A few years ago I was really into “defining” my personal style. I created multiple Pinterest mood boards, color schemes, and I even found the three adjectives that describe my style the best. They are: cool, feminine, trend-driven if you’re interested.
After doing these exercises, I was always feeling pretty confident about my new personal style, and I was ready to sweep everyone off their feet with my incredible looks.
Well, you might have guessed, it didn’t happen. In fact, nothing ever happened…
Nobody told me how “defined” my style looked, nor did I get more (or less) compliments on my outfits.
Why?
Because I didn’t actually change anything. I only created an idea in my head but I didn’t do a single thing to bring my reality closer to that ideal wardrobe.
Has this ever happened to you too? I bet it did to many of us.
That’s why I’m sharing today the top tips that actually helped me transform my mood board into a real wardrobe.
1. Don’t expect an overnight success
So you just defined your personal style, and you’re ready to recreate Zendaya’s latest street style look from your mood board when you realize: your actual clothes don’t look like the style you want to have.
Your current wardrobe probably looks more like this:
- According to the 80/20 rule, it’s only about 20% of your current wardrobe that you wear on a regular basis. This 20% probably includes items that are exactly your personal style, but there might be a lot of pieces in there that you wear for comfort or practicality.
- Then there’s another 30% that you wear sometimes, but not that often. Maybe when all the good stuff is already in the laundry, right? These are the clothes you think you like but actually don’t. Whenever you put them on, they feel kind of off. They might not have a good fit, or they don’t feel like you, they don’t really match with anything else you own, or other inconveniences.
- The last 50% are the clothes you don’t like and you know it, but you aren’t ready to say goodbye to just yet.
Well, this might look disappointing at first, it’s actually completely normal. Look at it this way: if you already owned only clothes that fit your personal style, there’s no need for defining it anymore.
So does that mean you can start shopping like crazy? Not so fast!
2. Declutter first
I like to start my personal style transformation with a declutter instead of jumping right to shopping. This way, I can start with a clean slate and I can get a much clearer overview of my wardrobe. I can see how close I am to my ideal personal style and most importantly, I know of what items I have enough, and what do I actually need to purchase.
So never skip decluttering because you can make better shopping decisions afterward, and also, you will have more space for new clothes!
I’m not going to tell you what is the best way to declutter because there is none. The best way is the one you’ll actually do.
Whether you want to use the KonMari Method or something else, I don’t care. But I want you to get rid off the clothes that give you that icky feeling of guilt, shame, disappointment, regret, etc.
We don’t need those bad vibes in our lives. But those items might make someone else incredibly happy (writing this in my second-hand jumper I adore) so make sure to donate or resell for some easy karma points!
What we want is a nice clean wardrobe where each piece has its purpose. Then we can move on to the fun part: shopping!
3. Add clothes slowly
The most important aspect of maintaining a consistent personal style is to NOT jump on new trends too quickly. I know it’s tempting to buy the latest thing everyone is wearing because of fashion FOMO, but is it actually something you will be wearing in 3, 5 or 10 year time?
That’s when the idea of Cost Per Wear comes in handy. Which explains why it is actually better (and less expensive!) to have fewer clothes you love than buying a lot of cheap clothes: Cost Per Wear: The True Cost Of Your Clothes
I keep a running list of items I would like to purchase at the moment. What I like to do is sit down once a month, take a look at my favorite online stores, and purchase the ONE item from my list that I am the most excited about. It has to be something I need, but also something I love.
I also like to check back with my personal style inspiration board to make sure it fits my desired style, and mentally imagine mixing and matching the new item with my exisiting clothes.
I would much rather spend my clothing budget on one perfect piece that brings me joy than buying 5-10 things I won’t even remember in a few months.
Are you from Europe? Here a few European high-quality sustainable brands to shop for long-lasting pieces: 50 European Sustainable Fashion Brands
4. Reiterate often
Make sure to keep an eye on what’s working and what isn’t in your wardrobe. Do you even want to have the same style you did a year ago, or you might want to shift your focus to something new?
It is okay to change your mind and change your style. I don’t think there will ever be a point when your wardrobe will be ‘done’. New trends are always coming and it’s totally acceptable to pursue them at a reasonable pace.
Eventually, you’ll want to go back to step one: setting your expectations, then decluttering, adding new clothes, and reiterating. Repeat this process each year to make sure you’re on the right track to your dream wardrobe!
Over the years, you will start to see the patterns in the bigger picture.
- Which are the pieces you rewear until they are completely worn out?
- What are the styles, colors, etc. that you buy a lot of yet you never end up wearing?
- What are the clothes that you love but never have the occasion or the courage to wear them?
These patterns will look different for everyone, but we will all make some mistakes along the way. So you shouldn’t beat yourself up if you end up purchasing things you regret. Just make sure to learn from your mistakes and try to find the best way to rehome your mistake buys responsively!
Conclusion
Hopefully, these tips will help you develop a healthy, long-term relationship with your clothes, and most importantly, help you create the wardrobe you’ll love and have always dreamed of!
Remember to prioritize long-term results instead of short-term gratification when it comes to buying new clothes and be patient with yourself and your wardrobe!
Photo credit: Ron Lach @ Pexels
