HOW TO FIND YOUR PERSONAL STYLE (3-STEP METHOD) 

I'm 32, I don’t own a car, and I live in a cold, windy, rainy city in Northern England. It's taken me this long to realise that all my clothes need to work with the boots i own that keep me warm and dry and able to walk long distances every day.

My English is poor and I use Google to translate this comment: My mind has been blown by this video. You did not sell me a course, or makeup, or clothes, nor did you talk to me about my body shape or the color palette that flatter me the most. I have known for years that my body is type H, that I am warm and soft and dark, I have tons of Pinterest boards, but never EVER BEFORE THIS VIDEO, have I been able to understand how to land all that information, how to make sense of it, how to distinguish between "I like it" and "it's not for me for X reason". I am very, very grateful to you for your clarity and simplicity. From here on out count me among your fans!!!!

As an engineer, fashion seemed so much out of my comfort zone. Within the last year, a dear friend took me under her wing and basically outlined your thoughts in this video. I called her one night actually crying bc I loved my closet overhaul SO much and no longer panicked while getting dressed. As much as clothing is a creative outlet, it can be systematic too… but it took someone telling me, showing me, and shopping with me to figure it out. I love this video!

hannah, pro-tip: almost everything "dry clean only" can be washed with gentle detergent on the delicates cycle in cold water and then air-dryed. doesnt apply to leather, but i've washed wool, silk, vintager polyester/rayon/spandex blends this way and had no slip ups!!! stains may need to removed via dry cleaning, though i've only had this happen with 2 synthetic blend garments

Thinking about my 18- or 21- or even 25-year-old self and how radically different my practical constraints would have been then! So I would also add 4) accept your evolution as it comes.

Thrift shopping for clothes has been extremely liberating for me. The breadth of choice delights my inner child and generally lower price quiets the perfectionist. Love this Hannah ❤️

I have gone on a personal style kick this winter and spring watching tons of RU-vidrs try to help me find my personal style. And I say this with all sincerity, but this is hands down the most practical and useful three-step method I have come across. At 63 I know it's not too late to pivot and I'm going to use these three steps to do so. Thank you!

The thing about lifestyle constraints is so real and so frustrating. My aesthetic preferences are for swishy skirts and flouncy sleeves, both of which are totally incompatible with my job. So I have a small, curated wardrobe-within-a-wardrobe of things that bring me joy to wear on weekends and special occasions, and then the bulk of my wardrobe is "things I like okay and I can still wear in the lab".

This is probably one of the most helpful fashion videos I've ever seen - I experience anxiety sweats and have never seen a "build your personal style" video that addressed how body chemistry and temperature regulation should be taken into account. The Personal Constraints section is so helpful, thanks so much!

As a busty plus size woman I can not express how key your comment in part 2 about having inspiration that matches your constraints is! This finally hit me with my wedding dress-- all of the inspiration images were beautiful but entirely impractical for me. I will never look like the size 2 model, and looking at what inspired me in those images wasn't the same as it was for plus size bodies. So after, I started changing all my pinterest and Instagram boards to plus size only. Not only has it helped my body image in general, but it has helped me not lust after things that will just never be practical for me in my style. :) Thanks as always for the awesome video.

Love these tips! My personal guidelines: Must be washable Must have pockets No crew necks Yes to v necks and turtlenecks Nothing itchy No patterns unless it just grabs me (I have two beautiful floral skirts) No fussy sleeves if I want to wear a cardigan (I love cardigans) Yes to softness Stick to my colors These have really helped me build a wardrobe I love and use. Everything I’ve culled recently didn’t meet one or two points. Watching what you declutter is a great way to learn what you do and don’t like.

This was very interesting. I am someone who thought they knew their personal style. Who built a whole wardrobe that fit with it and was cohesive and made getting ready really easy because everything just worked. And then my life changed drastically (for the better) and now I’m trying to rebuild essentially my entire self. I got out of a controlling, abusive relationship where I essentially was not permitted to make choices. So I stopped trusting myself to make them. Even about things that are as deeply personal as my own style and wardrobe. I also picked up hobbies that I absolutely adore that I was physically incapable of doing a year or two ago. And now I’m a bit at sea with all of it. I’m experimenting a bit because you have to start somewhere and I’m essentially rebuilding my entire sense of self from the ground up, which includes my personal style in a big way. It’s... overwhelming but not necessarily bad.

