Finding My Personal Style, Part I: The Basics.

My daily uniform has not changed since 2007; a band tee, a skirt or skinny jeans, my favorite hoodie, and some cool shoes. Except in 2022 when I became a mom I switched out the bottom half for some yoga pants and black Uggs. I feel that I’m in a style rut. I know what I like but not how to express it.

I have loved fashion since I was 8 years old and accidentally stumbled on a broadcast of a fashion show while channel surfing. I have created endless looks on Shoplook and Polyvore (RIP), but yet cannot style myself to save my life. This is the year though that I finally change that, even if only to elevate my current style (I use style very loosely in this case).

If you Google “What are wardrobe basics?” millions of results will show up to tell you what your basics should be, even Google summarizes it at the top of the search because pretty much everyone tells you the same thing: jeans, blazer, button down, tank, long sleeve, etc. Maybe I’m just hardheaded but I didn’t like that. I felt that those lists of basics were too… basic, and not specific enough for people with styles that don’t fall in line with what magazines tell you to wear. Particularly anyone with an alternative style. Then I came across this video and found myself nodding along. She’s right. Even if I’m just starting out, I know that people will have different lifestyles and personal styles that will need more than just the average basics list to find their own.

Combing through my Google search I stumbled onto this article by Maddison McKinley. Sure she lists some of the typical basics, but her wording feels more flexible and she even offers alternative suggestions to the typical basic. Lastly, during my search, this video called out to me so I watched it and took notes. While not necessarily about basics, I felt Hannah’s method helped me in choosing basics that will be comfortable for my lifestyle, as well as go a long way to keep me from buying items I won’t end up wearing in the future.

Taking into account what I learned during my search, as well as the three specific sources I shared, this is what I came up with for my basics:

While not particularly screaming alternative, I kept my basics in fabrics familiar to me, and in colors I know I’m comfortable in, as well as silhouettes I know I can chase my running tots in. No tank tops, no cotton or silk button downs, no white sneakers, and no turtlenecks. I did include a mockneck though, because I do like turtlenecks, but I’m busty and I don’t want to look like a pair of boobs with a head!

My next step was to make sure my basics could create looks on their own. I created a few outfits using them just to ensure I would be getting good use out of my basics:

I was satisfied with the looks I could create with my basics. Now it was the hard part. Where do I get the basics, or any clothes at that, in my size? It was time to search for good clothes in plus sizes. Which I’ll post about in my next post!

So I learned that basics don’t have to be cookie cutter, they don’t have to be uncomfortable, and you don’t need white sneakers. Basics should be something that goes with everything in your closet, something you’ll reach for time and time again, and that makes sense for your lifestyle.

Let me know what your basics look like or what you wouldn’t use as a basic, and stick around because we have so much more to learn about personal style!

xo, Beth.