I’m curious, readers: how would you describe your “core personal style” right now? It’s not necessarily what you’re wearing every day (e.g., your sloppy WFM/school drop-off/pre-workout look), but the one that you feel best in — the most YOU in. Do you have a general vibe that is you (e.g., preppy, boho, tough girl), or a celebrity avatar whose body type or vibe feels like yours? What are the base pieces you’re using to define your personal style (e.g., jeans? sweater blazer? jewelry?)

{related: how to cultivate style}

It should be an interesting discussion right now since old work dress codes may be changing — after all, Queen Letizia’s structured style (or all those sheath dresses, matching suits, or 4″ heels) becomes less relevant if you’re working from home in gym clothes most days. I know I definitely went through a bit of a style crisis when blazers and sheath dresses became less present in my wardrobe!

{related: the weekend you vs. the weekday you}

It should also be an interesting discussion because fashion is ALL over the place right now, both thanks to the pandemic, supply chain issues, lack of in-store shopping — as well as the rise of “TikTok couture.” As one recent article from Vox noted,

What is TikTok couture? It is a (sort of rude) way to describe the coalescence of trends that materialize on TikTok, whether from teenagers experimenting with clothes they’ve thrifted from their local charity shop, from older folks revisiting the subcultural styles of their youth, or from professional and amateur trend watchers combining aesthetic clues into a single theory of what’s coming next. Together, with the help of the supercharged TikTok algorithm that blasts viral content to millions of users within hours or days, these videos shape what mainstream culture considers stylish, which therefore can affect what we choose to wear ourselves.

It kind of reminds me of that old Molly Ringwald classic, Pretty in Pink, where she wants to be a fashion designer and thrifts/cuts/sews an old dress into something “new” and evocative of her style. (Except in every style period I know of the dress has always been completely hideous.)

So I’m curious, readers — what do you think your core personal style is right now? What are you using to define it? If your weekday style is changing permanently (either because your office is changing dress codes or you’re working from home), what are you carrying forward from your previous office wardrobe?

{related: what not to wear to work}

(If you don’t have a personal style (as far as you know), there are a few ways we can discuss how to refine that, from vision boards to body type quizzes and beyond — perhaps for a later post!)

Stock photo: Death to Stock.