Having a signature style can make getting dressed easier as it allows for easy mixing and matching of items. However, having a variety of looks can be more interesting and allow for more creativity. To create a signature look, you need to mix and match styles, prints, and colors. This is not the same as having a uniform or being stuck in a rut, though.
When you’re spending a lazy Saturday flipping through magazines and eating Oreos, and you get to the quiz section, and there’s a question about describing your signature style, do you know how to answer it? Do you just think, “Umm, clothes?” Then do you look at the answers to find the one you like best and decide that is what Starbucks drink you are most like? Having the best signature style is great, but it’s not for everyone. Not having a signature style doesn’t mean you don’t have a personal style. If you don’t have an overarching theme running through your wardrobe or you can’t describe your look in a few words, it’s not a big deal.
There are a bunch of celebrities who have perfected what it means to have a signature style, which has made us want our own signature looks. Dita Von Teese has her flawless retro couture style. Anna Wintour has her dark sunglasses. The Olsens twins have that grand dame boho thing going on.
However, there are lots of other celebrities who you can’t really classify their look, and they are style icons to just as many people. Some may say that Rihanna’s style is on the naked side, but she wears pretty much everything from opulent couture gowns to BDSM-inspired looks to girlie ensembles Barbie would be jealous of. Secondly, you can’t really define Emma Stone’s look beyond amazing. She changes fashion directions more than she switches hair colors. That is part of the reason everyone loves her so much. If you had a chance to raid one celebrity’s closet, you’d probably choose someone with variety rather than a very specific look, like her.
Having a definite signature style does have certain merits. It makes getting dressed a lot easier because it’s likely that you can mix and match almost anything in your wardrobe. It’s functional, but you don’t t have the room to play around and experiment with different things. It’s more fun to try new looks and combinations. If they don’t work out, you may have a few cringe-worthy photos, but for every bad outfit, you could come up with countless good ones. Plus, experimenting is half the fun.
A signature style can also quickly turn into a style rut. If you have only been buying the same V-neck sweaters and motorcycle boots, you’re missing out on so many different styles. There could be a pair of boots out there that you could like more than your beloved biker boots.
Fashion is supposed to be about having fun and expressing yourself. Why would you ever want to put restrictions on yourself to create one defined look? There are already fixed limitations you can’t deal with, like budget, garment fit, and stock availability; there’s no need to add more. If you can express yourself with one look, that’s fab, but if you want to express a different part of yourself every day with a totally different look, there’s nothing wrong with that. So, the next time you’re doing your style quiz, cross out all of the options under the signature style question and award yourself 50 points.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
