Catherine Denton: How to Find Your Unique Style

When I first started culling my wardrobe to make life a little simpler, I really struggled to figure out my style. It's kind of important to have a style when you only have a few items of clothing. I wasn't even sure I had one. So in order to find out, I started observing what I was drawn to ~ even if I didn't have those pieces in my closet. I paid attention to color, cut and style. Patterns began to emerge and I began to discover what pieces fit me, my body, and my lifestyle.

Here are some ways to find your unique style:

1. Create a Pinterest board just for outfits.

Begin pinning every outfit or piece of clothing you love. (You can follow my Pinterest boards here!) There's a really simple way to add the Pinterest button to your browser so no matter what site you're on, you can pin an awesome outfit. OR if Pinterest is not your thing (whaaaat?) you could cut out magazine outfits and make an actual board/notebook of them.

2. Pull out ten favorite items of clothing from your closet.

Don't think about it too much, just run and grab them as fast as you can. Lay them on your bed and see what you have. This is probably a great indicator of what things you love. My guess is they are the most comfortable, best fitting and most signature pieces of your wardrobe. Take a long look at them and maybe even take notes on why you love each piece as you do. Several themes will likely emerge as you make your list. On my list, I kept saying similar things about different pieces. I discovered that my most important style characteristic was comfort. I found that my style tended to be: comfortable, classic, and casual.

3. Look around your home.

Often the colors we love and the ways we decorate our home has a direct correlation to our style. Is it whimsical? Or filled with color? Is it minimal? Do you prefer cool colors or a lot of white? Are their antiques everywhere? You might prefer vintage. Do you have quilts and dream-catchers? You might be more bohemian. Take a hint from what you surround yourself with. My house is fairly neutral with big colorful art popping around everywhere and that's exactly how my wardrobe ended up ~ lots of neutrals with big pops of color.

4. Whose fashion do you love?

Do you have someone whose outfits you love? Can't wait to see what they wear next? It might not be a celebrity; it could be the girl in the office next to yours or that mom at the play group. Someone that stands out in your mind could be a big clue on what interests you. It might not be the exact style you'd choose but there may be something in it you would like adding to your wardrobe. Maybe you love how she always wears a long necklace with tees or perhaps her bags are to die for. Decide what draws you in about that person's style and take note.

5. What do you want your wardrobe to say about you?

I quickly found that some of my wardrobe pieces sent an immature message, when I want to be taken seriously as a middle-aged woman. What do you want your wardrobe to say about you? Quirky and fun? All business? Original? Nurturing? Colorful? Intelligent? Outgoing? Make a list of what you'd like people's first impression to be of you and see if your wardrobe matches that list.

After keeping notes and pinning for awhile, set aside some time to examine what kinds of styles keep reoccurring on your boards and/or in your notes. Try to reduce your favorites until you can describe your style in three words. Those three words will be your guide from here on out. When you think about purchasing a new piece, consider first if the new piece will go with what's in your closet and then compare it to your three words. When it's time to go shopping for something new, I keep in mind that I want it to be: comfortable, classic and casual.

You might think keeping things casual means I never dress up, but that's not the case. I simply choose versatile pieces that can be dressed up or down with accessories. I own several well-loved dresses that fit the bill for "comfortable, classic and casual" whether for a fancy occasion or daily wear. I'll share examples of this on Monday and talk more about choosing versatile pieces next Wednesday.

Any guesses as to what YOUR three fashion words might be?