Your personal style plays a big role when it comes to building your ideal wardrobe. There is no right or wrong when it comes to style.
Your personal style is a self-reflection of who you are as a person and nobody is restricted to one style only. Your personal style can include a love for colorful and playful outfits while your workplace requires you to be in neutral and classic attires; in this case your wardrobe will include more than just one defined style.
If you are not sure how to define your personal style in wardrobe building I usually refer back to a system called the “Universal Style System”.
The USS allows women and men to create a style and build a wardrobe that suits their lifestyle needs. It is a totality of inner and outer expression that is ever-changing and evolving to meet newly perceived needs and requirements. It allows for individual flexibility and creativity, so it is always an accurate reflection of true self.
The USS is divided into “Core/Classic” and “Accent/Non-Classic” styles.
The core styles include: Sporty, Traditional and Elegant - The accent styles include: Romantic, Alluring (or Magnetic), Creative and Dramatic.
The core styles are the timeless and enduring styles that are easy for wardrobe building - The accent styles are what gives variety, individuality and personality to our wardrobe.
The fact that we are multifaceted individuals, sticking to one style is hard because it will make us one dimensional and it will rarely satisfy our everyday needs. It is the synergy of combining all these different styles that will give us the uniqueness and the universal style that we are talking about. Ideally, we would choose one or two core styles as the base of our wardrobe and then add two or even three accent styles just to add that personality to our look. Some people stick to one style only but it is not very common.
Let’s take a look at each style:
- Sporty
Friendly and casual, typifying “American Style”
- Traditional
Conservative and business like, typifying dependability and practicality
- Elegant
Refinement and stately image, typifying culture and simplicity
Romantic
Feminine and supportive, typifying gentleness and innocence
Alluring/ Magnetic
Attractive and glamorous, typifying body acceptance and physical attention
- Creative
Original and artistic, typifying unconventionality guided by feelings of the moment
- Dramatic
Projects striking sophistication, typifying powerful and bold looks
As you have noticed, the USS does not necessarily include all the styles that are out there. We still have styles such as Bohemian, Eclectic, Artsy, Minimalistic, Vintage, Grunge and others; however, I truly believe that if we break them down we can find similarities that will relate them back to the USS as their base. One way for you to know where you fit when it comes to personal style would be to find pictures online of outfits that you like or relate to or want to be dressed in. Collecting images and putting them together will help guide you in the direction of your personal style.
I will be creating blog posts that will have detailed breakdowns of each of the USS styles to help guide you on how each style dresses for different occasions.
