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A sense of self would be incomplete without fashion sense or personal style. There are many avenues of self-expression and fashion is one of the major ones.
The process of developing a personal aesthetic can be fun, adventurous, creative emotionally rewarding, and healthy for you. It can be a transformative experience depending on where you are in your life and want you need/want.
Benefits of developing a personal fashion aesthetic
Body positivity and love. If you develop your own aesthetic you tailor your taste and preference to fit your body. Rather than copying others, you get what fits and suits you. This can help you appreciate your body and become more confident.
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You can go from fashion follower to style leader. Fashion lovers who are hesitant to make that leap to showcase their fashion acumen can find courage in developing a personal fashion aesthetic. You can be an inspiration for others. From developing your aesthetic you can share your journey, help others find theirs, and make it easier for your fans.
You can find self-expression in your fashion aesthetic. Like writing, dancing, painting, singing, drawing, and designing, finding your fashion aesthetic can give you an outlet.
It can be a journey for self-identity. Many people struggle with their identity at some point in their lives or it can be a life-long struggle. A fashion aesthetic can be a haven and help you find who you are and want to be.
It can help you find your community and connect with people with shared styles and other causes.
It can help you feel more grounded and put together.
The benefits of curating your style are endless. It can be a seasonal process or a life-long journey and that's okay! It can happen in your teenage years or later in life.
Here are some tips that can help you through the process:
Get inspiration
You may have people who inspire you with their fashion sense or style. That can be a big clue to what you want. Other places you can gather inspiration include Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram.
Save or pin images/videos that make your fashion sense tingle!
Pay attention to your lifestyle
Your personal fashion aesthetic can be influenced by your routines, work, hobbies, likes, and dislikes. So it should be practical and comfortable for these aspects of your life. This doesn't mean it will be that way forever. It will evolve through time and circumstance but the underlying traits will remain.
Your body type
Understand your body type and scout styles that flatter your figure and enhance your best features.
Experiment
You may never know what a style feels like until you try it. Try on clothing in different colours and styles to see what suits best on you.
What makes you feel confident?
Take note of outfits, colours, and styles that make you feel great. They should be able to give you a clue to identify your unique style aesthetic.
Listen to what people say
Take note of the compliments you get when you try on different clothes, styles, and colours.
Get the basics of your signature look
Develop your signature look by incorporating a signature article into your wardrobe. The signature element can be an accessory, a colour, or a piece of clothing.
Let it evolve
A personal style aesthetic is a process. Just as you change and grow, it will adjust to suit all your versions. Keep experimenting, getting inspiration, and fine-tuning it as you go.
Trends are also up for grabs! They don't have to be the enemy.
Types of personal fashion aesthetic
It may sound like a contradiction to personal aesthetics if there are already set types. However, you can look at it this way; you don't have to build your aesthetic from the ground up (which can be hard and overwhelming). You can pick directions from these types and curate them to your preference and creativity.
If you don't judge a style aesthetic, from preconceived notions, it is amazing what your personal style aesthetic can turn out to be.
- Light academia aesthetic
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- Dark Academia aesthetic
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- Vintage fashion aesthetic
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- Goth fashion aesthetic
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- Pastel Goth Aesthetic
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- Twee fashion aesthetic
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- Normcore fashion aesthetic
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- Indie fashion aesthetic
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- Grunge fashion aesthetic
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- Soft Girl fashion aesthetic
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- Y2K fashion aesthetic
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- Baddie fashion aesthetic
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- VSCO girl fashion aesthetic
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Conclusion
There's no right or wrong way to develop your personal style. It is a creative process of having fun and finding what is comfortable and makes you feel confident.