When I asked my supporters on Instagram what they struggle with the most when it comes to style, quite a few listed finding their style as a challenge.
And so, today’s post is dedicated to you. If you struggle to find your style and need some help in that department then you are in good company. Because in today’s post, I’m sharing 5 ways to find your style. And by the end of this article, you’ll leave feeling more confident and in tune with your personal style.
But first, what is style?
- “Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn!” – Gore Vidal.
- “Style is very personal, it has nothing to do with fashion. Fashion is over quickly. Style is forever.” – Ralph Lauren.
- “Style is a way of saying who you are without having to speak.” – Rachel Zoe
These are just some of my favourite quotes defining style. Style is not about designer labels, it is an expression of self. It is an evolution of self. I dress according to varying factors like my mood, weather, occasion and so much more.
I don’t believe in limiting myself when it comes to my style. Today I may be modestly dressed, covered from head-to-toe and tomorrow I’m wearing the skimpiest outfit you’ve ever seen. I may wear all black today and tomorrow wear all the colours of the rainbow. My style is just an extension of my personality which is adventurous- within reason – but consistently stylish.
I also want to stress that style does not buy into fashion trends. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good trend. I have in fact disliked some trends when they first came out and grown to like them.
The off-shoulder look, choker necklace and dad sneakers are just a few trends I didn’t initially care for but over time, I bought into these trends. However, trends come and go and it is why you shouldn’t give in to them if you are still trying to find your style.
Here are 5 Ways to Find your Style
1. Know your body shape
Are you pear, hourglass, apple, rectangle, athletic shaped or somewhere in between? There are quizzes online that you can take to help you find that out if you don’t know or you can just click here after you finish reading this post. Knowing your body shape will help you in figuring out what is most flattering for your body type.
2. Identify which colours inspire you
Colour has a huge impact on our mood. It can inspire and uplift or it can do the opposite. Colour can also flatter your figure depending on the colour. Knowing the colours that inspire you can help you to feel empowered, motivated and confident. I love an emerald green colour and I feel beautiful, sexy and confident in it. It also suits my skin tone. What colour(s) gives you that feeling and is flattering against your skin tone?
3. Define your personality
Are you reserved, outgoing or a little bit of both? Knowing your personality is key to finding your style. I mentioned earlier that I’m adventurous. I don’t like to be tied to a particular style or colour. Which reflects in my style. You may be the opposite, take Anna Wintour for example, she has her own unique style. It’s a uniform look consisting of a printed dress, a necklace and a pair of heels. It is impossible for you to miss her even if you don’t see her face. Her uniform style tells me her personality is the direct, confident and straight-laced type. A uniform style, although boring to me, saves you a lot of time especially if you’re a very busy woman.
4. Make sure the fit is right
Have you been to the shops and saw something that caught your eye but it’s not in your size. You want it so bad because it’s on sale. You even make a promise to yourself to lose weight to fit into it. Rewind, pause.
Look at yourself in the mirror and look at the item again. Will you really lose weight to fit into it? Do you really want to put that kind of pressure on yourself, sis? Is it really worth it? Save your money, don’t think of the price of the item. If you can’t fit it now, there’s no point. Because even if you do manage to lose weight, it may not fit your curves right. It is important to wear clothes that fit. An ill-fitting item of clothing does not make anyone look stylish. Fit is everything when it comes to style.
5. Keep a style board
Whose style inspires you? It may be one person or more than one person. Keep a style board of your style inspiration/s. I would even suggest creating categories. So gym, work, dinner etc. When you’re clear about what you like for different occassions, then most of the job is done.
What I love the most about fashion and style is the freedom of expression it allows. Be creative, have fun. If you were meeting someone for the first time, what would you want their first impression of you to be , before you introduce yourself or say anything about who you are and what you do? Now dress the way you would like to be addressed. 🙂 I’m sure I saw that somewhere.
I hope you found this article helpful and you can now go on to create your personal style which is unique to you and you alone. Remember, don’t copy. Be inspired.
Please leave me a comment if you found this post useful. Also, let me know what other style challenges you have so that I can a(d)dress them. See what I did there?
Thanks for reading. See you next week.