Fashion reflects our personality just as much as our personality reflects who we are inside. Find out how you can dress according to your personality and refine your style to the fullest.

Fashion and personality are intertwined more than one might expect them to be. One’s personality forms one’s identity, an identity that is both personal and public. And fashion helps in expressing that identity through style.

Taking the example of presenting ourselves in meetings with formal attire, where we want to channel professionalism. But in the case of a movie night with girlfriends, we dress up in cozy and warm jumpers to show how comfortable we want to be with each other. Both scenarios have different moods, and these moods are non-verbally identified when you dress according to your personality.

Our personalities are composed of certain traits, qualities, and characteristics that are an integral part of our identity. There’s a certain way we want to be identified in public. A certain way to represent our mood. And fashion helps in translating these characteristics through our appearance.

If you are an interviewer with a desire of recruiting an ambitious and determined candidate for a crucial position, will you be more impressed with an interviewee with a crisp, and neat pantsuit or with a lousy and wrinkled graphic tee and ripped denim? The answer should be able to explain how fashion helps in expressing our personalities most impressively.

We all agree that no one is an absolute paradigm of a particular trait. We all are a mixture of distinct traits that make our personality unique. But we all do have a dominant trait that we most relate to and are mostly identified as.

For example, Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge and future Queen of England is identified as humble and generous. And one of the primary reasons is because she always appears to be humble and generous. Her appearance gives her an identity among the people which helps her deliver the message effectively. In the same way, for every one of us, our appearance matters the most when we want to deliver our perspective and show what we want to represent.

Styling in a particular manner helps us portray our dominant traits as an overview of our personality. While styles aren’t subjected to one particular choice, certain styles can help accentuate a trait dominantly and effectively. Here are some ways you can dress according to your personality traits.

Ways to Dress according to Your Personality Trait

Confident

A confident person carries a positive and bold attitude in every situation they face. They can easily carry themselves in any attire or under any circumstances. To dress confidently, you can try more fitted silhouettes like bodycon, and sheaths or a bit more expressive clothing like tube tops, strapless tops, or mini skirts and slip dress.

Dressing head-to-toe in a unique color like forest green, wine, sapphire blue, etc. also gives confident vibes. Style according to the best features of your body and add bold and vibrant makeup like a classic red lip, winged eyeliner, a lot of highlighter with sleek ponytails, and a well-styled hairdo.

Responsible

For a responsible person, the styling needs to be more grown-up i.e comfortable to carry and nothing too attention-grabbing. Sober and earthy tones like browns, greys, and shades of blue on midi dresses, straight cut trousers, and sleeved jumpsuits with scarves and belts are great choices for responsible women. The makeup can be very natural to skin with hair buns or basic ponytails. For jewelry, you can go for minimal drop earrings, studs, and even bracelet wristwatches.

Generous

If you are a generous person, then dress according to your personality trait with warm, and soothing colors like peach, sky blue, and blush pink. You can also try A-line dresses, wrap tops/dresses, off-shoulder neckline, and flowy midi skirts but with subtle makeup like blush, pink/coral lip shades, and wavy waterfall hairstyle and braids. Accessorize with charm bracelets, drop and dangle earrings, and pretty hair accessories. The key is to look simple yet stylish.

Cultured

Being cultured isn’t limited to occasions. You can look cultured every day with appropriate styling and a good selection of colors and pairings. Bright shades of white, greens, and blues are a popular choice for a cultured look. Solid colors or traditional prints like paisley with rich fabrics like damask or satin also look really cultured. Modern, well-structured silhouettes can also help put a cultured look with hair braids, summer makeup, and minimal gold jewelry.

Conservative

As the word suggests, a conservative person will stick to dressing in a more conventional style. Neither too expressive nor too bold. Colder shades like blue tones, grey, and off-white are usual colors of selection.

More covered silhouettes like full-sleeves, collars and knee-length skirts with closed-footwear really look conservative. Midi dresses, cardigans, ankle-length gowns and flared pants paired with simple jewelry will also help in creating a conservative look. To style more interestingly, play with textures in apparel and add some layers with color coordination.

