Fashion is a form of expression that can communicate more than you think. From fabric and colour choices to silhouettes and shoes – these are not simply parts of an outfit. The different facets of your wardrobe can be non-verbal methods of communicating the most nuanced aspects of your mood, beliefs, and hobbies, often without a conscious decision on your part.
Your fashion and style choices can say a lot on your behalf, without a single word from you. For better or worse, these wordless messages are recognised by almost everyone you see and meet, either consciously or subconsciously. You may have noticed how a passing glance can often leave you with a strong impression of someone else’s temperament. Or you may even reflexively form a judgment about a stranger on the street simply by looking at their shoes.
When so much can be conveyed about you through your style choices, it becomes all the more important to choose your adornments wisely. This is where finding and developing your personal style comes in. The way we see it, if you’re going to say something through your wardrobe – you may as well own it.
Six benefits of finding your personal style
Some people may take several months to build their dream wardrobe. But understanding and developing your personal style is a simple process once you find the building blocks. The key is being attentive to your body type, personality, and goals.
Every purchase should be mindful and elicit a feeling of belongingness when you include it in your wardrobe. Once you form an awareness of your preferences, there are many benefits. But figuring out your style isn’t just an asset to help you look great and turn heads. There is a lot more to it than that.
Here are six reasons why finding your personal style matters and how it can help you in your everyday life.
1. Exude confidence
The most noticeable benefit of discovering your personal style is the natural boost of confidence that comes with knowing your aesthetic. Spend some time browsing through fashion spreads, catalogues and boutique clothes to get to know the items that appeal to you and complement who you are. Diving into this will help you accurately express yourself through your style.
It’s similar to accessing the kind of confidence that comes with memorizing a speech and looking your audience in the eye as you deliver it smoothly. This is preferable to constantly stumbling or glancing at cue cards and notes.
Find your style so you can choose outfits with ease and face each day head-on instead of fumbling through your wardrobe every morning and leaving the house in hurried ensembles. Remember, personal style is about more than what you wear – it’s about how you wear it!
2. Create a cohesive wardrobe
Finding your personal style is the jumping-off point for building a cohesive wardrobe where everything has a place and purpose. By making intentional style choices, getting dressed each day becomes a cakewalk since most items in your closet can easily be paired with each other.
This can involve finding a colour palette you like or sticking to silhouettes that flatter your body. Decide what you want to convey through your style, and then figure out which items help you get that across. Start by creating a mood board of images from fashion spreads, and use it as a reference point when you go shopping. Neutrals have been wildly popular in the past year and are a great starting point as you can always inject more colour in as you go. It’s okay to start small and build up your wardrobe by starting with a set of neutral shoes.
3. Attract the right energy
Looking good has a massive impact on feeling good. When you find your personal style and begin to feel good in it, you can send out the right energy and attract it as well. By dressing intentionally, you ensure that people take you seriously. Being in control of how you appear to others also allows you to take charge of social exchanges and dictate the flow of interactions.
If you’re styling clothes to feel more confident at work, we suggest dressing for the job you want. For example, sharp lines and tailored pants are simple features that can do much to convey a put-together appearance. Similarly, cohesive tones convey a unified and approachable persona, giving you an instantly recognizable colour palette.
4. Reflect your values and interests
Believe it or not, finding your personal style is more than just picking the right colours for your skin tone or finding well-fitting clothes. Your wardrobe can be a great way to reflect your identity, values or hobbies.
You can choose to showcase your humour through witty shirts, show off your love for your favourite team or music with cute graphic tees, or champion your chosen cause through custom accessories, pins, or logos. From band t-shirts and statement totes to your favourite show’s merchandise, there are plenty of scopes to show off your interests through your style choices.
5. Make intentional purchases
Once you figure out your personal style, you’ll be able to make more intentional purchases. Instead of going trigger-happy at seasonal sales and ending up with a hole in your pocket and a closet full of clutter, you could opt to go the minimalist fashion route while keeping your personal style in mind.
Doing so will give you real value for your money with each purchase. In the long run, none of your possessions will go unused, and you’ll be able to avoid creating clutter in your space.
6. Make time for things that matter
By finding your personal style, you can do away with the decision fatigue that plagues you every morning when choosing an outfit for the day. Building a wardrobe that reflects your style will allow you the freedom to mix and match pieces that complement each other. This leaves more time for things that matter in your day-to-day life and for chasing the goals that you’ve come to recognise.
Growth through finding your personal style
Finding your style can easily become a journey of self-reflection, personal growth and reducing your life’s physical and mental clutter. You can do this by purging your wardrobe of pieces that no longer represent the person you’ve become and making deliberate choices toward building the aesthetic you’ve come to personify.
Securing your preferences through fashion is also a great way to access your inherent intuitiveness and have fun while doing so. By consciously posing the question of what your personal style signifies, you will uncover a creative step in your unique journey of self-improvement.
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Written by Tess DiNapoli
Illustrated by Francesca Mariama