I don’t know your channel enough to state that your content is neurodivergent friendly, but I absolutely LOVE and appreciate how meticulous and specific you are about what functionally works for you, and being unapologetic about it!!! 😭😭😭 being on the spectrum, I have soooo many pet peeves about clothes and could never rant about them without looking like I’m crazy or obsessed with being in control of certain things, when In reality it’s just that certain sensations and body needs would literally bring me to meltdowns because my body is feeling attacked sensory wise. Imagine that with clothes, on top of the sensory overload that comes with being in public and with people who don’t get it 😩😩😩 I hate tags on my clothes because they itch, I have terrible temp. regulation, so I’m freezing one moment and then heating up the next moment , so I always have a sweater with me, no matter the season (sitting in the shade in summer gets me cold, but ppl don’t want to sit in the sun, et etc). I’m also very anxious and so when I’m stressing out my body temp goes up, so sometimes I find myself changing 6 times when I’m at home because of that 😭😭 I love high waisted jeans in social settings but hate the feeling of tight things on my tummy when I’m relaxed or trying to focus. Anyways thank you so much for sharing your knowledge on things like fabric material, care instructions and longevity visualization ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ oh and I SWEAT ALL THE TIME in public !!! Thank you for being vulnerable about that!! I was considering getting Botox in my armpits to help with that! I’ll look into the right clothing material first 😂😂😂😂 youre literally saving my life 🥹🥹🥹

Girl!!! This is why I watch you. You just get it. You’re so practical. I moved to Alaska last year and it rocked fashion sense and abilities. Building from the shoes up is SO accurate.

“Hoping to buy my way to a personal style”. This is soooooooo me. Especially since my body has changed pretty drastically over time so I have struggled to find that balance.

i had a long journey to coming to terms with being a sweaty person and for me, the solution was giving up synthetic fabrics. i had some health issues as a teen/young adult and when they were resolved but the sweating was not, i figured out that i'm not bothered by being visibly sweaty, only by being publicly smelly. which was great because that's so much easier to avoid!

Yes! Every time you mention just being sensitive to aesthetics and design, I resonate. It’s like “oh yeah! I don’t have to own, but, be all those looks to enjoy, appreciate and feel lit up by their inherent beauty!” Though I have recently been bemoaning the fact that we only get to have one haircut at a time. 😢

The amount of money I’ve spent on clothes I never worn…! 😱 More fashion content please Hannah! 🙏🏻

About four years ago, before turning 59, I permanently) lost three sizes, my weight is still gradually decreasing (weight management in the 60s is easier than in the 50s)! Needing a new wardrobe anyway, I took the opportunity to completely change my wardrobe style. (Clothes can’t be sized down more than one size without being completely taken apart, recut, and re-sewn). Having previously tried to force myself into the local Boho style, I just thought back to which style I had loved best during my lifetime so far, and it is classic, pushing both the preppy and elegant ends of this spectrum. I also discovered that I was allergic to the common synthetic fibers, probably all of them, which explained the sheer misery I felt in them since my late 30s. (These allergies develop with repeated exposure, so young women might not have symptoms yet, other than sweating). So, my new wardrobe is 100% natural-fiber or high-quality manmade cellulosic fiber (lyocell, rayon). I’m even unable to tolerate blends with small percentages of synthetic fibers, even elastane (on my torso). I started buying fewer, but much better items, especially in silk, which I adore. Now I have the best wardrobe I have ever had in my life, I’m just thrilled with it. My advice is decide on your new style and quality parameters, and choose a fairly tight color palette that suits you well, and build up a new wardrobe slowly, filling basic needs, but also adding special, exciting, items. I no longer look at fast-fashion brands, only the top tier of high-street brands. Even the natural fibers at, say, H&M, are super low-quality and don’t perform well. Quality is super-important in the rayon/viscose family, but Tencel lyocell is reliably good, the manufacturer has good quality control. Some newer, also eco-friendly rayons are good, too, like Ecovero.

So good! I would be interested to see you loosely replicate some outfits from your Pinterest inspiration board, à la Alyssa Beltempo. I often find I get stuck dwelling on the fact that I don’t have *that exact* top or dress, when I probably could recreate an inspiring outfit with what I have in my closet based on the elements of style.

As a 5'9" person who has zero tolerance anymore for uncomfortable shoes, who cannot wear wool or cashmere, who sweats, and who is such a klutz that white clothing is immediately in peril once it enters my home, THANK YOU for sharing what you've learned about building personal style that actually feels authentic AND works for an individual's lifestyle! Many of these tips are not intuitive and I've fallen prey to pitfalls such as buying into a style one piece at a time. It doesn't end up feeling coherent or relevant. Rock on.

Okay but I don't care about my pit and sweat stains anymore- Held me back too much in what I wore. People just sweat that's all.

The practical constraints are SO useful and made me realize this is why shopping has become easier for me over the years. I used to get overwhelmed by nearly everything hypothetically looking cute on someone and would buy things that were so uncomfortable. Now my practical constraints are: 1. NO tight waisted pants (except the ones I already have). I won’t wear them. They hurt. They are for standing only. 2. No synthetic fabrics. Makes my sweat smell weird. 3. No shirts with deep shoulder cuts or strapless. As a bigger chested person I need to wear a bra or it hurts and I hate all the straps showing. 4. No itchy fabrics, or fabrics that are too warm. 5. A lot of colors are an immediate no because I don’t like them. 6. No fast fashion except for some basics from Target. I bought a lot of SheIn in college and it was all crap quality and obviously didn’t last. Yet the vintage clothes I got in college (10yr ago) I still wear. Plus the way they treat their employees + the environmental impact is horrific :( thrifting can be just as cheap and yes it takes more patience but if you have the time and means to, go try to thrift something unique instead of supporting SheIn, Aliexpress, etc!

