What is good style? Is it the trends we see in magazines? Tastefully curated wardrobes with a “classic aesthetic”? Or flamboyant maximalism expertly mixed and matched?
Wearing Deiji Studios top, Fabrique trousers (12% off with ToJamie12), Tibi Aston sandals, Quince bag, MV red beaded necklace and gold cuff (25% off with JAMIELEEBMV), Mejuri chain necklace
The answer isn’t quite so straightforward. Style is subjective; shaped by your tastes and preferences, the way that memories present in the items we choose to add into our wardrobes or the way that we adorn and accessorise our outfits. And of course, our lifestyle, where we live and the climate, our physicality and style essence. All of these little details form part of the equation that informs what you are drawn to, and it serves as a simple reminder of why we might have similar taste, but different style.
So I wanted to share some simple ways that you can improve your style in 2025, no matter what your wardrobe looks like.
#1 | Engage in wardrobe play time
The very first thing that will contribute to great personal style, is engaging in wardrobe play time. This might seem painfully obvious but it’s literally just spending time actually playing around with your clothing. Trying out new combinations, pairing together unexpected items and just taking that time in your schedule – whether it’s on a random week night or on a quiet weekend – to spend a few hours trying out new things.
The work here is identifying what you do and equally don’t like, making note of these, and using that data to inform outfit building and new wardrobe purchases moving forward.
I often use this analogy , but it’s a great way to look at this differently…
You don’t go and buy good ingredients and expect the food to taste good if you don’t know how to cook with them.
The same thing applies to our wardrobes. You can’t add something in and expect that it’s just going to look good if you haven’t figured out how you like to wear it yet. If you want to become besties with the items you already own, the way to do that is to wear it consistently, and figure out the ways in which you love wearing it, and build on from that.
#2 | Just wear the clothes
Another one of those mantras that I feel like I’ve been saying for the past few years but when we have something in our closet and we save for best, we end up missing out. Because eventually we may end up tiring of that item. And what this is to say is, that depending on what point you’re at in your style evolution, you might experience a rather dramatic shift in your taste preferences. While yes, you can buy something now and still love it ten years later, the same can’t be said of every item you bring into your closet.
It’s also worth acknowledging that as we age, our bodies change too. And one thing I wish someone had told me before I had kids, was that I shouldn’t allocate so much of my discretionary budget towards my wardrobe as my body (and foot size) might change. Personally I’ve gone up a full size so many of the items I loved pre-kids just no longer fit or it just didn’t fit the same way. We can experience further changes at the later stages of our life when going through menopause.
But the other thing to consider is that styles do have a tendency to change dramatically. Personally, I’ve found myself leaning in on new silhouettes, looser, more relaxed, reflective of my current phase of life. So keep this in mind, as if you do end up saving these items for best, you may look back on them in 5-10 years and wish you’d gotten your money’s worth when it was something you truly loved.
#3 | Understand your proportions
This is a huge game changer because once you have a handle on your proportions, you can engage in all sorts of visual trickery to downplay or enhance certain elements. For me, it was understanding I had a long torso but short legs for my height; it re-framed the way I considered putting together outfits and the impact felt immediate. This is a useful tool in terms of guiding your outfits, though it’s not the be all, end all. Sometimes you’ll want to opt for the outfit that isn’t the most visually flattering or balance, because it’s the one that feels good. Safe to say, fashion is not without contradictions.
#4 | Have a signature
One of the things I’ve noticed about stylish women, is that they tend to have a signature. Something you immediately clock as being “their” style. This could be as simple as a bright coloured accessory that adorns every outfit – perhaps a beaded necklace or bracelet. Maybe it’s a silk scarf, styled one way or another. Perhaps it’s the silhouette, or a bold framed pair of glasses, or a certain style of shoe or bag. But it embodies their style, and feels instantly recognisable. And it doesn’t have to be overt; it could be so subtle that you’re the only one that notices it (which in its way makes the flourish feel more special).
