by Kimberly Perez
Photo by Artem Beliaikin from Pexels
Ever looked through your wardrobe and couldn't decide what to wear? You may be struggling in pulling pieces together if you have trouble knowing what your style is. We all love our black-on-black options, but if you dig more you’ll notice these pieces make up a particular look. Here is a list of different types of fashion styles that may help decide your taste.
PREPPY
Schoolboy blazer, crop tops, ball caps, wide legs, and more. All your favorites with a fresh spin of 90’s style. A preppy style has a lot in common with a classic style that you may well find yourself drawn to the elements of both. As a preppy style personality, you love cozy knits, checks, stripes and prefer to wear flat shoes and natural fibers, including leather as well as wool.
Button-downs are layered under vests, over turtlenecks, under jackets, under long coats, over trousers—and sometimes belted and finished with a tie. These ensembles are paired not with pumps or sneakers, but loafers and boyish shoes. Cozy does not mean lacking polish; a preppy look can be achieved with clothes that are tailored and paired with bright colors and fun fabrics. A popular staple right now is high-waisted plaid skirts and paper bag shorts.
STREETWEAR
Think puffer jackets, crop tops, sweats, joggers, sneakers, or heels paired with joggers, the options are endless. Streetwear is a style of casual clothing that became global in the ’90s. It grew from New York hip hop fashion and Californian surf culture to encompass elements of sportswear, punk, skateboarding, and Japanese street fashion. Eventually, haute couture became an influence.
It commonly centers on casual, comfortable pieces such as jeans, T-shirts, baseball caps, and sneakers, and exclusivity through intentional product scarcity. Streetwear enthusiasts follow particular brands and try to obtain limited-edition releases. Amp up this look with a chunky pair of white boots, a long jacket, layered necklaces, or a peek-a-boo turtleneck. Go further and pair your favorite tractor boots with slouchy sweatpants or leggings if you want to achieve a utilitarian or slant-to-laid-back look.
ATHLEISURE
Crop tops and leggings, hoodies under blazers, biker shorts paired with heels or boots, not just sneakers. Athleticwear or Athleisure is a fabricated style of hybrid clothing, making its way out of the gym and becoming a larger part of people's everyday wardrobes. Considered as a fashion industry movement, athleisure has been enabled by improved textile materials, which allow sportswear to be more versatile, comfortable, and fashionable. Style your gym wear with bralettes!
In the past, this comfortable bra alternative was layered under baggy shirts for an extra print or pop of color. However, the 2021 wire-free style comes in all sorts of colors, fabrics, and designs, so yes, you can wear it as a top. Moreover, you can now wear bralettes under blazers and cardigans, without having to match them with your top layer. The possibilities are endless: match it with a co-ord set, under a blazer, with biker shorts, under a mesh top, under a sheer ensemble, and so on.
CLASSIC/MINIMAL
Classic style is investment dressing at its best, they are made of timeless pieces that will be used time and time again. A classic person isn’t afraid to spend money upfront on quality pieces knowing that it will last for years. Classic style isn’t just about style, either.
This personality exudes quiet confidence, they feel no need to overtly announce their arrival with flashy over-the-top fashion trends. Understated simplicity is their angle, and while a classic look tends to steer in neutral and monochromatic palettes, the minimal look will immediately draw the eye because of the small details. Often the excellent tailoring is the detail that grabs the eye.
Clean silhouettes, tailored cuts, neat hems, neutral colors, simple stripes, or minimal detailing are the key focus in classic styles. Paired down with minimal jewelry, you are sure to look effortlessly polished without being loud. A long-standing theory in fashion, high hemlines indicate economic prosperity, and even today midi dresses and skirts are still dominating. Look for blazers, silk midi dresses, white tops, classic black pants, blue/white jeans, crisp white sneakers, and the unforgettable little black dress, these pieces will never go out of style.
GLAM
The kind of 1920s-meets-1980s opulence that just puts a girl in a good mood. Glam fashion is the look that is glimmering but covered up (these aren't just club dresses; they're a statement on a mood.) Think long trousers, high necks, silky bomber jackets, and voluminous dresses. With textures in the form of sequins and oversized metallic paillettes, as well as enticing ‘touch me’ ruffles and lurex, these textures make any outfit shine even brighter when the spotlight is on you.
Go over the top and aim for fur coats, statement jewelry, and girly heels (even if it's paired with stylish plus-size jeans) you'll be the life of any party in this hard-to-miss style. While casual style is best defined as fuss-free comfort, glam is defined as extra and fancy. Glamour is all about putting effort into your hairstyle, the effort to dress up, the effort to go all out and put makeup on. Focus on sunglasses and statement accessories like bags, shoes, scarves, etc. The goal here is to be extra.
Go even further and color clash. Pair contrasting colors, or colors you wouldn’t usually put together, to create bold focal points. The secret to pulling it off is sticking to simple shapes – think classic shifts, maxis, pencil skirts, and choosing shades that are the direct opposites on the color wheel. Pinks and vivid greens, pink with yellow, orange with blue, or green with black to create some of the most (and effective) visual effects. Color clashing is a great way to revive your wardrobe and make a fashion statement at no cost at all.
