Discovering Your Signature Style

Written By Christina Mychas

Have you ever noticed that the most stylish people tend to be outfit repeaters? That’s right. Next time you see your favorite celebrity, influencer or even a really chic stylish friend you know, if you really look closely, then I think you’ll find they have that in common. They tend to stick to a few select outfit formulas, and essentially rinse and repeat that formula with different pieces to create different looks. This is genius, because not only does it make getting dressed and even shopping for new items easier, but it creates a look that you become known for. 

Once you see this, you won’t be able to unsee it

I want to show you how the most effortlessly stylish people are the ones who always seem to have a signature style uniform. Take Laura Harrier for example. She is well known for having minimal, effortless and chic style, and chances are she’s shown up on your Pinterest inspo board more than once. But if you take a closer look at enough of her street style photos, you’ll notice they almost always have the same few key elements: 

  • minimalist dress + simple shoe and accessories

See? Of course she might be wearing different pieces in each of her outfits, but the basic formula is pretty much always the same. Take any other style icon, celebrity or influencer and I guarantee you’ll notice this pattern. 

Pics of more outfit repeaters here:

Why Outfit Repeating Makes You More Stylish 

I have a theory on why outfit repeaters are actually the most stylish. It’s because it’s simple. 

No, this doesn’t mean you wear the same thing every single day, although you can do that a la Steve Jobs. It does make getting dressed everyday easier for sure. But you probably clicked on this blog post because you enjoy fashion, you enjoy getting dressed and your clothes feel like an extension of your vibe and personality. So you want variety and the occasional new piece in your closet, and that’s totally okay. The Style Uniform is the way to do it! 

But you know when people say “Oh, that’s such a YOU piece!”? It’s because you’ve worn it often enough that people start to associate it with you. Like Jane Birkin’s straw basket bags, or Jenna Lyons’ signature glasses and red lip. 

This is the absolute KEY to finding your signature style, and exactly HOW you achieve that “effortless” vibe that everyone always talks about, but often struggle to achieve. It’s effortless because it’s familiar and you can rely on it time and time again. It’s your Style Uniform! You know exactly the types of pieces you love that make you feel amazing, and you simply rinse and repeat those pieces to maintain some variety in your style. 

I hope you’re starting to see how and why outfit repeaters and those who know their signature style uniforms are perceived as being the most stylish. So now you’re thinking: okay, now HOW do I find my own signature style uniform?

I made a really simple Notion template that will help you hone in on your own Style Uniform in 7 days - you can get it right here! 

But if you want more detail, keep reading.

How To Find Your Style Uniform in 7 Days 

1. Audit Your Life 

Keep track of where you need to go and what you usually do everyday. We often think our lives are made up of the big events, but it’s really the daily routines and habits we repeat time and again that make up our lives. Pay attention to where you go the most, and how you need to dress when you go there. Do this as organically as you can (aka: don’t try too hard or it will skew your results!) - what do you actually wear when you’re going through your days? 

2. Find The Common Threads  

Every time you get dressed this week, take a selfie and put it in a folder called “Style Uniform Challenge”. After a week, write down the most common elements you notice in your daily outfits. What do they have in common? Do you prefer to wear one-pieces like dresses and jumpsuits? Or are you primarily a jeans and a t-shirt person? Is there a color palette you notice? Do you like to layer? Maybe you prefer sneakers over loafers. Break down the common themes and you notice here. If you want a more structured approach, check out my Style Uniform Template HERE!

3. Break Down Your Outfit Formulas

Now that you’ve broken down your favourite items in your wardrobe, write down 1-3 outfit formulas that you can rely on next time you’re getting dressed. You already know these items work for you in these exact combinations, so you can always lean on them next time you’re feeling stumped on what to wear. 

Some outfit formula examples are: 

  • Jeans + t-shirt + blazer + slim sneakers 

  • Button down shirt + jeans + flats 

  • Tank top + oversized blazer + track pants + flats

  • Dress + cardigan + loafer 

  • Graphic tee + flowy skirt + sneakers 

Rinse and Repeat 

Now that you know your favorite items in your wardrobe AND the combinations that always feel good for you, you can begin getting dressed and outfit repeating with ease! 

You’ve now got your Base Outfit Formula ready to go, but remember you can play with these combinations! Do some Style Math.

If you learned that you love to layer and prefer separates over dresses, play around with some fun color combinations, textures and silhouettes to keep your Style Uniform dynamic and interesting. It’s exactly how you can still be an outfit repeater without getting bored, all while making fewer shopping mistakes in the process. 

And if you need some more guidance on how to define your Signature Style Uniform, take the 7 day challenge I created HERE!

Christina Mychas