How to Find Your Style (Without Confining Yourself)

If someone asked you to describe your personal style, would you have an answer?

Maybe you love classic pieces but occasionally find yourself drawn to something completely unexpected. You might live in jeans most days but adore a beautiful dress when the occasion calls for it. Or perhaps your closet has changed so much over the years that you're not quite sure what feels like "you" anymore.

Here's the good news: you don't need a name for your style to have one.

At Voila, we don't believe personal style needs to fit neatly into a category. It's not about deciding you're classic, bohemian, minimalist or whatever aesthetic happens to be having its moment online. Your style can be a mix of things. It can change. And it should leave room for a little whimsy!

If you're wondering how to find your style, we think the best place to start is with what you already know about yourself.

Pay Attention to What You Naturally Reach For

Take a look at the clothing you wear again and again. Not necessarily the pieces you think you should love, but the ones that actually make it out of your closet regularly. There are probably some patterns.

Maybe you feel best in relaxed shapes, or perhaps you prefer clothing with a little more structure. You may gravitate toward neutrals but always add interesting jewellery. Maybe you love colour, beautiful textures, oversized sweaters or a really great pair of jeans. Even the smallest preferences tell you something.

Instead of trying to define your clothing style from scratch, start noticing those things. The pieces you genuinely enjoy wearing are already giving you clues about what makes you feel comfortable and most like yourself.

Look for Inspiration, Not Instructions

Pinterest, Instagram, magazines and even people you see while travelling can all be wonderful sources of inspiration. The trick is remembering that inspiration doesn't have to become imitation.

You might love the colour combination in someone's outfit without wanting to dress exactly like them. Maybe it's the way they layered a shirt, paired a feminine dress with a heavier shoe, or added an unexpected accessory that catches your eye.

And inspiration doesn't have to come exclusively from fashion. Colour combinations in a beautiful room, an old photograph, artwork, a movie or somewhere you've travelled can all influence what you're drawn to. Personal style becomes much more interesting when you stop trying to recreate someone else's look and start collecting ideas from all over the place.

Don't Be Afraid to Try Something Different

Sometimes finding your own style requires trying something you wouldn't normally choose. We LOVE doing this with women in the store.

You may walk past a piece because the colour isn't one you'd normally wear, the shape feels different, or you simply can't picture it on yourself. Then you try it on, we roll a sleeve, add a shoe or change the way it's styled and suddenly...there it is.

That doesn't mean pushing yourself so far outside your comfort zone that you feel like you're wearing a costume. The goal is to venture just far enough to discover something new while still feeling like yourself. Some experiments won't work, and that's okay too. Trying something and deciding it isn't for you is still part of discovering what is.

Let Your Lifestyle Be Part of Your Style

Personal style has to work in real life. If most of your week involves work, errands, family, appointments and casual plans, your wardrobe needs to move comfortably through those things. That doesn't mean it needs to be boring. It simply means the pieces you love should also work for the way you actually spend your time. This is one of the reasons we're so drawn to versatile clothing.

A blouse that looks great with denim but can also be dressed up for dinner gives you options. The right jacket can change the feeling of several outfits. A great shoe can work with pants one day and a dress the next. Your lifestyle shouldn’t limit your personal style, it should give you the foundation to build from.

You Don't Have to Follow Every Trend

Trends can be fun. They give us new colours, shapes, combinations and ideas to play with, and sometimes something comes along that becomes a favourite for years. But you don't have to love something simply because it's having a trendy moment.

Take what appeals to you and leave the rest. If a trend feels interesting but a little outside your comfort zone, try introducing it in a smaller way. Maybe that's through footwear, accessories, a new colour or a different silhouette paired with pieces you already feel great wearing.

Give Your Style Room to Change

The answer to "how do I find my personal style?" will probably be different at 25, 40, 55 and 70. Our lives change. Our bodies change. Our routines change. And our tastes change right along with them.

You might suddenly love a colour you never wore before or find yourself ready to experiment with a shape you once avoided. Something that was perfect for an earlier chapter of your life may no longer feel right, while something completely new suddenly does. We think that's one of the most enjoyable things about clothing. You don't need to choose an aesthetic and commit to it forever. Your wardrobe gets to evolve with you.

Wear What Makes You Feel Like Yourself

Ultimately, finding your clothing style isn't about arriving at a perfectly coordinated closet or being able to describe yourself in three words. It's about getting dressed and feeling good in what you're wearing.

Some days that might mean your favourite jeans, a soft knit and comfortable shoes. Other days you might want the colourful dress, the interesting jewellery or the shoe that makes the entire outfit. Both can belong in the same wardrobe because both can be you.

Over time, the more you notice what you enjoy wearing and give yourself permission to experiment, the easier those choices become. Your personal style starts to emerge naturally, without needing to force it into a particular category.

Come Find a Little Inspiration at Voila

If you're still figuring out your style, come visit us at our Wainwright boutique and let's have some fun with it. We love helping women explore different pieces, find new ways to wear the clothes they're naturally drawn to and occasionally venture just outside their comfort zone. You don't need to arrive knowing what your "style" is or exactly what you're looking for. We'll help you try things, play with different combinations and find clothing that feels good on your body and fits into your life.

And if you'd like to go a little deeper, our Wardrobe Consultation gives us the opportunity to look at what you already own, learn what you love and help you bring everything together in a way that feels unmistakably you.