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How to Base Your Personal Style Around a Color Palette

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at VCU chapter.

Many influential figures have been known to sport a signature look. Also known as a trademark look, this is a repeated characteristic of your personal style that people can easily recognize and expect of you. So it’s time to pick a signature look for yourself.

Although it may be easier said than done, once you find a signature style it’s best to keep to the phrase, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” This is simply because everyone has a specific taste that they enjoy and comes naturally to them. It is important to wear clothes that attract you, as your signature look can easily keep you from making bad shopping decisions. How many times have you bought an article of clothing, swearing you were going to wear it because it was trendy or outside of your comfort zone, only to have it sit in your closet for months? Yep, we’ve all been there.

An easy way to start working on your own signature style is to base it around a specific color palette. This can easily be done by creating a mood board, which is a collage of inspiring looks that revolve around the colors, fabrics and designs you’d like to be known to wear. Take a look at the following color palette dressing guide.  

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Picture Credit: A Pair & A Spare

 

Looking at the picture above, there may be some main colors that you might be immediately drawn; this is completely normal and the first step of designing your own personal style. Take a look at what colors easily compliment that main color, and which will provide for a more tonal look – which is an outfit that is comprised of different shades of one specific color.

 

Picture Source: Glaminati

 

Are you finding it a bit hard to actually visualize the outfit combinations possible with the colors you’ve picked? Take a good look at some of your favorite outfits, after thinking of a few, you might begin to notice a common theme. Perhaps your outfits tend to be earth tones, with a pop of color. Or maybe you tend to gravitate towards warm tones because they suit your skin tone. This is how you might notice that you’ve had a signature look all along, but you’ve only just defined it.

 

After defining the color palette you’d like to use, it’s actually okay to go outside of your comfort zone. Go through your closet and ask yourself which pieces actually suit your style, and which don’t, but also ones you’re more likely to gravitate towards if you’re looking to spice things up for the day.

 

The benefits of having your own personal style and color palette are endless. Mainly, having your personal style chosen is critical to being an efficient shopper: you are going to be less likely to get impulse buys. Second, you will start to become known for a certain look. All of the great legends have it, one of which being Audrey Hepburn, who’s style revolved around elegance, soft tones and the “babydoll” style. Lastly, what you wear influences how people perceive you, so making sure you stick to your signature style is an easy way you can easily pull off any clothing for any event.

 

Picture source: 1, 2

Gabriela is a senior at Virginia Commonwealth University located in Richmond, Virginia. She is pursuing a degree in Business with a concentration in Marketing. Communications has always been a passion of hers as she believes that there is value in every interaction. Aside from writing for Her Campus, she is also the President of Muevelo, the only Latinx/Hispanic Influenced Dance Organization at VCU. Her goals in life include owning multiple businesses in order to fund an animal sanctuary. She believes in equal rights, women empowerment, and corny jokes.
Keziah is a writer for Her Campus. She is majoring in Fashion Design with a minor in Fashion Merchandising. HCXO!