#5 | Understand *your* basics
Focusing on function rather than form here, as those laundry lists of items you need for your wardrobe tend to feel homogenous and aren’t at all indicative of true personal style as they don’t address what makes style your own. And if you look at these lists, chances are that more than a handful of these pieces will be things you see hanging in your own wardrobe (perhaps wardrobe heroes, even). But, to use an example, these often feature a blazer. Which I know, isn’t for everyone. It can feel a little too formal, too structured, too done up. Maybe you’re wearing a more casual jacket in its place, but the sentiment is the same; transitional weight jacket. Knowing what you are seeking out can help to filter out the noise, especially when shopping as you can say well “XYZ” doesn’t work for me but I need something that fulfils this role in my closet.
#6 | Wear clothing that makes you feel *good*
This one again sounds obvious, but it’s the act of wearing things you like rather than things you think you should wear. When we wear something we feel good in, that we actually like on our bodies, we exude a sense of confidence. And to me, this is one of the keys to having great style. You could have an outfit that on paper should be incredibly stylish, but it comes off feeling flat because you don’t feel great in it.
It’s worth keeping in mind that all the items you’re wearing could be things that you really really love but the combination is a bit off, becoming a roadblock keeping you from feeling your best. Here I suggest looking back at your proportions and how you like to wear things. It’s likely you just need to make a few small tweaks, rather than start from scratch.
#7 | Try clothing on IRL
Particularly if you’re looking to pivot your style or explore new silhouettes, trying clothing on in real life can give you a sense of direction. It can give you understanding of whether silhouettes are actually things you enjoy on you or if you just love them on other people. Taking a few of your most loved items from home into the changing room when shopping can also give you a better sense of whether these items are going to work with your existing wardrobe, too.
Nothing quite beats an in-store shopping experience; being able to see how the clothing drapes in person, get a sense for the tactile quality. These are elements that just can’t be replicated when shopping online. And I’ve found that I’m more quick to dismiss something I’d actually love when browsing online as I don’t get that full sensory experience.
#8 | Take inspiration at face value
I’d hazard a guess that most of us have a Pinterest board dedicated to outfits that we absolutely love. And this is a great way to identify the things that you do and don’t like, though I will always posit that actually spending time trying on different combinations is the real key to building on your personal style. And a great tip here is to change one item at a time, creating new outfits from silhouettes and items you love.
In an age where we are so time poor and overwhelmed, it’s only natural to want a quick fix solution to our problems; one of which might be developing great style. But putting in the work is always going to achieve the best results. This is not to say that finding an outfit you love online and then replicating it is the wrong thing to do. This is an incredibly useful tool, if you’re critically consider all the information points you’re getting here. So you can say, okay I love it when a jacket hits *just* below the hip. Or, I really like to wear slip skirts but I only want to style them with an oversized knit; so you may want to limit how many you add into your wardrobe as the styling is so specific. These can be incredibly useful points of reference which can be applied to all of your outfits moving forward, and a better way to engage with your mood boards so that the outfits you put together end up reflecting more of who you are.
#9 | Take photos of the outfits you *do* like
Building on from this, taking snaps of the photos you love and saving them to a folder on your phone can be a a great way to keep track and identify outfit formulas you enjoy. This can again be a good reference point when shopping as you can take a peek back at these outfit formulas and question whether the something new will enhance what you have and make your existing wardrobe feel fresh.
#10 | Consider textures as a neutral
More specifically, animal print style textures. Because what these do for your outfits is enhance them by adding in a tactile quality. Using my own closet as an example, I love a snake print, so snake embossed leather sandals help bring in that visual interest and tactile quality (even in muted hues like a golden yellow). Accessories are the simplest way to add this touch into your wardrobe, so think shoes, belts, or bags and could run the spectrum of snake, croc, cow print, cheetah or leopard print.
When you look at the colours that are inherently visible within the print itself you can create a really nice neutral tonal look by centring your outfit around those hues.
#11 | Don’t sacrifice your style for the sake of a trend
You’re going to feel – and look – the most like you when you wear things that truly are in harmony with your personal style. And this leans back into the idea that you should feel good in your clothing.
This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t experiment with trends, but you may find that just going into a store and trying on the trend might be enough to scratch the itch of a piece that would otherwise be a fleeting fancy. Because it’s the outfits we wear that incorporate trends that aren’t aligned with our sense of style that we’ll look back on and wish maybe we hadn’t worn. Though, if that’s not something that bothers you, wear the things that make you feel good in that moment.
