Are you new to fashion and are struggling to find your personal style? Do you have no idea where to start or what to look for? Finding your personal style can be challenging, so here is a step-by-step guide on how to find your personal style.

 An important first step is to look inside your closet. What are your favorite items? Pull these items out and think about why you like them. Observe what they have in common.

When looking through your closet, identify where your wardrobe needs improvement. Here are some essential items everyone needs in their closet:

Basics and Staples

When you open your closet do you feel uninspired or like you have nothing to wear? The cause of this feeling may be because of the lack of versatility in your closet. To create a versatile closet, it’s important to have basics. Basics are items of clothing that can work with anything, or everything, you may have.

While basics can be different depending on your style, some that should be included in everyone’s closet are a good pair of jeans, a boot, neutral colored shirts, a sweater, and a jacket. It’s important to note that basics don’t need to be boring, they just need to be wearable. An important basic in my closet is my black leather jacket.

Statement Pieces

After you have found your basics, let’s add some statement pieces to your closet. Statement pieces are bold, unique, and interesting. It’s the clothing item that really makes the outfit stand out and become memorable. Unlike basics, statement pieces are not always versatile, but that’s what makes them special. Statement pieces do not have to be a clothing item, they can also be an accessory or shoes. Some examples of statement pieces are a bold printed jacket, a colored boot, patterned pants, or a sequined skirt.

Accessories

Accessories are one of the most important parts of an outfit. Accessories can take a basic outfit and make it a show stopper. There are many accessories to chose from so narrow it down to a couple that work for you. When it comes to jewelery, invest in good quality pieces that are going to last and are going to get frequent wear. Don’t be afraid to layer on accessories; less is not always more.

Now that you know what you need, you may be asking, “Where do I find these items? How do I find clothes I like and will wear?”

How to Plan for Shopping

Shopping can be a very overwhelming and overstimulating task. The bright lights, the music, the business, the changing rooms can make shopping not a fun experience. Before shopping, I always like to look through my closet and make a mental note of what I feel my wardrobe is lacking  or what items I want more of. Having a clear plan can make shopping not feel so daunting.

What should I buy?

After you have tried on your stack of clothes or put clothes in your cart, you now have to decide what you want to buy. This can be a hard process, so let me break it down for you. Before buying clothes I always ask myself these questions:

Will I get enough wear out of it?

Can I make three outfits with this clothing item or accessory?

Does it fit correctly?

Is it comfortable?

Is it in my price range?

Thifting

Thifting is my personal favorite way to shop. Thifting is both sustainable and cost effective. Because it’s more affordable, you have the ability to try things that are more out of your comfort zone. If a item doesn’t work out, it’s not going to break your bank. One of my favorite parts about thifting is how you never know what you are going to find. I have found so many unique pieces thifting that I know I never would have found at a department store.

The final steps in finding your personal style is figuring out how to create outfits and how to get inspired.

Finding your Aesthetic

Your aesthetic is a reflection of your personality. Finding your aesthetic can make clothes shopping more enjoyable and help you curate your dream closet. Using social media platforms, like Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok can be a great way to find your aesthetic. Just remember, when finding your personal style, never limit yourself to only one aesthetic. Try as many aesthetics as you want until you find the ones that work for you.

Create a Mood Board

A mood board is a great way to work toward developing your personal style. Once you’ve gathered your fashion inspiration, compile the images onto a mood board. Even if your inspiration feels all over the place, you might discover that a lot of your inspirations have similar vibes. Choose two or three images that exemplify the aesthetic you’re gravitating towards, and keep those images easily accessible so that you can look at them when you’re out shopping.

Comfort Clothes

On days when your struggling to create an outfit, you can always fall back to comfort clothes. Comfort clothing items are pieces of clothes that are always enjoyable to wear. For instance, a comfort clothing item in my closet is a patterned, usually floral, maxi skirt. When I don’t know what to wear I always revert back to one because I know I’m going to like the outfit.

Outfit Repeating

Don’t be afraid to repeat outfits. You don’t have to create new outfits every day.

At the end of the day, the most important thing to do when discovering your personal style is to experiment. Never be afraid to try new things. The task of finding your personal style is truly a process of trial and error.