How to Find Your Personal Style (and Create Looks You’ll Love to Wear)

Your personal style is a way to say who you are without having to speak. We all have a sense of style that matches up with our likes and comfort while presenting our best selves to the world. But for some people, it may not feel that way. 

Many women avoid trying to be stylish because they don’t see themselves as “fashion people”. In reality, you can still enjoy being stylish without becoming a fashion person. In the words of Oscar de la Renta, “Fashion is about dressing according to what’s fashionable. Style is more about being yourself.”

Using the few steps below, you should be able to find your personal style and create looks that you would love to wear. 

1. Ignore fast fashion

This should be your first step. The most important thing you want to do is to stop looking at fast fashion items for inspiration. By this, I mean, don’t try to morph your style into what is “in vogue”. Ignore the trendy pieces. Find what you like. 

2. Learn about your body type

Frankly, anyone can wear any clothing item they want. However, some pieces look more flattering on certain body types over others. Body types include apple-shaped, athletic-shaped, pear-shaped, and hourglass-shaped. Study your body type and the clothing cuts, patterns, and colors for you. 

3. Consider your personality and personal needs

Let’s start with personality. What type of person are you? Do you love to make a big statement with your looks, or prefer a more subtle approach? Also, where do you spend the majority of your time? If you have an office job, then you want to find both formal and casual outfits that will work with your new style. 

4. Search for style inspo

Using the tips above, you should have a general idea of what you may be looking for. Now, it’s time for some inspiration. Search for “style inspiration” or “style icons” to become familiar with all the options available for you. When you see a piece or outfit that you like, save it to your Pinterest board to review later. Keep looking through options until you have a substantial amount of choices that resonate with you. You can also use this process on other social media sites, or with everyday people with an interesting style. 

5. Don’t confuse admiration for want 

Many people admire the style of others, and mistakenly think that they should copy those styles. It’s perfectly normal to think someone is stylish while recognizing that they have different tastes from you. For example, I love Parisian chic looks with button-up shirts, straight pants, and colorful scarves. For a long time, I thought that my admiration for this style meant that I probably wanted to dress like that too. The result of that assumption was a few (long) months of me trying to wear clothing that felt out of touch with who I really am. 

6. Don’t hold on too right

We’re constantly evolving. The person we are and the things we want changes all the time. This could also include personal style. If you start to feel disconnected from the style you’ve chosen, then it may be time for a change. Don’t hold on too tight to something that may not feel like yours anymore. Explore new pieces to incorporate into your style or an overall change. 

Got everything you need to start finding your personal style? I’ll suggest that you bookmark this post for future reference. You can also explore the Gem’s Boutique collection for inspiration and your next stylish outfit. Our items and outfits are carefully curated, so there’s something for every woman. Click here to see our latest arrivals.