Styling 101 - Developing Your Personal Style

Tiffany styled in a coat and dress with leopard flats - Styling 101

Tiffany in a floral dress with leopard accessories.

Tiffany in a striped dress with a tee and belt

Tiffany in a floral dress with a jacket and white boots.

Tiffany in a sweater, belt and midi skirt. - Styling 101

I was talking to a friend a few weeks ago and she made a comment how certain dresses (like flannel shirt dresses) just don’t work on everyone. My response was that I understood how she felt but I think it is less of not working for someone and more of someone not knowing how to style what they purchased.

There has been a lot of discussion this past year about retailers like Target with people making funny Tiktok’s and other videos about the dresses looking like they are from Little House on the Prairie. On one hand I get their point. There is a definite shift in the fashion industry right now and it relies heavily on your ability to style the pieces you are purchasing in an interesting way.

Last year I wrote a lot about how to buy and what to buy. The entire first 6 months or so of 2021 was dedicated to capsule wardrobes. Learning how to buy is important but now we need to talk about what to do with what you bought.

My theme and focus for 2022 is going to be all about styling. Today we are going to start with the basics but here are a few other arenas we will cover.

Styling 101: All of the basics and how I look at my personal style.
Styling for a Capsule: How to take what you learned building a capsule wardrobe and apply it to styling.
Creating a Personal Style: Taking our own personal style and applying that to a variety of looks.
How to Style Seasonal: Picking out styling pieces that will work through a variety of seasons.
Styling at the Beach: Staying stylish on vacation.
Q and A with a Wardrobe Stylist: Getting the details from a professional.
How to style: Taking five classic pieces and styling them different ways.
Q and A with a Fashion Merchandiser: Learning how to style within a store.
Q and A with 4 Local Style Icons: how to develop your personal style.
How to Style: Layering
How to Style: Belts

My Personal Style

Tiffany in a camel and black outfit - Styling 101

When I style my outfits there isn’t a look I am trying to achieve. It’s a feeling. I used to dress and try to achieve a certain look in the mirror, but it didn’t always work. I started relying on how the outfit made me feel when it was styled which is pretty much how I dress in general. If I feel good in it, I am going to wear it.

I always want to make things my own. That is what I consider being a person’s “personal style”. Taking an item that you see on the shelf and making it work within your personal aesthetic.

I always want things to look three ways when I am dressing.

Bold – I am not a wallflower and neither are my outfits. I like to dress where my clothes stand out.
Unique – I want everything to look like it has my personal stamp on it. I always look at things and think, how can I make this different than how anyone else will wear it. I also don’t mean this in an overwhelming way. It can be as simple as putting a brooch on a casual outfit. The little things sometimes are what make outfits the most visually interesting.
Fun – I believe at my core that fashion and style should be fun. I think that even in the most traditional settings there is a way to dress in a fun manner. I always want my style to be a reflection of my personality.

Developing Your Personal Style

Now that you know a little bit about my personal style, I want to talk to you about developing yours. I am all about developing questions. Just ask my social media clients. I ask one hundred questions about who their ideal client is. It is an important step in any process to know your why. I am going to show how to develop that why in your styling.

How do you want to feel when you get dressed?
What is your core style? Traditional, Classic, Urban, Trendy, etc…
What is one area of your body that you love?
What is an item of clothing that you love?
What is an accessory that you love?
What is one outfit you remember wearing and it made you feel your best? What was it about that outfit that made you feel that way?

The next time you are planning what to wear I want you to think about all of these things. Also, try planning outfits out before you are getting dressed. Don’t wait until you are getting dressed. Pulling your outfit together right before you get dressed can add to your stress and leave you feeling less than perfect in your outfit.

How to Style

Chances are you have enough in your closet to pull your looks together, but I wanted to give you some direction on things you need to style. These are a few things that I like to have at my disposal for styling my outfits.

Belts – variety is your friend. Thick, thin, buckle in the front, snaps in the back. They all have their place in an outfit.
Jewelry – Necklaces, earrings and bracelets will always come to mind but brooches are also fun and add a classic touch to outfits.
Jackets /Kimonos / Cardigans – Outerwear is always necessary at certain times of the year but it can also be part of styling to. Don’t let an opportunity to make an outfit your own be passed up even if it is a beautiful piece to keep you warm.
Turtlenecks / Tees / Tanks – layering does not always have to be over your outfit. You can layer under too.
Shoes – There will always be a special place in my heart for shoes.
Hats and Headbands – you know I am a hat girl.
Scarf – I think there is potential for a neck scarf comeback.

I am so excited about this series. I really think it is going to be helpful. Let me know if there is anything I am missing, and I will make sure to include it. Have a wonderful start to your New Year!!