In a world of TikTok aesthetics and trend cycles, dressing on trend is almost like a full-time job. Especially with how quickly the trend cycle is moving. That’s why it’s more important than ever to have your own personal style.
While I admire and enjoy all different kinds of styles, aesthetics, and looks, having my own personal style has helped my shopping addiction immensely. Instead of buying things because they are cute and trendy, I now buy things that I know I will wear for years to come. Timeless pieces that I genuinely love that I will wear even after the way people wear them now goes out of style. So, while I love seeing the 2000s fashion lovers and the 70s queens on Instagram reels, and I personally love playing with decades, it can hard to find your personal style while you are bombarded by others’ specific and curated senses of styles online. In reality, It’s all about trial and error, gravitation, personality, and mixing and matching.
The thing is, fashion has no rules. That’s what makes it so much fun. You may like an outfit one day and hate it the next. We all look back at our fashion mistakes. But every mistake helps us get one step closer to our personal style. That’s why if you like a trend, buy it for cheap. Try it out. And if it doesn’t work, that’s okay. At least you tried and didn’t break the bank to do it. Eventually, you will not need to grasp trends left and right because eventually you will know what you like, and you will instantly know if a certain trend will lend itself to your personal style well, or just be a waste of money.
Heard of the gravitational pull? It also works when shopping. Look at your closet and see if there’s any repetition. Especially in the things you actually wear. In a color? Style? Shape? Fabric? Item? This can help you weed out things you like but don’t wear versus things you like and will or do wear. This also helps you create a capsule wardrobe of your personal staples, which are different for everyone. These are pieces that you know you have worn over and over again. Once you find these pieces, it may be time to invest in good quality ones, which are usually more expensive, but last way longer, versus that cheap one you no doubt got from SHEIN and is hanging on by a thread. For example, staples for me include blazers, satin button-ups, tight solid-colored tops, and high-waist jeans.
Think about where you live. Where you want to live. What your lifestyle is like? What TV shows and movies do you like? What music do you listen to? What sports do you play? What is your major? If you are athletic, maybe your style is more rooted in athleisure. If you live in a colder climate, maybe invest in a few nice coats to mix your wardrobe. Do you watch Gossip Girl over and over? Maybe try to add some preppy elements to your wardrobe. What’s your favorite Taylor Swift album? If you’re in your Reputation era, maybe you love an all-black ensemble, or if you are in your Lover era, maybe find some of your favorite pops of color. Also, try and find your style icons and favorite decades to take inspiration from. Past fashions are usually timeless, and almost always come back in style eventually. This is a great way to inevitably be on trend. For example, I love Audrey Hepburn and Blake Lively’s style philosophies and I often look to Old Hollywood, the 60s, the 80s, and the 90s for inspiration. All of this can help you find your personal style.
A great thing about fashion and social media today is that trends aren’t as popular as aesthetics themselves. There is an abundance of different types of aesthetics, and many overlap. While sticking to one completely is a bit extreme, mixing and matching elements of multiple can be fun and a great way to find your personal style.
The great thing about your personal style is that it’s yours. It’s no one else’s. And I have said before, the great thing about fashion is that there aren’t any rules. So, your personal style can change. It can evolve. It can mix styles or just be one. No matter what, just remember to have fun.