thoughts on / personal style
Whether it’s fashion, interiors, music or lifestyle, everyone has their own personal style. It can be found in that one color palette you always find yourself going back to or the familiar instrumental melody that echoes throughout your Spotify. It’s almost as if we don’t have a say it what we gravitate towards. Without any conscious effort on our part, our personal style will always find its way to us.
I think we are all born innately knowing this but as we grow up many of us subconsciously abandon parts of our personal style. When I was 10 years old I remember seeing my friend wearing an outfit from Limited Too (the ultimate cool girl brand of the 2000’s) and thinking she looked so cool. I begged my mom to buy me the same outfit thinking it would make me look and feel just as cool. But when I finally got to the store and tried on the outfit, everything felt off. It wasn’t my color palette, the fit wasn’t right and I felt no real connection to the fabric hanging on my body other than possible validation from my friends. This killed me!! I wanted to love the outfit on myself just as much as I had loved it on my friend; but it just wasn’t me. Now at 26, I feel like my personal style and I are old friends. We’re on the same page and I trust her to guide me in the right direction.
Below are the five concepts that I use to bring me back to my personal style when I’ve strayed. When I started putting this list together a few months ago, I intended for it to relate to design, lifestyle, interiors, fashion, etc. But as I dove deeper into the list I realized that these five principals are what I apply to most things in my day to day life. Dating, friendships, conflicts at work, deciding what to make for dinner - literally everything! I guess when it really comes down to it, being more in touch with your personal style is really just about being more in touch with yourself. I hope you enjoy and find one or two useful tips to help you continue down your personal style path!
Trust what lights you up / I’m a believer that the things that peek our interest happen on purpose. The people, places and things that spark inspiration in us are there to lead us to where we are meant to be - so trust them! Even the smallest most random things that get you excited like, a character in a TV show, a magazine article or a local restaurant. Everything that sparks excitement is a small window into our core desires. For example, I have always been transfixed with Marin County, just north of San Francisco. I remember driving there one foggy afternoon a few years ago and I felt like I was in the right place. I stopped at a local market in Sausalito for lunch and thought “I really like it here.” Cut to four months later, I had landed my dream job at an Interior Design firm just 1 mile away from that market! This experience proved to me that nothing is on accident - so trust your excitements!
Find your palette / Everyone has a personal palette. Even if you don’t know what it is yet - it is definitely there! Pay attention to what colors you naturally gravitate towards in your day to day life. Look around your house - you may notice a pattern. What color is your shower curtain? Throw Pillows? Most worn T-Shirt? Toothbrush? Once you have that nailed down, play around with combinations. For example, if you gravitate towards a natural green palette, try adding in beige, cream or white to soften and different shades of green to add contrast. The most important thing to keep in mind is that there is no right or wrong answer. Whatever you like, is the right answer! It’s all about noticing your palette patterns and trusting what catches your eye.
Put your blinders on / In this Instagram world we live in, it’s easy to get over saturated with content. If you’re not careful the content you consume may trick you into taking on a style or trend that isn’t in line with your personal style. More than once I have found myself coming out of an instagram wormhole, hating my wardrobe, judging my body and wanting to blow all of my money to make my life look more like someone else’s. I’m sure you would agree that it can be exhausting. Do yourself a favor and start to consume intentionally. Pay attention to how you feel while visiting different profiles. If you feel drained, less than or jealous, it may be time to unfollow. Instead seek out those accounts that leave you feeling excited, inspired and motivated.
Be open to evolution / I have found that the more I lean into my personal style, the more it evolves into something more interesting and exciting! Like a towering redwood tree, when your roots are planted deep and firm into the ground, you can grow and evolve as much as you want without straying from yourself and your personal style. Sometimes I mistake my evolution for getting further away from myself when in fact it’s the opposite. Evolution adds textures, depth and interest. Think of every new excitement and curiosity as a new branch on the growing tree that is your personal style.
Own it / Once you’ve found your style - own it every day of the damn week! Having confidence in the parts of us that make us unique is contagious and impossible to ignore. If you feel your best in leopard print pants with a bright yellow shirt, who can argue with you if you rock it with confidence?! Lean into your personal style with roots planted firming in the ground and the world will follow suit!