How do you craft your own personal style? A Guide To Creating Personal Style For Anyone!

A personal style is really all about feeling the most comfortable in your clothes while feeling that your wardrobe shows off some flair and excitement that represents the kind of person you are.

If you are outgoing, fun-loving, and an extrovert you may love bright and bold colors mixed with interesting patterns. Clothing like this may be a sure fire way to strike up a conversation with anyone you meet (and you love it!) Your friends never know what you may where when you show up for dinner!

If you are an even-keeled observer of life you may find that your wardrobe is a bit more reserved. Full of calming earth tones, your wardrobe inspires calm in yourself and anyone you meet. You love heavier fabrics and often err on the side of a great leather shoe to complete your look. Strangers ask your opinion because you look scholarly and like a man who knows everything.

But what if you don’t think your style shows off who you are? What if you don’t feel like you have a personal style? What if you feel like you have great clothes but do not feel like your clothes fully express who you are? Figuring this out is all part of developing your personal style and we want to help you figure out how to make your clothes show off who you are and how you feel.

We wrote a guide to help you create your very own personal style. There are tips and tricks to help determine what you like, why you like it, and how you can find the right clothes to help represent who you are.

Tip #1 -  Forget what other people think about your style.

Stop worrying about what other people think of your style and wear what makes you happy. This may seem easy on surface level but it can be challenging to step out of your comfort zone. If you like a shirt with a whimsical pattern, buy the shirt! If you see something that makes you happy and you want to wear it, wear it! Seeing something you like that inspires you is a great step in developing a unique personal style.

Tip #2 - Make sure you follow trends you actually like.

Trends come and go, and they do so quick. Colors, patterns, and cuts can change seasonally. However, if you see something you like try the trend! Try out the color, buy the skinny tie, or buy the shoes. If the trend doesn’t work for you or you decide you don’t like it, no harm. If you find that you love the addition of this trend to your wardrobe, even better! Trying trends are a great way to play with something new and exciting. Plus, it introduces you to different pieces that you may not have tried before!

Tip #3 - Dress for your body type (so wear what fits!)

Make sure your clothes fit, and fit well. A sport coat that fits you awesome looks so much better. If you wear slim jeans, a slimmer suit fit can work well. If you find you look awesome in a more bold pattern use that to your advantage. Dress your body in clothing that works for your body type and you won’t be able to go wrong. Choose clothing stores that have honest and knowledgeable employees who know how to dress different body styles will ensure you are buying clothes that look the best on you.

Tip # 4 - Get your clothes professionally tailored.

Know your tailor by first name. Know them so well you send them Christmas cards and ask about their children. When you invest in new pieces of your wardrobe, make sure you get them fit to you by investing in tailoring. A sport coat looks 100x better if it’s fit to your body. A suit makes you feel even more powerful than before if it fits you like a glove (a nice, leather, sherpa lined driving glove). Sport shirts, jeans, you name it - if it can be tailored be sure to get it tailored! This only adds to your personal style. You will look polished, stylish, and authoritative and feel that way too. (Did you know we have tailors on site at all of our stores? We want to make sure the clothes you get from us fit you perfect!)

Tip # 5 - Dress for your lifestyle.

If you wear suits 5 days a week, purchase great suits and dress shirts. If you wear ties pretty much every day of the week, invest in multiple ties. If you spend more time on your boat than on land in the summer, pick up clothes that make you look stylish while sunning yourself on the deck. What clothes you need is going to be dictated by what you do with your time. Your wardrobe should have both business and casual components so you are ready for anything, but you want to make sure you have the right amount of each in there! (And if you find a great store like Ticknors, we can get you all set up with both business and casual looks!)

Tip # 6 - Wear what you want, when you want.

This one is the most fun. Always wear what you want to wear, when you want to wear it. If you are headed to a networking event and have your power suit on from a big presentation, leave it on! If you are headed out to the bar after work and want to layer a whimsical sport shirt under your sport coat, have fun with it. If you are really interesting in adding violet and fell in love with a violet pocket square, buy it and rock it out for date night one night. Buy and wear clothes that make you happy, feel confident, and look great and your personal style will evolve on your own.

There is no time limit to creating your personal style. Start small and add in color and pattern that you love and see where it goes. Creating a personal style is always evolving, so have fun with it!

If you are still stuck on where to start, visit a Ticknors location and chat with one of our associates. They can show you new pieces in stores, help you find clothes that fit your body, and help you with getting your clothes tailored perfectly. Our experts are some of the best in the business and are ready to help you start creating your own personal style.