After years of blogging, researching, dressing up for any and all occasions, and experimenting every so slightly with my wardrobe, I reached a place where I was happy with my personal style. But then life shifted, my preferences changed and I realized I didn’t have a wardrobe that made any sense or that I even liked anymore. Suddenly the outfits I was once excited to wear not only didn’t feel practical, but I felt like a stranger in them.
This is what happens when you don’t define your personal style, you end up constantly adjusting and trying to figure out the missing pieces.
If you’re trying to figure out how to feel like yourself again in your clothes, in your outfits, and in your life, you’re not alone! Your style doesn’t disappear just because you have pieces that aren’t you anymore, your style is there deep down you just need to get clear on what it is. And that’s exactly what this post will help you do.
Throughout you will find 7 simple tips, a useful checklist, and more resources linked that will help you rediscover your personal style, without stressing you out.
Why Finding Your Personal Style Matters
It’s not about being vein or chasing every trend, personal style is about:
- Confidence: Feeling like yourself in every outfit
- Saving money: Avoiding impulse buys that don’t suit you
- Sustainability: Choosing clothes you’ll actually wear for years
- Ease: Reducing decision fatigue when getting dressed
- Authenticity: Living a life that’s truly reflects who you are starts with how you present yourself
Think of personal style as creating a fashion roadmap that makes shopping and styling so much easier, and a lot more fun. The key is to ask: “Do I love this for me, or am I trying to be someone else?”
How to Find Your Personal Style
Finding your personal style can take years of trial and error, experiment and have fun with it but also be intentional. The biggest mistake I’ve made is that I was never intentional with my wardrobe until I got older, which I think prolonged the process of figuring out my personal style.
Here are 7 tips to finding your personal style and feeling confident and comfortable with your wardrobe, and how you dress.
1. Don’t compare your personal style with someone else’s
For me comparison was the biggest roadblock. I would look at other bloggers style on Instagram and feel so inadequate, this fuelled a very long road of buying pieces and styles that just didn’t suit me because I was aiming to duplicate someone else’s signature look. I felt this need to either keep up, or look a certain way to be successful and ultimately happy.
Looking for inspiration is one thing, but comparison is another. It’s great to look for inspiration when styling your outfits and when picking pieces for your wardrobe, but always put your own spin on it, and make sure it’s something you really love.
2. Take note of styles you feel the most comfortable in
This is the biggest clue to pay attention to. Look for what you enjoy wearing all day long, this determines what your personal style truly is, and what it looks like.
I tend to buy a lot of long sleeved t-shirts and crew neck sweaters, and stay away from denim for the most part. This means I’m more of a casual basics type and need to stay away from anything restricting, and not very comfortable.
Knowing this helps a lot when shopping and getting dressed every day, I know what I won’t like and what will make me feel good all day.
3. Take note of pieces you reach for the most
Take a week and track what you wear the most of. If you love dresses note that, and buy more dresses, but also think about how dresses transfer seasonally. You might need to opt for a wool blend for the winter.
These repeat offenders are your personal style anchors. Build your wardrobe around them and invest in higher quality versions when possible.
RELATED: 10 Things to Know Before Minimizing Your Wardrobe
4. Look at what you save as inspiration
What outfit photos are saved to your Pinterest boards and Instagram saves. These are typically styles you would wear yourself. What we save to refer back to has a huge impact on how we dress ourselves, and what we are drawn to.
If you notice a pattern oversized blazers, neutrals, a line skirts dresses, that’s a sign. What you’re drawn to visually often reflects what you’d actually enjoy wearing.
5. Define your style type
Once you’ve taken track of what you reach for the most, ask yourself what category do these pieces fall into?
- Romantic
- Streetwear
- Vintage
- Romantic
- Trendy
- Casual
- Modern
- Minimalist
- Boho
I rotate by season, romantic in the summer, minimalist in the winter, boho in the spring and fall. That’s normal, your personal style can evolve depending on weather.
RELATED: How to Create a Minimalist Wardrobe, the New Way
6. Find your style niche
Niching down gives you a clear path. For me, that means sticking to a neutral color palette and rotating between a few favourite brands I trust and know what size to buy.
Your niche might be:
- Colours earth tones, pastels, black and white
- Brands sustainable, high street, luxury
- Silhouette oversized, tailored, feminine flowy pieces
This helps you create your own signature look, which is your personal style stamp.
7. Keep experimenting, your personal style is never concrete
Defining your personal style doesn’t mean you have to stick with the same styles all the time. Experimentation is the spice of life, so enjoy trying new things when the mood strikes.
This is how we keep our wardrobes and outfits interesting.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying trendy pieces that don’t suit your lifestyle
- Copying Pinterest outfits without adapting them
- Keeping clothes that never feel right
- If you never reach for it let it go!
Personal Style Checklist
Save this personal style checklist and revisit it in 6 months to see how your style evolves!
FAQs About Finding Your Personal Style
Can your personal style change over time?
Yes! Style evolves with your lifestyle, body, and even season. That’s normal and healthy.
How do I find my personal style on a budget?
Start by shopping your closet. Then, add versatile pieces that mix well.
What’s the difference between fashion and style?
Fashion changes every season. Personal style is timeless, it’s how you interpret clothes and what you feel your most authentic self in.
Once you’ve defined your personal style it helps to create small capsules whether seasonally or for occasions such as work to make it even easier to put outfits together.
Check out the post below for a guide to creating a work capsule wardrobe with a free downloadable checklist you can use to make sure you’ve got all of your bases covered.
Other Posts You Might Like:
Great article! I’ve never really thought much about style until I got older! I just wore whatever! As I got older, I didn’t care what people thought if I wanted to wear a little house on the prairie-type dress! It’s taken me years to be comfortable with MY STYLE:) Thanks for sharing!
I love your perspective Susan, comfort is key. Thanks for reading!