How to Find Your Style: 3 Questions for Closet Clarity

I’m a big fan of having a personal style but sometimes it can be hard to know where to start.

Identifying style icons and creating moodboards is a great place to begin but if you want to dig a little deeper and uncover more about your closet needs, create more “you” outfits, and feel more confident when shopping, then this post is for you!

My personal style has changed so much over the years and I don’t see it “settling” anytime soon. That’s the fun of a personal style. It should always be evolving and keeping up with your current lifestyle and mainstream fashion trends.

One thing I’ve focused on more heavily this year is editing my closet and creating a wardrobe that I love. Despite being filled with pieces I adore, my closet was a source of dread for me and I would easily get frustrated trying to put things together.

This is SO unlike me!

I knew something had to change so I took some time answering a few questions to gain more insight into my current dressing habits. The experience was illuminating and since then I’ve started making more intentional purchases and buying things that make sense for me.

Getting dressed is fun again! (Quarantine aside. haha)

Here are the 3 questions that lead to my breakthrough:

How do I describe my current style?

This was an easy question to answer! I know that I gravitate towards colorful pieces that have a little edge to them. I guess if I were taking a style quiz, I’d be classified as a “creative” dresser.

Some of you might already have an answer to this, too, and others might have to peek in their closet and try to determine what style stands out the most. Or, heck, even take a style quiz online or in a magazine.

There’s really no wrong answer. A few simple words, a whole detailed paragraph, or even a picture should suffice as a way to describe your personal style. (Or just the personal style you aspire to!)

Hannah is wearing a thrifted graphic tee with a blue moto jacket on top, and a statement necklace

Hannah is wearing a thrifted graphic tee with a blue moto jacket on top, rainbow striped knee length skirt on the bottom, and red high heels

Hannah is wearing a thrifted graphic tee with a blue moto jacket on top, and a rainbow striped knee length skirt on the bottom

What do I need outfits for?

To be honest, this question never crossed my mind before this year. I read about it in “how to find your personal style” guides all the time but thought it was geared towards people who were fashionably-challenged.

I just knew I wanted my outfits to be fun and I left it at that. Big mistake! I was left with a closet full of fun clothes that didn’t match the situations I was in.

To answer this question, I wrote down a list of all the places and events I engage in on a regular basis. I even took it a step further and visualized what I’d be wearing in those scenarios. What would someone with a colorful aesthetic wear to a business meeting? Or to the grocery store? Or on a date?

I also added looks to my fashion Pinterest board that I felt represented those visions the most. Visualizing is powerful, y’all!

What do I want my style to do?

This question focuses more on the future and evolution of my style. Beyond just being able to get dressed everyday or emulate outfits worn by Jenna Lyons, what do I want to do better at or incorporate into my looks?

This could be as simple as “wear more jewelry” or “pick higher quality pieces.” You don’t need to overthink this question. You may not even have an answer! That’s ok!

For me, instead of just writing this stuff down to do “one day,” I’m committing myself to actually putting the list into practice. If I want to wear more jewelry, I’m going to buy more jewelry! If I want my style to mature with me, I’m going to intentionally pick out pieces with different cuts or silhouettes.

The important thing is to pick a few goals and stick with them. Like news years resolutions but for your your closet!

Are you ready for your own closet breakthrough?

This year has placed us all in big shake ups and really highlighted our problems and encouraged us to come up with creative solutions. As insignificant as it is in the bigger picture, I’m glad that I’ve become more aware of my closet issues and can reset my habits.

I hope this post helped you as well! Please be sure to share it with a friend or Pin it for later.