Style, Fashion, Clothes, oh my! Follow along for some tips from a Temple student on how to develop your personal style.
For the longest time, I had difficulty finding my personal style. Like most people do, I went through all the middle school trends (glad to get rid of the signature black choker- if you know, you know), but never felt super comfortable in my clothes. I wasn’t dressing for me, but rather, for what I thought would be acceptable.
Since arriving at college, I have started to branch out and find clothes that not only make me feel good but look good too. Finding your sense of style is no doubt a difficult feat. Don’t feel discouraged if at first you feel like you aren’t fulfilling your true style-potential. Remember, it takes time, effort, and research. But once you’ve got comfort in yourself, you’ll see it in your outfits. If you’re in the same position, below you’ll find some simple tips I’ve found useful for developing my personal fashion style.
1. Look for YOU not What’s Trending
To first start developing your style, you need to let go of always following what’s deemed as “trendy.” Though trends are great for trying new looks, they are definitely not the only acceptable form of fashion. I had issues with wanting to always fit in with what everyone else was wearing, but quickly realized I was not expressing myself through my clothing. I was expressing what other people wanted me to be. Letting go of the idea that the newest trend is the only acceptable form of fashion was my first step to developing my style.
2. Pinterest
Pinterest, in my humble opinion, is a fashion game-changer. For those that aren’t familiar with it, it is an app that allows you to organize images, products, recipes, and more into boards. A simple search like “cute outfits” or “fashion” can yield endless results, which you could “pin” to a board and save for later. The reason that Pinterest is so great for fashion is that when you pin something you like, the algorithm shows you more pins like ones you’ve pinned already. Pinterest allows me to find outfits I like and get inspiration on how to pair certain items together.
3. Try On Things You Usually Wouldn’t
A couple years ago, I stayed in my comfort zone when it came to fashion, yet wondered why my outfits weren’t making me feel good. After a while, I started to pick at least one thing that was out of my comfort zone while out shopping- and tried it on. The best part about this method is that you don’t have to buy the item if you hate the way it looks, but you could also find a new style of clothing to experiment with. Trying on clothes you otherwise wouldn’t is HUGE in helping develop a style, as it is important to experiment with other styles to find your signature.
4. Ask Around!
We all know that one person that has great style. Their look can seem unachievable at times, but remember, it took them time to develop their style too. Asking someone where and how they typically shop can provide a great starting point to developing your style. After all, copying is the highest form of flattery.