Awhile ago, I had a friend come to me and ask if I could help her find out what her personal style was. She was bored of her closet, but didn’t really know what she wanted to change that. In my own closet, I’ve always thought it was super helpful to have a clear picture of what my own style is, that way my wardrobe stays fairly cohesive, and it’s easy to get dressed in things that make me feel great.

That’s not to say style shouldn’t evolve. I re-vsit this system every few months! But if you’re stuck, bored, or just want your wardrobe to be more cohesive, and represent more of your style, here’s how to do it!

Get Inspired | This will be the longest part, but I promise it’s super important!

1. Go on Pinterest, Instagram, etc and just find images of outfits that your drawn to, colors that you like, etc. On Pinterest you can save them into a board, and on Instagram to a Collection.

2. Once you have a solid group of images, ask yourself, what are some adjectives that describe these? Are they preppy, sporty, minimalistic? Is it very colorful or mostly neutrals? Lots of print and pattern or all solids?

3. Take those adjectives and search for MORE images, the more the merrier!!

4. Find some brands and bloggers who fit that style, give them a follow on Instagram, so you’ll constantly have some fresh inspiration. (Tip: if you already follow bloggers you like, go look at people they follow! That’s who they’re being inspired by!)

For example: My desired style can be described as Parisian-New Yorker, mostly neutrals with pops of bright color, it’s extra, over-the-top, and maximalist but without being overpowering. Key items are midi skirts, pantsuits, silk tops, wide-brimmed hats, and lots of mixing textures like leather, lace, metallic, and fuzzy sweaters.

Some bloggers who most resemble this style are Jenny Cipoletti, Krystal Bick, Olivia Jeanette, Cheralee Lyle, and some inspiration brands are Sandro Paris, Veronica Beard, Maje and Max Mara

Make a Mood Board

If you’re a visual person like me, a physical mood board can be so helpful (and they’re fun to make!) Grab a white foam-core board from any craft store or Target, print out those images you’ve been collecting, and have fun arranging and pinning them to your board!

Put it in your closet, or wherever you get dressed, and if you’re stuck for what to wear in the morning, grab an idea from there! We’ll also use this later when it comes time to shop!

Do a Try On + Cleanse

Try. On. Everything. Yes, everything. Sometimes it’s hard to get inspired by our closets, or find something to wear simply because we have so much, and trying on everything in your closet will help you discover old gems that you forgot we’re there, and maybe a few that are past their time. Make it fun though! Turn on your favorite girlpower playlist (mine is mostly Britany Spears and Ariana Grande) and dance it out while you go through your closet!

While you’re jamming to NASA, make three piles of clothes.

1. Definite yes (those pieces that are essentials or make you excited to get dressed)

2. Not sure (you still like it, but are unsure. That’s fine!!)

3. No longer sparks joy (As my girl Marie Kondo would say)

Take all the clothes in pile #3 and either donate them, or sell on Poshmark (I list everything on here at rock-bottom prices so they’ll move quickly).

Then go through your #2 pile. Are you holding onto it for sentimental reasons? Can you pair it with a lot of different things in your closet? When was the last time you wore it? A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t worn it in the past year, time to donate or sell!

Make a List

Ok, now go through your closet, look at your mood board, inspiration photos, feeds of the bloggers you like, and try to pick out some items that are missing from your closet.

(If you’re really struggling with this, try looking into Capsule Wardrobes. They’re guides for a simplified wardrobe, and you can adapt them to suit your color palette and style! Use them as the foundation of your wardrobe and then pull in fun, fashon pieces!)

For example, here’s my list:

• Silky button down tops

• A great pair of black, high-waisted fitted cropped pants

• Pantsuits in fun colors like blush pink or powder blue

Once you have your list, websites like Shopstyle are super helpful, because you can search specific items, filter by brand, price, etc and compare options from TONS of retailers. You can also save them into lists and turn on sale alerts if you’re not ready to buy yet! I like shopping this way because I can be very intentional about what I’m buying and how I curate my closet

Don’t be too Strict!

If you see something in a store and think ‘that’s so cute! but it’s just not really me’ go for it anyway! The only way to evolve and grow is to try new things, and that is 100% true of fashion. So try new things, experiment, be a little crazy every once in a while!

xoxo,

Audra