Refining Personal Style

New Year, New You? Or more likely, you’re spending a little extra time this month reorienting back to yourself after the buzz of the holidays. That’s what I’m up to over here.

I’ve always cared about clothes, but more than anything, I’ve always wanted to feel comfortable in my own skin. It’s taken me a while to find a philosophy around personal style that actually reflects that.

I’m not interested in keeping up with trends, buying what everyone else has, or getting caught in the idea that I need more. The pressure to do those things is dense and for a long time, it distracted me from getting to know my own tastes and preferences more intimately.

I studied retail management in college and worked in the industry as a merchant, so style has always been part of my world. But what’s helped me the most in refining my own has been simply pulling out a rolling rack each season and playing.

I’ve been taking outfit snaps consistently for a few years now — not every day, but a few times a week — and they’ve been incredibly helpful. They allow me to zoom out and actually see how my personal style is evolving. I pulled together a few of my favorite outfits from 2025. My style isn’t necessarily aspirational, but I hope that by sharing my process, it can offer inspiration for tuning into what best suits your own energy and presence.

I admire people who know their preferences deeply while still staying open to trying new things. For me, styling is an enjoyable way to turn inward and explore that balance.

I love stylist Allison Bornstein’s 3-word method for defining personal style. I did the exercise a while back and landed on classic, cozy, and charming. But after reflecting on these photos, I was ready to refine them in hopes that they open me up to some new possibilities this year and guide future purchases with more intention.

So here’s what I came up with:

Grounded- Classic pieces are still the bones of my style, but what stood out to me this year was my reliance on dark neutrals as anchors. I’m drawn to contrast — light and dark — and to pieces with gravity, structure, and presence.
Lived in- This is about honoring reality with pieces that move, breathe, and feel comfortable and open. Some of my favorite looks came from simplicity and repetition.
Expressive- “Charm” is evolving for me from playful and sweet to more artful. I’m drawn to color and pieces with soul: florals with depth, color with weight, texture, special details.

What are your 3 style words? Do we overlap anywhere?

I also find it helpful to look at what isn’t working. It creates a useful filter for cleaning out your closet and letting go. These are my least favorite outfits from 2025. Looking at them, I see muted colors, off proportions, overly polished, conflicting expressions, and overly playful moments.