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My personal style is ever-evolving and has spanned the fashion spectrum to include everything from bold pops of color to super pared-back neutral looks. That being said, my core sense of fashion has had some common threads running through it that I can trace all the way back to high school and my outfits growing up. This became even more clear to me after I learned about stylist Allison Bornstein’s “three word method” to personal style—a hack that is blowing up on TikTok. Essentially, it boils down to finding three words that describe your current style and the style that you aspire to have. She even has a handy list of adjectives you can reference ranging from edgy and sculptural to romantic and playful if you’re trying to pinpoint what makes sense for you.
Reflecting on my overall sense of style, what I’m currently wearing, and what I want to dress like moving forward, I narrowed in on classic, ‘90s, and polished as my “three words”. Immediately, it made a closet clean-out easier and helped me decide about purchases I was on the fence about. Applying each word, I was able to identify what felt true to my personal style and which pieces felt like trend-driven purchases that were outliers. Curious to learn more about the method and dive in deeper, I spoke to Bornstein—a stylist and fashion teacher who makes getting dressed feel approachable, deliberate, and best of all, fun.
Tell me about your “three word method” to personal style.
The “three word method” was born out of my work with personal styling clients and is designed to help you define and refine the details of your personal style. I have have discovered that identifying a three word recipe can really help clients unlock so many ideas and serve as a great reference point for getting dressed, editing, shopping, and evolving their style in general! The combination of the three is really important because it allows for tension and helps clients pinpoint their unique aesthetic.
I have had clients who felt like their wardrobes were very disjointed because they had many different things all living together in the closet but being worn separately. I would tell these clients that these differing aesthetics are actually what makes up your personal style and they should be embraced and worn together.
For example I had a client who was between L.A. and New York and felt like she was super boho and romantic in L.A. and a little more tailored and oversize in New York. It made it hard to shop and hard to reconcile her identity apart from the cities she lived in. Together, we married these aesthetics and created something unique to her so instead of separating the words, we brought them together to create something genuine to all of her desires!
What is the best way to figure out which three words apply to someone’s style?
To discover your three words, the first place to look is in your own closet. We all have personal style whether we know it or not! So, the first thing I usually suggest you do to find your 3 words is to pull out all of your “regulars”, or what you wear all the time. How would you describe these pieces? Are they all casual or sporty? Or sexy? Or flowy? Or printed? This is what I mean by your style exists in your wardrobe— we are literally pulling out what you wear to determine this. Don’t get bummed if what you pulled out doesn’t inspire you immediately. It is just helping us determine where we are at. I usually like to use two words to describe what I am seeing in a clients closet and then save the third word for a more aspirational word!
The third word is like your north star. It is the near future you! This word can also change and evolve. Actually, all of your words can and should change and evolve. Mine usually shifts between tailored and elegant.
If you are having a hard time identifying your words or need a little inspiration it can be really helpful to look at Pinterest or your saved images. It can be looks you like on other people or looks you like on yourself and take a second to look at that. What do these looks have in common? Is it similar to what you see in your wardrobe? Maybe you notice its a lot of pins of Hailey Bieber in big blazers but your “regulars” are not as tailored or oversize as that. Maybe you want to choose “tailored” or “oversize” as one of your words to help guide you where you want to go.
Once you figure out your three words, how should you utilize them for shopping, getting dressed, and editing your wardrobe?
One of the most helpful ways to use the “three word method” is as an editing tool. It gives you a really helpful framework and gives you permission to let go of something that isn’t serving you or allowing you to express your style.
It also forces you to look at what you might want to add to your wardrobe in a whole new way that allows you to go much deeper. It also helps when you are shopping. Once you are acquainted with your style and understand who you are and what you like, you will be able to be more streamlined and make better decisions. You will have a stronger sense of what you like and what you need once you can identify your style. Investing in the process of uncovering your fashion identity will actually save you so much money in the long run and help you be a smarter consumer.
I often advise clients to call upon their three words when they are feeling stuck or when their look isn’t quite working. You can use the words as a mental checklist and make sure that you have the elements represented in the look. It can be as simple as changing up your hair or rolling up a shirt sleeve but these small tweaks can make a huge difference!
Ahead, see how stylist Allison Bornstein has applied her “three word method” to celebrities’ personal style.
Next Up: 7 Major Shoe Trends That Will Be Everywhere This Fall