Why did this video make me emotional??? 😂 I think I just can't believe how *personal* personal style is, and how actually important it is to show up for yourself in these ways. This is such an honest roadmap, and something about the simplicity of it just removes all the shame and self judgment of having done it wrong in the past. ❤❤❤ love you

Step #4: I would add that, if you can, consider the pathway a piece of clothing took on its way into your hands. Fast fashion is truly doing extraordinary harm to the planet. As I get older it becomes more central to my personal style to do my best to avoid contributing to that harm. I understand that it isn’t easy or even possible to avoid participating in fast fashion, and I’m definitely not saying this to be a scold. I’m saying this as a reminder to *myself* to strive to keep my aesthetic practices as consistent as possible with my moral values, while knowing that this will always be a ‘work in progress’! Side note: In my personal case, part of my challenge is being a fat person, and fast fashion can sometimes be the only accessible clothing for me. Thrift stores are often painfully demoralizing to shop in when you’re fat. I’m sure there are many other pressures and challenges that make fast fashion a necessity in other people’s lives. Thanks, as always, for another lovely video! 😽

For those of who are over a certain age (I'm 52), our Pintrest board was our bedroom wall! We grew up in a time--especially in the 80s and 90s--where shopping and just buying a bunch of stuff and hoping it would stick was the norm. There was one predominant style (crazy colors and big hair a la new wave in the '80s and then '90s minimalism/waif) that predominated. "Alternatives" existed in the fashions of punk and grunge, which were mostly the same clothes but a) in black, and b) "messed up" with cutting, safety pins, ripping, wearing them oversized, etc. Also--if you were not a "normal" size, the only choices were shapeless, boxy things or sewing everything yourself. In the end, only celebrities and affluent folks had the ability to develop a personal style, because they had choices unavailable to the rest of us who would look to Vogue magazine for style but couldn't afford anything we saw. The Internet changed that because our now almost unlimited choices of size and style has allowed us all to be choosier AND develop a true personal style.

I wholeheartedly agree that thrift shopping is a great way to experiment with style. I feel less decision paralysis when buying something second hand for a lower price. The range of clothes in thrift stores also often pushes me beyond my comfort zone.

I'm 27, and finally comfortable in my body to experiment more with fashion. Our personal styles are so different, but I take away so many valuable lessons. I hope your fashion content is thriving as much as your makeup content, because I am eating it all up!

Hi! I’m just here to say thank you for this video! I’m 17 years old and I’ve been dressing the same way for the last three years and lately I’ve been noticing how tired I am of my clothes, which is why I’m watching so many videos that explain how to improve your style. I hate shopping because it gets me so overwhelmed, the thought of trying everything on, all the music and lights that are in the shops really annoy me, but now that I’m actually tying to build a functional wardrobe, I think I might be more enthusiastic about it. I really liked your video because it resonates with the approach I’m using so far, while also giving me new ideas: a few weeks ago I actually took some of my clothes and donated them because, even if I don’t have that many pieces, I realized that I would never wear those particular ones for different reasons that I made sure to understand before giving away. I realized the only reason I was keeping them was that I had worn them a lot in the past but they were still in a great condition. This video reminded me of why I started this process of finding my style and that I don’t have to be hard on myself for not liking things, or getting frustrated when I just can’t seem to create outfits with pieces I really like. I don’t usually comment on RU-vid videos but I wanted to thank you for making me feel not judged at all and also understood as a young person just trying to navigate life without wasting time and energy on things that don’t serve me. Thank you 🫶🏻

I like that you acknowledge that taking a leap into your style is the last hurdle - being bold is part of it! I let my little voice stop me a lot: instead of asking IF I’m that person, choosing to just BE that person

The practicality is so important! Also a great way to experiment is to ask relatives for unworn clothes. I have found a lot of preferences by wearing my mom's, dad's, and even grandpa's old clothes around. They become staples and help me to thrift similar things I know I will wear a lot. If they don't work, it's an easy donate too, and no money was lost.

That was hands down the best video I have ever seen on this topic. I will be 60 this year and am just now discovering the joy of developing my own personal fashion style after a significant weight loss. As a mature woman and retiree I absolutely see the purpose in thoughtfully going through the rigour of these 3 steps and have been doing this myself starting with the basic pieces. You put so much ‘meat on the bone’ and rounded out this topic by doing this video. Amazing work. Thank you! I just subscribed. 🎉

