How to Become the Most Stylish Girl in School

Last Updated: October 4, 2022 References

It is sometimes very easy to fall into boring or familiar clothing patterns. After a while, your style may begin to misrepresent your personality, or who you are as a person. While developing a new style might sound intimidating, it is best tackled when you break it down into manageable steps. With just a little fashion research, and a few new clothing items that fit your style, you can begin to grow a wardrobe that you can confidently wear down the school hallways.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Defining Your Personal Style

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Explore current or trending fashion styles. This is a great place to start, especially if you are floundering or overwhelmed with how to create a new fashion style for yourself. Look at what fashion gurus or celebrities are wearing, and take note of what you like or don’t like about a particular look.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Christina Santelli
Professional Stylist
Expert Interview. 22 April 2019.}
- Have all of your favorite fashion styles or items in one place, so you know what to look for when building your new wardrobe. You can do this by creating a scrapbook, or by saving images to social media sites like Pinterest or Instagram.^{[2]
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Look at past fashion trends to draw inspiration from. If you still are not finding any styles that speak to you, consider expanding your research to look at fashions for specific decades. Current fashion always draws inspiration from past fashion trends. By looking at clothing popular in the 1950s or 1970s, you may draw similar sparks of inspiration too.^{[3]
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Pay attention to what other girls at your school are wearing. Some girls at your school might even have a style that you think is really cool. This does not mean you have to dress exactly like the other girls at your school. Examining how they dress might give you some ideas on how to pair or layer clothing.^{[4]
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- If one of your friends has a style that you really admire, ask them where they buy their clothes, or ask if they could give you some tips on how to create your own style.
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Showcase your hobbies or personal passions in your new style. You want your style to represent you, and not someone else. The easiest way to accomplish this is be injecting what you already like or are passionate about into your new style.^{[5]
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- If you love horses and western novels, try incorporating those earthy tones and desert images into your clothing. Pick out prints with little cactuses or horseshoes on it, or gravitate towards shirts and pants that are colored with warm, rustic oranges, yellows, and browns.^{[6]
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- If you are passionate about music and pursuing music as a career, considering including clothing styles your music idols wore. For a more personal option, incorporate funky prints filled with music notes or piano keys into your wardrobe.^{[7]
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- Don’t get caught up in what is trending over what you actually like. If you are not into pop music from the early 2000s, don’t wear a graphic T-shirt with Britney Spears on it because it does not represent you or your interests.^{[8]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Building a New Wardrobe

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Clean out your closet. Going through the clothing you already have will help you take stock of what already fits your new style, and what key pieces you might still be missing. Donate clothes that no longer fit you, or clothes that you no longer want, and throw away any items irreparably damaged.^{[9]
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- Don’t feel pressured to cleanse your entire closet, or get rid items just because they don’t fit your new style. Fashion styles change all the time, and your personal fashion style will change too. Hold onto anything you think that you will miss wearing, even if it does not align with the look you are currently aiming for.^{[10]
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Think about your daily or school routine when purchasing clothes. You should be able to create an outfit that represents your style in a timely manner. Having a personal fashion style does not mean it should take you an hour to get dressed in the morning. Assemble outfits that you can easily change in and out of for gym class, or for your after school activities.
- If you don’t have gym class every day, save your more complex outfits for the off days, so you don’t feel rushed to get changed out.
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Know your school dress code before you go shopping. Visit your school website or ask a staff member at your school what the dress code regulations are. You most likely will not be able to wear any clothing that is revealing or distracting. There may also be specific widths for shirt straps, and lengths for shorts and skirts, that your clothing will have to meet as well. Find this information out, and bring a copy of it with you when you go shopping.^{[11]
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- If your school has a uniform, then know what alterations or personal touches you are allowed to add to the uniform.
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Step out of your comfort zone when purchasing new clothing. While it is important to stay true to yourself, you also need to be prepared to step out of your comfort zone. When you go out shopping, don’t shy away from differing colors, patterns, or prints. Sometimes, clothing looks a lot better on you than it does on the hanger. Challenge yourself to at least try different items on.^{[12]
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- Don’t be completely reliant on the scrapbook or online style board you created. Chances are you will not find those exact pieces. Use the collected images as a reference if you feel overwhelmed, but use your best judgment to pick out the clothing.
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Don’t limit yourself or break your budget by shopping for labels. Expensive labels and brands always seem to be fashionable. This does not mean they have to be part of your style. You can put together a stylish outfit in a thrift or department store, and still have money left over for accessories.^{[13]
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- If you are interested in purchasing high end pieces, go to an off-the-rack version of the store or to a warehouse store that sells overstocked designer labels. At these places you will be able to find some of your favorite labels or brands at a fraction of the cost.
- Creating outfits from different stores will also help you develop your own style, rather than just copying one a certain brand or label has put together.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Putting Outfits Together

