Developing one’s personal style can be quite difficult. When I was younger, I knew what I liked and what vibe I wanted, so I dressed accordingly. But things don’t stay consistent all the time. Our interests change, our environment changes, and our bodies change. So, I’ve realized dressing yourself well can actually be challenging. 

With that being said, how do we incorporate fashion-week styles into our daily looks? Below is a thorough breakdown on how to do so:

The easiest way to make your outfit pop—to make it fashion-week ready—is to focus on a statement piece. For example, keep the whole outfit simple, but wear that unique jacket that cost your whole paycheck or that you found thrifting. This is the simplest (and often safest) way to begin to work fashion-week styles into your daily style. Often, if something is unique and really stands out, you may want to balance that out or put the attention on that one item by keeping the rest of the outfit simple. 

But how do we identify a statement piece?

Details can often define an outfit, but a piece’s details do not necessarily make them the attention-getter of your outfit. The statement piece might just complement the outfit, bringing the other components together. Either way, details play an important role. If you want to make a simple, stylish outfit, it is those details that will make your style fashion-week worthy—and even better, unique to you. 

For example, Rihanna’s jacket defines her outfit as a whole (after all, winter is the perfect time for a statement jacket), but she makes sure everyone notices the sock detail. Every detail adds to the outfit rather than taking away from it. At the same time, the sock detail is not the eye-catcher. What makes the outfit pop is the jacket. So, in other words, and in an easier way to think about it, ask yourself: what adds to my outfit that makes it me or makes it unique? What makes my outfit pop? 

You can have details that make your outfit look like something “phresh off the runway” or fresh out of the Jeremy Scott show, but when it may be hard to piece together those things, having one item that makes your outfit pop is the easiest way to begin adding fashion-week elements to your outfit. 

Next, when looking for clothes and putting outfits together, it’s important to remember that trends don’t equate to fashion. There’s nothing wrong with liking a trend and following it, but the focus of your outfit needs to primarily be on the aesthetic. For example, with the “Bumbag” trend (wearing the fanny pack across the chest instead of the waist), it looks cool when worn a certain way or maybe with certain things, but it seems that media outlets agree it looks good depending on the entire look. (Here’s what MTV and Vogue UK have to say.) What are your thoughts on trends, and on that trend in particular? How do you style them?

So, long story, short: trends are hit-or-miss. These people listed below are good examples of working trends into personal style and styling statement pieces while maintaining their individuality.

Lexie Lombard, @lexie

This video in particular really stood out to me. The way she explains her items is the best way to look at personal style, fashion, and the things you keep in your closet. When she wears a particular jacket, her friends know it’s hers because it’s not just something basic she got from H&M or Forever 21, but because it looks like she’d wear it. That idea opens a gateway to thinking about the links between lifestyle and fast fashion. 

@wuzg00d

Everything about her style is detailed and unique to her. Other people may do their nails and color their hair too, but it’s the way she does it that lets her followers know that her looks are a reflection of who she is. 

Morocco, @mentalmorocco

Morocco, a model and dancer based in New York City, utilizes statement pieces—but what makes his style one to follow is that his aesthetic, charisma, and go-to looks are very clear. You can set his style apart from others and get a general sense of who he is, all while he retains an air of mystery.

If you are looking for other people to inspire your daily look, I would suggest looking at the people around you, especially those that you find most fashionable and inspiring. On social media, think about whether someone matches your aesthetic, your values, and your body type if you haven’t figured out your own style. (A thought for reference is when Kim Kardashian West described Kanye mentioning to her that her body is her statement, which is just another reason why she tends to model the minimalist, aesthetically pleasing Yeezy apparel. That stuck out to me, as I’d never thought about my body and clothes in that way.)

Personally, I follow Chantel Jeffries, Sami Miro, Aimee Song, and Zendaya—people who dress feminine but also have a flair for what may be considered either masculine or relaxed. 

So, next time you are picking out clothes for school, work, or any regular day, keep these words in mind: statement, pop, comfort, complementary, aesthetic, personality, emotion, representation. How do you feel in your clothes, and how do they represent you? Looking for things that are unique and personal to you, give your outfit the aesthetic and the “pop” it needs to keep you fashion-week ready.