Finding Your Personal Style: With Fashion Trends Constantly Evolving, How To Know What You Actually Like

With the lifespan of trends constantly decreasing, more and more people are becoming disillusioned with this cycle of overconsumption and are instead warming to the idea of finding their own personal style. Wearing clothes that feel authentically “you” can boost your confidence, creativity and self expression, not to mention the associated environmental and economic benefits. So, with all this considered, personal style is a pretty appealing concept; however, the execution can be overwhelming at first, so here are some tips to break out of trend led consumption and get started building your dream wardrobe. 

step one: Visualisation

Visual research comes in many forms, from social media to magazines and even noticing other people’s outfits. It is vital to keep an open mind and record anything that sparks interest or joy, separate from the confines of current trends or societal opinion. It’s important to note that these inspirations should be primarily outfit based; however, noticing more abstract concepts such as plants, weather, artistic movements and music can also aid our personal style discovery. Pinterest would be my most recommended platform as you can make huge boards and use the AI generated “more ideas” to explore aesthetics you may not otherwise have considered. Another great tool is to scroll through fashion brand websites, including second hand, and add anything you like to your wishlist/favourites. I would recommend gathering at least 100 images or concepts that you like before moving onto the next stage. I know this sounds like a lot but this will act as the foundation of your style development so it’s important to dedicate some time to it and not be too picky…yet. 

step two: Analysis

I know this tip sounds like a homework assignment but you’ve really done the majority of the work in stage one, so stick with me. First, take the vague collection you created and find patterns amongst your inspirations. Look for colours, silhouettes and materials that pop up more than once and try and think about what it is about them that appeals to you: they might feel inherently authentic to you or perhaps they embody your aspirational self, either of which is perfectly acceptable. The things you write down don’t have to be literal, they can simply be adjectives that embody a concept. Some people find it helpful to use tools and systems such as body typing and colour seasons; however, whilst I do think these hold some value, finding your personal style is ultimately rooted in what brings you joy and confidence, not what is deemed “most flattering”on you. The exception to this, I think, is Ellie-Jean Royden’s Style Roots system, which categorises 8 core tones that underlie fashion by associating them with elements of nature. Personally, I found this tremendously useful as it helps you to begin to define your style without falling into the trap of limiting, faddish, aesthetics. It’s also important during this stage to look through your existing wardrobe and pick out your favourite and/or most worn items and determine what it is about them that appeals to you. On the other hand, if there are clothes that you don’t really wear, try and understand why – knowing what you don’t like will help inform what you do like. Before moving onto the next stage I would suggest putting all this analysis onto one list so that all your concepts, patterns and adjectives are in one place.

step three: Experimentation

This is where you can begin to draw the individual style elements that you like together to create a cohesive look. The easiest way to do this is on yourself as clothes look differently on each body shape. I would recommend going into shops with your list from step 2 and picking out anything that fulfills these criteria. It’s important to note one piece doesn’t have to tick every box (they rarely do) and if you stumble across something that doesn’t fit into your list at all, still try it on as it may be something you missed in your initial research.

At this stage we are not shopping to buy, but rather experimenting with trying on different colours, texture and silhouettes to see what you like on your actual body. You can even bring in clothing that you already own to try on with new stuff so you can see how these design elements would fit into your existing wardrobe. Charity and vintage shops can be especially great for this stage as they are generally less distorted by current trends so you’ll find a more varied, inspiring mixture of items. Make sure to consider what you do and don’t like about each outfit and take note of it. Consider how it makes you feel, what it reflects about your personality and how wearable it would be for your lifestyle. If you don’t have easy access to shops or don’t feel confident trying things on and not buying it, then online tools can also be used such as OpenWardrobe outfit collages, Pinterest shuffles or photoshop. Here you can pull together online images and see how they look alongside one another and allow your creativity to inform how you would accessorize and style each outfit. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask if you can borrow or try on clothes that belong to your friends and family, or perhaps even use a clothing rental service so you can experiment without having to commit to a purchase. 

step four: Curation

The final stage is the one that takes the longest, much to the disappointment to those of us who grew up watching Hollywood makeover scenes. Now that you have a grasp on what you like on paper versus what suits your body and makes you feel confident, you can begin to start purchasing items that meet your personal style specifications. This will most likely be a mixture of items that you stumble upon and fall in love with, alongside planned purchases based on your research. Don’t be tempted to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe as I can promise you, it won’t all end up aligning with your personal style. This process requires patience, but I promise good quality clothes that look and feel amazing will be worth the wait. Another thing to consider is tailoring clothes: if they reflect your style but are slightly ill fitting, some basic sewing skills such as adding a tuck or taking up a hem can do a lot of the heavy lifting, and this also won’t break the bank. 

A few final notes

I have tried to lay out some steps that will help you on your way to finding your personal style; however, this exact process may not work for everyone as fashion is inherently subjective. The process may also be frustrating or unfulfilling at times as we’ve been conditioned by our trend-led society to focus on immediate dopamine inducing purchases rather than long term investment and self discovery. Try to remain patient with the process and find joy in the creativity. It’s important to be aware that some insecurity and self consciousness can come with finding your personal style, especially if it falls outside the confines of current trends and societal norms, but remember that fashion is supposed to be your personal tool to express and empower yourself – you don’t owe “normality” to anyone. Although true confidence is the ideal, a little bit of ‘fake it till you make it’ can be a serious help when you first start experimenting with your style. Finally, this process doesn’t end at the fourth step and is ongoing: as you and your lifestyle change, so will your personal style. It’s important to take the time every now and again to repeat this process and reflect on what works for you. Ultimately, fashion should always enhance your authentic self, and it should never become a source of stress or a mask of conformity. If you consider all this, you will be well on your way to breaking out of trend led fashion and discovering your personal style.

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• fashion
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