This post has come from reading an article on ‘Who What Wear’ on finding your ‘Signature Style’. It absolutely resonated with me as this is exactly what I try and teach my clients.
The idea of discovering your own personal style can sometimes be often too heavily weighted on celebrity style icons. While clicking through hundreds of pictures of stylish celebrities has its own merits, cultivating a look that will work for years instead of wanting to dress exactly like somebody else will always be the happier and more organic option.
Whether you’re looking for a total style overhaul or to try something a little new, there are some simple steps that can make you like what you see when you open your wardrobe each morning.
First, you need to understand your body shape and how to dress for it. Then you can start to identify what makes you feel confident and what doesn’t. Here are my top tips to finding your personal style:
- Understand Your Body Shape
As I have just mentioned, the most important thing is to understand your body shape and know the silhouettes that are always flattering on you. Find those hero items in your wardrobe that you look and feel good in them then take note of the shape of them. If you pay close attention to celebrities with similar shapes to you, then you’ll be able to spot the silhouettes that always work for them. If you are not sure what body shape you are you may benefit from watching a previous YouTube video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3F1D1YW3Ic
- Find Your Signature Pieces
Most of our ultimate style icons have signature pieces that you can spot a mile off. This can be an accessory, a colour or a print, or even a beauty trick. Charlotte Tilbury has her unmovable red lipstick, Olivia Palermo has her glossy blow dry, Kate Middleton has her round toe LK Bennetts and Anna Wintour has her sunglasses. Have a think what yours would be, what can’t you live without? Mine are my handbags.
- Invest In Items You Know You’ll Rewear
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. If you are not sure on these items, one thing you can do is place everything you wear for one month on a separate rail, you will quickly realise the items that are the building blocks of your wardrobe. Mine are jeans, knitwear, blazers, pumps and good jersey basics.
- Create a Mood Board on Pinterest
A good trick for working out your signature style is to create a detailed mood board with all of the looks you love on Pinterest. This will give you or someone like myself and easy way to see te styles and outfits you are repeatedly attracted to.
- Recognise The Items You Never Like
When going through your wardrobe, it’s just as important to pay attention to the items that don’t make you feel good. It goes without saying that just because every blogger you can think of is wearing a Gucci T-shirt doesn’t mean you should too, I look just awful in them as they accentuate my bust and hide my waist. Just because the item is on the ‘hot list’ doesn’t mean it will look hot on you.
- Find The Colours That Suit You
As well as finding the silhouettes that suit you, also think about colour. See which colours make you look radiant and avoid the colours that drain you. Consider your skin tone and hair colour. My go to shades are black, navy, white, blush nude and grey.
- Give Yourself A Wardrobe Consultation
The key to nailing personal style is all about having an efficient, organised wardrobe. A wardrobe audit is not necessarily something easy to do alone so I would recommend an expert to help you in decluttering and deciding what to keep or get rid of. For more information on this service https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOplKmW7doA
- Don’t rule out a Uniform
The word “uniform” might sound terribly boring, but many of the most stylish women we know have one, whether that’s for weekends, work or every single day. It is simply about having a formula that you know you can always rely on doesn’t mean that it always has to look the same. You could play with variations of it, add an unlikely accessories or just use this as an outfit to fall back on when you have that “nothing to wear” moment.