These are three things I would add to your list: Get a color consultation to learn your ‘season.’ I am a total believer in this system. It fell out of favor for awhile because people wanted to hear “you can wear any color you like” which is only true if you can totally alter your makeup and hair color for each outfit and control the lighting around you. 😂 Your skin tone is the determining factor. Clerks will always say something looks good. They will sell you the wrong shade of makeup. The store lighting is deceiving. You have to have a good handle on your personal color palette and be pretty ruthless about passing that item you like but simply isn’t your color. If you color your hair, you want it to also flatter your skin tone. Besides looking your best in the right colors, all your clothes will mix and match giving you a lot more mileage Spend some time and energy on foundation garments. They are called ‘foundations’ for a reason. Get a professional bra fitting. They are free in most lingerie departments, shops, and even at Victoria’s Secret. It will make all the difference in how your clothes fit and hang. Buy quality and then take good care of it. Think way ahead. This change has meant a lot to me. The first way I look ahead is to watch the Pantone colors of the year and each season. When I learned that all the manufacturing industries use this, I figured out that the clothing, accessories, designers, even home goods and cars would be selling those colors in about a year. I live on the West Coast. We are another year behind that! A color sweeps in from Europe and slowly rolls West. But the point is, if a color that looks great on me is coming, I start saving for ‘big ticket items’ like coats and boots, etc. A year or two after THAT you’ll see those colors in thrift stores! So if you’re a thrifter, you can be looking! I also learned to buy and save outfits for special occasions. Like weddings, funerals, parties, work events, etc. I do a lot of shopping at the end of seasons and holidays for the next year, too.This is because if I unexpectedly have to go to a funeral, I don’t want to be out desperately trying to find something to wear. We all know you never find that perfect thing when you’re desperate and looking. You find it when you aren’t looking. My husband will often ask me to attend a gig that’s a cocktail event where he is playing. What a great feeling if I have a cocktail dress in my closet. Sometimes I’m asked to attend or speak someplace on short notice. I don’t usually wear suits, but there is always one in my closet. One of my kids might ask us to attend a game they got tickets for. Perfect sporting event outfit….got it. Everyone’s lifestyle is different but usually has potential situations. I learned not to be caught unprepared. I hate shopping when I’m rushed. Those are my three additions to the personal style list!

I appreciate your style advice, I’m sure a lot of people needed to hear some of these things. I know that as a kid, growing up poor, I was forced into maintaining a very practical wardrobe. Once I hit my 20’s and 30’s and was actively experimenting with my style, I was doing a lot of mindless and wasteful shopping. And it took me until my 40’s to go back to being practical and functional with my choices. I’m at a point in my life now where I want both. I want the functional wardrobe but I also want the playful pieces that stand out. When I was a teenager, I wanted to hide. Now, I want to enjoy my style and accentuate my curves. So even though I didn’t take a lot from your advice that I haven’t already figured out, I appreciated your story and your insights. Keep on making style content. 👍🏽

Okay, seriously. I don't know if it was Joe that edited this video or if you edited it yourself, but either way, one of you needs to pat yourself on the back for using the be-sweatered bald cat as the illustration for temperature sensitivity. I had to literally pause the video to stop laughing before I could go on. You win the internet today.

THANK YOU for mentioning the sweat. It’s a real constraint that we have to consider but we never talk about it. I appreciate you bringing up something totally normal and real.

So grateful for how you stuctured this video! I am a farmer. Its really hard to find videos that break down how I can style for such a physical, dirty & practical wardrobe. But this video was amazing at helping me identify the elements of style, and integrate them into my needs. Rather than just "saying what is stylish". Youre amazing ✨️

Hi Hannah, I usually don't share this fact with people, because I understand you when you say it's embarrassing. I also am an extremely sweaty person, especially in social situations and I also put that constraint on myself. I would only allow myself to purchase clothes in specific colors and fabrics to regain some of the control and self-confidence. I tried for so long to find a remedy for it, but became so disappointed by my continuous failures, to the point that I just gave up. Very recently, I came across a dermatologist video who suggested using the deodorant Certain Dri (roll on) to control hyperhidrosis and I almost just ignored it, but something in me told me to try it. Like two days of wearing it, my sweat was completely under control. I literally cried of happiness because I thought I was going to have to live with sweaty armpits my whole life. I feel so empowered now and am starting to experiment with fun colors and fabrics and it's been so life changing to me that I wanted to share with you. Just some things to keep in mind, the Certain Dri deodorants are aluminum-based, and it can be a little bit irritating, but I wear it every three nights and the effects are still awesome. It can also get a little itchy while its drying, but underarm sweat is something I've had to struggle with since I can remember, so it's a trade of I am willing to take. Hope this helps!

I love how accessible online shopping makes it to have a personal style, rather than being limited to what's in stores, but picking things out is so overwhelming. This is such good advice, thank you.

This was fun! As someone newer to makeup well into adulthood, I'd appreciate seeing something like this for makeup. Sephora isn't giving out samples anymore and I don't really have a strong sense of color.

The hip-dip restraints are REAL. I *really* found this to be sage advice, despite being 38 and having made many of these mistakes myself. I especially appreciated beginning with the lifestyle constraints and personal biology. Still today I have items in my closet that I look at and think “I’m too cold to wear this”. I would love to see more wardrobe curatorial advice!! Thanks Hannah!!

