Enjoy Exploring Your Unique Style with a DIY Style Analysis
Like you, every now and then I feel frustrated and bored with my wardrobe. #mostgirls
Since being intentional and pursuing peace has been on my mind this year, I decided to take some action by doing a DIY style analysis and a wear my wardrobe challenge.
Along the way, I’ve refined my style preferences, culled my wardrobe, and experimented with my wardrobe more. It’s been liberating!
You can live intentionally with passion and purpose as God’s beloved.
You can do this by leaning more into the unique styles that only YOU have!
Just a friendly reminder: This post isn’t about how my style is the be-all for everyone. I’m just sharing some examples of how I walked through this to give you a little inspiration and motivation to have a little style analysis fun for yourself!
Curious to learn more? Let’s dig in.
Style analysis: What’s my style recipe?
First, I decided to do my own style analysis in the hopes that this might help me better articulate what I like and dislike, and what’s most realistic in this season of life.
So, I got cozy with my laptop, opened up Evernote and Pinterest, and and started thinking about my style recipe.
I knew that having my own “style filter” could help me more effectively decide:
- What I remove from my wardrobe
- What I add to my wardrobe
- How I create outfits
Australian stylist Imogen Lamport, the “Scientist of Style” has written so many informative, applicable posts about crafting your style recipe.
Basically, your style recipe (or style statement) is the ingredients that go into making up your unique style.
If you’re curious about developing the science of style, color, proportions, etc., her blog is a goldmine of insight, resources and a unique perspective.
I thought about how I wanted to feel when I wore my clothing and how I’d like to be perceived by others.
This style recipe came to mind:
Vivacious
Versatile
Classic
Note: your own style recipe might change depending on your season of life. That’s normal and healthy!
Then I jotted down some questions to help me explore this further.
Pinterest: What am I drawn to? What turns me off?
I skimmed my Pinterest wardrobe board and noted what stood out to me about pins I’d saved. Why did I save it?
I started a running list of what drew me to images. Then I skimmed it for recurring trends. A few stood out:
- Camel blazers
- Bright colors
- Sweaters over button up shirts
- A-line skirts
- Figure skimming silhouettes
- Polka dots and stripes
- and so forth
Then I focused on what I’m not drawn toward. Since I don’t save images of what I don’t like (duh), I jotted down what I wasn’t seeing on my board. I also jotted down what I knew instinctively about myself.
I tend to avoid:
- Pastels and light colors
- Oversized and slouchy style tops
- Tiny floral prints
- Totally neutral outfits
- Maxi dresses
Then I moved on to the next question.
What specifically works for me? What doesn’t?
Stunning Style’s free masterclass was so helpful in helping me get more specific about this question!
In the masterclass, April gives attendees the following challenge (my paraphrase):
- Pull out five items from your wardrobe that you absolutely adore.
- Pull out five items from your wardrobe that you just can’t seem to get excited about.
- Examine your five adorable items and ask yourself, “What specifically about this item rocks my world?” Perhaps it’s the color or shape, but take it even further. Is it the size of the pattern? The shape of the neckline? The sleeve length? The type of buttons and hardware? etc.
- Examine your iffy items and ask, “What specifically bugs me about this item?” Get specific like you did with the adorable items.
The idea is that if you’re very clear on what you don’t like and won’t wear, it can help you STOP buying stuff you won’t wear.
WHAT?!
I know – pretty-crazy-simple-yet-mindblowing, right?
Want to know more? Definitely check out Stunning Style – it’s so helpful, especially if you like classic style.
For me, most often some of the issues with my iffy items were that they didn’t align with my style recipe.
Even though I hadn’t articulated it before, I knew intuitively that it wasn’t quite “me.”
Then I moved on to the next question.
What do I see when I look in my wardrobe?
It’s great if I want to feel like my style recipe in my wardrobe.
The big question is: does my wardrobe actually give those vibes?
When you spend so much time day-to-day with your wardrobe, it can be hard to see it a bit more objectively.
I gave it a good shot, though, by quickly going through my wardrobe.
Basically, I went through one zone of where I store my clothes (closet, drawers, etc.) and asked – does this fit my recipe?
I also asked if it meshed with any of the trends I saw on my Pinterest list.
If it did, I popped it back where I could easily find it, a.k.a. not a reject zone!
If it didn’t, I set it aside to consider more carefully. Typically, this would involve deciding to keep, alter, donate, or trash the item.
In this case, I decided to give myself a wardrobe challenge.
Bonus: Taking on a Wear Your Wardrobe Challenge
This part of the style analysis happened over a few weeks.
Basically, I challenged myself to wear everything in my wardrobe at least once with no repeats.
You can learn more about this here.
Taking on this challenge forced me to really deal with why my items were so iffy and do something about it!
Recapping how to do a DIY style analysis
Personally, doing my own style analysis was SO FUN and empowering. My approach took some time and work, but it was so worth it.
My style recipe has helped me better articulate what I’m loving about an item or outfit and when it feels off.
Never analyzed your style? Give it a go!
- Think about how you want to feel in your clothes and how you want to be perceived by others. Write it down!
- Then, use Pinterest or some other style image too, and ask, What am I drawn to? What turns me off?
- Examine your own wardrobe and ask, What specifically works for me? What doesn’t?
As a bonus, you can always take on your own Wear Your Wardrobe Challenge.
You can live intentionally with passion and purpose as God’s beloved. You can do this by leaning more into the unique styles that only YOU have!
It’s your turn.
What do you think about having a style recipe? What’s yours?
Let’s talk in the comments!
P.S. Want some crazy simple steps to start living intentionally? Grab the Embrace Your Potential Playbook. It’ll help you zoom in on your God-gifted personality and give you practical tips to be more intentional, passionate, and purposeful as God’s beloved so you can become the best version of yourself.
Cortney is a Christian life coach and recovering over-achiever who is passionate about helping Christian women embrace who God created them to be so they can confidently step into any season of life with passion, purpose, and peace. She’s also an ENFJ, MBTI® coach, M. Ed in College Student Development, Pilates and Yoga teacher, wife, mama, and entrepreneur. In her pre-kid life, she coordinated programs for, coached, funded, and provided leadership training for more than 60+ student organizations and 100s of university students for 7+ years. (Helping people highlight their inner awesomeness and reach their goals is her jam!)
More importantly, she’s God’s beloved.
