How TikTok's '3 Word Method' Can Help You Define Your Personal Style & Save Money
Plus, we zoom in on some celebs' styles through the exercise
They often say that personal style is, well, personal. It’s your own to own, and it’s something that is incredibly nuanced to your personality, tastes and lifestyle.
But, what if you don’t exactly know what your personal style is? How does one go about quantifying something like a ‘feeling’ that something works for your wardrobe or not? And importantly, how are able to decide whether seasonal trends are for you if you’re not able to pinpoint what constitutes your own personal sense of fashion?
That’s why we love TikTok’s three-word method. Coined by the New York-based fashion stylist Allison Bornstein and propelled to fame by social media users, the three-word method essentially asks you to break down your style into three adjectives.
In doing so, you’re able to have a better definition of what fashion works for you, and you can easily hone in on clothing items that will easily fit into your closet. Read on to find out the benefits of this method, and how you can start incorporating it ASAP.
It’s really not as complicated as it sounds.
Basically, the three-word method prompts you to break down your entire style profile into just three adjectives. These can describe your current style, or the style that you aspire to have. Bornstein also points out that it’s not always set in stone – your style changes from time to time, afterall. “Don’t let the fear of getting it wrong prevent you from accessing this,” she said.
Open up your wardrobe doors, and begin pulling out all the items that you frequently wear. These can be you go-to jeans, go-to blazers and so on, and lay them out in front of you before you assess them and reflect on what makes them your trusty wear-everywhere-and-everyday staples.
Perhaps it’s the colour of a bright yellow jacket that you rely on endlessly to brighten up your wardrobe of neutrals, and reflects your cheery mood. Perhaps “colourful” could be added to your tally of words. Maybe you’re all about that louche, slouchy and effortless approach when it comes to tailoring – that could signal that “comfy” or “oversized” might fit into your three words.
But what if you’re looking for three words not from where you’re at, sartorially speaking, but where you’d like to be? There are a couple of ways you can do this.
Firstly, spend time looking for outfits that inspire you, and apply the same method of breaking them down into three words before writing those words down. As you do this more, certain words will start popping up and they could be key in how you transform your style.
Another method – one that doesn’t require a complete closet overhaul – is to change one of your three words into a word that you aspire to have. For example, say you’ve got “classic” and “tailored” in your words, but you’re really looking to go bolder with your choice of prints. In this example, perhaps the third word you could consider is “bright” or “maximalist”. Then, the next time you’re shopping around, ask yourself if the items you’re adding to your basket embodies this new, maximalist direction you’re steering towards.
Essentially, having your three words in mind will help you save a ton of money when you hit the shops, and a ton of time each morning when you’re getting dressed and ready.
A study by UK-based personal image consulting company Stitch Fix found that British women on average have about $300 worth of clothing in their closets that have never been worn. Couple that with the 92 million tons of clothing filling up landfills globally, and you can begin to imagine how urgent it is for all of us to shop more responsibly.
Having your three words at the ready the next time you drop by Orchard Road can help you make a more informed decision. Bornstein likens it to your fashion north star – a guiding principle to whether or not you should be shelling out $200 on that top from Zara if it doesn’t really belong in any of your words. Now that you’re able to make a more considered approach to shopping, you’re less likely to splurge on something that you wouldn’t wear at all.
If you still need some help with figuring out your three words, here are some celebs that we’ve put through the exercise.
Oversized: She’s often seen in oversized tailoring, like on her trip to Barcelona or on the red carpet in New York.
Sexy: The singer is known for her love of catsuits, and isn’t afraid to more than a little skin.
Maximalist: Be it in her choice of colours (bright), patterns (loud), or jewellery (big), Dua loves a bold moment.
Sensual: The Grammy-winning singer loves a good corset moment, and she’s also known to wear a fair share of mini and midi-length slipdresses.
Girlish: There is a duality in her style, and she’s often seen dressed in saccharine pastels, frills and oversized bows.
Nostalgic: Olivia loves a good throwback fashion moment – see her penchant for ’90s style chokers or her pop-punk looks that feel very early ’00s.
Sporty: Rihanna loves a sporty moment – see her knit bralette-as-top look, or when she made sporty leggings fashionable. Previously, she’s also been papped in everything from football jerseys and hoodies.
Cool: She has a penchant for mixing couture with streetwear, and this lends a really interesting mix of looks that feel almost too cool for anyone else to try.
Sexy: We’d expect nothing less from the founder of Savage x Fenty. Rih regularly gives a great bare-all moment, and we are here for it.
Tailored: Zendaya seems to gravitate to looks that give her plenty of structure, whether it’s in a suit or a gown.
Glamorous: She’s not a fashion darling for no reason. Zendaya knows how to turn heads on the red carpet, with the help of her stylist Law Roach, and she often favours over-the-top embellishments or dramatic colour.
Exaggerated: Not to be confused with oversized, her love for exaggeration has seen looks that include an all-over Valentino logo print, ginormous flowers from Loewe, and cascading drapes that look almost wing-like.
Text: Aaron Kok/Her World