Joyful

As bright as their personality is, styling a joyful person can be tricky because there are many ways it could go wrong. Summer bright colors with a lot of yellows, oranges, and blues are the best way to lift the spirits of a joyful person but it needs to be balanced with some neutrality in the entire look. The silhouettes to dress a joyful person can be flowy, breezy, and flouncy. Try some crop tops (if you are comfortable), tier dresses, rompers, and palazzo with half bun hairdos and coral and peachy lip shades. Also try large sequins or appliqué on tops or sweaters. Prints can also help elevate the look like calico, tie-dye, floral and funky logo/text motifs. In my opinion, you can go crazy with accessories but subtle down the makeup and keep it natural.

Ambitious

To dress an ambitious personality, try to balance bold with responsible. The looks can be formal but with a hint of modernity. Trench coats layered with wrap tops, tube skirts, cape dresses, and cigarette pants are some styles to try for an ambitious look. For makeup highlight the lips with bold lip colors and thick eyeliner and accessorize with precious jewelry, metal clutches, and scarpin heels. You can also try classic silk scarves with floral or chain-link prints. Statement jewelry could also be a great addition as long as it doesn’t grab too much attention to that one element. The overall look should be crisp and balanced.

Competitive

For a competitive person, making a statement is vital. Being competitive is more connected with attitude which is why dressing up can be very challenging. You can style according to the latest trends but adopt those that will make you stand out. Business suits, sheath dresses, solid-colored pants and jumpsuits could all be great. Personally, I recommend trying out statement accessories like a fascinating neckpiece, traditional jewelry, or luxury bag. The makeup can be someway experimental but not too crazy. Try new designs and prints to stand out in the crowd.

Optimistic

Optimistic individuals radiate positivity which is why summer colors like yellow, sky blue, or lilac are the best choices for their personality. For an optimistic look, try on interesting sleeves, summer outfits like blousons and sundresses, and cold shoulders. Have fun with makeup with blush, highlighters, fun eye shadows, and nudish/mauvish lip colors. Arm jewelry and layered neck chains can work wonders on the overall look and ballerinas and gladiators are good options for footwear.

Reclusive

Or in short, anti-social. Reclusive people always prefer comfort over their clothing. The most popular patterns are color blocks, stripes, solids, logos, and chintz print. Jumpers, knitwear, athleisure, and raglans too can be wardrobe essentials for reclusive. They mostly relate to the girl-next-door look, but trying on some new colors and patterns can make these looks more interesting too for both indoors and outdoors.

Compassionate

Styling a compassionate person is quite similar to styling a generous person but you can add warmer colors with floral and tie-dye prints. There’s a variety of styles that you can dress with, like peasant tops, blouson dresses, bouffant dresses, layered and tulip skirts. Accessorizing with statement jewelry will give an extra oomph to the look. Open hair braided hairstyles and metal hair accessories will make it even more stylish.

Disciplined

Usually, people with disciplined personality traits are reluctant to try new styles that they feel are quite out of their comfort zone. The style is very solid with well-tailored garments and formal inspired looks. Pegged trousers, regular pants, button-ups, and downs are a popular choice of style but adding trendy footwear like loafers, mary janes, or even slip ons can help elevate the overall look to something stylish.

Flamboyant

There’s no limit to dressing a flamboyant personality. Anything new or interesting catches their eyes and they are usually first in line to try anything that has gained popularity. Exaggerated sleeves, over-skirt pant gowns, layering with a variety of colors, and exquisite jewelry are choices a flamboyant personality won’t hesitate to try. If you are feeling bold, you can also try eccentric prints or bold color combinations like rust with orange or baby blue with fuchsia. However, some people overdo the styling without the proper knowledge. So my suggestion would be to take it slow with pairing new styles and try to balance out the clothes with accessories.

Sophisticated

It’s not difficult to style a sophisticated person but rather selective. Your look should be elegant, classy, and posh. The selection should be representative of their values and status more than their expression. Think of high-class fashion when you want to style with sophistication. One-shoulder bouffants, knee-length fitted dresses, pantsuits, and coats can be considered. But most importantly accessorizing with fine jewelry and elegant hairstyles can create a better impression.

