What's My Style?

By Victoria Robertson on July 7, 2015

Everyone always tells us that college is a time to learn things about yourself you may not have known before. For the first time ever, you’re completely on your own. You make decisions for yourself. You even dress yourself.

And finding your personal style is just another one of the many things you’ll learn in college. You may find you tend towards one style more than another, or maybe you combine styles rather frequently.

But, to help you classify your style more clearly, here are some of the most popular styles that fashion has to offer to help you answer that burning question: What’s my style?

Preppy

A style that almost everyone’s heard of, preppy is a classic look typically associated with Ivy Leagues and other “pretentious” outlets. However, this style is classic, intelligent and one that prompts others to believe you’re either wealthy or very good at pretending to be.

Typical preppy clothing items include (but are not limited to) polos, blazers, cable-knit vests/sweaters, khakis or dark wash, straight-legged jeans (typically paired with a heel), tennis skirts, Bermuda shorts and other tea-length dresses.

Preppy styles are usually filled with pastels and neutral colors (many navy blues and browns).

For inspiration, look at “Pretty Little Liars’” Spencer Hastings …

… or “Glee’s” Rachel Berry.

Boho Chic

This style is a growing fad in the fashion world, and really, it’s simple to master.

Boho involves earthy tones, and despite popular belief, baggy clothes aren’t required for this style. While flowy dresses and shirts are typical of the style, not everything needs to fit this way.

Look for floral prints, beaded shirts and embroidery as well. Sandals are the most common footwear for this style, and don’t shy away from accessories, as they oftentimes are what pulls the look together.

For inspiration, look at “Gossip Girl’s” Vanessa Abrams …

… or Nicole Richie.

Vintage

Style is cyclical – eventually, the styles of the past will make themselves welcome in the future. That’s exactly what this style is all about.

Paying homage to the 1920s and ’50s, more often than not this style incorporates past fashion do’s into modern-day pretexts.

Rompers, high-waisted shorts, cardigans and lengthier skirts and dresses all fall in this category. The best part about this style is that it’s so easy to make it your own.

For inspiration, look at “Pan Am’s” Maggie Ryan …

… or Zooey Deschanel.

Sporty

The sporty style is very similar to the Tomboy style: women typically dress in looser fitting, comfy clothing.

Typical clothing items include boyfriend jeans, cropped sweatshirts, varsity shirts, t-shirt dresses and countless others.

You don’t need to be sporty to dress it, and the Tomboy look is a great combination of feminine and sporty that women will feel comfortable in.

For inspiration, look at “Pretty Little Liars’” Emily Fields …

… or Rihanna.

Hipster

Hipsters love being unique, but really, the style is pretty simple to mimic, and many people claim this as their personal style.

Distressed jeans, boots, plaid, flannel, oversized scarves: it’s all part of the hipster fashion.

The style is fun, unique and completely affordable for any budget, making it a fairly popular one amongst college students.

For inspiration, look at Miley Cyrus …

… or Kristen Stewart.

Gothic

Gothic fashion is typically associated with black, but that isn’t the only color available to those into this style. Despite what many believe, darker blues, violets, forest greens, gray, red and even white all have a place in this style.

And there’s far more to it than that: this style incorporates many different elements into it, making it less of a fashion statement and more of a nod to movements. Romantic gothic or punk gothic have two very different looks, and say two very different things.

When looking into this style, some items to keep in mind are black boots, lace, corset style clothing, deep reds and many accessories (either in hair dye and makeup or in bracelets and necklaces).

For inspiration, look at Taylor Momsen …

… or Katy Perry.

Romantic

The romantic style is a soft, beautiful style that many incorporate into their closets.

The basic color palate for this style consists of whites and muted pinks, peaches and yellows. Typically, romantic style includes lace, ruffles, floral patterns and anything remotely vintage with a soft look.

Jeans are typically light wash with braided waistlines and white flats are a go-to.

For inspiration, look at Blake Lively …

… or Scarlett Johansson.

Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list of all possible styles, so be open-minded and keep an eye out for variations of these styles and for other styles, as they may be more fitting to your personal style.

The bottom line: be yourself and own it.

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