Finding Your Authentic Style
Q and A with Leah Nalepa
Listen as our student host, Addy Longenecker, interviews Leah for a more in depth view on crafting your personal style in an authentic way.
How do you define your personal style? Do you express your style through more than physical appearance?
Personal style is a visual representation of our personal brand (our values, personality, likes, dislikes, etc.). Style is a non-verbal way of communicating with the outside world. I define my personal style through the values I want to show to the world: bold, authentic, inspired, classic, approachable. So, when I choose an outfit in the morning, I try to embody these values in my clothes and in my life.
Because style is one way to show your personal brand, it can be expressed through more than just physical appearance. The way you show up in meetings, conversations, TikTok videos, Facebook messages, emails, Instagram photos, LinkedIn posts, and more are all reflections of our style and personal brand.
How important is consistency in personal styling?
As the saying goes, consistency is key! The reason consistency is important in our personal style is because our brand is a promise to others. That promise comes in the form of what we wear, how we show up, and how we interact with everyone around us. For example, I typically wear a mix of creative and classic clothes. If I were to show up in a grunge, gothic-like outfit out of nowhere, people would question my authenticity and personal brand. This isn’t to say don’t be creative or flexible when shaping your wardrobe. But ensure that the message you’re delivering to others through your style (your promise) is authentic to you and consistent with other areas of your life.
What would you recommend for a college student building her sense of style?
1. Find 5 influencers, celebrities, TV characters, or even friends whose style you admire.
a. Why do you like their style?
b. What features of their style stand out to you most?
c. Are their elements of their style you can build into your closet?
2. Build a Pinterest board based on what you like.
Before I work with any client, we build a Pinterest vision board. This captures their style personality, style elements they enjoy, and what they (and I) see working well for them. It helps us stay on track during our session and helps the client maintain a consistent style aesthetic after we’re done working together.
3. Shop at untraditional stores to find unique pieces that fit within your budget.
By all means, Nordstrom is my favorite department store and I always recommend shopping there when possible. But Nordstrom is also expensive (and not located in Hillsdale!). It’s worth exploring places like resale shops, factory stores (like J Crew Factory or Banana Republic Factory), and even Amazon for great finds that won’t break the bank.
How do you evaluate positive and negative cultural messages surrounding style?
“Style is personal, custom, and authentic. It’s a reflection of who we are on the inside. The sooner we understand our style, the easier it is to let go of the changing trends around us.”
As one of my favorite stylists, Clinton Kelly, says, “Fashion is the buffet, but style is what you put on your plate.”
Fashion can be a beautiful thing to follow. But at the end of the day, fashion is a multi-billion-dollar industry that preys on our emotions and thrives on our ability (or lack thereof) to keep up with changing trends, looks, and even body types. It’s meant to change. That doesn’t mean we have to change with it.
Style, on the other hand, is personal, custom, and authentic. It’s a reflection of who we are on the inside. The sooner we understand our style, the easier it is to let go of the changing trends around us. This isn’t to say there won’t be frustrations. Many of the Instagram influencers I admire have styles I don’t like, and I’ve come to terms with that. If I were to try and fit into that mold, it wouldn’t be authentic and I’d actually be more unhappy with myself.
It’s also important to understand that sizes are only an arbitrary gauge the fashion industry uses to predict a body type. Newsflash: There are too many beautiful body types and we were never supposed to fit into off the rack clothes perfectly). The next time you’re in a dressing room and something just isn’t fitting right, take a step back and remember that the size literally doesn’t matter. What really matters is that you can get your clothes tailored to look absolutely stunning on you.
The wonderful thing about living in the 21st century is that we can pick and choose our favorite trends from almost any decade in the past century and incorporate it into our wardrobe and still be “in.”
Why attend the Dress for Success event on September 30?
Everyone (men and women) should attend the Dress for Success event on campus! It’s meant to be a fun and informative conversation on personal brand and style, and will provide helpful tips and tricks on building out your style. Bring a friend and come prepared with questions!
