How to Find Your Personal Style & Clothes That Feel "You"

Oof, it’s happened again. You bought the first garment that caught your attention, got all excited about it, wore it once or twice… and then felt just as uninspired as you did with your previous purchases. So, you’re back to square one: “I have nothing to wear.”

We know how frustrating it is because, years ago, before changing our approach and launching this ethical fashion platform, I was trapped in the same cycle.

That’s exactly why, now, we can promise you this: just because you like the look of an item online or on a mannequin, it doesn’t mean you’ll feel happy wearing it. For that to happen, you need to wear clothes that match your personal style and feel “you”.

But how can you do that if you have no clue as to what your personal clothing style even is?

Well, let’s start there!

Finding your personal style will benefit both you and the planet (yes, really!)

Fast fashion is always tempting you to buy new cheap clothes to keep feeling worthy and happy. Ironically, despite all those initial dopamine rushes, this system was designed to keep you unhappy so that you JUST. KEEP. BUYING.   

Instead, when you find your personal style of clothing, you will:

• Ditch impersonal trends and random impulse purchases
• Almost always wear clothes that embody your personality and preferences
• Feel happy and aligned whenever you rewear them 

(If you want to dig deeper into the difference this makes, I recommend reading Big Dress Energy by Shakaila Forbes-Bell)

But why does finding your personal style matter from a wider sustainability perspective?

• By ditching overconsumption, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint and waste
• You’ll stop supporting fast fashion brands with a terrible environmental impact and human cost 

Isn’t it exciting to know that, once you’ve put this simple guide into practice, you’ll make such a big difference in your day-to-day life and beyond?!

4 steps to finding your personal style of clothing

1. Start with the clothes you already own

Look at the garments and accessories in your wardrobe one by one (even better: get them ALL out).

• What pieces caught your attention first?
• What do you pick most often?
• What makes you feel happy and aligned when you wear it?

And after separating these clothes from the rest so that you can focus on them alone, what do they have in common? For now, just note down the first words and adjectives that come to mind.

2. Look into these clothing style aspects

To get to your personal clothing style without feeling confused or overwhelmed, tackle these aspects one at a time.

Use them as keywords on visual platforms like Pinterest so that you can immediately see what resonates with you and what doesn’t (and while you might have a strong preference for some of them, it doesn’t have to be black or white. So, think of them as more of a sliding scale).

Colourful vs neutral 

• Colourful – Bright colours, either varied or as part of a more defined palette (maybe you have a favourite colour, too?)
• Neutral – More muted and versatile foundation based around whites, blacks, greys, or beiges

Maximalist vs minimalist

• Maximalist – Bold statement pieces with lots of details, patterns, busy prints, layers, vibrant colours, and plenty of accessories
• Minimalist – Versatile basics or timeless items with clean lines, no (or minimal) prints and embellishments, and mostly monochrome or neutral 

Casual vs formal 

• Casual – Laid-back garments for everyday use and comfort 
• Formal – Timeless cuts and structured pieces that hold their shape, for a modern, elegant, or professional vibe

Tailored vs loose-fitting 

• Tailored – Figure-hugging clothes that highlight your silhouette or fit tightly
• Loose-fitting – Oversized, baggy, or relaxed clothes that don’t follow the contours of your body

Edgy vs classic

• Edgy – Unconventional items inspired by punk, rock, or alternative clothing styles, often highlighting a rebellious spirit and desire to break free from mainstream fashion
• Classic – More traditional and timeless pieces with clean lines and versatile designs

Urban vs rural

• Urban – Chic and modern pieces that mirror a fast-paced city life
• Rural – Comfortable, timeless garments drawing inspiration from more relaxed, nature-oriented environments 

3. Describe your ideal personal style 

By now, you should have some keywords to describe your favourite clothes and those that spoke to you the most when you researched them online. Bring them together!

Ideally, you’ll want to narrow it down to three words, which could include:

• Adjectives (such as the ones covered in the previous section or additional ones that matter to you, like sporty, whimsical, or pastel)
• More specific fashion aesthetics (like cottagecore or dark academia)

Congratulations: you’ve found your personal style of clothing! What now?

4. Create a fashion mood board of your personal style

To get crystal-clear on what it means to you (and have fun in the process!), create a fashion mood board on Canva or Pinterest.

You could include the three words you’re now using to describe your personal style of clothing and some photos of items and outfits that best represent it.

Then, print it out or keep it on your phone so that you can look at it whenever you want/need to.

Embracing and maintaining your personal style of clothing 

We're confident it’ll become second-nature soon, especially when you start to feel the difference it makes for you. At first, though, the biggest challenge is not getting distracted by fast fashion trends again. So:

• Prioritise the clothes you already own that match your new personal style
• Get creative rewearing them and remixing them into different outfits
• Think of your favourite ones as your signature outfits, dressing like a main character
• Be mindful of how they make you feel
• Refer to your mood board before buying any new items, and stick to those that match your personal style (and that you actually need and will rewear for years!)
• Support sustainable brands that design durable and timeless clothes instead of fuelling trends. At Project Cece, we brought hundreds of ethical brands in one place and added filters to simplify your choice!

Now that you’re clear on your personal style of clothing, I bet you’ll never think “I have nothing to wear” or “Ugh, this just doesn’t feel ‘me’” ever again.