Do you have a style signature? In other words, is there a certain silhouette that you feel fabulous in no matter what, and that you are known for? A style signature comes together when you combine your uniform (pieces/shapes that work) with your formula (how you put them together/style them).
“What I love is this idea of a wardrobe, the idea that we’re establishing certain signatures and updating them, that a change in colour or fabric is enough.” – Phoebe Philo
Phoebe Philo’s Formula
Style signature = uniform + formula
If you think about it, most major style icons have a signature that they’re known for. In the case of Audrey Hepburn, it was a white shirt, with a straight black capri pant and a ballet flat. Hepburn made the flats famous and wore them all her life.
Audrey Hepburn’s style formula
Diane Keaton is known for pairing a white shirt with pants, a belt and completing the look with a menswear touch – the bowler hat. At a recent event, we saw Keaton wearing Rick Owens – a style progression that still had that signature element, allowing her to remain consistent and in her comfort zone.
Diane Keaton in 1977 and today
The idea of having staple items that look great on you can really simplify your morning routine. Instead of waking up, walking to your closet, and going into the “I have nothing to wear” mode, you can simplify the pieces of the puzzle and stick to pieces that work. In the end, it’s all about a streamlined wardrobe that works for YOUR lifestyle.
Even though most men are more prone to wearing a “uniform” while women are more emotional when it comes to getting dressed, it is still incredibly powerful to have looks for every occasion lined up in your closet.
Style is not about following trends, it’s about finding the pieces that really speak to you and make you feel fabulous. – Visual Therapy
It’s okay to wear the same thing. In fact, that’s exactly what I do. I have my sets of what I call “formulas”, easy looks that help me get dressed in the morning without spending too much time on it. While in the gym, I think about my social calendar and take into account the weather forecast, and from there, I pick a look from a relevant category (for me, it happens in my head, but for Visual Therapy clients, we actually create printed and iPad lookbooks where they have looks for every event in their life – you can see more on our process in our book “Nothing To Wear”.).
Having your “formulas” helps you stay on track with how you look, creating space to focus on more important things in life.
This concept is especially relevant as we’re lining up wardrobes for Fall. Not only are we shopping the trends, but we’re also updating our clients’ core pieces.
4 Steps To Finding Your Style Signature
1. Style Type Quiz
Take the style type quiz to better understand your style.
2. What Works?
Think of a look in your current wardrobe that makes you feel like the star version of yourself. Is it your favorite pair of jeans with a white t-shirt? A sleek dress? A power suit?
3. Pin It!
Get inspired. Go to Pinterest and create a style file of all things that inspire you. It’s great to look back in history or at modern day pop culture to see what speaks to you. Find and pin looks that make you think, “this is how I want to look!”
4. Wish List
Make a list of what’s missing. Start small and go for the baseline – those basic separates and neutrals that give us the foundation for styling all our looks. You don’t need to buy a whole new wardrobe to feel refreshed.
Another important thing to remember is that we all play different roles, and you can have different formulas for different occasions: a work formula, a weekend formula, a girls night out formula.
For example, our friend, yoga teacher and YouTube blogger Anita Goa has a different formula for every category of her life – from picking up and dropping off her son Lars at school, teaching a yoga class, training a client, going out for a girls’ night with my girl friends or date night with her husband.
“My style type is Chic/Classic, and the formula that I keep coming back to are one-pieces like jumpsuits or dresses,” says Anita. “They’re easy and effortless but look put together. I tend to gravitate toward black and darker earth colors but then change up the look adding a colorful accessory or shoes. A good handbag and shoes are a must for every outfit, as you might have seen in my post about my love affair with a Birkin bag! These three pieces really show the baseline for my going out/date night formula. From there, I add a few accessories, and I’m ready to go! This formula never fails!”
Jumpsuit and dresses by Ricardo Pineres
Remember, in the end it’a all about feeling good and having fun in the process. Book a consultation with us if you’d like to have your style question answered one-on-one.
