Personal style is all about self expression, it's personal, it's intimate, ever evolving and ultimately reflective. Our clothing choices reflect how we see ourselves and how we want others to see us.

Personal style, like a woman, is ever evolving, ever changing, 'yikes! thank goodness' you may say, as I do, when I think of an 80's double-shoulder-padded-silhouette and sculpted unmoving hair look, I wore and loved when I worked in a swanky cool Auckland bar in New Zealand after Uni.

Style like fashion is ever evolving and ever changing, as are our choices.

1. First style tip, be creative and amendable to change.

As a teenager my mother had a saffron Big-Bird-Sesame-Street-yellow cardi, knitted for me. I wore this beacon of light under duress and motherly-love layers of guilt, 'there are children out there who don't have what you have'.

To be honest, Mum was right, the colour looked good on my skin tone,however, yellow(hand knitted) did not suit my teenage rebellion, or mine and my peer group's black swathed uniform in reverence of the Clash, our musical icons at that time. 

In a neighbourhood store in Melbourne, I tried on the same shade of yellow in a sundress. In the store, my friends said, they were unsure about the colour - my neighbourhood loves all shades of grey, grey high fences, grey manicures, grey layers upon grey layers, punctuated with white, navy and black- but I loved coppery glow on my skin and bought it. I've evolved, my style likes not fitting in, my style likes wearing things that look good on me and that I feel great in. My style has evolved like me and encompasses many looks.I have my classic pieces, my grey pieces, my corporate and my artistic pieces and my sexy italian figure hugging floral dresses, my style like my tastes are ever evolving and always, always, subject to change.

2. Start paying attention to the styles you gravitate to on other people.

Imitation is the best form of flattery, or so goes the saying.

We all pour over fashion magazines, online fashion sites and press our noses up against store window fronts, resplendent with new season offerings.

3.Borrow style tips from random strangers on the street.

Pay attention to the colours and styles that grab your attention, pay attention to the lingering stare at a random stranger whose elegant gait has given you pause - these are all signs of your unique self dying to express itself.

4.Elevate your style with Pinterest, pinterest, pinterest - My favourite online fashion lookbook.

I use pinterest whenever I purchase a new piece and want to expand my vision of new ways it can be worn.

This simple online fashion look book gives fantastic inspiration, on new ways to wear simple basics - for example; simply type, black pencil tube skirt and a bunch of images and new ways to wear and layer your common wardrobe basic, will appear.

5. Be open to continually learn and improve your own style vision.

You are a magnificent work in progress so be kind and open to the style urges or whispers begging you to try a new look or new colour or complete new fashion look. True style like life, is never rigid and always flexible.

This season's Swish Summer, Hibiscus Text Jacket - two different looks, two different styles, both amendable to any change in weather.

Be brave, if a certain look appeals try it out. With the festive season fast approaching, there will be plenty of excuses to try out some new looks.

6.Be creative. We are not limited by our size, shape or colour.

Working with a body that is underrepresented in retail ignites a creative drive, whether you are plus size, zero size, red toned, peach toned, olive toned or pink toned, fashion is art and open to exploration and lets face it most of us are under represented in the fashion world. Few woman have the lack of curves represented by models in populace fashion culture.

One of my greatest joys and constant fascination with fashion, is the ability to reinvent and create.

We women of any age have earned our style pedigrees - by this time in our lives, we have a good idea of our wants, needs and desires.

Style evolves in retrospect - I have tried and survived my style evolutions: I survived my androgynous punk phase, my modelling days of matching accessories, my over achieving, high buttoned, student grade days, my rock and roll/country music first husband phase and my second husband Swiss Antique dealer phase, style evolutions. I'm presently in Classic meets Frida Kahlo meets metropolitan renegade phase.

Style is creative, we are walking canvases exploding and exploring into our next evolution.

7. Your personal style is the sum of where you've lived, who you've spent time with, who you've loved and what you've seen. You, like your style is constantly evolving.

I could say edit, edit, edit your style down to its bare bones, but if you are anything like me - I'm impulsive and over excited and love to try on many different things - a single edit is never going to work.

Keep it fun. Be an individual, be yourself with all your nuances and quirks. Your own interpretation is enough and unique, being true to your own style mavern is what will make your “personal” style real, relatable and memorable.

All images with thanks to Pinterest, Swish Instagram and Swish Fashion Australia.

Written by Simmon Wagner, a Freelance Writer, Fashion Journalist, Professional Movie Critic, Nationwide Australian Style Writer, Yogini and Founder of theloveauthentic, https://theloveauthentic.wordpress.com/. Curious and trained as a Journalist, Private Investigator and Fashion Designer, writing her first psychological thriller novel.

Find me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Movie Critic, Style Blogger

and at https://theloveauthentic.wordpress.com