[Guest Post] How to Find Your Style Personality

I can still hear a tiny voice beside my bed, whisper yelling into my still sleeping ear, “Mommy… I waked up”. This was my first alert that I should go ahead and slowly get out of bed, take a shower, put on my makeup, style my hair and choose a trendy outfit for my day… said me, NEVER. That was my warning that if I didn’t get up quickly, then he and two more like him would start climbing me like a mountain until I got up, made breakfast, cleaned up from breakfast, dressed them, entertained them, cleaned up from entertaining them, made lunch, cleaned up from making lunch, read to them, entertained them, cleaned up from entertaining them… I think I’ve painted the picture. I was a stay at home mommy for ten years with my three darling boys, all just two years apart. Today the darlings are 15, 17 and 19 and the days of naptime stories and cleaning up puzzles have long been replaced by girlfriends, track spikes, cars and guitars.

THE PICTURE OF DOMESTICITY?

One day all those years ago I was bragging to a very stylish friend of mine, probably about how I baked my own bread and she said to me, “You are the picture of domesticity”. I recently saw some old pictures of myself and “domesticity” wasn’t very stylish. My wardrobe made sense at the time and it was appropriate for days of sewing capes and making homemade granola bars.

When my wardrobe stopped making sense was when it was time to transition into the workforce and my fashion was roughly a decade behind… wait, baby-doll dresses and chokers weren’t cute anymore? NO, not in 2005. I had to tell myself to put down the burgundy lip liner and buy a flat iron.

MY JOURNEY BACK

Today I own a fashion company and I’ve learned a lot since my bumpy style transition back into the fashion mainstream. I spent my first year back at work filling my closet with things that matched my new life, but didn’t always feel like they matched me. I knew what was stylish, but I didn’t know my style personality. Consequently, there were many days I felt like I had “nothing” to wear.

I’ve since learned that I have a classic, minimalist kind of style. If a modern day Audrey Hepburn would wear it, I’ll probably love it. Had I known my style personality ten years ago, I would have saved thousands and instead of donating garbage bags full of clothes I never wore, I would have filled my closet with timeless pieces I would still have today.

Most professional wardrobe stylists agree that learning your style personality is step one of building a wardrobe you love that reflects your personal “brand”. This is the authentic you in best fashion form!

IDENTIFYING YOUR STYLE PERSONALITY

While there is most definitely some preference overlap in the different style personalities, it’s very useful to narrow down what you like at your core. From there you can figure out your best colors, most flattering cuts and fabrics.

  • Do you love florals, fit and flare dresses and all things dainty? I like to call that style personality “Forever Feminine”.
  • Do you gravitate towards flowy, crocheted, fringy fabulousness? Your SP (style personality) is more “Bohemian Beauty” than anything.
  • Can’t get enough of modern cuts and trends? Do you love a little rocker vibe in what you wear… leather trim, graphic prints etc. You’re an “Edgy Modernista”… own it!
  • Do you prefer solid colors and classic minimal prints? Love blazers, uncomplicated dresses and simple, understated elegance? You’re SP is the “Classic Minimalist”… welcome to my party!

You can start the process of discovering your SP by deciding which of these phrases represents what you’re drawn to the most: “I like pretty/girly”, “I like flowy/fringy”, “I like simple” or “I like edgy/fun”.

Once you narrow that down, understand most women can be moody dressers and like to have components of two or more of these categories on hand for their “alter ego” days. I normally like a pencil skirt, or skinny slacks but when I’m feeling girly I want to put on a circle skirt that swings. My circle skirts aren’t floral, they are plain or classic prints and I only have a couple- compared to the pants I have in every solid, classic color. Some women are “preppy” classic minimalists and love a good polo or button down sweater over a blouse and prefer bright solid colors to black.

CREATE YOUR STYLE BOARD

I looooove Pinterest. When you figure out your SP, try searching terms that match that personality, like “modern edgy pants”, “boho dresses” or “classic fashion trends”. Then you can start building a board that reflects your perfect style.

There are many combinations of every basic style but the investment in learning who “you” are in your clothes should be a fun, confidence boosting adventure. Every woman gets dressed before she does anything. Our clothes are our uniform for doing life. I encourage every woman to build a wardrobe that gives her options every day that reflect her truest self, because it promotes confidence and we all need and deserve that as we go forth and conquer this life.

Remember, you are beautiful and brave… lovely in every way.

ABOUT CHRISTIANA

Christiana White is the owner of The Moxie Fox Curvy Couture.  She believes that women of every size should have access to beautiful, quality clothing.  

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