I am fascinated by this topic. I could talk about it all day. I have an idea about a television show that is based on personal style – not a makeover show where the object is to change and improve the person’s style, but a show that is focused on the true, authentic, unique style the person has and how they express it to the world and themselves. Who knows – maybe in some version of my future, such a show is possible!
Here are 11 simple truths about personal style.
- By definition, this kind of style is special to you. Nobody else in the entire living world need ever share any element of your personal style. And that’s okay – in fact, it may be beautiful.
- Others opinions about your personal style are exactly that – opinion. There are no hard and fast facts when it comes to personal style (however much they may be presented that way by those who propose them as such).
- You needn’t carve your sense of personal style in stone, although you may like the idea of having a solid foundation on which your personal style is based, and that doesn’t change much (such as: you like tailoured lines, or you prefer particular neutral colours as a base on which your style rests, or – I don’t know – you like animal print).
- Personal style is dynamic and alive, and can change over time. (here are 10 questions for finding your style)
- You don’t need anybody’s permission to adopt, vary, adjust, tweak, update, reverse or in any other way maneuver your personal style to suit yourself. Sure, you may wish to obtain some ideas and inspiration from others, but the final decisions about your personal style should rest with you. (here’s more on liberating your style insight)
- If you are always following the rules, or someone else’s ideas (no matter how experienced or expert they are) of what style is, you can never truly discover what your own ideas are about personal style. At some point, your own voice, your own opinions, your own feelings must dominate when it comes to cultivating your authentic personal style. (read more on the art of breaking the rules)
- It’s worth learning “the rules” about style (colour, proportion, scale, shape, and so on) before breaking them. Truly stylish women make up their own rules and wear what they love no matter what the rules say – but they usually know the rules exist and break them knowingly and purposely, and often exuberantly.
- Your personal style says something about you. Sure, it doesn’t say everything, but there’s no denying it says something. How meaningful or important your style statement is, is up to you.
- Your personal style and your mood have an ongoing and direct relationship to one another. How you dress impacts how you feel, and how you feel affects how you dress. You can use your personal style to change your mood, if you want to.
- You have no control how others will experience your personal style. And it’s possible to (inadvertently) spend a lot of time worrying about what other people think about your personal style. If you like, you can choose to adopt the attitude that someone else’s opinion of your style is their business – not yours (and then stop thinking or worrying about it).
- Your personal style should support your lifestyle – not the other way around. Your life is what is most important, and living a good life can certainly including creating, cultivating and curating a sensational sense of personal style. But I’d suggest that your sole purpose in life should be about the people and experiences you love – not your style.