really “felt it” with my outfits only a few times in my life. To embrace your individual style, it’s all about making sure you feel good in what you’re wearing. Then when you walk out of the house, it’s about you wearing the outfit, not the outfit wearing you.
NO. 2 – DON’T FOCUS ON TRENDS TOO MUCH
It’s okay to experiment with trends, but what truly makes a statement is when you embrace your own individual style. Make it a goal to build a closet you love so when you open it, you’re shopping your own wardrobe. The goal is to inspire others with your own sense of style by mixing and matching everything in your closet. And if you can do it without buying ALL the trends, you’ll save more money in the long run!
NO. 3 – CHANGE THE WAY YOU SHOP FOR YOUR WARDROBE
As you embrace your individual style, own how you shop for your wardrobe. If you’re all about being on a budget, stick to Asos, Gap, Target, etc. If you’re about investing in your wardrobe like I am, invest in pieces by saving for them or go the consignment route or both!
When it comes to your individual style, don’t worry about what other people think. Your point of view is all about making your own statement. That’s not to say that you can’t like styles from previous years.
It’s important to modernize your outfit and bring it up to date. Rather than looking like you came from another time period in life, give people a different point of view by creating classic looks. If someone can look at your outfit and see that they can recreate your look with items in their closet, it means you’ve got great style!
I know I’ve talked about this in previous posts before, but I’m still on my own journey of self-discovery when it comes to my style. And what a fashion journey it’s been! I can’t wait to explore more of the high-end side of fashion along with seeing how my athleisure style evolves!
