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What we wear says a lot
about who we are. In fact, research has shown that style is one of the main ways that we send social signals because it reveals part of our identity.
Psychologists have also long believed that style is important, and
that to be authentic and confident, we should dress according to our
personality. But as easy as this sounds, many of us find it tricky to
find and wear clothes that we feel truly represent our character.
With this in mind, we’ve partnered with True Colours with Sarah Heron to put together tips on how to identify and dress for your style personality. Through her style consultations and colour analysis service, Sarah helps women to explore their personal style and rediscover their confidence in a practical, empowering, and uplifting way.
What are the benefits of dressing for your personality?
Unlike early civilizations where the key purpose of clothing was to keep us warm, clothing today has developed from a practical asset into a display and expression of personality. Just as our friends, hobbies, and interests provide an insight into who we are, so too do our clothing choices.
The way we dress can also have a major impact on how we feel about ourselves. When we feel happy with how we appear on the outside, we’re more likely to feel good on the inside too, which can boost self-esteem.
Finding your ‘style personality’ is a key part of this, as it’s at times when we feel most like ourselves that we go out into the world more confident and ready to face the day.
Discovering your style personality
Some of us may already have a good idea of our style personality, while for others it may not be so clear.
However, discovering your personal style doesn’t have to be tricky. True Colours by Sarah Heron sets out six universally known style personalities (listed below) – to help you choose which one you relate to most.
Remember, not every detail of a particular style personality has to resonate with you, it’s more about identifying which ones you resonate with most overall.
If, after reading through the different style personalities, you’re still feeling unsure about which one matches you, then you might like to take the True Colours with Sarah Heron style personality quiz.
1. Timeless classic
The timeless classic personality style is usually drawn to refined clothing and minimalist accessories. Quality fabrics, well-structured clothing, timeless styles, and coordinated outfits are preferable over the latest trends.
Popular classic style pieces include blazers, pencil skirts, dark denim, pearls, and crisp white blouses.
Timeless classic personality types often feel the need to be put together, even for casual or leisure activities, and will avoid fussy clothing, prints, and patterns – except perhaps for an odd stripe or discreet logo.
2. Eco-warrior
Eco-warrior personality styles tend to consider comfort, in all areas of life, to be the most important factor – over style or cost. As such, people with this personality type often dress in simple, low-key, and no fuss outfits in natural fabrics like cotton and linen.
This doesn’t mean looking scruffy – rather, people with this personality type tend to pull off the effortlessly stylish look.
Favourable items often include cotton shirts, loose trousers, maxi skirts, chic trainers, slouchy knitwear, and minimal makeup.
3. Girly girl
People with a girly girl personal style usually gravitate towards soft fabrics, floral patterns, silk blouses, twirling midi skirts, and traditional, delicate accessories like pearls.
Asymmetric hemlines, long-sleeves, and almost Bohemian styles are also popular, while formal, business-style suits in dark colours tend to be avoided.
4. Fun fashionista
People with a fun fashionista personality style tend to favour bright, often clashing colours, exotic shapes, and prints to ensure they make an entrance and stand out from the crowd.
It’s common for people with this personality style to want to make the most of accessorising their look with large, standout pieces to add intrigue and statement.
5. Sassy chic
Women with a sassy chic personality style enjoy being noticed for their outfits. Sassy chic personality styles tend not to follow tradition and aren’t necessarily bothered about the appropriateness of their outfits.
While not afraid of colour, the preferred palette is more often than not, black – or, for a bolder look, maybe some purple, green, or red too. But they always choose complementary tones, not clashes.
Sassy chic personalities may also have a fondness for sturdy materials like denim and leather, clothing with alluring cut-outs, tattoo-style patterns, and accessories like fishnet tights.
6. Quirky creative
Quirky creative personality types tend to dress quite individualistically, uninfluenced by current trends or traditional rules.
Their wardrobe is usually filled with unusual items in different colours, textures, prints, and statement jewellery – some of which they’ll have enjoyed buying from vintage or charity shops.
People with a quirky creative personality type will often be inspired by something that they see or hear, and dress according to their mood.
4 tips to dress for your style personality
Once you’ve identified your style personality (or at least the ones that you identify with the most), there are a few things you can do to start dressing for it a bit more.
