She Is The Moment: How To Develop Your Signature Style

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Style and fashion are obviously synonymous with each other, however, understanding your personal style extends beyond past what’s on trend, or what you see in the media. It even passes what you actually find fashionable, having a signature style reflects the intersection between how you see yourself, and how you want to be seen, it’s your armour against the world. And, those with a defined signature style know themselves well and are well equipped to deal with whatever the world throws at them.

So, today we explore how you can become one of these people, and what it actually takes to develop your own signature style.

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Understand What You Feel Best In

If you do a quick Google on finding your signature style, you’ll find a number of sites suggesting the same thing; “understand your body type”. But following archaic archetypal advice won’t make you feel any more comfortable or confident. Pay attention to the clothes instead. Think back to an outfit you loved, and break it down, what was it about it that made you feel so fantastic? Was it the colour, print, fit, or cut? We often box ourselves into silhouettes that feel safe, but maybe it was something a little more daring that made you feel fantastic. This may be a sign that you in fact don’t want to blend in, and covering yourself in loud, proud prints may be the constant within your style, rather than a specific cut or shape.

Once you’ve zeroed in on what it is that makes you feel confident, go looking for it next time you’re out, there are stores like Australian icon Forever New that carry classic pieces at a great price point, and are therefore the perfect place to begin your hunt for specific sartorial items.

 

Don’t Be Afraid To Find Inspiration In Others

Developing your signature style is about finding a true sense of what makes you, you. However, don’t be confused, this doesn’t mean you can’t pull bits and pieces from what you see from others. When we are growing up and developing our own emotional sense of self, we take various aspects from the people that impact us the most. It could be your love of geeky media from your dad, or your want to make everything beautiful, like your mum. It could be the way you always make a wish when you catch an eyelash, like your teenage best friend, or the way you talk in a dorky baby voice to your dog, like your first boyfriend. Our peers are our natural influences, and incorporating parts of their look and putting your own twist on it, doesn’t make the style any less you.

However, much like most of us have been doing for most of our lives, we can also turn to traditional influences, like celebrities, or the aptly named, influencers. But, be careful in this instance not to fall into the trap of completely replicating their style, this is about seeking inspiration, not copying.

 

Find A Repeat

Something that really solidifies having a signature style, is, funnily enough, a signature.  Something that is a constant throughout your style. This could be a specific silhouette, such as a consistently flowy and breezy style. Or, maybe you’ve defined your style with beauty elements to aid the sartorial ones, like a signature haircut or beauty style. These repeated symbols help to really make your style stand out to others, as well as yourself.  When you take a look back at style icons of the past, every single one has a symbol, or something we associate with them and their unique look. It could be Marilyn Monroe’s platinum bob and siren red lips, Alexa Chung’s indie sleaze style with mini skirts and Bretton stripes, or even the Kardashian’s bodycon ensembles. No matter who they are, there is always something memorable, which is what you have to incorporate into your look, that element that creates notiriety.

 

Don’t Rush The Process

We are all extremely impatient to form our own identities, and the idea of having a signature style that physically embodies who you are and gives you that strong sense of self, for you to feel and others to perceive, as well as of course being extremely fashionable, may sound too good to be true. Suddenly, you want it now, anxiously scrolling through Instagram or Pinterest, hurriedly searching through stores, and constantly reminding your friends that you just love a certain colour, in the hopes that they’ll soon think it themselves. There’s no need for this sort of rush though. Fashion and sense of self go hand in hand, and as you learn more about yourself, you’ll learn more about what you like, and what makes you feel confident, this is when the pattern naturally starts to form.

Having a signature style can make simple things, like getting dressed in the morning, no longer a chore. But, it can also give you a gratifying sense of identity, and just a really great wardrobe. So, get out and seek inspiration everywhere, in the pages of magazines, through the floors of beautiful stores and only on the screens of your social media, you’re going to look amazing.

 

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Written by Lola McQuenzie

Lola is one of our busiest writer. She has worked for Catwalk Yourself since 2007. Lola started working with us after she graduating from Central St Martins


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