Wow! What an excellent video. I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. As a petite women who leans on the curvier side, I truly wish my younger self would have spent more time taking seriously my personal constraints. I'm also a person who loves winter fashion, but lives in a hot climate. I have a closet FULL of winter fashion that hardly gets used. I'm almost 40 now and have finally slowed down and become more mindful when it comes to clothing. We all deserve a closet full of yeses instead of a closet full of maybes/nos.

as a 19-year-old with a very bare wardrobe and no personal style other than a pinterest board full of inspiration, this video is so helpful! i'm always hesitant to buy things online because i'm worried it won't be quite right for me. thank you for the advice about prioritizing shopping in person and keeping practicality in mind!

One thing I would add to the constraints is whether it wrinkles easily. I’ve learned that I had ironing and so I’m just not going to wear shirts and pants that require that

I’m 56 years old and this video makes so much sense to me and I now have clarity and a direction to get my closet and my style on a track that I have ALWAYS wanted. I’m so excited about it that I shared it with my three beautiful daughters.

The constraints point is so important. In my twenties I tried to wear heels but I live in the city, don’t drive and walk a lot. They’re not practical. The tip about building an outfit from the shoes is amazing.

There are so many fashion channels going into depth how to find ones personal style, and there you go: you simply nailed it with this systematic approach! So thoughtful and so true! It’s never too late to start this way, even now when I turned 50. Please continue with these topics, you have so much to offer. Thank you! ❤

I don't how you do it but every time you can so clearly organize and articulate my own messy, rambing thoughts in such a concise way! Your videos are so thoughtfully made, I love your approach to buying mindfully. As a mostly reformed everything buyer who is very sensitive to beautiful design I also ended up with a wardrobe full of clothes that looked beautiful but that I had no interest in wearing. I used to button , zip and squeeze myself into some really gorgeous outfits as a young 20-something but now at 36 I have no interest in being uncomfortable and I also don't really go anywhere other than to the grocery store and to walk the dogs. I'm also a Pilates teacher so my workwear consists of leggings and athleisure and I love it. As a sweaty person who works closely with my clients, I'm even more aware of being sweaty, which can cause me some anxiety. This may not be for everyone but getting tri-annual botox injections into my underarms has changed my life, I can wear any top at any time and not worry about sweating through it. I still sweat in other areas but this has really improved my confidence in leaning over people or reaching up into the air. It's also covered by most drug plans as it's a treatment for a medical condition!

I had a very enlightening moment in terms of my style after pinning and being obsessed with a bunch of outfits with big bib/ruffle collar tops. I had bought and promptly returned SO many variations of said top and was DESPERATE to find one that worked for me . But after several returns, I realized that while I loved and appreciated the style, in practice it always looked too structured, too stiff, and too femme for the outfits that I feel most comfortable in. Ever since then (and to your second point) I've realized that it's possible to love and appreciate certain aesthetics without them actually working for yourself.

LOVE this systematized approach, and I'll keep the inspo board in mind when I'm ready to venture out into fashion again. Btw, 'body chemistry' becomes super important if you are experiencing hot flashes. Thankfully I've got mine under control, but for example: *no long sleeve pullovers* (like ever), zip up or button layers only, scarves rather than hats, cut out backs, comfortable/adjustable fits (basically you are looking for ways to remove as much clothing as is feasible on a moment's notice!). In terms of style, color has always been a big first guideline for me (eg I learned the hard way to never wear color next to my face that doesn't compliment my skin tone), and, even though it gets a bit ridiculous, the Kibbe style system is also a helpful guideline. Your colors and style type (as well as just trying on a bunch of different styles, as you point out) can be as key to personal style as finding out your undertone is to foundation. hearts to Sadie!

8:22 girl. Yes! These are great. Seem so obvious & yet they are quickly overlooked.

As someone that has followed many conscious/minimalist/sustainable fashion channels for years, I recently stumbled upon your account and am so impressed! You are extremely eloquent and thoughtful. Please make more fashion content. I'm a STAN. 👏

Such great advice! Also related to one of your other fashion videos, I wore a few monochromatic outfits on a bachelorette last weekend (one tan outfit, and one red outfit) and people were commenting left and right about how fashionable I was! Such a good fashion hack

It’s interesting because as a teen, my mom couldn’t afford to buy me new clothes all the time. So I resorted to grabbing pieces from her wardrobe that I liked/fit me. Needless to say a lot of it was very “grown adult woman” type tops. I remember my favorite top was a lime green and white striped polo top that I would tuck into my jeans. It fit a little oversized/baggy/slouchy. It was comfortable af and I loved the look of it. Unfortunately, a girl classmate saw me wearing it one day and made a mean comment saying “What are you wearing?” while making a disgusted face. I never felt so self conscious before but I remember looking at her and saying “I’m wearing a shirt, duh.🙄”. 😂 Anyways, I want that shirt again. Might look for it in my moms closet (she hoards clothes). I still wear oversized/boxy tops and tuck them into jeans or shorts 😊

this was hands down, the most practical style video I have ever seen. Thank you for addressing lifestyle and climate constraints. The practical constraints are everything to me. If my clothes don't fit this area then they will hang in my closet for eternity, never to be worn.

