Upgrading your personal style is one of the best New Year’s resolutions. A refreshed look will boost your self-esteem, motivate you to stay fit, and invite new opportunities to your personal and professional life.
Just a simple twist like boho clothing or handmade accessories can give you that extra burst of inspiration you need to advance in many other ways.
However, such a broad goal requires a blueprint to get started. Let’s outline how to determine your style in 2023 and make it your best year yet.
Gather Inspiration Far and Wide
There’s no telling when or where inspiration may strike when exploring the world of style. Start by shifting your frame of mind and be open to a wide range of sources that you might have previously overlooked.
You may be inspired by watching old movies, flipping through reference books, browsing art galleries, or just strolling downtown. There’s always a fresh take on the classics, and new ways to style old favorites.
Don’t forget to follow some fashion icons on social media and see what’s trending in your favorite category.
Explore Fits, Fabrics, and Themes
The world of style is filled with countless niches, many of which can be blended and improvised to your specifications. For instance, flowy bohemian garments can be mixed with slim and minimal items for a contrast that suits you and no one else.
It all starts with fit, and determining a silhouette that complements the natural shape of your physique. It helps to identify celebrity fashion icons with a body type that matches yours. This gives you a real-life mannequin to model your fits and figure out what works.
From there, focus on quality fabrics that go above and beyond the fast-fashion norm. Price tags may be steeper for quality cotton, wool, and athleisure materials, but you will be way happier with the results by skipping the cheap alternatives.
Out With the Old (Full Fashion Audit)
With a good understanding of your style goals and what’s required to reach them, it’s time to run a complete fashion audit. That means deconstructing your closet one piece at a time and determining what should stay or go.
Carve out a couple of hours to pick apart your wardrobe from top to bottom, and make an honest assessment regarding each item. You may struggle to let certain pieces go, but it should be easier to follow through once you have a better replacement in mind.
As you sort through everything, envision what new items will replenish what’s lost, and keep a list on hand so you can shop with a purpose moving forward.
Start with a Capsule Wardrobe
You’ve cleansed your closet of outdated items and worn-out t-shirts, so what’s next? We recommend taking the capsule wardrobe approach, focusing on staples that can be mixed and matched to create dozens of workable outfits with ease.
This ensures a basics-first approach that will set a strong foundation for riskier additions later on. A few pairs of neutral trousers and jeans will form the base, while a few tried-and-true tops will be on rotation for the typical workweek.
Again, quality is the priority here, and less is more with a capsule wardrobe. Make sure items pair well with one another and don’t buy something unless it already suits the capsule theme in terms of fit and function.
Take Some (Calculated) Fashion Risks
The fun begins when you step beyond your comfort zone and start taking risks with statement pieces and more adventurous items. These may be textured long sleeve shirts with bold patterns, or that jacket you’ve always wished you could pull off.
With the capsule wardrobe in action, you can shop with more confidence, knowing that any additions will be ready to implement and fully on brand.
This goes for accessories as well, so don’t shy away from adding scarves, hats, jewelry, timepieces, and other accents that put the finishing touches on your refreshed look.
Set Limits and Stay Focused
The quest for style can often give way to a spending spree that wrecks your budget and fills your closet with mismatched items. Therefore, it’s important to set limits for yourself both financially and fashion-wise.
When shopping, do so intentionally and only when you’re in need of a certain type of item. Avoid endless scrolling and browsing online, and spend more time in the fitting rooms before you commit to an impulse purchase.
Putting these guardrails on your fashion journey will prevent you from going overboard and losing track of your goals. Go piece by piece, and slowly but surely, you’ll develop your dream wardrobe over time without wasting money or exhausting your interest.
Bring it All Together
Your fashion transformation isn’t going to happen overnight, nor should it. Creating a new style identity takes time, effort, and a bit of risk, so commit to the game plan and make 2023 your most fashionable year thus far.