How to Develop a Unique Personal Style

What does your wardrobe say about you and your unique personal style? Is it a perfect reflection of your personality, or does it just say that you shop at all the same stores as everyone else? If your wardrobe is more like the latter, there are lots of things that you can do to inject more of your personality into your personal style.

Here are a few ideas on how to develop and create your unique personal style. Your personal style will communicate to others your creativity and voice and help you leave a first impression with impact.

Describe your Style with Adjectives

If someone saw an outfit that you would typically wear, would they recognize it and think of you?

Branding is important in business, but it is just as important when you’re getting dressed. Your own personal style (or your personal brand) sets you apart from other people and helps them remember you. Strong brands draw attention, so channel some of that into your style.

One way to start developing a personal brand is to jot down a list of adjectives that describe your style. This list could include words like ‘polished’, ‘eclectic’, ‘timeless’, or ‘chic’. If you aren’t sure what your style really is yet, describe a style that you would like to have, or the personal style of someone that you admire. You could also just describe your personality.

Keep the list that you created and test the clothes in your wardrobe against it. Do the items in your closet give out the vibe that you’re trying to achieve? If they don’t fit with your brand, consider removing them from your closet. There’s no point in wearing something that’s just not you.

Add Personality to Basics

Transform a wardrobe full of basic clothes into a closet full of great pieces that look custom-made by having a seamstress or tailor add personality and pizzazz to an otherwise basic piece.

A tailor can help you add some custom details to your clothes to personalize them, like changing the buttons or adding beautiful custom embroidery. If you found a great cardigan in a high-street store, but don’t want to have the same one as everyone else, you could find some cool vintage buttons and ask a seamstress to switch them out. This change would only cost a few dollars and would give you a completely unique sweater that nobody else would have.

"There’s no point in wearing something that’s just not you. " Click To Tweet

Raid Your Mother’s (Or Grandmother’s) Closet

Showing a bit of your personal history through your clothing is a fun and unique way to show personality in your style. What better way could there be to do this than borrowing some vintage clothes or accessories from your mother (or even your grandmother)? You will be able to find some unique pieces that you probably can’t buy anymore, and these pieces have the added personality and character of being in your family.

Find the stylish person in your family tree and ask them what you can borrow.

Use Accessories to Make your Look Memorable

Even the most basic outfit can be elevated to fit your personal style when you add your favorite accessories. It’s easy to find a few signature accessories that you love that you can pair with neutral basics and suddenly, your look is more memorable. I love wearing fun shoes with my outfit and colorful shoes are my signature accessories.

Other style icons have used accessories to showcase their personal style. Some that come to mind include Iris Apfel with her bold black glasses, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s collars or gorgeous silk scarves worn by Dr. Deborah Birx during the pandemic.