Embarking on a style journey can be both challenging and rewarding at the same time. The internet is full of information on how to emulate your favourite celebrity look or how to take the runway looks and make them more everyday friendly. Chances are, you already have a certain “look” of your own and you may not even be aware of it, but if you’re specifically on a mission to adopt a new style or trying to convey a different message about yourself through the clothes you wear, then you should definitely read this all the way to the end.
I’m fairly confident and happy with my existing style which mostly consists of timeless, classic pieces, with the odd, trendy piece thrown in. However I’m not going to lie, lately I’ve been putting a lot more effort into how I choose my outfits and I always always keep an eye open to re-evaluate how I can elevate it. I’d recommend you doing the same and if you really have no idea where to start these 5 tips will help you.
1. UNDERSTAND YOUR BODY SHAPE
We live in an age where everyone is constantly sprouting how you can wear whatever you want, which is true, however if you take your body shape into account you can wear items that will highlight the features about yourself that you’re happier with, as opposed to drawing attention to parts of yourself that you’re not necessarily that keen on showing off. As an example, if you have very big breasts and you don’t want to emphasise them, stay clear of polo neck tops as well as tops with a deep v-neck. On the other hand if you want to accentuate your small waist, high waisted trousers and skirts are your best friend. Instead of wearing trousers that sit on your hips (the widest point of your mid-section), high-waisted garments are designed to fit nicely at the smallest part of your waist and make it look narrower.
2. CREATE A MOOD BOARD
The easiest place for you to do this is Pinterest. Create a Style mood board and start pinning all the photos you love. Think about some of the celebrities, media personalities and style bloggers whose looks you love and pin them too. Once you’ve gathered all your pins, look for the commonalities: Were you drawn to maxi-dresses or shift dresses? Do you prefer trousers or skirts? Did you end up with more bold colours and prints or more neutral and nude items? Getting clear on what you really prefer will help you in your individual item choices as you move forward.
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3. ASSESS YOUR CURRENT WARDROBE
Look at items that you currently have in your wardrobe. Do they reflect your mood board? Chances are you already own pieces that reflect it as they’ve been your natural go-to items anyway, but if you come across pieces that aren’t mirroring it, get ruthless with yourself and let go of those items. More than likely, you’ve probably not worn them in ages anyway. You’ll feel so much better and lighter after a good clear-out.
4. DECIDE ON YOUR SIGNATURE PIECES AND INVEST IN ONES YOU KNOW YOU’LL LOVE AND WEAR FOREVER
As you look at your favourite styles, see which pieces keep on coming up. Are they skinny jeans, slingback heels, sundresses, fitted shirts? Decide on those key pieces, keeping your lifestyle, comfort level, and colours that suit you in consideration, and base your wardrobe around these items which are now your staples that you’ll build your outfits around.
Similarly, invest in a few classic items that you know you’ll love and wear forever so that you can always fall back on them. At the same time, stay clear of items that you know you dislike.
Outfit Details: Dress – New Look; Earrings and black heels (old) – Zara
5. DOCUMENT YOUR OUTFITS THROUGH PHOTOS
Luckily we live in an age where it’s never been easier to document everything via photo – I mean hello Instagram! So it’s an ideal time to capture all your outfit choices visually, analyse them and to see how your style evolves over time. Similarly to if you’ve been on a natural hair journey and regularly took photos to track your progress, taking outfit photos will help you to capture your style, to see how it progresses over the course of a specific time period and ultimately to determine if you’re conveying the message you want through your chosen style aesthetic.
Do you have any more tips on how to discover your personal style? If you do please share them below.
Photography by Anna Felicia Photography
