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How to Find Your Clothing Style

Feb 27, 2011 / By Stacy Calvert

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Wearing clothes that make you feel good gives you confidence.

Photo: Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

You love buying clothes, so why is it so hard to pinpoint your personal clothing style? Does your fear of looking silly stop you from having fun with fashion? You don't need to slavishly follow fashion trends or look like a supermodel to be stylish. In fact, you'll have better luck defining your own personal style if you ignore trends and wear what you love.

Donate anything in your closet that doesn't make you look and feel great. Wear only clothes that make you feel comfortable and confident, since it's hard to be stylish if you feel gawky and self-conscious. Make repairs to some of your old favorites stashed in the corner of your closet due to missing buttons or pilling.

Go crazy with accessories. They can be worn no matter what you size you are, and they are cheaper and a lot more versatile than clothes. Add excitement to a toned-down look with a bright, richly hued pair of gloves or a scarf in a fabulous pattern. Expand your fashion horizons by experimenting with looks you don't normally wear but secretly admire. If you love a certain bold color but won't wear it for fear of looking tacky, try accessories in that shade. Experimenting with accessories gives you new clues about your own personal style.

Get fit -- when it comes to your clothes, that is. Enlist a tailor's help to individualize your look by making your clothes fit your body perfectly. No matter what you spent on your clothes, you'll avoid waistband and neckline gaps, too-long pants and other fashion faux pas. Get tailor recommendations from friends and family, or ask around on local forums. Knowing clothes can be altered frees you to try on items you avoided in the past.

Look to fashion icons for inspiration. Sure, you're looking to develop your own style, not copy someone else's. But checking out the vintage looks of Twiggy, Audrey Hepburn and Diana Ross, as well as contemporary style goddesses like Iman, Chloe Sevigny and Zooey Deschanel, just might help you bring out your most stylish self. Think about it this way: these women are iconic because of their individuality, and it's impossible not to be inspired by the sheer coolness of their looks. You're sure to pick up some ideas of your own, too. There's nothing more chic than taking inspiration from vintage looks and twisting them into something entirely modern. It's your unique way of interpreting fashion from the past and present that will make you stand out from the crowd.