So many of us find it hard to dress every day, not knowing what to wear and how to wear it. A reason for that could be because you don’t know your fashion style. Dressing according to your personal fashion style will always elevate your appearance. It’s more than just clothing, it’s a way to express yourself without saying a word. The way you dress reflects your personality and interests, making it a powerful tool for self-expression. When you feel good in what your wear, it boosts your confidence. Your style should feel natural and authentic rather than dictated by fleeting trends.
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It’s so common to feel lost in the current fashion trends and not knowing what suits you. Therefore, I’ve put together this post that will outline exactly how to know your fashion style and find your personal dress code. There is nothing better than knowing that your clothes are elevating your appearance instead of hiding it, so keep reading to find out exactly how to find your personal style and get inspiration from popular aesthetics.
1. Understanding Your Lifestyle and Needs to Know your Fashion Style
Before diving into fashion trends or aesthetic choices, the first step in finding your personal style is understanding how your clothing needs align with your daily life. Your wardrobe should complement your lifestyle, making it both functional and stylish. For example, think about what you do on a typical day and the kinds of outfits that make the most sense for your routine. Ask yourself:
- Do I work in a corporate, creative, or casual environment?
- How often do I attend formal events or social gatherings?
- Do I spend a lot of time outdoors, traveling, or working from home?
Someone with a 9-to-5 office job may need a more polished and professional wardrobe, while a freelancer working remotely might prioritize comfort. Consider things like climate: Do you need warm layers for colder months or lightweight and breathable. Mobility: If you’re constantly on the move, restrictive clothing might not be ideal. Footwear: Do you need comfortable shoes for walking, or do you prefer statement heels?
To know your style, and finding your personal aesthetic, one of the most important things is to incorporate elements that reflect your authentic self, but more on that later.
2. Find Inspiration for your Fashion Style
To know your style, you need to explore. This is the fun part, because there is absolutely no pressure, just inspiration. Go on Pinterest, instagram, YouTube or TikTok and look at style icons and fashion creators and save anything and everything that inspires you. Find aesthetics, pieces and looks that resonates with you and put it all together in a saved folder.
Explore a bunch of different aesthetics. Look up styles like minimalist, bohemian, edgy, street, etc. and gather inspiration from that. Go to clothing stores and try to recreate the outfits that you like. Make sure to take lots of photos to look back on and see if the styles you like look good on you.
3. Identify Your Color Palette and Silhouettes
A key to find your fashion style is to pay attention to colors that complement your skin tone. There are multiple color palettes out there like light spring, soft summer, deep autumn, cool winter and so many more that are harmonious with different skin tones and looks. Knowing this will help a lot in developing your personal style. There are fun little quizzes that you can do to find out your color palette but the basics is just figuring out which colors bring out your natural features instead of suppressing them,
Focus on your specific body type and experiment with different cuts and fits to see what flatters your body shape. Which features do you want to enhance? Do you prefer low rise or high waisted, v-neck or halter? Etc.
Once you’ve identified your color palette and silhouettes, create a mood board on Canva or Pinterest with your preferred colors, patterns, cuts, and fabrics. This will give you a clear idea of what your fashion style is.
4. Develop Signature Elements for your Fashion Style
This is where you really let your personality shine. This is supposed to be your personal fashion style, which means there has to be something personal to you in there. Find unique touches that define your style and sets you apart from the trends. This could be accessories, a favorite color or a go-to silhouette. Maybe your signature is always wearing gold jewelry, or a specific neckline. It could even be a signature red lipstick if you’d like.
Be creative and lean into your personality.
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5 Aesthetics for you to Try Out
In order for you to maximise your inspiration and find exactly what suits you, I have curated a little list of popular and trendy style aesthetics for you to customise and make your own. All credit goes to the owners of these pictures, they are not mine!! Simply for inspo purposes.
1. Scandi Style
Scandinavian style is a classic one that has garnered a lot of attention in recent years with creators and designer such as Matilda Djerf blowing up on social media. It’s timeless and casual and effortlessly chic, incorporating a lot of jeans, button-ups and oversized sweaters. Scandi style focuses on high quality, long-lasting pieces.
2. Dark Academia
This fashion aesthetic is inspired by classic literature and vintage academic style. It blends elements of preppy, gothic, and vintage fashion with a moody, intellectual vibe. It incorporates a lot of earthy and muted tones such as brown, deep burgundy and black. Turtlenecks, pleated skirts and wool coats create a classic and vintage-inspired look.
3. Street Casual
Street Casual is a laid-back, everyday fashion style that blends elements of streetwear and casualwear for an effortlessly cool and comfortable look. It’s about looking put-together without trying too hard. It’s a versatile style that suits everyday life, balancing comfort with a touch of urban edge. Some staple pieces include denim jackets, sneakers, baseball caps, and graphic tees. Mostly black, white, gray, and muted tones, with occasional pops of color.
4. Cottagecore
Cottagecore fashion embraces a romantic, vintage-inspired look with soft, flowy silhouettes and natural fabrics. Key elements include flowy dresses, lace, and earthy tones. It’s an aesthetic that romanticizes rural life, simplicity, and nature, often inspired by traditional English cottages.
5. Y2K
Y2K fashion is a bold and nostalgic aesthetic, inspired by early 2000s trends. It includes things like low-rise jeans, baby tees, mini skirts and lots of playful, bold accessories. The style is fun, youthful, and heavily influenced by the rise of celebrity culture of the early 2000s.
Hopefully this gave you a good idea of how to know your fashion style and how to develop your personal aesthetic. Life is too short (and money is too tight) to follow every single micro trend that emerges. Remember that your style reflects the person that you are, your interest and opinions, so get out there and experiment, find your own style, and don’t be scared to try new things. Have fun!
