Picture: Pexels/Arina Krasnikova
Fashion trends can be exciting, but constantly chasing them can make getting dressed feel more like keeping up than expressing yourself.
New colours, silhouettes, aesthetics and ‘must-have’ pieces appear every season—and disappear just as quickly. A more rewarding approach is to develop a signature look: a personal style that feels recognisably yours, while still leaving room to experiment.
Also see: From runway to real life: Fashion trends to try this season
A signature look does not mean wearing the same outfit every day. It means developing a consistent visual language through the colours, silhouettes, fabrics, accessories and proportions you repeatedly choose.
Start with what you already love
Before buying anything new, look at the clothes you already own. Which pieces do you reach for repeatedly? Which outfits make you feel confident? Are you naturally drawn to tailored trousers, relaxed denim, monochrome colours, feminine dresses, oversized jackets or statement jewellery?
These patterns are clues to your personal style.
British Vogue recommends thinking about the pieces that form the foundations of your wardrobe and ensuring they fit well and work repeatedly in everyday outfits.
Identify your style signatures
Most memorable personal styles contain a few recurring elements. These might be a particular colour palette, silhouette, accessory or styling technique.
Perhaps you always gravitate towards black and white, structured tailoring and loafers. Maybe your signature is denim, gold jewellery and warm neutrals. Or perhaps you love colourful dresses paired with minimal accessories. Whatever that is, the key is consistency without uniformity.
Also see: The woman behind Malondie: Londeka Buthelezi-Ndaba’s fashion revolution
Build a reliable wardrobe foundation
A signature style becomes much easier when your wardrobe has dependable foundations. From a well-fitting pair of trousers, quality jeans, a crisp shirt, a blazer, or simple knitwear, these can provide countless combinations.
The goal is not to create a boring wardrobe. It is to create a stable canvas, and once your basics are reliable, you can introduce personality through colour, jewellery, prints, texture and unusual proportions.
Invest in fit and quality
A signature look depends less on having a large wardrobe and more on having clothes that work well for you. A relatively simple outfit can look exceptional when the proportions, fit and fabric are right.
This is why tailoring and alterations can be worthwhile. True Love Magazine notes that getting foundational pieces to fit properly can significantly increase their usefulness and longevity.
Before purchasing something, consider whether you would still want to wear it if nobody else were wearing it.
The most memorable wardrobes are rarely those that perfectly capture one particular season. They are the ones that you can recognise the person wearing them.
Also see: Sowetan fashion designer helps shape future of African luxury design
Featured image: Pexels
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