The most stylish people have a few key styles that they look best in.
A capsule wardrobe doesn’t have to be a traditional blueprint that is the same for everybody though.
“This doesn’t have to be a black blazer, a white T-shirt and blue jeans,” Page says. “It can be anything that you see as go-to, everyday staples. It is less about the style of the items – this is personal to the individual – but more about buying those items that can be worn and styled in multiple ways for different occasions.”
It’s all about identifying what works for you – your personality, your body shape and your lifestyle. It is this balance that personal and celebrity stylists try to figure out when they first meet a new client.
“Trying to determine a client’s personal style is the most fun part of the job,” stylist to the stars, Zadrian Smith says. “The research goes into who they are – we are trying to work out what the story is of the person we are dressing.”
Susie Lau wearing Motoguo. Photo by Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images
Aaron Frew, personal shopper at Browns, agrees that storytelling is key.
“When a client has no idea what their signature style is, I ask them to send me five looks that they love, and from here, I have to dig deeper into their personal life and their job so I can start putting all these pieces of the puzzle together and create outfits that really will work for them.”
Knowing what you feel you are not is just as useful as knowing what you feel you are.
If you are really unsure of what might define your personal style, look at what has worked for you in the past, the pieces that made you feel your best, and break down how you can incorporate these elements into everything you wear going forward.
“Think back to outfits you have had where you felt your most beautiful,” Sidonie Jago, head of private shopping at Harvey Nichols says. “Likely, these outfits were the best cut, colour and style on you and should be recreated. The most stylish people I know have a few key styles that they look best in, and they repeat versions of the same outfits.”
