Collective for Good

Getting dressed and ready in the mornings is a form of self care, and it’s significantly easier to do when you love your clothes and the outfits you can put together!

For years I’ve been sharing my outfits on Instagram but hadn’t thought too much of my Personal Style. But recently as my young kids have grown up a bit, I’ve noticed a big shift in the parenting demands I have, and I’m feeling more and more like my own human again.

Now that I’m really taking time to think about and consider my personal style, I feel like I’ve unlocked a newer, better version of myself and I love it! I hope this how-to helps you feel empowered to learn your personal style, too.

1. Look for Inspiration

What kinds of outfits do you like and dislike, whose style do you admire, what inspires you? Finding inspiration and using it to make future decisions is a good way to get started on developing your personal style.

Creating a mood board on Pinterest was a quick and fun way to get started, but I’m also finding inspiration from people I follow. Not copying them, but using their style as inspiration and recognizing what it is I admire.

As you find inspo on Pinterest or social media, think about what you like about the style. Is it the mood? The colors? The silhouettes? Why is a person or outfit inspiring? Asking myself these questions helped me find a direction to go with my personal style.

What I’ve learned is that I like:

-Classic pieces
-Comfort
-Lots of texture
-Neutral colors
-Simplicity

2. Consider Lifestyle, Personality, & Preferences

I’m a mom, and sometimes it feels like I can be a good mom OR get myself dressed and ready for the day. Lately, I’ve shifted my perspective because being a mom and having great style can co-exist, and that’s so empowering to me. Choosing fabrics that lean toward comfort and not choosing pieces that are fussy are a few ways I work within my lifestyle to pick the best pieces for me.

Naturally I tend to prefer blending in, being a listener more than a talker, and observing things and people around me. It’s part of the reason I love muted and neutral colors. Knowing I’m super introverted, knowing I don’t like attention, knowing what types of clothes I prefer to wear…that information helps me buy with intention.

Who are you and what do you need to feel good?

Ultimately, that’s the goal: put an outfit together that makes you feel GOOD!!

3. Essential Wardrobe Pieces

Experimenting with different pieces has been a big part of figuring out what I like and don’t like. Now that I’m a ways into developing my personal style, I know exactly what my essential wardrobe pieces are. It may look totally different for you!

• -White and black tanks and tees
• -Good blue jeans that fit
• -Comfortable black jeans
• -Comfortable white jeans
• -Linen button up/ flowy shirt
• -Crew neck sweater
• -Trench coat
• -A little black dress

Additionally, I have several essential pieces for each season because here in Colorado, we do experience the extremes!

4. Shopping Strategies

Keeping my budget in mind, I’ve been shopping at thrift stores, both in person and online. I’ve thrifted for kids for a long time and now I feel more and more confident thrifting for myself!

A few tips:

-Create a wish list first: have goals in mind!

-Check a local thrift shop like Goodwill or Arc

-Follow resale accounts on Instagram like @pineandoakthreads or @thisgracefulbeauty

-Invest in quality over quantity for new (see my favorites below!)

5. Accessorizing, Styling, and Creating Outfits

Developing personal style is a work in progress, for sure!

Where I’m currently at is styling, accessorizing, and creating outfits I feel good in. I’m taking more risks, playing with color in accessories, and leaning into Pinterest inspiration to make new outfits.

My favorite brands for shopping accessories are all ethically made:

For shoes– Nisolo

For bags– Noonday Collection or Able

For jewelry– Noonday Collection or Sela Designs

If my style resonates with you and you want individual links, check out my LTK shop! I try to share all ethically or sustainably made pieces so we can look good but also do good in the world. 🙂

6. Evolving Style + Trends + Changes

One of my goals in focusing on my personal style is to reduce the temptation in buying into trends. Right now I’m so focused on building a fundamental wardrobe that trends aren’t on my radar, but I’m sure that’ll change and I want to have a plan.

In the future, my hope is to pick and choose the trends that align with what I like, what I need, and what I feel best in instead of investing in a trend because it’s popular. I know this will be hard, especially with social media. But I’m committed!

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I hope that in some way this has helped you feel confident or empowered to work on your own closet. It has given me so much confidence to get up and get dressed because I really do love the clothes I have, even though my closet is minimal!

XOXO,

Kimberly

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