I live in the Netherlands, and anything that can’t be worn on a bicycle is an absolute no unless its a gala piece. (I do bike in heels tho, you adapt😅)

You surprise me everytime Hannah. I have never seen such a clear step by step guide to finding your own style. Love it

my prolem with my personal style is that sometimes I want to frolick around in lacey tops and flowy skirts and then a week later I only want to wear black and spead viking vibes so building a foundation upon which I can add accessories that change the vibe is my mission now

the first step is SO IMPORTANT - so often I see clothes on other slim taller people and they are so lovely, but I'm petite and those proportions never will work for me. I just have to work around that and that's okay - as long as I think about it first, not get annoyed I'm not tall like it's anyone's fault.

Thank you Hannah- it's a delight to find someone smart and thoughtful talking about things that too often are dismissed as "shallow". (Fashion, makeup, personal style.) Cheers!!

I wish I had these considerations when shopping as a fresh mama. I was still buying outfits to go out with friends but not going out at all except for errands or work. Now I have soo many trash bags of clothing for the thrift store😅

One of my constraints is based on the fact that I am a messy eater and stain clothes often. I don’t have a lot of white in my wardrobe because I’m afraid I would ruin it. Sometimes I’m willing to try to remove stains, but with white, even if you get most of the stain out, it would still be pretty conspicuous. I envy less messy people haha. Love your fashion videos

1. My practical constraints: -dont have to wear a bra with it -high rise for bottoms (hiding tummy and hipdips) -pockets!! -fabrics must feel good to my nd self -I can move/run in it and sit crosslegged -I can layer with it (I run hot) -waterproof if it's outerwear/shoes -colours can be washed together with other things 2. Current inspiration: -nature -minimalism -urban professionalwear+structure -academia -cottagey+boathouse elements 3. Experiment: My biggest style evolution at the moment is transitioning from more structured formal black chic fits, to dark academia, to pastels and youthful whimsy. Currently just want to feel like a cloud

90% of my favorite items are thrifted. At 70 years old I have lots of different styes in my closet. It's the lifestyle issue that trips me up. I'm a retired teacher so casual lounge clothes work best. I love clothes. You remind me of my youngest self.

I was always somehow attracted to curly swirly dresses but they don't actually match my lifestyle and appearance. Through life I've understood that casual is a style too! Jeans and neutral t-shirts are okay to wear. Flanel shirts, pants one size bigger than my actual size! That's what I'm feeling comfortable in!❤

I machine-wash all my clothes, except for some blazers and coats. I never put any clothes in the tumble-dryer, I hang most and flat-dry sweaters. I actually find silk quite practical, it doesn’t need washing very often, hangs dry fast and doesn’t need ironing (after the initial ironing to remove packing /shipping wrinkles). It does have a high affinity for stains, but with my lifestyle, it’s not a problem. I’m retired, don’t even cook, have no kids or pets and don’t do any heavy cleaning grubby work. I don’t sweat much in silk because its high breathability prevents hot flashes. I just check it for spots and hang it up to air after wearing. It does have a tendency to fray, but so do other fibers, and I wash it on the delicate cycle. Silk doesn’t pick up odors, unless juice from grating onions or mincing garlic, etc., splashes it! But, any clothing would have to be washed after that.

I really enjoy your makeup related videos, but your fashion videos really blow my mind! Please, don’t stop making them! I have seriously change my way of thinking about fashion and clothes after finding your videos

I loved this. I think all of your considerations were super important. I say that as someone who has been dying to wear that monochrome gray wool suit that is hanging in my closet but despite being all wool, is not warm enough for Minnesota winter or even the second part of winter that most places call "spring" that we have right now. So I am in my comfy plaid wool trousers and comfy double turtleneck uniform and winter boots and contemplate doing what was suggested by the Midnight Cowboy theme song: moving where the climate suits my clothes...

I'm 27 years old and just recently when I started thrifting for my clothing last year have discovered certain styles just never suit me, certain colors look bad against either my skin tone or hair color. Until I started trying on a bunch of things I had no idea what my limitations were and as an avid old online shopper, you can imagine how much money I was wasting. But because of thrifting, because the prices are always so good I initially was buying everything I liked. But I've recently got to the point of "Am I actually going to wear this? Can I even picture the outfit and can I see myself wearing it more than for like 2 occasions?" The last phase was because I was finding out at the end of a season I wasn't wearing the majority of the clothes and was re-donating them. Which is a waste of money. Thank you for sharing this video with us!

