How to Define Your Personal Style

What we wear communicates something whether we realize it or not -whether we like it or not. Even if someone chooses to not put effort into their style, that in itself is also a statement of personality. Whether you give a fuck or not, fashion is a powerful form of self-expression.

The Difference Between Style and Trends

Style is timeless. Trends however, come and go. Essentially, trends are what the big boys in the game say we should spend our money on this month. They change drastically from season to season. Pioneers in the industry, meaning the top high-fashion, are the ultimate architect behind trends; and nowadays it is almost completely unrelated to self-expression. We live in a rather banal age of fashion, compared to some of the decades that preceded us. General public is becoming more and more blasé about what the front-runners are deeming "trendy". It has been simplified down into colors, and types of accessories, rather than a real game-changer.

Style can express a lot about a person. Trends merely express seasonality and temperament. Right now, as of August 2021, glitter and yellow are what is in. Look:

Pictured from top to bottom: Loewe, Connor Ives, Giorgio Armani, Prabal Gurung, Dolce & Gabbana, Carolina Herrera, Erdem, Isabel Marant, Prada, Valentino, Markarian, Givenchy, and Alberta Ferretti.

All of these fashion giants are known to be ground-breaking innovators, yet they have shown year after year that we cannot rely on them for style inspiration. Because they are thematic; they lack personality.

If expressing personality and standing out from the crowd is your goal, you should stay far away from trends and define your own unique way.

Defining & Standing Out with Your Unique Style

Start with the obvious: What are your favorite color tones? What type of music do you listen to? Which communities do you associate with? Do you have a signature piece? Look at your wardrobe, and pull out your all-time favorites. Do you notice a theme?

Going deeper, we can look at our personality. What is the best thing about being you? What is the worst thing about being you? Do you care? Do you try hard with things? Are you always kind and sweet, or is being arrogant part of your swag? Are you a doer, or a watcher? Passive, or active?

Here is chart you can use to decide on some of the "values" of your look:

Just like everything else in life, these qualities can vary by day and you can be in the middle, neither nor. But the more you lean towards one direction or the other, the more established your style will look over time.

Building personal style is a lifetime journey, and daily moods are also determinants of our #ootd . Believe in yourself, be distinct, be new. Be a #fashionrevolt ✌︎

by Selin Tanriverdi