5 Questions That Will Help You Discover Your Fashion Fingerprint

A fashion fingerprint. We all have one, for some of us, it’s just harder to find. Here are 5 questions to help you discover yours, plus mine, to spark a few ideas of your own.

What’s a piece you’ve owned for years and never get tired of wearing, and why?

Mine’s a pair of khaki cargo shorts, bought in New York in 2005 when I was a Buying Director for Office. Versatile, comfy, reliable. Dressed up or dressed down, they hold a lot of memories, and they’re as well travelled as I am. They’ve camped in the Namibian desert, been worn to a party with kitten heels and sequins, and been my pocket-lifesaver while gardening.

When you get dressed and feel completely like yourself, what are you usually wearing and how does it make you feel?

For me, a shirt or blouse, a sweatshirt or jumper, worn with jeans or trousers. Right now it’s my vintage Carhartt worker trousers and a shirt. It’s when I feel most like me. Confident, relaxed, not thinking about what I’m wearing. One less thing to worry about, so I can just focus.

What three words would you use to describe your style? Or the style you want to own.

I think this is an important part of finding your fashion fingerprint. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with images and ideas, but once you have your own words, you can keep coming back to them, and they’ll help you dress in a way that actually feels like you. Sometimes it’s enough to just appreciate someone else’s style, without needing to become it.

Knowing your words can stop mistake purchases too, and help you clear out what you’ll no longer wear. Following on from my blog last week, Why You Always Feel Like You Have Nothing to Wear.

Mine: Practical. Relaxed. With a twist. That twist is usually a vintage piece, or one unexpected detail thrown in.

Whose style do you admire, and what draws you to it?

Advice I give clients: you can have more than one, just don’t go overboard, or you’ll end up confusing yourself. Three, like your words, is a good number. Take inspiration and do it your way. Borrow ideas and let them spark something new you can make your own.

For me, Carrie [SATC]. The Experimenter. That mixed-up, thrown-together look that says I know what I like, and I’m not afraid to try it. Dakota Johnson. The Considered One. Minimalist, effortless, quietly cool, I loved her character’s style in The High Note too. And Tracee Ellis Ross. The Joy Maker. Bold, playful, fearless with colour and pattern, a mix of vintage glamour and modern fun.

If you could only keep ten pieces from your wardrobe, which would you save first?

This one’s brutal, and cards on the table, I struggle with it. I know for sure my khaki shorts and a leather Marni top would make the cut. For now, I’m still working on the rest.

Still not sure what yours is? That’s exactly what I’m here for. Book a free style talk, and let’s discover it together.