Closet Case: Defining Your Personal Style

Multi-media artist Colette's fabulous closet. Her personal style is apparent!

How do you define your personal style? I don't think that cut-and-dried labels are important or conducive to developing a signature look, but I do think there's something to be said for understanding what your dress sense says about you and knowing how to work that to the fullest advantage. You can tell when a girl has a clear sense of her own fashion vision -- she always looks confident and pulled together, no matter how casual.

A lot of young people -- at least young people I know -- are still grappling with moving on from the clearly defined categories you often find yourself lumped into in your teens: punk, prep, goth, indie, whatever. They aren't working the same look they had in high school anymore, but they still find themselves at a loss when facing the racks at Forever 21 or going through the pages of Lucky.

In my opinion, personal style is just that -- 100% personal. Nobody has the exact same personal style as you. That's why I think it's important to have a clear understanding of what you've got going on! Whether you just have a rough idea of what you like and what you don't or if you know exactly what works for you, identifying and defining your style is fun and will make your life easier every time you enter a mall or a vintage store. It's as easy as opening your closet and asking yourself these questions:

Are there any overlying themes in your closet?
This is essentially identifying your personal style at a glance. Take a look at your wardrobe through the eyes of someone who's never seen you before. What feel do you get for yourself? What do you have the most of? What do the things that are most prevalent in your closet say about your style?

Personally, when I open my closet, I see minidress upon minidress upon minidress. Currently I have 33 of them, and I'm always buying more. So it's clear right away that short dresses are a major component of my look. I also have a healthy collection of vintage heavy metal t-shirts and a pretty staggering array of platform heels. So, minidresses, vintage heavy metal shirts, platform heels -- those three things don't necessarily go together, but when you picture someone who regularly wears all three types of clothes, you start to get a clear idea of my style.

What colors are most prevalent?
Some people's color preferences change with the seasons, others steadfastly stick to a specific palette, others are all over the spectrum, still others choose to eschew color altogether. What category are you in? You may not have even noticed that you gravitate toward certain hues. Identifying what colors you're attracted to -- and what colors don't appear in your closet -- can help you get a better grip on your personal style, and will also help when you're out shopping for new stuff.

For instance, my closet has a lot of items in mustard yellow and navy blue, and I find myself wearing things in that color family a lot. On the other hand, I have only a couple of things in green, and although I think the items are really cute, I rarely wear them. When I'm shopping, I keep this in mind and it keeps me from buying things I ultimately won't be crazy about -- if I find myself with a kelly green dress in one hand and a mustard yellow top in the other, the decision is made for me. See what I mean?

Is most of your closet full of things you wear, or things you don't?
A lot of people have a tough time getting rid of things, and end up with overstuffed closets full of clothes that haven't been worn in months. I know it can be daunting to toss things you don't wear, because I'm one of those people who is reluctant to do it. Here's what you think: "But if I get rid of all this stuff, I won't have as many options!" Honestly, though, if all your options consist of a bunch of crap you never wear, what kind of options are those anyway?

Don't let old things you don't wear anymore cramp your style -- if your closet has more stuff in it that you don't wear, get rid of it!

What items in your closet are you complimented on most?
Everyone has a few items in their wardrobe that always bring out the praise. Sometimes they're not even your favorite things! But here's the deal: there's a reason that people regularly compliment you on a particular item, and the reason is that it looks great on you. When you know something looks great on you, you can seek out similar items, and soon you'll have a whole closet full of praiseworthy outfits.

For example, I have a navy blue silk dress with a '60s circle print from Banana Republic. It hits a few inches above the knee and has a loose smock shape and elbow-length sleeves, and every time I wear it someone comments on it. Even though it's one of the most expensive single items I own ($98.00 -- now you know why this blog is called Waitin' Round 2 Be A Millionaire!), it was a good investment and when I shop now I look for dresses in similar cuts and color palettes.

What are the five most-loved items you have in your wardrobe?
Imagine that you are being profiled for a fashion magazine and they want you to show them the five pieces in your wardrobe that you love most and feel best define you -- the things you wear the most, look the best in, and love the hardest. Things that you get excited about when you get to wear them. Things that you can't wait to wear! Don't look just at clothing but at shoes and handbags. Think about not only what you love the most, but why you love it.

