Choosing three to five adjectives to describe your personal style can be very helpful in building a cohesive wardrobe and creating outfits that say what you want to say about yourself.

Several years ago, I chose three adjectives to describe my style… classy, confident, and comfortable. Later, I added two more… casual and creative. The fact that they all started with the letter C was entirely coincidental, but it made them easy to remember! Lately, though, I’ve been rethinking the last one.

Even though my lifestyle calls for casual clothing most of the time, when I look in the mirror, I still want what I’m wearing to be classy. I achieve that by wearing clothes that are tasteful, well-made, and in most cases, somewhat timeless. It’s also important that they’re comfortable and fit well. I think it goes without saying that we’d all like to feel confident in our appearance. I believe that when we’re true to our own personal style, confidence will be a byproduct.

But what about creative? Why have I decided to toss that one out and what am I replacing it with?

To me, creative implies colourful and unconventional. Although she’s an extreme example, Iris Apfel comes to mind. I don’t mind a pop of colour or something with a slightly unique or unusual twist, but I’ve come to the conclusion that true creative style just isn’t me. Maybe it’s the introvert in me, but when I stray too far in that direction I don’t feel comfortable or confident. Instead, I feel self-conscious. Perhaps the desire for simplicity in style is why the coastal grandmother look that was all the rage last summer appealed to me so much.

Of course, it’s not essential that I have five style adjectives. Four would be fine, but as I thought about this, the word authentic came to mind and I knew that I’d found my new adjective. Merriam-Webster includes “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character” as one meaning of the word and synonyms include “genuine” and “real“. To me, authentic style means not dressing to satisfy anyone but myself. It means wearing what feels like me. It means not wearing something simply because it’s a trend or because someone else thinks it looks good on me.

So, from now on when I stand in front of the mirror, I’ll run through my five style adjectives… classy, confident, comfortable, casual, and authentic… and I’ll be happy with the outfit if it ticks all five boxes.

What about you? Have you ever chosen adjectives to describe your personal style. If not, check here for an exercise that will help you do that.