This is so helpful ! I wish I’d had this years ago. It took me 10+ years to realize and accept that I overheat at lightning speed and can’t wear long sleeves unless it’s snowing outside. Even SHORT sleeves are iffy. And it took me even longer to accept that I’m sensitive to certain synthetic fabrics and can’t wear them without having an instead “NOPE” reaction. I adore Selkie dresses, but almost the entire puff dress line is off-limits because I can only wear their cotton clothing. That ended up working out better for me personal style, though… the beautiful dresses are not as wearable for me as their cotton puff shirts, anyway, and one of my big constraints is I want most of my clothes to be office-appropriate since I spend 5 days a week at work.

Thank you for this! I realize now that for years I have had a guiding mental list of constraints (pretty much the same as yours) that narrow down my options. I have always sort of felt that it was a negative thing, eliminating so many possibilities from my wardrobe (that maybe all the cool girls are wearing). BUT-- you helped me see that in reality, these constraints are helping inform and create my personal style, and making an atmosphere for creativity with my clothing choices. This is so validating!

Ooooh a fashion video! I love those. I’m about to be 44 and I keep reinventing my style. I was a goth in my teens in the ‘90s. In my 20’s I was broke and didn’t care much about style. In my 30’s I had a young child so I lived in loungewear. Now that I’m back in an office job I feel like I’ve found a new version of myself.

Love your beauty and fashion content. As ever, you're the most thoughtful person on the internet. My only point of contention is how much I hate Pinterest. As far as I can tell, Pinterest IS an aesthetic and it is one where very tall, very very thin people wear anything they want and it *becomes* fashion.

Something to think about is that as a non straight size person, trying on items in store or thrifting is depressing. To be able to try on different cuts of jeans just to experiment and learn is just not an option in store :/ I do feel bad about the returns and shipping, but most times it’s the only option.

I like this vid but I've sorta had the opposite experience honestly. I used to wear only things that were my style or I thought projected my personality. One day I started shopping at thrift stores and started to push myself to wear stuff that I thought was ugly or silly and I've discovered a whole new passion for fashion lol. Now I'm more comfortable in my clothes than ever. I've gotten over my anxiety of what my clothes might make other people think of my clothes and now I just dress to have fun. I have some things that I hardly wear but since I got them super cheap I don't feel bad, and things I've waited ages to find out how to wear often eventually make it into rotation and I feel justified keeping them for so long. This would definitely be harder if I had paid full price for everything though so fair point there.

You always have such insightful tips! I would love to see a thorough video dedicated to the fair-olive skin tone. Your top advice / tips and tricks compiled into one place! After having watched your channel for YEARS with a cool, pink undertone, I was recently FLABBERGASTED to discover that I too am actually a fair (cool) olive with a deceptive abundance of redness.

I so agree on trying on garments before purchase. I hate online shopping, so much of what I order isn’t like the description or the picture. I hate that stores where I used to shop have closed. I need to start thrifting. I grew up wearing hand me downs and swore once I was an adult and had money I’d never wear second hand clothes again - I need to get past that now.

Thank you for jumping right into the practical constraints by mentioning sweat marks. This is a huge limiting factor on my own personal wardrobe, and it's refreshing to hear someone else speak about it.

First of all: I'm still mesmerized by this matte Yellow look 💛 Secondly: the cats in the sweaters, I die 😭 😂 Back to the meat of the video 😅 : in 2019, I stopped being a sad, fat,lazy lady because of my hormonal outrage & I can't get into shape 😡 & I started to learn about my new body, my new self & the silhouettes of garments in general!! I watched a lot of videos, and I saw fashion from multiple angles & perspectives, really. I started as everyone suggested: build pintrest board for your vibes, start with a capsule wardrobe, a try-on period to feel all the feelings & adjust things as you go , find your balance aka the 80/20 "rule" or guidelines & then invest in your basics that would live with you! I did that & I went BOLD, so I started a capsule wardrobe but with my own rules & I kept slowly buying mini wardrobes and infusing it with what I have ! And I still don't have the pieces I want because of money , but I love what I have & I keep enjoying them in every creative way I can ! More body changes now I have to upgrade my size 😅 so I'll have to keep buying mini wardrobes, I guess 😂😂 My style is all over the place because I like a lot of things 😆 and my clothes mirror my mood or feeling or the occasion!! Your style influenced me, too . I have a different meaning for romantic outfits because of you , it doesn't have to be lacey or sheer of bodycon as I thought. Although I die for this romantic image 😍 My desired style/aesthetic is : an artistic Hobbit woman who is actually a witch 🧙‍♀️ goes to college and falls in love with a ballerino who turns out he's a fairy prince 🧚‍♂️ 😂 #gofigure 😂 My aesthetic would be somewhere in middle earth ,oh 😂 I meant in the middle of these ones : hobbit/cottagecore, dark academia, balletcore, fasirycore 😅😅

👋 Hi! My wife sent me this video and your followup - and I just want to say THANK YOU. I've often felt very defeated about fashion and style and these videos were the first to make me feel like I have actionable steps for cultivating that self-knowledge that *makes sense*. Keep up the great work!

