Tips On How To Develop Your Personal Style

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If you have personal stylists, makeup artists and hair stylists at your every beck and call, plus an unlimited budget, it's probably pretty easy to look put-together every single time. For the rest of us however, it can be a bit more difficult to find a look we love every day. They say we can all look fab on a budget, which we believe to be true, but they also say for a look that's truly awesome, it needs to express your personal style.

We don't know about you, but some of us really struggle to find our "personal style" and a few of us even believe that we don't have one. If you can relate to this, you might find the following tips helpful when it comes to finding and developing your personal style.

Know that fashion and style are two different things
Fashion is an industry which is ever-evolving and constantly trying to reinvent itself. It changes from season to season and we see trends come and go on the catwalks and in the stores. Style is much more personal to you, the consumer. Fashion influences us, but style is what you express through the medium of fashion. Style begins with you. Even if you don't follow fashion at all, you still have personal style whether you like to think so or not.

Now when the time comes that you aren't satisfied with your style, then this is when you want to develop your style further and cultivate a personal style that is more akin with your tastes and creative outlook. Your style should reflect who you are, and it is not constrained necessarily by what is in fashion. Use clothes to express who you are and how you feel. Don't let anyone tell you that expressing yourself through any kind of medium is not important. Be proud of who you are and have fun with it.

Create a realistic style board
It's easy to look at images of fashionistas and celebrities in amazing outfits and sigh wishing that you could dress like that. What's harder is to actually pull those outfits apart and see what it is that you like about it so much. Do you like the outfit itself? Or do you like the outfit because of who is wearing it? It is important not to confuse this person's style with their physical attributes.

When you've put together a collection of outfits that you like, maybe through pinterest or good old scrapbooking, then you need to create a list of the type of items you should be looking for. Sometimes it can be the case that so much choice in the stores overwhelms you and you end up buying pieces that aren't what you really want. Making a list which is more specific about the items missing from your wardrobe, cuts down your choices and makes it easier for you to purchase the things that will help cultivate your personal style. Even if this means that you come home empty-handed every now and again.

When it comes to choosing the outfits for your mood board, do try to be realistic in the sense that if you love the outfit purely because of the heels, but you can't walk in heels, then it's not an outfit for you. Now, these outfits aren't for copying exactly, but they are for you to take inspiration from so this doesn't have to be too strict. If it's actually the case that you love the whole outfit but she is wearing heels, then you can of course keep the outfit but swap the shoes - easy!

Must Read: 5 Killer Clothing Combinations You Might Not Have Tried Before

When in doubt, know how to flatter your shape
This point also follows on from the last one, don't set your heart on outfits that you won't feel comfortable in. If you're top heavy and you don't wear strapless bras, then you probably won't be choosing to wear strapless dresses anytime soon. Remember there is nothing you can't wear because of your shape, it's all about what you are comfortable wearing and what makes you feel at your best.

You should never restrict yourself based on what other people say you can and cannot wear, but at the same time choosing the shapes and cuts that flatter you can really help boost your confidence if you need that extra boost.

Accept that your style will age with you
Sure, you are only as old as you feel, but that doesn't mean that you want to dress like you did a few years ago. Your style evolves just like you do and the more you push yourself creatively, the more you will move forward creatively. Which means that those items of clothing you used to love have become more sentimental than useful, so you should let them go. Recycle or donate them because they are weighing you down and distracting you from the type of style you want to achieve.

Take notice of the FABRICS
Nothing cheapens a look like nasty fabrics. Good looking fabric doesn't have to be expensive, but knowing the difference from a chic and relaxed looking v-neck tee and a clingy cheap looking v-neck tee is key so do your research.

Get those essentials covered 
In our article, the Ultimate Guide to Creating a Versatile and Wearable Wardrobe, we went over the key essentials we believe every woman must have in her wardrobe! Plus we talked about how to successfully introduce statement pieces along with some other helpful tips & tricks on how to create your ideal wardrobe.

Don't push yourself too far, but push yourself just enough
You want to feel comfortable and confident. Discard anything that you feel looks unflattering on you - better yet, get a friend to be brutally honest if you are unsure. Clothes that you need to fuss around with, pull up or move back into position will strip your confidence, so don't push yourself to make certain things work if they just don't. You want to feel and look natural in what you're wearing.

Saying that, in order to make your style move forward, you should push yourself just enough in the right direction. There are plenty of clothes out there that are comfortable that are not in your comfort zone (yet!) If you're unsure about something, always wear it to the occasions where you will be the most confident which is usually when you are surrounded by people that make you feel the most comfortable.

We think you might be interested in reading, How To Create The Perfect Outfit Every Time

Listen to your instincts
If you feel that something really doesn't look right, then stick with that! It's good to know what you do and don't like. However, don't confuse this feeling with "I can't pull it off" because you can probably pull it off a whole lot better than you think if it's a look that you like.

If it's the case that someone is telling you that something works, but you really don't think it does, be confident in your opinion. After all, you are developing your personal style and not adopting someone else's. Which leads to our next point...

Don't let other people sway your opinion too much
Some people don't like to wear much colour, whilst others love to go crazy with prints. Neither style of dressing is wrong so don't feel like you have to adopt either of them. We've had some of our favourite fashion idols turn round and say that they don't like wearing "such and such" but we love that certain "such and such" and now we are no longer sure if we should be wearing it...

Well try not to forget that they are just expressing what their personal style is and it doesn't mean that they don't appreciate that other people's personal style is different yet still stylish. We know plenty of fashionistas that love to stick with their neutral tones but love the look of bold colours on other people. It's what you like that's important, so try not to let other people's opinions put you off if you love something.

What helped you find your personal style? Do you stick to what you know or do you like to mix things up? And what tips would you give someone who is trying to find their personal style?

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