Always on brand! Easy ways to find and refine your personal style.

Commit to your bit.

I recently met up with some friends for drinks and my friend’s husband commented on the “frock” I was wearing. The frock in question was a button-up shirt with an oversized peter pan collar from Maje. His wife told me that when he sees other women wearing this style of shirt (frock), he’ll comment on how it looks like something I would wear.

First, I will be referring to peter pan collar shirts exclusively as frocks from now on. And second, I found this endearing. He’s right. I looove frocks. They’re very me. Another friend’s fiancé referred to me (much less affectionately) as a puritan whilst wearing a different frock. So, while I know assume these tops are man repellers, they’re a key marker in what I would consider my personal style. I love getting frocked up.

Personal style is like a muscle; the more you focus on developing it, the bigger, stronger, and more recognizable it becomes.

But, how do you find it? And once you do, how can you refine it to make it your own? Here are some simple, but impactful steps you can take to finding a more cohesive, personal style brand.

Audit your wardrobe.

Open your closet and pull out the items you constantly wear. Look at your go-to pair of jeans, the ‘going out top’ you get excited to put on, the sweater that hangs just right, the tank top that is always in the hamper because you wear it every other day.

What do you like about these items?

• Is it the way the jeans fit you? → OK, more high-waisted, bootcut jeans for you!

• Is it the color of the shirt? → OK, more butter yellow and pastel tones for you!

• Is it how lived-in the sweater feels? → OK, more vintage and second-hand shopping for you!

To start your personal style journey, you need to pay closer attention to how your clothes make you feel. Look for similarities in shape, fit, texture, and color, and commit to finding more pieces with those qualities.

Find your three words.

Statement. Feminine. Preppy.

These are the three words that best describe my style. When shopping for new clothes or putting together an outfit, I try to ensure elements of each word can be found. Just look at my beloved frocks! The oversized, avant-garde collar is the statement. The frilly softness and the general silhouette is feminine. And the collar, especially under a sweater, is preppy.

The three word method is a process made popular by stylist Allison Bornstein and I think it is one of the best ways to ensure you’re staying on brand. I encourage you to watch her videos breaking down the three words of Mary-Kate and Ashley and Carrie Bradshaw.

After taking the audit of your closet, look at your favorite and most worn pieces. What three words can you use to describe them?

Your three words can also center less around clothes and more around your hair, makeup or general vibe. Is your hair always slicked back in a bun or ponytail? Polished could be one of your words.

PS, you can follow Allison on Substack

Capsule ≠ Neutral

What do you think of when you hear “capsule wardrobe”? I think of 10 pieces of beige, black and white clothing that yield the same outfit in different fonts.

• Slacks and a white tank with a jean jacket for day!

• Slacks and a white tank and a leather jacket for night!

• Slacks and a white tank and… you get the picture.

I find this to be limiting. While I do think having items that can be styled in many ways is key to building a lasting wardrobe, they do not need to be only in neutral tones.

My most worn sweaters are royal blue and magenta. Silver slingbacks are my go-to dressy shoe. The black trousers I do own are extremely flared, making more of a statement.

So, yes, build a wardrobe of items that can be styled in many ways. But don’t let color deter you. My friend recently shared a color analysis site with me and my ‘best’ colors include the royal blue and magenta mentioned above. Try it and see if it aligns with what you feel best in! For reference: I am a cool summer.

Other people’s opinions don’t matter.

If you wouldn’t wear clothes from someone’s closet, don’t ask them for fashion advice. I heard this once and it changed my perspective on getting (extra) dressed for the better.

If you are just starting this journey and want some help finetuning your style, ask friends who you consider stylish. They don’t need to be fashionable per say, these are just friends who have a unique POV and sharp sense of self; in their home, in their passions! They might be better equipped to look at your style through your eyes rather than their own.

I have a handful of friends I’ll send outfit ideas, but I typically refrain from seeking approval from my peers. Personal style is exactly that—personal. If you think you look cool, beautiful, fun, sexy, stunning, AMAZING… you do.

No shade to Mick Jagger, of course.

Creative inspiration is real. And helpful.

Your personal style can also be found in the things you consume.

Your favorite songs, the flavors and foods you love, the scent of your perfume, the candles in your room, the flowers you buy, the celebrities you crush on, the art hanging on your walls, the movies you find comforting.

If you want to visually see what you like, make a mood board of your favorite things and see what you come up with. Are your three words hidden in there? Can you translate the vibe into tangible pieces of clothing?

Here’s mine:

What do you think? Let me know your three words below!

xx Caylee