Amen sister- a fellow sweaty gal salutes you! Thankyou so much for both your vulnerable and brutal honesty but putting Practical Constraints top of mind when defining personal style, and then assessing our clothes "crushes" in light of these. Well done friend!

This was the BEST. I've heard other fashion people talk about "find your 3 words" and other things like that. This was the practical application of those words (??) and other considerations. I hope many people think about this and apply it thoughtfully. As for me, I'm pretty clear on my style and constraints. One big constraint is I'm petite, need to try things on, and live in an area with limited shopping opportunities. Online shopping is rarely successful. Shoes are even worse than clothing because of weird feet and a high need for comfort. I don't want anything out of the ordinary, but I also don't want to be limited to the basics of the basics. It's frustrating.

I love this video idea! It reminds me of a TikTok creator I saw who does “small town fashion.” It’s a similar concept lol kind of making trends more accessible if you live in a small town where most people aren’t interested in fashion and if you don’t want to super stand out, etc.

I love your first point. I put myself through a lot of unnecessary suffering when I was a teenager, and having a clearer sense of what I'm not willing to compromise on makes decisions a whole lot easier.

great video as usual Hannah! i've been unconsciously doing this since I started my beauty&fashion low buy this year and you've inspired me to write everything down instead of having all of these preferences floating around in my head.

I sweat too, and I now only wear batwing style tops, game changer. But I had to wait for them to come into style and therefore be sold in the high street, I didn’t even know that style existed before as when I grew up in the 90s it just wasn’t in fashion. Same with colours, I recently realised what colours suit me, and most of the time they’re not in fashion. It’s so much easier now with online shopping, including for vintage stuff, you can search for specific styles and colours, not wait years or decades for them to be sold on the high street!

This is such helpful content you created! I am turning 60 this year and have always struggled with "What is my personal style?", "What best represents how I feel or want to feel?" Thank you! The constraints and practicality you mentioned to help figure this out was life changing. A real aha moment on why my closet is so Mish-Mashed. Peace to you!!

Great video! Much time and money later, many of us took the long route to find our personal style. Thank you for condensing the process and laying it out so clearly! I think I can speak for many of us when I say we'd listen to you discuss a wide range of topics because we appreciate the intelligence and thought process behind your takes. But when it comes to fashion, you're obviously quite stylish, so of course we want this content from you! Makeup is pretty and fun, but clothes are what people notice more, what has a greater impact on my self-image, and what I've started putting more effort into the last few years. Dressing for my body type and coloring actually transformed the way I feel about my body. Once again, thanks for your inclusive photos featuring people of all sizes, races, genders, ages, and abilities.

I love this video so much! I wish I had thought about my own personal constraints in my early twenties, before I wasted so much time and money on clothes that didn't work for my lifestyle.

Yes, please, more of your perspectives on this topic on fashion and beauty of all types.

I try to think of clothing I already own that I really like on me. then once I have that item in mind I find a piece that would pair nicely with that item, put together a whole outfit. from there I just branch out off of the new items. It helps to make your wardrobe cohesive but not necessarily "samey" or boring. Wearing the item while shopping helps a ton.

This is one of the best videos I've seen on finding your personal style. You included so many important points clearly and succinctly. I wish I had had this when I was in my early 20s, too: I made basically all of the same mistakes you did, and it wasn't until I started working toward my personal style in a structured, systematic way that I actually became much happier with my wardrobe. I found it so helpful to make Pinterest boards and, most of all, *write things down.* I find that if I don't write down my preferences and the lessons I've learned, it's easier to forget them and become swayed to buy things that won't work for me because I saw them online, or on another person, etc.

This has been such a helpful video because it helped me do a bit of fine-tuning. You touched on color a bit and knowing my most flattering colors has heled me immensely in building a cohesive wardrobe. I determined that I am an autumn color palette which does not include much black. But, I had so many black pieces in my wardrobe because I was trying to have "the basics". I got rid of all of my black pieces and what a difference. I live in a sunny tropical climate and the black felt so heavy and weighed down. This has been liberating and I feel prettier and more alive, as well as shopping is much easier now.

You're so intelligent and well versed, I'm so grateful I found your videos.

I love how thoughtful Hannah is about theese asspects of all our lives. Thank you.

This is such fantastic advice and so eloquently stated 🙂

I’ve been working my way through your style videos and making notes. This is everything I wish I’d been told sooner. Always struggled with my wardrobe and shopping. Your videos have made me hopeful and excited to reorganise my wardrobe, let go of items I don’t need, and slowly search for pieces to invent a new visual me. Thank you!

Thank you hannah. Soooo needed this reset x

on god, this is single handedly THE best advice i've ever heard about trying tô figure out your personal style. i'm very into conscient fashion and consummerism, but as a young adult it's very easy to fall for it girlies siren's call so fisical restrains make so much sense

Really love this guide! I would also love a kind of follow up in how you edit the wardrobe you have to get closer to your personal style. Spring and this video have me inspired to do some clearing out, but I always tend to over- or under- do it 😅