Do you need a signature style?

How would you describe your personal style in three words? And why would you want to?

If you know what you love, you’re much less likely to buy something that’s not really you. If you’ve seen ‘Tidying Up with Marie Kondo’ you’ll know that the average person has a lot of ‘meh’ clothing. And can’t you relate a little? My sense that I needed to define my personal style was triggered by a podcast about the book ‘The Curated Closet’ which suggests coming up with three words to define your style. It’s hard to do.

I ended up with: detail, colour and contemporary. Details like an unusual button, ruching or embroidery always capture me. I toyed with ‘feminine’ as a word as I do like dresses, skirts, embroidery and lace. But feminine sounded a bit prissy.

One way to define your style is to gather together items you really love either physically or on a Pinterest board. You can then identify what those items have in common. Some of mine are in this photo, variously from Madewell, Massimo Dutti, & Other Stories, Zara and a boutique in Madrid:

Another good way into this is to pick out a celebrity you consider a style icon: what is it about their style that you admire so much?

One of the dangers — for me — of second hand shopping is that it can be like the sales: I’ll end up buying something just because it’s from a brand I love and because it’s much less expensive than usual. And of course when something is second hand, it’s more sustainable too. So many reasons to buy! In a shop in Rochester recently I almost bought a summery top with a bold floral pattern. It was Ted Baker and only £7. But I didn’t need it as I’ve got so many summery tops. Loads. And it wasn’t my style. Tip: Rochester (Kent) is brilliant for second hand shopping.

The danger of not having a signature style is the repeat buy – as in when you realise you’ve got four grey cashmere jumpers. It’s easily done, so I really try to only buy items that aren’t similar to anything I already own.

What’s your style signature, and how can you use it to make second hand shopping work for you?

#preloved #secondhandfirst #sustainablestyle #fashion #sustainablestyle