Signature Style

When it comes to fashion, being “basic” is a sartorial sin.

If your wardrobe is a little too vanilla – and fails to convey your personality or suit your lifestyle – you might need some help developing your personal style. We spoke to Vivian Lee, lead stylist of the premium personal-styling service Dailylook, for her expert insights on creating a signature look that’s uniquely you.

Her No. 1 rule?

“It’s important to wear things that make you happy and represent who you are,” she says. “There are very few things that compare to how confident one feels in an outfit that they feel great in!”

Get Inspired

“Cultivating your sense of personal style is really homing in on things that make you feel good when you wear them, what you are attracted to when you are shopping and what kind of message you want people to see with your outfit,” Lee says. Find fashion inspiration anywhere – from magazines to movies to social media – and consider sources you may not have before, like vintage shops or indie boutiques. Take a look around, see what appeals to you and begin incorporating that into your wardrobe.

Do You

“It’s really important to keep your lifestyle and body type in mind,” she says. “Knowing what kind of items look best on you and what pieces accentuate the features that you love on your body can really help you decide what pieces to go for.” Make sure, too, that your clothes fit the life you’re living. If your office is casual, for example, you don’t need a ton of suits; likewise, it’s important to have pieces for dressing down on the weekends if you do get buttoned up during the week. 

Try It On

“A lot of people are afraid to test things, and that also includes trying things on that they might be interested in but feel that either they won’t look good in or think that they have to stick to one style,” Lee says. It’s important to keep an open mind and try things on – you may look and feel amazing in something you might not expect. Plus, what’s there to lose? O