INSPIRATION AND ADVICE

HOW TO FIND YOUR PERSONAL STYLE

By Sarah Waldron, 18 May 2026

If the makeover montages in countless films have taught us anything, it’s that defining your personal style can be completely and utterly transformative. But one thing the films don’t tell you is how fraught and complicated it can be – it’s not as simple as whipping your glasses off and letting your hair down to reveal the Anne Hathaway within. Your style is how you tell the world who you are without saying a word, and that’s a big task. If you’re wondering how to find your personal style, we have some tips to make the journey easier (and more fun, too).

STEP 1: FIND YOUR FOUNDATIONS

Levi's superlow loose jeans in dark blue, £70

model wearing striped t-shirt|ASOS Style Feed

Pictures: ASOS

Noisy May boxy tee in black stripe, £24

First things first. Go through your wardrobe and pull out your most-worn items. Why do you reach for them the most? If it’s a positive reason, like they make you feel joyful or fit like a couture glove, these are your foundations. These are the hooks around which you write the lyrics of your personal style. Do you have a much-loved pair of Levi’s? Get another in a different wash. Are striped tees your thing? Make a collection out of them. ASOS's Senior Stylist Charis Gray advises: 'Learning what colours and prints suit you is a great way to start building out your wardrobe. For example, I’m obsessed with camo print and it's repeated throughout my wardrobe. It never goes out of style, and so many of my other pieces now go with it because I wear it so much.'

But what do we do with the pieces that make us feel, well, not like us? They’ve been worn to death, they make us feel uncomfortable, they don’t fit. Sell them or take them to your local charity shop, and make room for a stronger foundation.

STEP 2: FIND YOUR FASHION THEMES

Now you’ve consolidated your wardrobe, see if you can pick out common themes. Perhaps every second garment is black. Perhaps you’re the opposite – lots of bright colours or pastels or prints. Anything can be a theme as long as it crops up in the most-worn section of your wardrobe. Pick the three most obvious motifs and you’ve created a fashion shorthand that’s uniquely you. Keep your themes in mind whenever you go virtual window shopping and you’ll never veer off the fashion course. Charis' tip? Put anything and everything related to your themes in one place online. 'My biggest inspiration and helping hand when styling myself is Pinterest. I keep Pinterest boards for outfit inspiration every season, so when I’m stuck in the morning I just consult Pinterest and I’m good to go! Whenever you see anything you like online, save it to your Pinterest and then they’re all in one place. It's your own back catalogue of styling inspo that you can mould and update, season to season.'

GET THE LOOK

ASOS DESIGN double layer sheer top in ivory, £24

Weekday soft long sleeve top with all over dragon graphic print in red, £24

Topshop satin and lace mix hanky hem midi skirt in plum, £48

ASOS DESIGN Cassandra eyelet biker boot in textured black, £55

STEP 3: INSPIRATION, NOT IMITATION

Emma Chamberlain at the Met Gala|ASOS Style Feed

Picture: Getty Images

Who’s your style icon? Maybe you’re a street-style purist, maybe you’re wedded to Old Hollywood glamour. Maybe you’re more inspired by subcultures or art movements than people. The key to using these influences in your personal style is to never replicate exact looks. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it’s the rockiest road to expressing your true self. Charis says: 'My go-to styling rule is "adapt a trend to suit your style, don’t adapt your style to fit a trend". Personal style grows when you take aspects of trends and make them your own. If you flat-out copy a trend, you’ll never have your own fashion identity.'

emma chamberlain inspo collage|ASOS Style Feed

Picture: ASOS

Let’s do an exercise. Pull an image of something that inspires you. We’ve picked one of Emma Chamberlain at this year’s Met Gala. With your most-worn items and fashion keywords in mind, think about what draws you to your chosen image. Is it the colours, shapes or textures? Maybe it’s smaller details like embellishments or fastenings. For us, it’s the ruffles, or the fringe, or maybe the fresh colour combo of yellow and blue. The point isn't to steal the look, but to focus on what aspects and ideas inspire you and will slot in with what you already have. Here's our inspo, what's yours?

GET THE LOOK:

Vero Moda Tall bias cut ruffle cami maxi dress in pale yellow, £60

Never Fully Dressed Fearne satin lace detail midi dress in blue and lemon, £99

ARRANGE fringed bandeau top in lilac, £120

MAC Matte Small Eyeshadow - Charcoal Brown, £20