How To Find Your Signature Style

How To Find Your Signature Style in 2018

I’ve always been totally obsessed with fashion; altering and accessorising my school uniform, choosing outfits that were far too glamorous for living in the countryside, and I’ve always had a feminine and classic style. However, in the last 18 months I feel that I have truly found and stuck to my own personal style. The truth is, while I’ve always known I love to dress in a feminine and girly manner, I’ve often been swayed by new trends which come and go but its when I dress in this way that I feel my most confident and fashionable self.

Whether you want to overhaul your entire wardrobe, make a few small changes or if you feel genuinely lost, finding your signature style can go along way. The impact of your own personal style goes way beyond making a good first impression, it’s about the ability to feel confident and beautiful all day, every day in what we are wearing. Knowing what style you love and suits you most can make a huge difference in that department.

Our personal style is always evolving and will change over time depending on various factors relating to your lifestyle. However, being clear on who you want to present to the world is unlikely to be drastically different no matter what stage of life you’re at. It’s important to remember that though we can love a certain style, we can still appreciate a number of others. In my recent video, I share my top tips on analysing your wardrobe, getting inspiration, and truly finding and sticking to your very own personal style, watch it here.

1. Analyse Your Existing Wardrobe

A successful signature style is one you will love for years and years and so your focus should be on wearing the things you truly adore. First of all take a look at your existing wardrobe and think ‘do these pieces represent who I am’. If there is a piece or two within your wardrobe that you haven’t worn for a good couple of months or something that doesn’t fit in with the overall vibe, take it away. For me, it’s a black leather jacket or a navy striped top amongst a sea of whites, pinks and greys. Look at what is left and think about what pieces you are drawn to the most and what you enjoy wearing, chances are these are the building blocks that represent the personal style that you already love and have in your wardrobe. For me, one example would be this would be a blush pink pleated skirt; due to its classic midi length and timeless feminine pleats this quality piece represents me really well. Equally, there will be staple pieces you reach of time and time again like a white cashmere jumper or a flattering pair of jeans – consider these as well as special pieces that you adore, it could be your favourite investment bag or a pair of spectacular heels. Put these pieces to the side and you will slowly start to build a picture of what personal style you already have represented in your wardrobe.

2. Label It

When taking an afternoon to really go through the pieces you already have in your wardrobe, try to pick a few words that describe your chosen key pieces that you utterly adore and enjoy wearing. Are they casual and comfortable, timeless and feminine or bold and contemporary? Settle on a handful of words that feels true to you; You will most likely notice a lot of similarities which 100% tells you that you’ve found and clarified your style. Write these words down and have them at the front of your mind whenever shopping for new pieces.

3. Seek Inspiration

Having one or a few personal style icons is useful when it comes to finding your own personal style. Perhaps you like certain bits from three different bloggers or celebrities and you can put these together to create your own; pulling different types of inspiration from several sources is a great way to figure out what you like and dislike. Spend time browsing instagram or Pinterest, type those key words you settled on that best describes the style you love into the platforms to find an array of outfit inspiration. When you find people who portray a signature style or something similar to what you want to portray, it is really helpful to keep them in the back of your mind when out shopping or when you are having a wardrobe clear out. For me, my style icon of all time is fashion blogger Julia Engel from Gal Meets Glam and if I am unsure about something I’ll think to myself ‘would Julia wear this?’ – so ask your self if your style icon would wear this and if it would work in there wardrobe. If the answer is yes, chances are it will work perfectly for yours too.

4. Recognise What You Don’t Like

So you’ve looked through your wardrobe, you’ve chosen the pieces you love, you’ve decided on a few key words that sum up the style you love but what about those pieces that don’t make you feel good. Just because every celebrity is wearing red doesn’t mean you have too, or if you favourite blogger who you usually love is wearing something you aren’t sure about, it doesn’t mean you have to wear it too. Having a strong personal style means you are confident that you will be able to find something you love every day, so there’s no point in holding onto things you loved while they were on trend, but haven worn since – be brutal! Sell, donate or throw out any worn out styles, or garments that just don’t represent your personal style.