6 Steps for Finding Your Personal Style

As you leave your college wardrobe of baggy t-shirts and leggings behind, it becomes prevalent you discover and develop your personal style. It’ll be a slightly bumpy road, but with the right plan and mindset you can create a personal style that serves you in all aspects of life, career included.

1. Ask Yourself These Questions:

• What do I like?
• What do I feel comfortable in?
• What do I feel uncomfortable in?
• What colors do I gravitate toward?

The answers will help you hone in on which pieces, colors, and vibes make up your personal style. When you’re still figuring it out, it’s not uncommon for several pieces in your closet and dresser to feel all wrong. Those are just experiments that didn’t work out and that’s okay. Donate those pieces to a shelter or try to sell them at a thrift store so they can find a better home.

2. Think About How You Want to Feel in Your Clothes

Do you want to feel empowered? Do you want to be comfortable? Do you want to feel creative and funky? Do you want to feel demure and contemplative? Write down how you want to feel on a daily basis, and then think about which pieces of clothing have given you that feeling. If you don’t think any of your clothes have ever done that, then make a list of the types of clothing you think will. Head out to find those pieces, try them on, and evaluate whether or not they do in fact make you feel empowered, comfortable, or creative and funky. Head back to the drawing board if they don’t.

3. Do Some Research

Comb through Pinterest and pin the things you like. Look at what you’ve chosen – these are the clothes you gravitate toward, so this is a good place to start if you’re unsure of how to put together an outfit exuding personal style. If you like the way something looks online, there’s a good chance you’ll like something similar on yourself. Give those outfits a whirl, contemplate if they feel like you or not, and then either purchase it or find something else.

Don’t be disheartened if an outfit you love in a photo doesn’t make your heart flutter IRL. Figuring out your personal style and what works on your body takes a lot of trial and error. And I do mean a lot. This is normal, so don’t start thinking you can’t wear polka dots if one little polka dotted skirt is less than flattering. There is always a way to create the style you want in a way that works for you.

4. Look at Your Closet

Which clothes do you wear? Which clothes do you ignore? The clothes you wear are the ones you feel most comfortable in, and you should likely keep those pieces in mind when shopping for new personal-style-friendly items.

For example, I wear black just about every day. It’s the color I feel most myself in, so I allow myself to gravitate toward black clothing in the store. I don’t worry I have too much of it because I know I won’t wear the same shirt in orange. Not even if everything else is dirty. If you have a whole row of floral print tops that have never seen the light of day, then don’t try to make floral a part of your personal style. You obviously don’t enjoy wearing it.

5. Test Outfits

You won’t know if something works for you unless you wear it. Try on clothes in the store. Test-drive an outfit when you go to the grocery store. Don’t be afraid to put together unique ensembles and wear them out. That’s how you learn what works for you and if it fits in with your personal style. So what if you decide you hate your green dress with a pink purse? It was only one day of your life and it allowed you to learn what you didn’t like.

6. Don’t Buy Anything Unless You LOVE It

If you don’t l-o-v-e it in the store, then you will h-a-t-e it at home. By only purchasing items you truly love, you create a wardrobe of pieces you can be sure to wear regularly. This means you’ll never find yourself naked, staring at all of the clothes in your closet, and screaming about how you have nothing to wear. Doesn’t that sound like pure heaven?

With a little time, a lot of experimentation, and plenty of reflection you’ll find a style that is 100% true to you. The key is to keep trying and not become discouraged when outfits or clothing don’t move you to tears like you expected. It’s also important to remember that personal style is personal, and therefore not to be determined by anyone else in your life. Don’t worry if others will like your style. They aren’t the ones wearing it.

Follow Terra on Instagram: @terrabrown3