How To Dress For Personality, Not TRENDS
PC: Pinterest
I remember the distinct moment in High School when I decided to stop looking at what my classmates were wearing and choosing for myself what I liked and disliked. It literally changed my life. You see, it’s not just about clothes—it’s about knowing who you are, representing it correctly, and feeling comfortable (and proud) of your appearance. I’ll admit, as time passed and I grew older, I stopped actively “practicing” personality fashion. In my line of work I get a lot of free clothes, so I ended up saying “yes” to pieces that were definitely a “no” for my personality. My personal style started to get watered down to the point that I no longer understood what suited me.
As I go back to the drawing board, I wanted to take you along on the journey and help with a few tips to finding your style. I figured it out once before, so it’s easy to slip back into old shoes and polish my style again. I know there are a lot of distractions on the internet telling you what is cute and trendy. I want you to remember, though, that just because something looked good on someone else, doesn’t mean it’s for you. You can respectfully appreciate it from a distance while holding down your own fort. So repeat after me:
“What’s trending isn’t always what’s for me.”
Did you say it three times with your eyes closed? Yes? Good, let’s move on.
How To Find Your Personal Style
Step 1: The first step to finding your personal style is research. Out of all the trends and microtrends you’ve seen, which ones resonated with you the most? It’s worth observing what sticks out to you with a more intentional eye for the next two weeks. Each time something strikes a chord, save it into an “outfits” folder on your Instagram (or into a Pinterest board). You’ll begin to see a cohesive theme, even if the individual styles aren’t identical. In this stage, try not to be influenced by the personality of the wearer too much—make a distinction between being attracted to their persona versus their outfits.
Step 2: Now it’s time to take a step back and do a little deep dive into your soul. The most important aspect to finding your personal style is knowing yourself to the core. You want to use fashion as a tool to express what is inside, so spend the next few weeks obsessing over getting to know yourself. Every time you go for a walk, concentrate your thoughts on yourself. Before falling asleep, lie in bed and visualize yourself in the best situations. Take note of what you are wearing in those scenes when you’re feeling your best. Imagine how you want to present yourself to the world. For a moment, completely let go of “trends” and work with what you like.
Step 3: Now it’s time to shop. However, since we’re back at the drawing board, I think it’s important to shop IRL. Everything looks good on a perfect model on the internet. However, you want to hyperfocus your purchases to your body, face, and feelings. So while I do recommend doing some preliminary research in the form of virtual window shopping, take yourself out on a solo date and visit various stores. I can highly recommend department stores, too, because they stock the best of the best from each brand and you can touch on a bunch of styles for a third of the effort. As you collect a bunch of pieces to try, ask yourself a few questions in front of the mirror:
Does this make me feel confident?
Does this accurately express how I feel?
Does this piece EXCITE me?
Will I wear this often?
If you can answer yes to these questions, throw it in the “to buy” pile.
In Conclusion
In order to dress for personality, not trends, you need to first get to know yourself. Buy and wear only the things that make you feel confident, excite you, and accurately represent who you are. Find pieces that suit your body type, not the model’s. You know you’re heading in the right direction when you’re having fun with the entire process. It should feel like you’re falling in love with who you are!
