Browsing on large sites can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Sure, all the clothes look great on the models, but how do you know if they’ll suit you?

In this article, we’re going to delve into how you can create a more tailored approach to discovering your sense of style, by taking you through 4 themes to help you work out what looks (and feels) best on you, based on your body shape, your complexion, your personality and your preferences.

That way, the next time you find yourself looking through ‘THE ICONIC’, you’ll have a more solid foundation of your own sense of style, and can also earn Qantas Points when you shop via Qantas Shopping, so you can fund your next wardrobe upgrade for an even better price. It also means your style identity won’t be thrown easily off-kilter by fleeting trends. You’ll know what suits you, and you can bend and adapt it from time to time, but your greatest fashion weapon will be the knowledge of how best to express yourself.

So, scroll down to discover the 4 key ways to discover your own personal style.

Find Your Colour

Easier said than done, finding the colours that suit your complexion is the best starting point to guide your own personal style. Seasonal colour analysis is a popular method of discovering this, and you can find quizzes online to help you work out yours. Your skin, eye and hair colour will be considered, as well as the contrast between them, to work out which colours suit you, and also which hues. 

For example, two people may look great in pink, but one may suit a brighter, bolder shade which washes the other out, and whose natural features are best emphasised, in contrast, with a lighter pastel variation.

Find Your Body Shape

Understanding your body shape will help you better define your style by allowing you to pick clothes that are more tailored to accentuate the lines and curves of your body – or to contrast them if that’s the style you’re into. This goes beyond a simple ‘pear’, ‘hourglass’, or ‘strawberry’ definition. Kibbe’s body type system categorises women into dramatic, natural, classic, romantic, and gamine types, based on bone structure, body flesh and facial features. It’s a more comprehensive understanding of body types designed to help women feel more empowered when choosing their clothes.

For example, Taylor Swift is a verified ‘dramatic’, whereas Jennifer Anniston is a verified ‘natural’. Clothing silhouettes that look good on celebrities who share your body type will probably look good on you too, but of course, there’s space to play around with ‘clashing’ styles to create an effect.

Find Your Season

Ask yourself – what season do I feel most comfortable in? Do you love Summer with its long nights and hot sunny days? Or do you prefer to be nestled up in a cosy living room by the fire in the depths of Winter? Maybe you feel happiest taking brisk strolls as the flowers start to bud in Spring, or sitting in cafes watching the leaves puddle around street corners in the Autumn.

Deciding which season you feel most closely connected to doesn’t mean you’re then going to wear clothes designed for it all year round. It’s more about using your favourite season and the aesthetics and colours we associate around it to shape and inspire the clothes, prints and patterns we opt for. For example, many associate plaid with autumn, but you can still find plaid mini-skirts perfect for spring. If you feel more like a ‘summer person’, you can look for brightly coloured jumpers in the winter to keep that vibrancy alive.

Find Your Decade

Looking to the previous century garners a multitude of fashion inspirations to sink your teeth into. Every decade is worthy of a costume party in itself, but there are also so many aesthetics you can borrow from each decade without looking like your wardrobe is a rote replica.

The 20s favoured a lot of shift dresses and flat lines, great for dramatic body shapes. If you like black, gold, silver, delicate jewellery, and a more androgynous masculine fit, look here for outfit inspiration. The 1930s and 1940s saw similar silhouettes but with a paired-back sensibility owing to wartime shortages, so it’s great for those who prefer more modest dressing, or keeping their clothing classic and simple.

If you have a curvy figure, 1950s silhouettes are a great place to look. Playful dresses and skirts were cinched in at the waist and puffed out to emphasise a fuller figure. Marilyn Monroe will be your muse for this decade, although Audrey Hepburn offered a radically alternative style for the time with her boyish, straight-cut style for smaller, gamine-type frames. 

In the 1960s, short skirts and straight, tight fabrics like denim were popular as well as an increase in patterned, colourful fabrics. The 1970s were defined by the opposite - long, draping fabrics and another nod to androgyny, but this time more influenced by feminine frills and florals (look to Harry Styles for a modern-day interpretation of this style). 

If you like boxy silhouettes and oversized patterned shirts and are into athleisure, the 80s is your go-to. The 90s continues to retain its chokehold over mainstream fashion, defined by simple, fuss-free silhouettes and designs, such as those made famous by Kate Moss. Likewise, the Y2K trend takes from 2000s fashion, with a focus on bright colours, low-rise bottoms and heavy accessorising, as well as taking greater influences from the sporting world.

Once you’ve landed on a style you’re passionate about, don’t be scared to look up the celebrities and popular culture icons from decades past and present to help shape your buying choices. But be careful not to veer into an imitation of someone else’s wardrobe – that’s not what finding your personal style is about.

With an understanding of your colour, your body type and your season under your literal or figurative belt, you’re well on the way to finding your own personal sense of style.

Experiment, get creative and see what works. And remember that your style is bound to change over time, so what may feel like the most authentic version of you in your wardrobe right now may no longer resonate with you in 10 years’ time. And that’s ok  - that’s the fun of fashion!