Written by: London Forbes, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Creating the ideal style for you is part of building a personal brand that encompasses who you are in all your facets. There are many ways to effectively find a style and form a wardrobe organisation that reflects you perfectly while building a brand that stands out.
1. Understand your body
Understanding your body is the most fundamental part of creating an iconic style that works for you. After all, that's what we're putting the clothes on and what will ultimately bring them to life. This includes understanding your body shape and how the illusions of clothes can affect that shape and how it looks.
Another important consideration is acknowledging the aspects of your body you want to accentuate and show off and which you would like to draw focus away from. The most common ways of defining body shape include rectangle, triangle (pear), inverted triangle (apple), and hourglass. Still, it's important to remember that bodies come in all shapes and sizes within those general categories and are all unique, different, and beautiful. There is no average body type; you are uniquely you, and there is no standard for shape or size.
We always recommend getting to know your body and how clothes can create an illusion on the structure of your body. This is the foundation for developing your style.
2. Take stock of what you currently have
Once you understand your body and its shape, go through your current wardrobe. Take time to know why you have each item, what you gravitate towards, why, and whether you enjoy wearing them.
Our purpose is to create a clear, structured wardrobe to help you see your items better. This is so you can curate a list of things you need to add to your wardrobe. The only items you'll purchase are those you love that fit your wardrobe and style.
3. Purge if necessary
If you don’t enjoy wearing something, whether because of the way it looks or feels, you should get rid of it. Our rule of thumb is that anything you haven’t worn in 6 months or more should go in the bin. Although it might seem scary, don’t be afraid to part with items you don’t wear, don't like, or only keep for nostalgia or memorabilia. After all, our purpose here is to define your style, and if you haven't worn a piece in more than 6 months, it's not who you are.
4. Create a mood board
Ever looked at something and gone, “Now THAT’S a Mood.”? That’s exactly what we’re doing with a mood board. It’s a visual representation of your style and personal brand. You can create and organize this in whatever way feels right for you, with images and fashions as well organized (even by colour palette, season, and fashion goals) or as holistic and chaotic as you'd like.
Creating a mood board allows you to draw inspiration and better understand what you like. This is an instant help when shopping or revisiting your wardrobe because it keeps you focused on your goals and personal brand.
One of our favourite ways to create a fashion mood board is through the classic old-school collage of cut-out pictures. This way, you can display it somewhere prominent to truly enjoy it. If this is too much or you're techier, head over to Pinterest and create a board. It’s easy to navigate, creating different mood boards that you can easily find more ideas to flesh out.
In addition, it gives you an easy-to-use central location to base online shopping when you're ready to buy those pieces you absolutely adore.
5. Dress for your body
As we mentioned before, there is no defined body type. The other side of this is that it’s still important to dress for how the clothes will look on your body. There needs to be a sense of balance and complimentary looks so that what you're wearing looks good on you. Being honest with yourself about what looks good on your frame is crucial. A good full-length mirror will help you get a good feel for how things hang or swing on your body.
The ultimate accessory
There is no accessory as one-size-fits-all as confidence and happiness. Your style may change, shifting according to mood, weather, and occasion, but what will never change is the air of self-assurance you can pair with whatever look you choose. Dressing the way you want and the way that will make you happy will help you always automatically look your best, and is the automatic happiness boost.
Believe in yourself
Creating a strong style and personal brand can help you tap into a new level of confidence and certainty. This will let you have more fun with what you wear and find new ways to enjoy your style daily.
For more details on how to develop a strong personal brand, and to learn more about how to channel and cultivate your style, find your flow on our website here, on LinkedIn, or on Instagram.
London Forbes, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
London Forbes is a fearless founder whose own journey of self-discovery illuminated the path to her success and her mission of helping others realise their own value and cultivate a strong personal brand and image. It is both an art and a science to cultivate and curate a successful image, and BYICON was born from this — a vision for authenticity, self-love, acceptance, and harnessing your most valuable asset, yourself, to cultivate a strong ROI.
