By: tkonter
Stylin

My 3-word Method

I’m about a year late to the party, but I recently discovered Allison Bornstein’s 3-Word Method for approaching fashion. The idea is that you determine the three words that define your personal style, and it helps you edit your wardrobe and identify the pieces/outfits that make you feel like your best, most authentic self. Here’s how you choose your words and what I think mine would be:

  1. A Practical Word: MUTED – Figure this out by taking stock of your closet and noting what you wear most often, even if they’re not your favorite pieces. What’s the common theme? I realized I wear color, but the tones are typically muted. I like sage green over emerald or mint, for instance.
  2. An Aspirational Word: COLLEGIATE/ACADEMIC – This is the style/vibe that fills your Pinterest board, even if it doesn’t yet fill your closet. I’ve always loved anything that makes me think of a campus. Sure that could mean full professor or schoolgirl looks (tweed jacket/slacks/loafer, skirt/button down/vest), but it also means I like things with elbow patches, materials like cable knit, patterns like houndstooth, and accessories like ribbons and pearls. I realized that even some of my favorite evening looks contain small nods to this vibe, like the pleats on my rehearsal dinner dress.
  3. An Emotional Word: CRISP – The word the encapsulates how you want to feel when you’re wearing your clothes. I am most myself when I don’t feel sloppy. I want to be crisp, sharp, ready to take on the world. It doesn’t mean everything has to be skin tight, but I prefer clean lines over asymmetry and if a piece is oversized, I like boxy over flowy.

I’m excited to try this approach next time I’m in a store. I’m not saying I won’t keep some surprises in my wardrobe – I never want to be toooo predictable, plus some settings might not jive with an academic look (could you imagine me trying to make that work on a Caribbean island vacay?!) – but it will be nice to have a more cohesive closet.

When I try to create ideal looks based on this method, here’s what I came up with. I’ve tried to build options for everyday (aka work), weekend, night out, and special occasion. How’d I do?!