This column is not going to help you find your personal style, only you can do that. 

I constantly see videos on the internet that aim to help people struggling with their personal style. These videos have a variety of methods that include, but are not limited to, emulating your style inspirations, centering your outfit around accessories, finding your color palette, spending hours on Pinterest, and, worst of all, defining your style using specific phrases such as “Coastal Granddaughter” or “Old Money.”

No person on the internet can define your personal style; only you can. 

Personal style comes from within. It comes from your socioeconomic background, the country you live in, what your parents wore, where you went to school, your emotions, your access to the internet, the movies you watched growing up, the way you carry yourself, the people you’ve met, the way your dad dresses, and the way your mom decorated your first bedroom.

I see aspects of this constantly in my style: my love of the simple white t-shirt comes from my mom, my hatred of blue denim comes from all the western movies my brother forced me to watch, and my desire to own an entire collection of Maison Margiela tabi shoes stems from seeing the most chic French girl wear them on my trip to Paris.

I didn’t like tabis when I first saw them; they bear an unfortunate resemblance to horse hooves, but it was the girl’s confidence that changed my mind. She didn’t care that my brother would make fun of those shoes; she didn’t care that the woman next to her couldn’t stop staring at her feet; she was proud and confident in what she was wearing, making her the most stylish out of anyone.

Your personal style is personal style because it comes from you; no person can simplify it, and no person can emulate it. 

If you’re looking to develop your personal style, don’t overcomplicate it. 

Wear the clothes you like, styled in a way that you like. Don’t worry about what people will say or think; the most fashionable thing you can do is be confident.