4 hours ago
6
How would you define your personal style? Is it cottagecore? Tomato girl? Whimsigoth? Quiet luxury? Maybe you don’t know what these terms mean (congratulations) and maybe you do (my condolences).
Like unwelcome nose hairs, new microtrends seem to sprout from the depths of social media every other week. In some ways, their pervasiveness has made style seem more accessible than ever. They reduce aesthetics to mathematical equations that you can solve by buying up a bunch of fast fashion. By the time these cheap, mass-produced items dissolve into microplastics – which they will, quickly – other aesthetic trends will have replaced them.
But true style isn’t about chasing trends, experts say.
Instead, it is about dressing in a way that brings out your true self and “the version of you that feels most honest, most alive”, says Stephanie Yeboah, an author and content creator.
That is easier said than done. So we asked experts what personal style really is, and how you can start exploring yours.
What is personal style?
There are two types of “personal style,” argues Rachel Tashjian, senior style reporter for CNN, and confusion arises when you conflate the two.
The first, Tashjian suggests, is the “frankly old-fashioned idea of finding out what silhouettes, fabrics and colors look good on you and feel right for your lifestyle”. This is a more restrictive, rule-based definition of style that prioritizes “flattering” dressing – generally meaning clothes that make the body look more slim. Proponents include the TV show What Not to Wear and women’s magazines that often recommended clothing types to wear depending on body shape.
The other type is more expansive, high-minded and artistic – based on “the idea that your experiences, interests, hobbies and aspirations can all come together in this creative and even mystical way”, Tashjian says. It’s the rare quality that has made style icons out of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, Mick Jagger and Diana, Princess of Wales
Few people can reach that pinnacle, Tashjian says. But we can learn to dress in clothes that reflect who we are, rather than try to become someone who would wear certain clothes.
How do you find your personal style?
So you’re ready to dress as the most authentic version of yourself. Great! But how exactly do you go about it?
“Developing personal style is essentially building a relationship with yourself by noticing patterns, testing boundaries and refining,” says Yeboah. “A lot of us were never taught how to observe ourselves. We were taught what’s flattering and what’s appropriate, but not what feels right.”
Sometimes we are limited by professional circumstances. For instance, conservative professions might discourage fashion experimentation and require traditional office-wear. Lizzie Wheeler, vintage expert and founder of the archival bridal boutique Studio Dorothy, says that even when she worked in the fashion industry, she tweaked her own personal style to better suit the brand she was representing.
Still, it is worth thinking about what your style might be, so you can find clothes that make you feel happy to wear, and understand yourself better.
Reflect on what makes you feel best: The answer is probably already in your closet, says Vitor Arruda, a personal stylist and content creator.
“You definitely have a ‘go-to’ outfit, something you know works and makes you feel good,” he says. Once you identify that outfit, figure out what it is that makes you like it so much. Is it the fit? Color? Does it make you feel powerful? Comfortable? Once you figure that out, you can look for clothes that look or feel similar.
Don’t think so much about your body: Many of us are conditioned to believe that our body shape and size dictate what we wear. But this undermines the very premise of style, says Arruda.
Fashion advice devoted to dressing for your body type “creates a misconception that your body is wrong or that you have to hide certain parts”, he says. “When you do this, you’re dressing with shame and fear. This will never allow you to be your true self and develop a style.”
Dressing merely to disguise or enhance parts of your body is also extremely limiting. Wheeler says that when she works with clients, it can be difficult to convince them to try clothing pieces they don’t see as traditionally flattering.
“It’s very hard to build perspective when your top concern is that every garment you wear makes it clear exactly how your waist is shaped, or if you’re worried about looking short in a long coat,” she says.
Experiment with shape, volume and proportion. For example, Wheeler says, adding volume to shoulders rather than trying to cinch the waist can add visual interest.
“Getting comfortable with things that flow away from the body or [visually] cut your body in different places is the first step in breaking out of dressing that merely fits the brief,” Wheeler says.
Don’t be overly influenced by trends: It’s great to take inspiration from the world around you. But follow fads too closely, and “you start dressing like a Pinterest board instead of like yourself”, she says.
“[People] have to dress for who they are and the life they have, not something hypothetical,” says Arruda.
Conversely, vowing to differentiate yourself from the aesthetic of the moment can lead you just as astray, says Tashjian.
“If you follow the vintage market closely, you can see how people have gravitated towards certain kinds of pieces (frog-closure jackets, old minks, 80s sleeves) that look ridiculous but that they believe make them look like they made an informed or original choice,” she says. Are these pieces they’ll really wear again and again? “Probably not!” says Tashjian.
Don’t spend too much money: Figuring out your style doesn’t mean you have to drop your whole paycheck on a new wardrobe. In fact, that’s probably counterproductive. First, play around with what you already have.
“Start by remixing what you own in new ways,” suggests Yeboah. “Try outfits you’ve never paired before.”
You could also get one new piece and experiment with styling it.
“Choose one garment and make five different looks around it,” says Wheeler. “Rinse and repeat.”
Tashjian also encourages people to “look a lot without buying”. If you have some free time, walk around a store and look at things – see what you’re drawn to, how different fabrics feel. Try items on and see how they hang and what shapes you like. “We used to be much more informed about clothing because no shopping took place online,” Tashjian says.
Don’t stop exploring: One’s style is not fixed. “We change and our style changes too,” says Arruda. “We have to learn how to be at peace with it.”
