Photos by Katherine Pekala

Here’s the million dollar question, “how do I find my personal style?” The truth is it’s way easier than you probably think and not as intimidating as it may seem. But I will say that it’s definitely a process as with everything else that we pursue. All it takes is a few steps to get there. A little formula if you will. Some fall into it naturally and others learn via help from a style expert. Either way is fine, as along as you’re having fun and discovering more about who you are in the process. That’s where I enter the chat. By now you’re probably wondering what does “style DNA” mean. Well it’s just another way of saying your signature style. Over here we like to think of it as your essence or “IN THING.” The think that makes you, you. And that’s what we’re aiming to uncover, your signature personal style DNA. Get into a few easy actionable steps that’ll get you closer to your dream look.

SEEK INSPIRATION

Everything starts with inspiration. From the smallest of ideas to the biggest of projects. Finding your personal style is the same. We all have aesthetics, movies, fashion icons to name a few that we’re naturally drawn to and for this step you have to tap into that. Gather all the images, feelings, vibes, places, looks that you aspire to embody and lay it all out on a physical mood board or Pinterest. You’ll start to notice a theme of the things you naturally have an affinity to coming through. The inspiration that you pull from doesn’t have to be strictly about fashion, it could come from other fields as such as art, cinema, a poster you saw walking down the street. Anything! As long as it all culminates to the same vibe. This portion is all about creating a feeling. How do you want to feel in this new look or dream style. When you’ve arranged a mood board that reflects that aesthetic it’s time to move on to the next step.

CHOOSE YOUR MUSE

We all have that one person that we love to see get dressed. It could be someone that’s your friend and or family member, or even passersby in the street. Or the most typical one of all, a celebrity style icon. But it doesn’t even have to be someone outside yourself you can be your own muse. Once you choose a muse, start examining them and looking at the types of clothing that they wear. Look closely at the pieces of clothing they where most often, the colors they wear, their choice of brands, silhouettes, makeup, hair. You’ll notice a theme emerging and that’s what you want to tap into. For instance, when I started my style journey my muse(s) were models off duty. I loved that look because it was minimal and clean but still had an impact and it was the way I wanted to look myself. From there I start buying pieces that were similar and making it my own which later developed into my style today. The idea is that you’ll take inspiration from this muse and make it your own. Don’t be a blatant copy because nobody likes that. But take notes of the elements that make up the look you’re going for and apply it to your style.

CLEAN OUT CLOSET

Once you’re clear on the look you’re going for, you’re going to want to start editing your wardrobe. You can keep all the things that you absolutely adore and the things that fit into your new style. Get rid of everything else. From there you’ll be able to clearly see what pieces your missing and will need to go out and buy and which pieces already fit your new aesthetic. But brace yourself this bit can get emotional believe it or not. You’re shedding an old part of yourself and sometimes that’s hard to let go of but it’s also really exciting and totally worth it so push through!

TRY YOUR NEW LOOK

Now it’s time for fun part. Once you’ve edited your wardrobe and replenished it with all your new pieces that fits your new look, it’s time to try it out. You can ease into it by going with the very beginner level of that style and working through it until you get more comfortable. Try different outfit combinations in your new aesthetics. See what you like and don’t like about the new look and what suits you. Because even though this might be a look you love you still have master what works for you in that new aesthetic. If you find that you’re loving it then you’ve found your new look. If it’s not what you thought it would be, now is a good time to go back to the drawing board. Repeat the first few steps to get back to something you like. But if not, then hooray you’re on you way!

EXPERIMENT

Now that you’ve covered some ground in your new style and your way comfortable and confident in your new look, it’s time to start experimenting! Since you’ve got a good handle on the style rules it’s time to start breaking a few. Pair pieces that wouldn’t usually go together, experiment with color, try new shapes and silhouettes, go for print mixing. Now is the time to go a little wild and see what happens when you push the envelope a bit further. After this period you’ll find out what is absolutely a no and what’s absolutely a go. And you don’t have to wear any of these looks out in public by the way. You can totally go crazy in the comfort of your bedroom in front the mirror. If you don’t love it just simply take it off and try again. Take note of all the winners and rock it the next time you get a chance to.

OWN IT + FREESTYLE

After experimenting for some time, you’ll start to notice that you have your own little thing going on. You’ll start to pick up on little signatures or DNAs that’s exclusive to you which reflects who you are on the inside. And people will start to notice as well and will start asking you about it. They’ll even begin asking you to teach them how you achieve your look in some cases. That’s when you know you’ve got something and have a personal style emerging. At this point, don’t be afraid to own it and delve deeper into what makes you you in terms of style. From here you can even start blending aesthetics and mastering how to put a look together effortlessly. This is when you’ve found your personal style and have the knowledge and experience to take it in any direction that you wish confidently.