Personal style – at its simplest, it’s a style that belongs to a person. It is unique to them and channels who they are inside.
Many people confuse personal style with wearing the latest trend or patterning themselves after photos on street style blogs. Working in fashion, I see it all the time. The sad part is that many street style bloggers are themselves a little fuzzy on the definition. You’ll see street style bloggers photographing people who have an ill-defined sense of style, and readers taking them to be an authority on the subject. So meta!
Personal style is, in many ways, the anti-trend. It’s about letting trends pass you by if they don’t fit within your sense of self. Knowing who you are at your core is the compass that will help you to navigate the fashion-scape without losing yourself. Being true to yourself is fundamental to developing the kind of personal style that others strive for.
That “you” piece is why personal style is so alluring.
When we look at someone who has personal style we don’t just see an assorment of things that were pulled from the racks of Aldo + H&M last week. We see a carefully considered collection curated over the span of decades. It’s origins have a mystery about it. It makes us want to know more. We are told something very interesting about the person, but we’re also left wondering.
Here’s an example of someone on a street style blog who has little offer in the way of personal style. Yes, she has gone out and bought a pair of statement heels. But what else is this outfit saying? It says “notice me!!!” but little else.
Here’s an example of someone who has a considered wardrobe. Not everything matches, but it all works. She’s comfortable and is obviously wearing peices she really loves. Some of the items are worn, some are brand new. Other pieces are thrown together – like the rings stacked on her fingers.
This kind of visual persona is built in layers, over time. New items are being added, old items (that don’t fit her sense of self anymore) are retired and cherished favourites stay with her over the long haul. Everything here says something about who she may be – the articles, textures and patterns allude to hobbies, travel and personal history.
Owning items we truly like and have chosen to keep because they reflect who we are is very different from leaping from one trend to the next. The woman who wears trend items (and jumps from one to the next season after season) does so because she knows it will get her attention in that moment. It’s an easy and established fact that the item is popular. You don’t have to know anything about style (or yourself) to be able to put on a hit. Go to Style.com or pick up any fashion magazine and it’s there.
Many women fall in to this trap because they just don’t know what else to do.
The tragic part about following trends, aside from never developing a compelling personal style, is that because this woman seems to shift identities from one season to the next (or fails to reveal an identity in the first place) she is perceived as being inherently untrustworthy. The inauthenticity in her appearance is palpable. Unfortunately we assemble these visual cues and make inferences about the person themselves, whether or not that assumption is really true.
Though it is more difficult, it’s also more rewarding to cultivate a personal style. When we encounter personal style we not only see something we like, we sense authenticity. This authenticity immediately puts people at ease and makes them more likely to trust you. When people trust you they are more likely to feel comfortable giving you responsibility (a job perhaps?) and more likely to open up to you. The benefits are multifoliate.
It takes self-awareness and confidence to carry off personal style. There is no style guide to show us exactly what to do. It’s not plastered all over Fashion Television. Personal style has to come from within. It is the harder road? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely!
Next- What Defines Great Style (coming soon)
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