Developing Your Personal Style — Style with Sagesse

Personal style is more than what we wear. Our personal style is freedom to express who we are through our clothing, hairstyle, beauty and accessory choices. Developing our personal style helps to build our confidence, build a cohesive wardrobe and save us time and money. I believe when we have an understanding of our personal style, it keeps us in check and prevents us from being easily influenced by trends and the style of others. More importantly, knowing our style is a sustainability practice because we’re keeping the items we love longer.

While this all sounds great, developing (or re-developing) your personal style can take time and might even be overwhelming. I got you though – I’ve put together a list of strategies below to help make the process easier for you!

Step 1: Audit Your Closet

Take inventory of your closet. It’s important to start by determining what you own and what you actually wear versus what you don’t. What items bring you the most joy, and makes you feel your best?

Are there certain tops, bottoms, shoes and accessories you always reach for? Think about why you love these items and how they make you feel. Once you've determined that, think about if your favorite items have anything in common. Perhaps you’re drawn to an oversized fit, tailored silhouettes, certain fabrics, bold colors, patterns etc. Are there certain style categories you notice? Some include classic, edgy, sporty, vintage and the list goes on. Make note of these for your reference.

P.S. Yes, this is also your sign to clean out your closet, and get rid of anything you don’t wear.

Step 2: Consider your Lifestyle

Think about how you spend your time during the week and determine if your closet serves the life you lead. Ideally, your wardrobe should align with your lifestyle. Ask yourself, how do I spend the majority of my time? What activities do I engage in during the week and outside of work? Who am I usually around? Majority of your wardrobe should suit where and how you spend most of your time because that’s how you’ll get the most use out of them.

Step 3: Source Inspiration

Leverage Instagram, Pinterest, magazines and other forms of social and print media to source inspiration. Is there someone’s style you admire? Beyond people, are there cities, shapes, colors, etc. that inspire you? Perhaps there’s an era in time that moves you. This is your opportunity to think outside the box and get creative.

Once you’ve gathered some inspo, create a mood board! You can create a Pinterest board (or multiple) and organize all your photos so you have a visual of your style goal(s) in one place.

Step 4: Compare Your Closet to your Mood Board

Once you’ve created your personal mood board, analyze these photos in comparison to the items you love in your closet. Are there any similarities? What aesthetic(s) do you notice? Are there certain colors and silhouettes, etc. prevalent? Is there a gap between your current wardrobe, and your mood board?

Answering these questions will help you identify where you are versus where you want to be. This step will also help you pinpoint wardrobe gaps that may exist in your closet per your mood board. Now you’ll have ideas of pieces you can strategically introduce into your wardrobe to fill those gaps.

Step 5: Develop a Signature

Pay attention to those special items you always gravitate towards. Do you have a signature touch that brings your whole look together? Think sunglasses, jewelry, nail art, a lip color, hairstyle, blazer, etc. For example, I love a red lip and it’s part of my signature style. What’s your thing?

Step 6: Experiment!!

Once you’ve assessed your closet, created your mood board and identified your style goals, it’s time to experiment with your personal style! Keeping these steps in mind will be helpful when you want to add new pieces into your wardrobe to either fill style gaps, or spice things up. The point is to make thoughtful purchases to build a cohesive wardrobe you love. Also, don’t sleep on what you already have! Using inspo from your mood board, shop your closet and put together/recreate looks (based on your style goals) with items you already own.

Honestly, the best advice I can give you is to try new things, and don’t put yourself in a box! The steps above are simply a tool to guide you through your style development and evolution. Style is all about having fun, and doing what feels best for YOU. Remember, personal style is just that – personal. Stay true to yourself.

P.S. Outfit details are below:

IT'S ABOUT TIME

FITNESS WEAR FAVES: SUMMER 2021 EDITION