In my last article I took it upon myself to help you understand personal style better and generally view it in a different perspective. I discussed what personal style truly means and how it is supposed to be personal to you. I also went a little further into details on how to solve your "I have nothing to wear problem", and how to truly overcome overconsumption when it comes to fashion. Check out my previous post "here" if you want to explore more. In this post, we'll look at some steps that can help us in our personal style journey. Remember, finding your personal style is a process and not necessarily an overnight thing.

Let's start with the basics here babe. As the name suggests, personal style is specific to you, meaning in order to find the style tailored specifically to you, you need to let out the true you. How would you describe yourself? Are you an uptight girlie, are you a soft and very feminine girly, etc. Be completely free and honest with yourself, and I know what you might be thinking; is this still about personal style or is it a free therapy session? Knowing your personality is very crucial in this journey because we also want to use our clothes, accessories, hair, and makeup to express ourselves.

What we often don't remember is that style is used as a means of communication. Through style we can somewhat tell a lot about a person. So, how is it that you want to be perceived by others? You may be starting a new profession and you want to set how you'd like to be seen by people in the same profession/even potential customers, clothing can be of great help. Your personal style, also , does not need to be constrained by your work clothes, we'll get to that later. However, don't get it twisted, this is really not your sign to try to please others with your clothing. Always wear what feels authentic to you, what you don't need to think twice about wearing because IT'S YOU🗣

A little activity for you to do, go to your wardrobe(and if you've mastered all your clothes it's still ok) and analyze the pieces you have. Which items do you feel describe you? Which items do you wear on a regular? Which items do you wear rarely? This is such a good activity to help you understand your wardrobe better and in turn help you in defining your style. The items you feel describe you and those that you often wear should help you see which direction you mostly lean towards. "Oh and what about the items I rarely wear, should I now give them all away?" Well for such items, it's best to group them in a few categories: 'I haven't worn these in a long time and I don't think I will anytime soon', 'I haven't worn these because they don't fit me', and 'I haven't worn these but I see myself wearing them in a particular event/occasion'. I think you'll agree with me if I tell you to just give away the items in the first two categories, don't hoard them darling🙂. The last category can be stored safely for future use.

Understanding your body type is really important when you're trying to develop your personal style; knowing your body shape will help you pick items that really flatter your figure and helps you to be confident in your clothes. Dressing according to your body type doesn't always have to be suffocating☺. There are 5 main body types/shapes.
The Apple Shape: Creating Balance

This is typically when you have average to large bust, a full midsection, little to no definition around the waist, and narrow hips. Examples of celebrities with this body type: Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Hudson . When styling this body type, you need to balance out the upper body by adding curves and fullness to the lower body.

The Pear Shape: Highlighting Your Upper Half

People with this body type have large hips which are wider than the bust and shoulders making the body appear like a pear. Styling this body type involves taking attention away from the wider hips and drawing it towards the upper body and defined waist instead. Examples of celebrities with this body type: Ashley Graham, Jennifer Lopez.

The Hourglass Shape: Embracing Your Curves

Typically characterized by bust and hip measurements nearly equal in size, with a narrower waist measurement making the body appear like an hourglass. When styling this body type you need to follow the body's natural silhouette, proportionally balance the top and the bottom while accentuating the waist. Examples of celebrities with this body type: Brigitte Bardot, Scarlett Johansson.

The Inverted Triangle Shape: Softening the Shoulders

This body type is characterized by broader shoulders, narrower waist and narrower hips creating an inverted triangle shape. Styling this body type aims to balance the broader shoulders, chest and back with the narrower lower body by adding curves to the hips and bottom while creating a more defined waist. Examples of celebrities with this body type: Amal Clooney, Catherine Zeta Jones.

The Rectangle Shape: Creating Definition

This body type is characterized by equal bust, waist and hip measurements. The body tends to appear like a rectangle due to the lack of curves. The focus of styling this body type should be defining the waist since the rest of the body is proportional. Examples of celebrities with these body type are: Anne Hathaway, Kate Middleton.

As you learn about your body type, the guidance given is in no way supposed to forbid you from wearing clothes that actually look nice on you despite the 'rules'

Aesthetics can be a good and helpful way to help you in your personal style journey, or it can be a total waste of time and leave you frustrated😐. Before we understand how to use aesthetics to our advantage, we need to understand that you can totally embody more than one aesthetic and that's okay, and aesthetics don't define you!!

Some aesthetics you've probably heard of are: boho, edgy, streetwear, minimalist, cottagecore, classic, romantic, preppy, etc. You can choose 2-3 aesthetic types that you feel define you, and that actually flatter your body when you choose to embody them.

A few examples:
Romantic

This gives off soft and feminine. For this, texture is your friend together with soft prints, and details that feel elegant and approachable. Balance flowy pieces with fitted elements (tuck or belt); weave in soft neutrals + one accent color; choose delicate jewelry to enhance, not overwhelm.

Bohemian (boho)

This is more layered and artistic. This aesthetic celebrates texture, prints, and handcrafted details. For this mix textures (linen, suede, crochet); invest in one artisan accessory (bag, scarf); let one print lead the look and keep the rest neutral.

Classic

If you're going for timeless and polished, this is one you should consider. It favors tailored shapes, neutral palettes, and pieces that never go out of style. Here you should, invest in one perfectly tailored blazer; build a neutral shoe rotation (loafers, pumps, boots); keep accessories simple and high-quality.

Now that you've known your personality, how you want to be perceived, your body type, and aesthetics that you want to embody, let's go to the fun part😝. What I now want you to do is start looking for celebrities that also embody that aesthetic and also have a similar body type to you. Yes it might seem difficult to nail the two conditions on the head but trust me it's not impossible.
The reason I want you to do that is actually very simple, other than having to see the aesthetic you want on someone somewhat similar before you dive head first, celebrities normally have stylists who work to get them in clothing that flatters them and feels good for them. When you think of it, it's like having a stylist that you don't actually pay for😉.

As you're locking down the celebrities, I recommend you start creating mood boards for the aesthetics you've chosen, your body type and things you genuinely love; what type of fabrics are associated with the aesthetic, what type of clothes, what types of colors flatter you and which colors do you love wearing. You can create physical boards with pictures from all across the web and especially from Pinterest, and you can also create digital boards or boards in Pinterest. This will really help you understand your personal style deeper.

Whew! Personal style is really an exciting adventure that does not need to be rushed. The beauty of this journey is discovering the parts of you, you didn't know existed. Something we all need to understand is, your style will never truly be 'timeless', as we're evolving creatures and even though it won't change drastically but with time you'll notice a few changes even after 'locking in' your style, and that's totally okay.

As you're enjoying this beautiful journey, don't be afraid to ask questions where you feel stuck and if you feel like you need to hire a personal stylist, do it, furthermore it is still considered as a form of personal development

If this post spoke to you and made you feel seen, supported, and inspired, then you’ll absolutely love what I share in my newsletter. It’s where we go even deeper into personal style, confidence, mindful shopping, and learning how to truly dress like yourself — without pressure, without comparison, and without rushing the process.

Think of it as your little fashion-safe space, where I send you thoughtful guides, practical tips, and reminders that your style journey is allowed to evolve, change, and unfold at its own pace.

So go ahead and subscribe, babe. Let’s grow into our style together 🤍

Love you loads xo💋