In an era of never-ending microtrends—office sirens, tomato girls, and coquettes among them—finding your style can feel like a Herculean task. It can even be hard to find people to look up to. While some celebrities have carved out hyper-specific senses of personal style, there has been a trend toward polished homogeneity. And while we still have the Chloë Sevignys, Grace Joneses, and Alexa Chungs of the world to look to, they feel too few and far between. So it’s no surprise you may be wondering…
Why can’t I find my style?
With the nonstop trend cycle, we’re always feeling the pressure to move onto the hot new thing. Even if your wardrobe leans more trendy, try interrogating yourself about certain pieces in your closet. Do the colors suit you? Do you like how it makes your body look? Why do you feel good when you wear it?
Of course, that’s all a little vague. In case you’re still stressing, we turned to some of the chicest people we know to help us figure out how to find your style. They work across the fashion industry, from design to editorial to retail. Not only did we ask them the secrets to curating their own closets, but where they shop, and who they look to for inspiration in their own wardrobes.
How would you describe your personal style?
Margaret Austin, co-owner, Outline Brooklyn: Comfortable, thoughtful, functional, striped? I try to stick to natural fibers but I also really love Pleats [Please by Issey Miyake] and Comme des Garçons].
Jalil Johnson, Consider Yourself Cultured writer: Eclectic and preppy.
Naomi Elizée, Vogue fashion market director: I describe my style as a hodgepodge of all of my interests. I like to think I am a style chameleon and try not to limit myself to one particular “style.” I dress for the mood I’m in or the mood I crave! If I’m looking for something uplifting, I’ll reach for my brightest Christopher John Rogers sweater and my rhinestoned Martine Rose jeans. It’s never too much or too little for me. I dress to experiment, I dress for comfort, I dress for fun and I dress for myself.
Steff Yotka, head of content, SSENSE: It’s impossible to answer this question about yourself! I love plaids and stripes, wearing black with a little bit of color, big skirts and platform shoes—I just buy into those categories and figure it out every morning when I’m getting dressed. I think if you buy individual pieces you love, getting dressed will be a smash.
Susan Korn, jewelry designer, Susan Alexandra: Victorian school marm meets yentl who aspires to be a cool Danish mom.
Mahoro Seward, British Vogue fashion & style editor: A lot of black, but not goth-y; gender-irreverent, but not eccentric; generally quite muted–at times, adjacent to a conventional understanding of chic–but usually with a lick of grit/grunge.
When did you start cultivating what is now your style?
MA: Lockdown was a bit of a reset for me—I think the time spent on my own caused me to lean towards simpler pieces rather than some of the louder things I wore in my more “out and about” pre-pandemic days.
