Once you’ve created a style moniker, the next step is to come up with five adjectives that describe the style you aspire to. They can be light-hearted and funny, but do keep them accurate, and aligned with your lifestyle.
The point of the exercise is to create a frame of reference and benchmark that you keep top of mind when you’re purchasing wardrobe items, creating capsules, and putting together outfits. The adjectives hold you accountable, help you assess your daily looks, and keep your thoughts organized. Some of my clients find the adjectives easier than coming up with a style moniker.
Sometimes it is easier to start with some adjectives that describe the things you don’t want represented in your style. Some of my clients just want two or three adjectives. Feel free to customize the exercise to what works for you.
The adjectives that I’ve used to describe my ideal style have been roughly the same for years, although I’ve tweaked them from time to time when my style shifted. These are my adjectives for 2018:
Modern because I enjoy including a few carefully chosen hot-off-the-press trends into my seasonal look. That keeps my style evolving and injects excitement into my wardrobe.
Crisp because I love wearing shades of white, and have a strong need to create a polished and tidy appearance. I am the polar opposite of “rough around the edges” or “RATE.”
Retro because of my fondness for fashion from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, but remixing their sensibilities with a good dose of current. I am also a sentimental person, so thinking back to these eras makes me smile.
Soft because I do not like wearing hard-edged looks or lots of black. My outfit can be bold and very bright, but it’s not hard-edged.
Dressy because super casual does not make me happy. I always wear make-up, do my hair, and sport a dressy bag. I do not wear T-shirts, and Athleisure is not my thing. I happily walk our Yorkie Sam wearing pearls, a pretty blouse, Burberry scarf, and sneakers.
If you’ve honed your style and it’s a question of refreshing seasonally as things tickle your fancy and need replacing, you’ll find this process intuitive, organic and quick. If you’re in a bit of a rut, crave change, or have never really thought about your ideal style — you can do some soul searching and take more time to process your thoughts. Either way, have a stab at selecting three to five adjectives that describe your ideal style, and tell us about them in the comments section below. Also, join us in the forum if you’d like to make it a group effort.
