How To Simplify Your Holiday Style With A Signature Look

It’s officially the holiday season, also known as the busiest and most hectic time of year. Between the family gathering, party going and gift exchanging there’s a lot on our plates. We don’t have time to waste in our wardrobes trying to find something to wear! 

If you need a quick and easy solution to getting ready for your holiday events, consider creating a signature look. It’ll help you simplify your wardrobe so you know exactly what to wear!

Standing Out With Your Signature Style

We’re all familiar with the iconic signature looks. Think Audrey Hepburn in her cropped pants, high neck tops and ballet flats. And Anna Wintour in her colorful collar necklaces, printed dresses and sunglasses. They were both photographed in the same looks over and over again, but it was never uninspiring to see. 

I didn’t think, “How boring, a black turtleneck…again.” 

Instead I thought, “That’s Audrey!” Her iconic signature made her even more memorable.

audrey hepburn signature style black pants top flats

YES! I LOOK FORWARD TO #GROWINGYOUNGER

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE ME TO YOUR MAILING LIST.
* indicates required

A Daily Look

You may be wondering if your signature look needs to be a uniform of the exact same garment worn everyday, like Steve Jobs who also wore a black turtleneck. 

My answer is, it could be. If you’re ready to streamline your wardrobe down to those few styles, getting dressed will be easy! Your biggest decision will then be WHICH black turtleneck and WHICH pair of jeans should I wear today?

Personally I find that limiting, and I don’t recommend it to my styling clients unless they are 100% committed to substantially downsizing their wardrobes.

A better way is to create a few looks grounded in your signature so you get the simplicity of a refined style, but can mix up your outfits depending on your mood and circumstances of the day.

anna wintour signature syle neckace dress sungalsses

Notice how Anna hits the mark of her signature — a colorful collar necklace, printed dress and sunglasses — yet wears it differently each time.

How To Find Your Signature Look

To nail down your signature look, you must include these 3 things in what you wear.

1. Your Most Complimentary Cuts and Colors

This comes down to knowing what suits you because certain styles will highlight your individual body shape and features best. For example, if you carry most of your weight on the bottom (in your hips, butt or thighs) then drawing attention to your waist or chest would be a good look for you. (Click here to get the free guide to help determine your body shape. ) 

The same thing goes with color. Some tones will bring out your natural features while others can make you look sick. I also like to look at the energetic component of color. How does a certain hue make you feel? You want your signature to harmonize with your skin, hair and eyes AND give you energy. (Click here to see how to determine your most complimentary colors.)

2. Your Favorite Accessories

If you ever feel there’s something missing from your outfit, it’s your accessories! They’re the key to a more dynamic and complete look. They’re also an essential element of your signature since they’re easy to wear on repeat. Anna Wintour always has her sunglasses. And remember Pharrell in that giant hat? 

When choosing your signature accessories, look for something that you’re excited to regularly wear and that others will recognize as you. So if you make scarves your signature, your friends will see a beautiful scarf in the store and think, “Oh, that’s so ____ (fill in the blank with your name!)

3. Your Unique Styling Preferences

If #1 and #2 above are WHAT to add to your signature look, then #3 is HOW you wear those items. Your styling preferences encompass the way you put your outfits together. For example, do you like to cuff your pants? Do you half tuck your tops? Or roll your sleeves? It’s these tiny details that make your outfits more personal. And it’s the combination of #1, #2 and #3 that set your style apart!

Once you drill down on your signature, you’ll narrow down your outfit options because you’re only dealing with pieces that align with #1, #2, and #3! Then as you prepare for your upcoming events, use your signature as a checklist to keep you on track for how you want to look.

Look here to see my recent signature style upgrade. It’ll help you figure out what to include in yours!

–Elysha Lenkin

Elysha Lenkin is a personal fashion stylist who helps women look current, feel confident and stay true to themselves. For over 20 years she’s styled hundreds of women in all shapes, ages and sizes including Carrie Underwood, Tina Fey and Serena Williams. Learn more about her holistic approach to style at elyshalenkin.com and follow her on Instagram @eysha_nyc.

Photos: Audrey Hepburn, Vogue.in | Anna Wintour @wintourworld

You may like to read more of Elysha’s styling posts like Am I Too Old To Wear That Trend? 3 Questions To Ask and Style Rut? 3 Reasons Your Clothes Don’t Work (And What To Do About It).

Are you following Fountain Of 30 on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest? We’ve got lots going on, so join in on the fun! Subscribe to our newsletter here.  You don’t want to miss a post and promise not to bug you to death. We also started a Facebook Group called Growing Younger for women to discuss everything good and bad about being over 40. Additionally Lauren now hosts a podcast called Beauty is a Bitch! and a weekly Instagram Live series called “Growing Younger Gabfest with Lauren.”

Please pin!

what is your signature style expert tips fountainof30 signature style for the holidays fountainof30

2 thoughts on “How To Simplify Your Holiday Style With A Signature Look”

  1. What a great idea! We’ve been home for the last two years and so getting back out there wardrobe wise seems like to much effort but this makes it more manageable.

    Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.