Rediscovering your personal style

Where to find inspiration and spark creativity

Anna Valaik / Arts and Culture Editor / The USD Vista

Personal style is a way for an individual to express themselves through clothing. Everyone has a personal style, and it’s something that many people become passionate about overtime. Especially in college, when you see countless people on campus and maybe no longer have to dress in a specific uniform, people want to find their classic looks and play around with their clothing choices. 

As much as it is a time of experimentation, finding your personal style is also about finding what you feel most comfortable in. Just as your favorite song, your haircut, or your food preferences may convey your personality, clothing has the power to influence many aspects of your life.

In the age of social media, we are constantly bombarded with outside influences, which can begin unintentionally influencing the way we dress ourselves. For example, Instagram influencers, ads on social media, and TikTok videos can all give people ideas on what’s in style, new and upcoming brands, and outfit hacks. 

Although these tips and tricks, outfit photos, and stylish individuals can spark people’s creativity when it comes to personal style, they can also influence someone so much that they lose their individuality. It’s difficult to discover what you like when thousands of outside sources are telling you what to wear or what you should like. 

For those who feel they may have fallen victim to being constantly “influenced,” there are countless ways to spark creativity again with regards to your personal style. 

Keep tabs on what 

you wear the most.

If you entered your closet or dresser, there are surely five or so items that are your tried and true pieces. We all have a favorite sweatshirt, pants, or shoes that we return to time and time again without a second thought. 

If we want to continue building our wardrobe, begin to pay attention to the type of items you unconsciously turn to. For example, if you love graphic t-shirts or converse sneakers, take note of that because that will then inform your future clothing purchases. This thought process prevents things from entering your closet that you don’t really enjoy or won’t get much use out of. 

One way to notice your shopping and outfit patterns is by organizing your hangers in a specific way. Keep them all facing the same direction in the closet; then, once you wear an item and go to hang it up again, turn the hanger the opposite direction as the rest. This way, you can easily notice what you have worn recently and what you gravitate towards.

Become an outfit repeater.

Whoever said repeating outfits is against fashion rules is wrong. Being an outfit repeater truly just means you care about wearing things you know and love. Oftentimes, we choose to repeat the outfit we feel comfortable in, and that’s the most important thing when it comes to dressing ourselves. 

On top of that, you don’t necessarily have to wear the exact same outfit more than once. Instead, wear the same top and pants, but maybe the next time, change up your shoes or add a jacket. There are always ways to reinvent outfits, and even the outfits that have become your “classic” look.

Recognize when you’re convincing yourself that you like something.

We know ourselves and our taste the best, so we should always trust and honor when we like or dislike something. Oftentimes, with trends, people can feel pressure to like certain items that simply just aren’t their style. Not everyone is going to enjoy Y2K clothing (think low rise jeans, baguette purses, and lots of accessories), platform shoes, or beanies, for example. 

USD senior Keni, also known as artist, “keni can fly,” appreciates trends for what they are, but he doesn’t necessarily feel compelled to always strictly follow them. 

“Trends are fun to look at because they keep things fresh and new ideas coming in and out, but I try not to follow them unless I really feel like the trend resonates with me,” Keni noted. “It’s easy to lose your own originality and taste when you let other people make that for you.”

When you feel yourself giving into a trend just because there’s a certain pressure to it, take a step back and truly ask yourself if you really like the trend. 

If you have to convince yourself you like something, especially if it’s over time, then you may just not like it. It’s completely acceptable to not subscribe to certain styles, and instead, just be your own trend-setter.

USD junior Gabrielle Suttora tries to find trends that fit into her pre-existing wardrobe already.

“I try to keep a capsule wardrobe instead of buying pieces just because they are trending,” Suttora said. “A goal for me is to always look effortlessly put together and timeless so I try to only give into trends that fit that look.”

Trendy items can become staples too.

Trends can be amazing, too. Furthermore, some trends, if you fall head over heels for them, can become just a staple in your wardrobe. 

Truly, nothing is ever “out of style,” and whoever made that rule up isn’t appreciating creativity and individuality. So, if you enjoy slip dresses and those were supposedly “so last year,” continue wearing them simply because you enjoy them. We should all be dressing ourselves for ourselves.  

Look at inspiration separate from social media.

Just as much as social media is jam-packed with style inspiration, so are a lot of other outlets. For example, music, books, and different eras can all inform our clothing decisions. Look at interior design books or art, online or in-person, to see how certain patterns and textures can be combined. 

Even paying attention to people on the street who are dressed in an interesting way can spark creativity. 

Keni pays a lot of attention to influential artists in the world like Jaden Smith and Remi Wolf when looking for style inspiration. Keni also suggested just wearing the loudest clothing item you have if you feel uninspired when dressing yourself.  It will instantly spark joy and a sense of newness. 

Suttora, on the other hand, had another good idea when everything in your closet seems boring.

“One thing I do when I’m feeling uninspired to dress myself is I pull out a clothing piece I don’t usually wear, and I then make it my mission to style the piece into an outfit I like,” Suttora said. “This reminds me to be creative with my outfits and that it’s not always about what’s trending and more about what you feel good and confident in.”

You don’t have to break 

the bank for a new wardrobe. 

College students, for the most part, don’t have the ability to spend hundreds of dollars on a new wardrobe, nor should they. When you really think about it, there’s no need to buy twenty new items when feeling uninspired. 

Instead, gaining a “new wardrobe” can really just be about looking at the clothing you already own with a new, fresh perspective. For example, take the old pair of flare jeans sitting in your closet untouched for months. 

If you once styled them with sandals and a white tank, see how you can style them differently this time around. 

Maybe dress the jeans up with a pair of black boots and a leather jacket. Accessories, even, can completely elevate an outfit and change its feel. Add a headband, large pair of earrings, or hat, and notice how completely the clothes feel. 

All in all, it’s really just about a willingness to see your closet in a new light. 

Plus, if you really feel so compelled to buy a few more staple pieces, vintage shopping is on the come-up. That way, you will be supporting a sustainable lifestyle and not breaking the bank, either. 

Style is incredibly freeing when you look at it as a way to express yourself wholeheartedly. Every single day, we dress ourselves, and our clothing has the power to speak volumes about our uniqueness. 

So, whenever you are feeling a bit down about your closet, take time to reinvent and reimagine your personal style. It’s well worth it.