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Know Where To Start

The best place to get started is what you already own! Step into your closet and ask yourself: What are some pieces that I wear the most? Do I have multiples of the same thing? Are there holes here that need to be filled, but I’m not sure how to fill them? Are there things in my closet that are taking up space that I just don’t reach for anymore? These are good jumping-off questions to ask yourself when starting the personal style journey.

Get Back To Basics 

Take a look at your closet and take note if there are colors you tend to reach for more than others. Ask yourself: Do you want a more bright, colorful closet or a more neutral-toned one? Dark colors? Light tones? What about patterns? Knowing this is a basic building block of your personal style and will help you decide what to look for when picking out clothes.

Next, consider the fabrics you enjoy. One of the most important parts of building our personal style is knowing what makes us comfortable, and the way that fabric feels against our skin plays a huge role in that. Ask yourself: Do you like more natural fabrics such as linen or cotton, or are you okay with more synthetic fabrics like polyester or nylon? Are you okay with mixing the two? Choosing fabrics also plays a role in the kinds of silhouettes you want to create when getting dressed. Knowing how certain fabrics sit on your body and whether or not you want things like linen that can be flowy and boxier or something like spandex that is more tight-fitting. These things will all contribute to your decisions.

One of the last basics to consider when starting out is figuring out what different styles you reach for. Do you like a more vintage feel? Casual wear? Streetwear? Boho? Masculine? Feminine? Androgynous? Modern? Y2K? Playful? Organic? ‘70s? ‘60s? There are endless choices! Knowing which kind of feel you are going for is helpful, but remember that a great part of personal style is having the creative freedom to weave any and all eras of clothing in your closet in a way that honors your style. It’s a good thing to think about because it will influence what kind of clothes you keep your eyes out for when shopping for new or secondhand clothes.

Lifestyle Check

You’ve considered colors, fabrics, and clothing styles. Now it’s time to take stock of what your life looks like. How do you need your clothes to function? Are you working from home and need to prioritize comfort and ease? Are you going into the office and have a dress code you’re expected to follow? Do you work on your feet all day or work in a place where you have to worry about food or coffee getting on your clothes? It’s important to consider the function of your closet because this can influence the way you develop your personal style! It’s also okay if you have different parts of your closet that suit different needs in your life. Your “going to work” clothes may not be the same as your “going out with friends” clothes, but developing your personal style does mean aiming for there to be cross-over and cohesion. 

Finding How You Want To Feel

One of the most important questions you need to ask yourself when finding your style is how you want to feel when you get dressed. Obviously, things that contribute to that are the colors you choose, the silhouettes you build, and the function of your clothes, but those things mean nothing if you are not cultivating a closet that feels good. Do you want to feel playful? Do you want to feel cozy? Confident? How do you want to present? What kind of impression do you want to make? This is just the start of some of the things you can ask yourself about how you want to feel.

Challenge Yourself

Finding out what feels good for you and your lifestyle might take some trial and error. A fun way to see ways your closet is suiting your needs is to develop a short-term (or long-term) capsule wardrobe. Pick anywhere from 5-15 pieces that you are the most excited about and see how many outfits you can make with these pieces. This process will help you narrow down what you are reaching for the most, what outfit formulas are tried and true, and can be the first stepping stone for your figuring out how you want to continue to build your closet.

To Trend Or Not To Trend

This is a question I have asked myself over and over again when figuring out how to keep my closet true to my personal style. There may be a trend that pops up that excites you. This is totally valid and it’s okay to play every once in a while! But it’s important to ask yourself: does this trend honor my personal style? Does this piece of clothing fit into my wardrobe? Are these colors or patterns that I tend to reach for already? Trying out different trends can be a great way to find your style and can be great statement pieces in your staple wardrobe. However, really consider if it makes sense or if you are being influenced by a fast-moving trend that will end up in your donation pile.

Finding Inspiration

Just because we’re looking to figure out our style, does not mean we can’t go elsewhere for inspiration. This is a great way to figure out what we are most drawn to. Look at who you follow on Instagram. Do you like what they wear? Do you find yourself pinning the same kind of outfit over and over again on Pinterest? Who are your style icons? Can you pull ideas from them? Pulling from people and places that get us excited helps us develop our personal style as well.

You Know You Best

At the end of the day, you don’t need a personal stylist in order to figure out what you need to feel the most like you. You also don’t need to go and buy a whole new wardrobe to make those dreams come to life because, chances are, you already have a direction your closet is going. With a few intentional steps and maybe a small purchase here or there, you can have a closet that you are excited to wake up to.