We all know someone with an incredible sense of personal style. That one individual who can enter a room and command it by virtue of their chic look and aura of confidence. Perhaps there’s even that one item that always reminds you of them – the exquisite leather bag, the perfectly tailored blazer, chic silk scarf or bright slash of crimson lipstick. Whatever it might be, and whether their style is simple and minimal or full on and full of color, they are unforgettable. Often we assume that such individuals are just naturally stylish, as if they came out of the womb already rocking a leather pencil skirt with four inch heels! But that is never the case. Style is created, not born. And the good news about that is that it means you have a chance to deliberately create your own personal style and become one of those headturning people in your own right.

Discovering a signature style that works for you involves a lot of different factors. Some of it is about assessing your lifestyle including your career, hobbies and what you like to do in your spare time. A signature style will never work unless it works for your reality. Equally, there is a little bit of aspiration, in looking for examples that can show you how to style up certain items – these don’t have to be celebrities, street style is often more illuminating. There is also being aware of what suits you in terms of your body shape and coloring. From this combination of things, you can refine a style that is authentic to you and you only – and that uniqueness is exactly what makes style work.

You could be in need of a complete style overhaul, not knowing what clothing, accessories and make-up works for you anymore, perhaps following a big lifestyle change like graduating, changing careers, becoming a parent or going through a relationship break-up. Or it may not be as drastic that – you might simply have realised that you’re stuck in a bit of a rut and need to hit refresh on your look.

Whatever the scenario, sometimes getting started is the hardest part. These steps will help you to reassess your personal style and redevelop your wardrobe to find a look which suits your lifestyle and suits you.

Get To Grips With Your Body Shape

At its most basic level, style is all about knowing what garments suit your body shape. Blindly following trends will get you nowhere – that’s more sheep than chic – what you need is to understand your body shape and what silhouettes will flatter you and make you look your absolute best. This is about making the most of what you have, celebrating your look no matter your shape and size, and showcasing your best bits while distracting from your not-so-best bits. All of this will give you the confidence that comes from knowing you’re looking your best – and that confidence is the key element of personal style. Once you know what shape you have, it can be useful to look at celebrity body shapes. Purely because these stars have access to an army of professional stylists, and you can see the pieces that they rock and hunt down similar pieces. Work out what you already have in your wardrobe that flatters your figure and makes you feel empowered – if you have an honest friend, now is the time to recruit them! Take some pictures so that you can see objectively what sits well on your frame – this is a much better method than just looking in the mirror. Identify which silhouettes work best for your shape and you have one of the formulas which will allow you to crack the style code.

Find Your True Colours

Another key to style is knowing which colours really flatter you. Get it wrong and you’ll look washed out and uncomfortable. Get it right and your skin will glow, your eyes will sparkle and your hair will look more vibrant – sounds good right? Start from a neutral base – these suit everyone and are a great starting point for redeveloping your style. There are cool neutrals like greys and navy blues and warm neutrals like camel and blush. Find out which neutrals work for you and then layer in a family of colours complementary to your skin tone. Now you have a colour wardrobe tailored to you. Armed with the shapes that fit and flatter and the colours that make you shine, you’re well on your way to immaculate personal style.

Choose Some Signature Pieces

Anyone whose style is truly memorable generally has a little style signature that makes you instantly think of them. Spend some time working out what that could be for you. It could be a beauty look – think Marilyn Monroe’s signature red pout or Alexa Chung’s feline winged eyeliner. It could be hair – Zooey Deschanel is unrecognisable without her blunt bangs. Or it could be an accessory which makes your heart sing, from delicate layered gold necklaces to cinching your waist with a skinny belt. Make it your mission to hunt down a unique place to source your signature items – whether that’s saving up for an Hermes silk scarf or sourcing high quality leather accessories from a website like JOKIBOKI. These items are the secret sauce that will elevate your signature style to a whole new level.

Invest In Your Building Blocks

One you understand the pieces which are fundamental to your style – be it a great pair of jeans or a silk blouse – invest as much as you can afford in them and wear them lots. Don’t forget that sourcing items on sale, through a designer seconds site like The Outnet, on eBay or even via thrift shops can save you a lot of money and allow you to buy better quality. Natural fabrics like cashmere, silk and pure cotton are always a better investment than man made items like rayon. Learn how to properly take care of delicate fabrics and keep your pieces in fabulous condition. The truly stylish don’t have hundreds of different options – they have a handful of well-chosen, high quality classic pieces on constant rotation. When you dress well and with personal style, you don’t need any more than that.

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