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Build each outfit around a single, staple garment. Staple or timeless clothing will give you more wiggle room to mix and match outfits. It will also allow you grow and evolve your style over time without having to continuously purge your wardrobe.^{[14]
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- It is good to have a mix of solid-colored dress shirts, sweaters, and T-shirts. Simply styled tops can be easily paired with bold skirts or leggings year-round. Additionally, a neutrally-colored cardigan can tone down printed blouses, or dress up simple T-shirts.
- Have a variety of dark and light-washed jeans, and neutral-colored leggings, skirts, and dresses. Black leggings or dark jeans can be paired with just about any color or printed top, and are versatile enough to be worn during the day at school, or at night when you hang out with your friends.
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Add a statement piece to make your outfit more interesting. Contrasting your staple pieces with bold clothing items is what will turn your everyday outfit into a personal style. Think about colors, patterns, or fabrics that you really like, and incorporate those preferences.^{[15]
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- If you are really into music, you can pair those plain black leggings with a graphic T-shirt of your favorite band, or an oversized sweater that is embroidered with music notes.^{[16]
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- If you are an aspiring actor with a bold personality, layer a long, multi-colored cardigan or a checkered blazer over a plain T-shirt and dark-wash jeans. The unconventional patterns will complement your fun and spirited personality.^{[17]
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Invest in a neutral-colored coat and brightly-colored jacket. You want at least two jacket or coat options of varying thickness and materials in your wardrobe. Pick one coat that is of a thick material and lined for the winter months, and one that is lightweight for the chilly fall and early spring months.^{[18]
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- For your winter coat, gravitate towards neutral colors or shades like a navy blue or a solid black that will be easily paired with any outfit you wear.
- For the lightweight jacket, branch out and pick a color that is missing from your overall wardrobe, and use it as a pop of color for your outfits. For example, throw on a deep purple jacket or a patterned jacket. Pair the jacket with black leggings and a sweater dress.
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Wear shoes that are sensible, but full of personality. Any shoes you buy need to be comfortable, and practical for your everyday routine. Try and stay away from purchasing heels or platforms as your everyday shoe, and opt for unique sandals, sneakers, and flats that embody your new style.^{[19]
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- Pair your beaded sandals or colored flats with a solid-colored dress to make the shoes the focal point of the outfit.^{[20]
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- Lace up your embroidered sneakers, and pair them with dark wash jeans and a T-shirt for a quick outfit that has a pop of color.^{[21]
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Add accessories to put a personal stamp on any outfit. Accessories are not just simple jewelry pieces or hats. Accessories can be different colors, textures, and statements that bring your outfit and personal style to life. If you find that you weren’t all that daring when you went shopping for clothes, use simple accessories to showcase your personality instead.^{[22]
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- Think about getting different scarves or hats to dress up your outfits in the fall and winter.
- Look for jewelry that goes beyond the standard silver and gold aesthetic. Find woven or beaded necklaces, rings carved from wood that are hand painted, or even a simple pendant or brooch that incorporates your hobbies or inspiring quotes.
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Have confidence in the style you created. At the end of the day, you will be wearing the clothes, not the girl that sits next to you in class. Make sure that you are comfortable and confident when wearing your new style. Even if your style greatly differs from what others wear at school, the confidence you show will instead make you a trendsetter.^{[23]
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Continue experimenting with your style. As time passes and you grow older, continue to play with your style and alter it to fit whatever point you are at in life. The clothing you wear today should represent who you are now, and not who you were 5 years ago.^{[24]
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- As you get older, you might want to gravitate away from graphic T-shirts with whimsical prints, and wear blouses with fun patterns of music notes or giraffes instead.
- When you transition into the workplace, instead of grabbing your black leggings and pairing it with a colored button-up shirt, tuck your shirt into a sleek pair of black dress pants.

Expert Q&A

Question

What does it mean to be stylish?

Christina Santelli
Professional Stylist
Christina Santelli is the Owner and Founder of Style Me New, a wardrobe styling concierge based in Tampa, Florida. She has been working as a stylist for over six years, and her work has been featured in HSN, the Pacific Heights Wine and Food Festival, and the Nob Hill Gazette.

Christina Santelli

Professional Stylist

Expert Answer

Style is very individual. It's all about what makes you comfortable. You don't need to wear the latest trends. Stylish people wear clothes they're comfortable in that fit them well, and they're good at accessorizing and putting together pieces of clothing that the average person might not think of wearing together.
Question

How do I act stylish?

Adelaide D (awesomegirl)

Community Answer

Know a lot about fashion. This is very important - once you've become known as the most stylish, everybody will have questions. Talk about your favorite designers and going to the mall. (But not all the time, otherwise you'll be seen as annoying and boring.) Also, be seen reading popular fashion magazines, like Vogue and Seventeen.
Question

How do I pick the right haircut when trying to be the most stylish girl in school?

Adelaide D (awesomegirl)

Community Answer

Pick something that's unique, and that suits you and your style. Side bangs and blunt, eyelash-skimming bangs are very in right now. Think it over and try to decide what would look best on you. Remember, if you get a haircut you don't like, it'll grow back!

Warnings

Before you go and purchase a new wardrobe, check the parameters for your school’s dress code. Wearing revealing or distracting clothing items at school may get you into trouble, especially if the offense is repeated.^{[27]
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