In the previous posts, we’ve covered personal uniforms and types of fashion styles. If you’re interested in creating your own personal uniforms, it’s important to define your style so it can be your guide while decluttering your wardrobe.

Most people don’t fall neatly into wearing one style, but are usually a blend of two or three different styles. If you haven’t already, read my previous post, “What are the different types of fashion styles?” to familiarize yourself with these and see photo examples.

Benefits of defining your personal style

• Easier to figure out what to keep in your closet and what to retire. There may be a piece in your wardrobe that is in good condition that you may be tempted to keep, but actually doesn’t align with your own personal style. This happens most commonly with pieces that have been given to us by other people. 

• Easier to figure out what to buy while shopping as you can limit yourself to specific stores or sections of stores that sell clothing in your personal styles. I’ve noticed that people who haven’t defined their personal style can spend hours combing through many different clothing stores and examining each piece when it might not even align with their style or be a true need for their wardrobe.

• Easier to dress and express yourself with intention.

Let’s take a look at a fictional character in pop culture to demonstrate how personal style is usually a blend of multiple styles.

Example of a style blend with Rachel from Friends

Rachel’s style is a blend of professional, sexy, and preppy. Her color palette is earth tone neutrals and the defining piece in her personal uniform is a mini skirt. We’ll get more into defining the components of a personal uniform in a future post.

To see more examples from pop culture, check out my post here: “The process of “6 Uniforms in pop culture”.

Step 1: Select all the outfits you like from the Style Guide, the internet, and your camera roll.

1. Screenshot, circle, save, or print the outfits you personally like from:

   1. The Style Guide

   2. The internet (e.g. Pinterest, Instagram)

      1. Tip: Search for any style inspirations you already have - for example I included Lara Croft and Sporty Spice

   3. Your camera roll of outfits you’ve worn and liked

2. Assemble images together either in a Google Slide, on Pinterest, as a photo album on your phone, or printed out.

Tips:

• Don’t think about it too much - if you like it, save it.

• Focus on the outfit and whether you like it or not. Try not to focus on the model in the photo.

• If you keep looking at a photo and aren’t sure if it’s your style or not, save/cut it out anyway. There’s probably something about it that you really like.

• Don’t be concerned if you’ve saved lots of different styles.

Step 2: From the outfits you selected, identify the 2-3 styles that best represent those outfits.

1. Group outfits that look similar together. For example, I put outfits that I could wear to work in one corner, outfits for everyday in another corner, and outfits for more formal occasions in another.

2. Look for what’s in common, not what’s different. You may have chosen a photo that was under ‘Grunge’, but it could also be categorized as ‘Casual’. Identify which styles could be applied to your selected outfits the most.

3. Make a bulleted list of:

   1. The styles you’re seeing reflected

   2. Types of pieces you’re seeing in the outfits selected (e.g. turtlenecks, monochromatic, etc.)

4. Limit choosing 2-3 styles. More than that, may make it harder to declutter and maintain a minimal and versatile wardrobe.

Tips:

• It’s ok to remove outfit photos once you start moving the images around if you don’t like them or feel like they don’t fit anymore. This is part of the editing process.

Step 3: Give your style a name and description.

My style

Chic adventura: Harmonious blend of polished and practical pieces with a sense of adventure.

Minimal, Sporty, and Chic

Name and define your style based on the 2-3 styles you selected.

1. This will make the style real and personal to you for your uniforms.

2. It may help you feel less susceptible to marketing tactics because you know what is and isn’t your style.

Tips:

• Use ChatGPT prompts like the below if you’re feeling stuck on what to name your style and describe it.

  • How would you describe [Insert style inspiration] personal style?

  • Name and describe my personal style which is a blend of [Insert style 1], [Insert style 2], and [Insert style 3]. Key wardrobe pieces include [Insert pieces you added to your bulleted list in Step 2]. Primary wardrobe colors are [Insert the colors you added to your bulleted list in Step 2]. Wardrobe includes statement pieces featuring the accent colors or fabrics such as [Insert fabrics you added to you bulleted list in Step 2] Style inspirations include [Insert your style inspirations from Step 2].

• Ask your friends or family for feedback on the names you’re contemplating. They may have helpful insight.

• Remember that nothing is permanent. Starting somewhere is better than nothing!

Real-world example

I worked with a client a few years ago who was a midwestern elementary school teacher interested in decluttering her wardrobe and finding her personal style.

She chose the following photos from the style guide.

After reviewing the outfits she liked best from the Style Guide, she identified that Casual, Country, and Romantic best represented her selections. and created a vision board of the following images.

Defining your style will make it easier to declutter your closet, shop for new items, and nurture your creativity. Additionally, as we reviewed in the “What is a uniform?” post, beyond their practical function, what we wear can carry rich symbolism that communicates values and affiliations, so it’s important to dress with intention.

Coming up next:

How to find your personal work uniform

Unlock a clutter-free closet! 

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