Finding your own personal style can be a long and difficult process nowadays. With fast fashion, instagram, and pinterest all telling you what to wear, you can’t keep up. By the time your purchase is delivered to your door it’s already gone out of style! Not to mention the prices of clothing today, does it have to cost an arm and a leg to look good? No way, I believe that you can dress to look and feel good everyday. You will believe it too after reading this blog.
The first step to finding your style is understanding that it’s an expression of who you are. It’s about what makes you feel the most yourself, while increasing your confidence. A good outfit is a good day. I suggest starting by reflecting on your own personal interest, experiences, and elements that naturally attract you.
- Self reflection- Take a look at items already in your closet, what do you like and dislike? What do you wear most often and what have you never worn? Now take a closer look at those items, what patterns and textures attract you? Do you like minimal designs or something more fun and maybe chaotic? What colors do you wear most? Understanding these simple characteristics can help you the next time you’re debating buying a new piece.
- Inspiration Gathering- The first thing you think of is probably social media such as instagram or pinterest, which can be very helpful. But fashion inspo can be found in many other places, such as magazines, design websites, the runway, or even in your everyday surroundings. Pay attention to what catches your eye from the girl at the coffee shop or the skaters on the street. What about their outfits could you take inspiration from? Careful to consider what you like about yourself, not every outfit on another person will fit you and your body. If you are looking for an easy way to keep your inspiration, Pinterest is the perfect place to make visual representations or mood boards. Remember to reflect on your boards before shopping or making any purchases.
- Experimenting- Try on everything! It never hurts to try silhouettes, colors, or patterns you wouldn’t normally. You’ll never know what could shock you, or what could become your newest go to piece. Buying things you don’t absolutely love is never recommended, so don’t buy anything out of the ordinary from online shops. In person shopping is always best for trying new things!
- Personal Signatures- What are elements in an outfit you consistently enjoy? Bows, belts, jewelry, or layers? These are all examples of finishing touches you can add to have your iconic look, one that everyone knows you for.
- Feedback and Reflection- Share and show off your style choices with friends, family, or the public. Their feedback may offer insight into how your style is perceived, which can help you refine the details. Additionally take time to reflect how your style makes you feel. Are you feeling more confident, social, happy, or focused? Style should help bring out your best self and allow you to be comfortable in your skin, no stress or self doubt.
One last thing before you can start your true journey is to clear out your mind by clearing out your closet! This can be a daunting task, but it is an essential step towards creating outfits easier and quicker. (Plus it adds room for more clothes)
Closet Cleanout Tips
- Set Clear Goals- before diving in, what are you hoping to achieve? Having a clear goal in mind will help you stay focused and motivated throughout the process.
- Preparing Your Space- Lay out several bins or bags, or clear spots on the floor and label them with “Keep, Donate, Sell, and recycle” This will create the ideal sorting process.
- Empty your Closet- Take everything out- yes, everything. Wipe down all dusty surfaces and vacuum the floors. Now you have the perfect start.
- Evaluate Each Item- as you begin sorting through, ask yourself questions such as “When did I last wear this?” “Do I like the fit?” “Can I see myself wearing it in the near future?”
- Be Honest and Ruthless- Will you actually wear that dress that’s been sitting in your closet for years? Do you truly love that top you wore in highschool? It’s easy to be attached or have sentimental reasoning, but be truthful to yourself about what you truly need and wear. If it hasn’t been worn within the past year there is a chance you might never wear it.
- Deal with “Maybe” piles- It’s ok to not know, push it off to the maybe pile and come back to it. But once you come back to it I suggest trying to create outfits using your maybe pieces. Pair it with items you do love, If you create something you would wear again keep it. But if you cannot create anything from it, throw it in the donation pile.
- Making the Decision- Determining the next steps for each pile
-Donate: clothes in good condition you no longer want can be donated to charities or thrift stores
-Sell: High quality or designer items can be resold to help you purchase new clothes
-Recycle: Items that are too worn or damaged for donation can be recycled at local programs
-Repurpose: Some clothing can be reused in a new way such as turning a worn shirt into a cleaning rag or a pair of jeans into a new bag or jacket.
- Organizing the Keep Pile- Once you’ve made it to this point, organizing your clothes makes or breaks the original goals in mind. Put them away where they are easy to access. You can further decide to sort by color, category, (Pants, Shirts, Dresses, Etc.) or frequency of use, do what works best for you.
Now that you’ve learned a bit more about yourself through inspiration and reflection, experimentation, and decluttering your space, you can start piecing your first new outfits together! Finding your style is an ongoing process; it can always change as you grow. Fashion is about more than following trends, or fitting a mold; it’s about uncovering what genuinely makes you feel most authentic and at ease.