1. Discover how you want your clothes to make you feel
If you’re struggling to identify your style personality then asking yourself how you want your clothes to make you feel can be a useful tool. For example, do you want your clothes to make you feel confident, powerful, creative, and sexy?
The effect that clothing can have on how we feel can’t be understated. In this study, 96% of participants said their emotional state changes depending on what style of clothing they wear. So, determining what you want to achieve with your look can be a helpful way to guide your style.
For example, if you want to stand out from the crowd, then you could try including a bold animal print in your outfit. Or, if you want to feel strong and confident, why not go for a classic tailored suit? Research has shown that wearing a suit can in fact make us feel more powerful.
You can read more about the science of how our clothing affects us on the True Colours website.
2. Find your colour palette
Colour is a powerful tool in fashion and can be used to evoke all kinds of feelings and moods. For example, this study found that 90% of consumers’ first impressions are based on colour alone.
As such, the colours you wear can have a huge impact on your overall look and how you feel about yourself. For example, according to colour psychology studies, red reflects power, energy, and strength, while blue generates a calm, relaxed, integral vibe.
If this sounds appealing to you but you’re unsure which colours to wear or suit you best, then you might be interested in having a colour analysis.
A colour analysis can be done either online or in person and will identify shades which naturally and physiologically complement your natural tones, enhance the glow of your skin, help your eye colour pop and give a healthy, youthful look.
For more tips and advice, or to book a colour analysis, head over to the True Colours with Sarah Heron website.
3. Build your wardrobe around your main style personality, but don’t be afraid to dip into others too
It’s common for everyone’s style to fall into two or three personality styles, with one being dominant. For example, someone’s style may be mostly timeless classic, but also have features of sassy chic running through it too.
In order to feel most like yourself, it’s generally agreed that it’s best to build your wardrobe around your main style personality.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t also dip freely into other style personalities when you want to or need to. This is important, as naturally, there’ll be times in life when you may need to adapt your style in order to dress appropriately for certain occasions.
For example, a woman whose style essence is fashion-led may need to tie in aspects from other personality styles – for example, a more elegant, chic, or timeless classic look – to dress appropriately for occasions such as an interview or other formal environment.
Equally, it can be fun to experiment with other styles too, to find your own unique version. Remember, personality style doesn’t have to be all or nothing, but it’s a powerful tool to express a little of your personality on the outside without saying a word, and a great way to feel aligned with your look.
4. Look to shops and figures who match your style personality for inspiration
If you’ve identified your style personality but would like some help building your wardrobe, it can help to look to outside resources for some inspiration.
For example, you could look to celebrity figures who have the same style personality as you for outfit ideas, and visit shops and brands that specialise in that kind of look.
Below are a few examples…
| Personality style type | Examples of celebrities with this style | Retail shops |
| Girly girl | Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, and Christina Hendricks | Oasis, Whistles, Phase Eight, and Laura Ashley |
| Quirky creative | Kate Winslet, Julianne Moore, and Sophie Dahl | Vivian Westwood, Coast, and vintage shops |
| Timeless classic | Kate Middleton, Audry Hepburn, and Grace Kelly | Hobbs, Jaeger, Marks and Spencer, Autograph, and Pure |
| Sassy chic | Scarlett Johannsen, Britney Spears, and Marilyn Monroe | Lipsy and Cache |
| Fun fashionista | Amy Winehouse, Gwen Stafani, Sharon Osborne, and Cher | Kitri, Never Fully Dressed, and Phoebe Grace |
| Eco-warrior | Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, and Elle McPherson | White Stuff, Seasalt, Boden, and Hush |
Final thoughts…
Personal style is a powerful form of self-expression and a wonderful way to communicate who you are as a person. It’s one of the first things we notice about each other and, among other things, can boost our confidence and help us to feel comfortable in our own skin.
Plus, by taking the time to understand what style means and looks like to you, it’s likely that you’ll learn much about yourself in the process too.
If you’d like further style advice, or are interested in booking a colour consultation, you can visit the True Colours with Sarah Heron website for more information.
Or, more general information and fashion advice, head over to the fashion and beauty section of our website.