It’s always amazing to find your personal style. Fashion and style often get a negative rap. That putting time and effort into what we wear is silly, or superficial. Of course, some people take it to extremes. To each their own! But, it doesn’t change that everybody needs to get dressed in something everyday, and there’s a real benefit if it’s something that makes you feel fabulous.
It can be a challenge to find your style and build a wardrobe at any age. Bodies change, life changes. Our needs change. What you might need at one stage in life won’t necessarily be the same in another. Clothes, shoes and accessories also go in and out of style — you don’t need to chase the trends, but there are some things that get outdated and you’ll need an update. Body type plays a huge factor as well. What works for one body type won’t work for another, and it can be easy to blame your body for things that don’t fit you well when really it’s that the item might be cut for somebody else.
But it’s worth at least some small effort and investment to find what you like to wear and build a good wardrobe. It doesn’t need to be expensive, or a lot of designer items. Just a wardrobe that fits your needs, fits your body and helps you look however you want. It isn’t just a powerful tool for making you look and feel amazing. A well chosen wardrobe that is right for you and your lifestyle can also make it easier to get dressed.
Some people assume they don’t have style, or aren’t stylish. But that’s entirely untrue. Everybody has their own unique taste, interests, items they’re drawn to. Great style isn’t so much about what you’re wearing, but the fit and whether or not it is appropriate for what you’re doing at that moment. Fashionable outfits can be very simple — layered tanks and a pair of jeans. Or, it can be more elaborate. As long as it fits you and the occasion properly, just about anything can go.
Getting dialed into your personal style can be an incredible transformation. If you’re thinking about updating your closet or that you’d like to dress differently, here are a few tips to help:
- Find Your Body Type: Most fashion items are cut for common body types — it’s a business move intended to hit the highest number of customers to sell items. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t or won’t be able to find things to fit yours — it’s more about understanding that clothes and shoes are cut for certain shapes and some will work for you, some will not. There are a lot of great resources online to find what your body type might be. Think about your legs, arms, torso, where you put weight on if you’re carrying any extra, etc. These little details can be very helpful. Every body is different, and the way clothes fit on bodies has more to do with the clothes or shoes, etc. than what your shape might be or not.
- Find What You Need To Dress For: Everybody has a range of things they need clothes, shoes and accessories for. But, you’ll also have certain things you need to dress for the most frequently. For example, it might be chasing around a toddler while working from home. Or, you might need to go to an office most of the day, etc. Assess what you have to dress for most frequently, and center your effort there first. Then, figure out what other “sub-areas” you have to wear things to — weekend lounging, workouts, etc. Shop for these areas of your life after you’ve nailed down enough of what you need for what you predominantly have to get dressed for every week.
- Get A Sense Of What You Like And Want To Wear: What we like to wear as adults is usually consistent to how we were dressed as children. If you were in cozy basics as a little one, chances are that’s what you like to wear as an adult, and so on. Take a little time to think about what you reach for the most in your current closet. Then, give some thought to what you feel drawn to or what looks you like. You can find this by visiting stores online or offline, reading print fashion magazines, checking out digital fashion media, etc. Having a sense of what you like to wear — and what you want to wear — is an important step in finding your personal style and building your wardrobe.
Don’t get discouraged if it takes a little time! And most of all — have fun! You’re an entirely unique, one of a kind being. There was no other like you in the past, and there won’t be anyone like you in the future. Draw whatever that is to you and in your closet. You’re an original article, and your personal style is a reflection of that.