Take out these five pieces and lay them out together. There it is -- your personal style in a nutshell. Even if the five items don't go together at all (and chances are that they probably don't), looking at them will give you a cohesive idea of your style philosophy.

Personally, my five favorite items are:

1.) a vintage 1986 Iron Maiden tour t-shirt
2.) the aforementioned navy blue Banana Republic silk dress
3.) a pair of cognac leather Betsey Johnson platform heels with ankle straps and bows over the toes
4.) a navy blue piqué short shorts romper from American Apparel
5.) a pair of vintage Dingo ranch boots in tan leather, with stacked heels and brass eagle embellishments on the front

Obviously, some of these items don't go together, but looking at the five of them as a whole gives you a strong idea of my sense of dress -- rock 'n roll (the t-shirt), and a little bit feminine (the heels), with a 1970s sensibility (the short romper, the hippie-style dress, the vintage boots). What do your items say about you?

What is something you never wear anymore but can't bring yourself to get rid of?
Everyone has a few things tucked away in the recesses of their closet -- leftover items from your goth days, maybe, or the fabulous cocktail dress you wore to junior prom that you'll never fit into again but that still gives you a thrill every time you look at it. Sentimental items like these are different from the old crap you never wear that you just haven't gotten around to tossing yet -- they offer a little bit of insight into your style, even if they don't fit into your current wardrobe at all.

Case in point: I was a punk in my late teens and I really identified with the fashion aspect of it. I've since moved on from Creepers and leopard miniskirts, and I've given away most of my punk gear, but I can't bring myself to part with an apple-green cardigan sweater with band patches sewn on both breasts. I can say with certainty that I will never wear it again, but I will also never get rid of it, because I wore it all the time back in the day, and it was associated with my look. Even though it no longer fits into my style, it reminds me of where my current fashion identity was born, and I'll always covet and appreciate fashion items that have a punk rock sensibility.

Your sentimental piece will do this for you too, and you will find that certain sensibilities apparent in that piece of clothing will also translate into your style today. Especially when looking for accessories or statement pieces, think back to that dress or whatever it is that you've been saving for posterity and consider using it as an inspiration.

What trends and styles do you admire that you haven't tried?
Whether the dress sense of certain celebrities appeal to you or you just always find yourself attracted to particular shapes or trends in magazines and stores, I'm sure there's a trend or two going on right now that tickles your fancy, but that you just don't see yourself ever actually tackling. Even if you'll never attempt a full-on Mary-Kate Olsen look or get on the current rock 'n roll androgyne bandwagon, you can still count these as influences on your personal style and work elements into your own way of dressing.

For instance, if your look revolves around feminine dresses and light colors but you always love the way Agyness Deyn looks in candid photos, you might want to throw on a fitted leather jacket over your frock -- you'll be surprised at how incorporating other styles into your own still looks like you.

A few things to remember:

Growing up does not equal selling out. Especially if you belong or belonged to a clearly defined subculture with a clearly defined fashion "uniform," (like punk or rockabilly), there is sometimes a stigma that surrounds stepping out of your fashion comfort zone. For me, coming out of being a hardcore kid and punk in my teens, it took a long time before I felt okay with getting into jeans that weren't drainpipe-skinny -- it just felt like a betrayal of some sort. I have friends who have felt the same way about purchasing dresses, workwear, or high heels. Keep in mind that your sense of style doesn't define you -- you define your sense of style.

It's okay to stay inside your comfort zone. Maybe you'll never be a dress person. Maybe you can't see yourself in anything but Nike sneakers. Maybe your uniform is a dress and a pair of boots -- every day. That's fine! Personal style is personal, and as long as you feel good about it you'll look good in it.

It's also okay to step outside your comfort zone. Again, personal style is totally, one hundred percent personal. There will come a time when you might find something that you are head over heels in love with that doesn't fit anywhere into your style philosophy. If you love it, you'll make it work.