5 Tips for Developing Your Sense of Style
Flashback to 2012, the year I came into my own and defined my style as a young adult woman. I realized I loved black (what New Yorker doesn't though, really?), I loved bodycon, and I loved sunglasses. While I don't particularly love bodycon anymore at this point in my life, I know what I'm comfortable in and that's one of the main keys to defining your style. Some of my tips for developing your sense of style:
| Think About Your Lifestyle |
Be honest with yourself - what do you do throughout the day and how does your wardrobe fit into that? Are you actively running around all day? Are you at a desk then going home? Are you going from work to dinners? Take all of these things into consideration when developing your sense of style. Being a commuter that goes from work to events, I go for very comfortable shoes now and try to find one-piece outfits that travel well and I can slip on and off. There was a point in time where I would actually carry an extra pair of heels in my purse to go out at night. It became a huge hassle to carry everything around, so now I opt for stylish flats and low-heels because my day job is so demanding on my feet.
| Use Pinterest |
Keeping inspiration boards give you a go-to reference to carry with you when you finally go out and start shopping. You have a clear idea of the types of pieces you are looking for, and tips for how to style them. It's especially helpful if you sign someone on to help you shop. As a personal shopper, one of the first things I ask my clients to do is create a Pinterest board of what they're looking for, if they don't have one already.
| Consider Your Budget |
This is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle - your budget can determine where you shop and what you're shopping for. If you're looking to be trendy on a budget, you can head to shops H&M or Zara. If you're looking for one-of-a-kind unique pieces, you may have to up your budget and try to shop independent designers. Take into mind that shopping trendier pieces may lead to you spending more money and time in the end, as they need to be replaced often. Personally, I like to do a mix of both higher priced and lower priced pieces ("high-low") because I actually like to shop a lot, haha.
| Assess Your Current Wardrobe |
The first thing I do with my personal shopping clients is come to their home and go through every piece of their current wardrobe with them. We assess the current state of the piece, whether it's worth saving, and whether it fits into the vision they've shared with me. At the end of the session, we usually end up with bags of clothes to donate, a pile to just get rid of, and some really great pieces that stay in the closet that we can build on. This is very, very helpful in guiding you when shopping. Do you need more than 3 pairs of great jeans? Do you need another black dress?
| Stay True to Who You Are |
It will become truly exhausting to try and dress a way that is just not you. When developing your sense of style, remember to take your personality into account. Are you fun and bubbly? Do you love color? Do you love a huge statement piece? For me, I take lots of style cues from my grandmother and her glamour era, so I love big hair and fur (faux of course). These things fit with my personality. While it's great to pull inspiration from everywhere else, look into your heart first and really think about who you are and what makes you you.