What does your personal style say about you? And how do you feel about what you wear? Sainsbury’s found that a fifth of adults are their own biggest critics when it comes to their style, making over 1,000 negative comments about themselves per year. OnePoll found that over half of Brits don’t consider themselves stylish, while the Daily Mail reports that half of the people in a survey of 2,000 respondents are still struggling to find their perfect style.
Regardless of where you are and how you feel about these results, remember that you have the freedom to choose a clothing style that truly represents who you are. There is no harm in finding something you enjoy wearing, and that makes you feel good. It’s all about your personal choice and empowerment.
But, if you don’t know where to start, this post is about looking at some ways you can change things up and finally find your groove with your clothing and style so that not only do you look good, but you also feel good.
Throw It Out
As Marie Kondo says, if it doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it. If you’re hanging onto outfits or items of clothing that don’t make you feel good or fit well, it’s time to bid them goodbye. You don’t need to wear clothes that don’t benefit you mentally or physically.
So go through your wardrobe, identify anything that isn’t making you feel good, and have a good, clear-out. Keep the good pieces, and this will give you a base from which to work.
Get Inspiration
It’s perfectly okay to seek inspiration from others. The key here is not to copy other people’s looks but to find elements in their styles that resonate with you. This can be an interesting and inspiring process in your style journey.
Whether it’s a celebrity you admire, a fashion house, or a look, you can even use family, friends, and colleagues if you wish. Look at what they wear and how they wear it to give you some ideas and inspiration for when you finally indulge in new threads.
Experiment With Accessories
Accessories are an easy, low-cost way to change up your style without making massive adjustments and throwing caution to the wind. Belts, hats, jackets, shoes, bags, etc., can help you change how an outfit looks or feels.
Experiment with different styles to see what you like. Start small and build from simple pieces to bold choices that help you create a unique style.
Don’t Go Too Fast
Remember, this isn’t a race. Style changes don’t need to happen instantly or overnight. Take your time, be patient, and enjoy the process. There’s no need to rush; just relax and let your style evolve at its own pace.
A great way to start building a new look is to find something you already own and love and then pair new items with it. For example, that boho dress in your closet you love will pair well with a wide-brimmed hat and a pair of cowboy boots for a more Western look and feel, and if you love it, you can incorporate more Western wear into your wardrobe and build from here.
Your favourite black jeans can be paired with a sleek blazer for more formal attire or a knitted sweater for a warm and cosy winter look. Build your new look piece by piece until you find the sweet spot that works for you.
Go Shopping
But don’t buy anything. This is pretty simple to undertake, and most people can get involved with it. Go shopping at your favourite stores or even new ones that carry styles you want to try out. Take some bits into the dressing rooms and try them on. The point here isn’t to buy anything; it’s to get a feel for new things, how they fit your body, how they make you feel, and if this is something you would feel comfortable and confident walking around in every day.
Take some accessories with you, match them with your current style, and see what you can mix in. Don’t be afraid to try styles or items outside of your comfort zone. If nothing else, you can identify what it is you don’t like.
Address your Mindset
For many people, it’s not simply about what they’re wearing but how they feel about themselves and what they perceive they look like. This isn’t as easy to change as what you’re wearing, and it can take effort and dedication to remove any negative mindsets regarding how you talk to yourself and how you feel. Hence, if the issue isn’t what you’re wearing but what you think you look like, no amount of changing your style will work.
Self-confidence is a key component of personal style, and addressing any issues with self-confidence is crucial in developing a style that you love and feel good in.
Sit down and think about how you feel this way and what it’s making you think about your style. Is it your body shape? Confidence levels? Or something else? If you can do the work to change how you think about yourself, you can move forward with a developing style that you won’t hate or find fault with. For instance, if you’re constantly criticising your body shape when trying on clothes, that’s a negative mindset that needs to be addressed.
Track Progress
It’s not about the destination; it’s about the journey. Cliche, but true. When finding your personal style, you’ll likely go through many different styles, items , or thoughts and feelings about the process.
Documenting how you started and how you made different choices, changed your thoughts on different things, etc., can help you compile a better overview of what is happening and what you went through in your quest for the perfect style. The more information you have on what you want and where you want to go, the easier it will be to avoid falling back into bad habits again.
*Disclaimer – This is a collaborative post. This post has been pre-written.