GRUNGE/PUNK/EDGY FASHION
Grunge/Punk fashion is the clothing, accessories, and hairstyles of the music genre and subculture which emerged in the mid-’80s. It is characterized by durable and timeless thrift-store clothing, often worn in a loose, androgynous manner to de-emphasize the silhouette. This style was popularized by music bands and the idea of “anti-fashion.”
The most common styles recourse to monochrome blazers, chunky boots, and layered necklaces. Avoid Halloween-like looks or distressed hems and focus on daring cut-outs, and sexy fabrics (after all, we all have a little goth in us). Don’t be afraid to challenge gender rules! Wear oversized shirts, baggy t-shirts, and trousers, and mix other pieces from men’s clothes with your own wardrobe. Men’s clothing can be especially great for oversized pieces and having a cool laid-back vibe. Go beyond black and leather and add a pop of red tones to make you stand out.
If you like to stay fashion-forward, you may need to take chances on what and how you wear your apparel with accessories. An edgy style does not only mean distressed jeans/fabrics, leather, rugged boots, zippers, studs, etc. These outfit elements only describe one type of edgy look; “the hard edgy” and is the most popular because it seems to never go out of style. Edgy Style consists of clothes that make a statement, like leather jackets, high heels, bright colors, etc.
FEMININE
The feminine style indicates that the traits of this style are softer, more collaborative. They are focused on pieces that bring out the girly playful side in everyone and accentuate the feminine features in a graceful, poised way. Just about any silhouette will look feminine, as long it flatters your body shape and fits properly. Most clothes require some tailoring to achieve a perfect fit, so invest in necessary alterations. Avoid clothing that is loosely fitted as most of these clothes are shapeless and do not highlight your figure. Looking feminine does not mean you should be wearing skin-tight clothes either. Being feminine means you look classy, polished, and appropriate for the occasion.
Different fabrics provide different style aesthetics. Select garments made of fabrics that are feminine on their own such as lace, silk, chiffon, tulle, etc. It's no secret that dresses and skirts are the epitome of feminine style. Silky camis over a high-waisted midi skirt is an easy way to achieve a feminine look. For an extra cute look, mix your cropped pastel cardigans with lounge-ish sweatpants or midis. You can dress up jeans or pants by elevating your footwear.
Typically, the slenderer the heels are, the more feminine they look and stilettos are generally a good choice to make your outfit look more refined. If you struggle to walk in high heels, kitten heels are a great choice that perfectly achieves a balance between sexy and comfortable. Shoe styles like pumps and strappy sandals are generally flattering to any woman who wants to look feminine.
If you prefer to not wear heels you can focus on pointed-toe flats or strappy flat sandals that offer a classic feminine feel to them. Opt for delicate jewelry to achieve effortless elegance. Even if you wear something simple like a t-shirt and jeans, styling a couple of delicate layering necklaces shifts the feminine touch. Focus on soft hues and go further to refreshing your lingerie with soft lace and silky fabrics.
BOHEMIAN
Artistic, relaxed, liberated... Bohemian is more than just a fashion trend – it’s an actual culture in its own right, one that comes with a very specific ideology and complicated history. While it’s closely associated with the hippie fashions of the 60s and 70s, these days, bohemian fashion is part of the mainstream culture. It is a style that follows the lines of effortless, relaxed fashion, with its loose-fitted clothing items, casual accessories, and an overall artistic, creative mishmash of elements—think tassels, fringe, crochet, macrame bags, suede footwear, and bohemian lace (usually more rustic than delicate silk lace).
Also called ‘boho chic’ or ‘boho’, the style features a variety of natural materials, earthy shades, and hippie-inspired patterns. Look for flowy tops, dresses, and bottoms. The key to pulling off this style is focusing on natural warm hues like browns, beiges, and greys with a pop of colors such as turquoise, teal, oranges, and rust tones. Complete your look with comfortable chunky heels, platform heels, or low cowboy boots.
Elements to look for consist of mixed prints, antiqued finish jewelry, rattan bags and belts, braid detailing, embroidery, patchwork designs, tie-dye, denim, tribal pieces, floral prints, distressed denim, and wooden jewelry. The association between down-to-earth floral motifs and natural femininity can be traced through the last one hundred years of fashion. The maxi dress is a staple in bohemian style and has always been one of the most versatile things a woman wears. Casual summer night? Pair your maxi with sandals. A social event? Throw on some heels.
From minimalist basics to maximalist shine, we have covered some of the trendiest fashion styles that keep coming back. Knowing what to choose from can be difficult. A personal style is about conveying yourself through your clothes and how you wear them.
A way to narrow down your closet to the style that resonates to you is by incorporating the capsule wardrobe system; eliminating items from your closet that no longer match your tastes and keeping pieces you love and will come back to. Look in your closet at the brands of clothes you own. Each brand has its own style. If you tend to like shopping at a few stores that have the same style, that is most likely your style.