Adventurous

Active and practical are two words that can be considered for styling an adventurous person. Dressing need not be the most important thing for them, but their style is quite impressive and low-maintenance. Mixing comfortable clothes but with some new style is the usual motive. You can go for hot pants, cargos, tanks, t-shirt dresses, and boyfriend jeans for a fun adventurous look. To style even further, try fun prints like camo, stripes, abstract and mosaic and pair with comfy footwear.

Idealist

For an idealist person, the key is to look stylishly smart. Peplum dresses, high neck tops, cape gowns, and formal trousers can help in identifying these traits with the addition of some minimal gold jewelry and stilettos, kitten heels, and wedges. It is important to be updated with trends but make sure you also add a bit of personal touch to your style like a signature hairstyle or makeup. Remember it mostly relies on how you carry yourself in the garment you are wearing, so don’t go overboard with anything you aren’t comfortable in.

Also read: How to Dress Smart: COMPLETE Guide + 35 Smart Dressing Ideas

Assertive

Very similar to disciplined, to style an assertive individual, try to mix conservative with disciplined. Choice of color can be darker tones like navy blue, darker grey, and beige. The footwear can be formal but you can play around with the choice of tops with knits and ribbed textures. You don’t need to experiment much but adding some sleek hairstyles can make you identify better.

Personality traits are one of the factors that create our personality type. But the dominant traits can help understand what the person is more likely to be. However, some people show a combination of these traits, i.e no one is always confident or ambitious. The beauty of styling is that with proper knowledge we can create an overall style with a mix of these traits. Let’s have a look at how you can dress according to your personality types according to the respective traits by combining different styles.

Ways to Dress according to Your Personality Type

Unsure what your personality type is? Find out here: Types of Personality: Here’s How to Find out Yours!

The Inspector

This personality type is a mix of responsible, cultured, and conserved traits. You can wear midi dresses , ankle length gowns, and layer with cardigans or coats in sober or earthy colors like brown, grey or maroons. Adding a pair of boots and minimal jewelry like small hoop earrings or pearl studs will work great too. You can also try textures in apparel (see conservative trait) or traditional prints and patterns (similar to cultured trait).

The Crafter

If you are a crafter, then you have a mix of compassionate, ambitious, and idealist traits. To dress according to your personality, combine clothing styles of the ambitious like wrap tops, cape dresses and tube skirts. You can try warmer colors and prints of compassionate like pastel floral or tie-dye prints. Also add a personal touch (see idealist trait) for example, a signature braid or classic red lipstick.

The Protector

This personality type can dress up as compassionate, generous, and responsible. You can style like the generous personality but accessorize like compassionate. For example, you can style off-shoulder and midi dresses with hair accessories and text pendants and earrings. For a warmer look, you can wear softer colors but not too vibrant like blush pink, sky blue and yellow ocher. Don’t tone down the look, instead make it warmer with colors and makeup.

The Artist

Artists are very reclusive but can be adventurous on their respective occasions. So styling can be most adventurous but within the confines of reclusive. Layering slip or strap dresses over basic tees is a fun look you can try but with fun prints like abstract, mosaic or camo. Artsy prints can elevate your artistic side and adding shoulder bags, comfy sandals and natural makeup with pastel shades will make you more stylish.

The Architect

If you are an architect, then dress according to your personality by combining the styles of a reclusive person (as they are mostly confined indoors) with conservative. For example, you can wear t-shirt dress with a belt and a scarf or knitted cardigans and tops with regular jeans. Add some simple jewelry like a chain bracelet or a plain gold ring band with minimal make up.

The Thinker

To dress according to your personality type i.e Thinker, you can style like the discipline trait but add some colors and makeup with options from optimistic. Raglan t-shirts, pegged trousers and tank tops are great options from disciplined trait, which you can wear in mustard yellow, sea blue or rust red colors. Thinkers might look serious but are very open-minded. So if you want to dress with regular and comfortable clothes, make sure there’s a lot of color in them.

The Advocate

One of the rarest personality types, advocates can style with the combination of reclusive, idealist, and conservative traits. The neutral tones of the conservative like off-white, grey or darker shades of any color will work great with the smart dressing of an idealist like peplum dress, cape gowns or choker tops. As they are very introverted, the attention will mostly move towards comfort-wear like the reclusive trait.

One suggestion, for an outdoor look, you can add a pair of sneakers or any footwear a little more colorful to look more confident and social.

The Idealist

As the name suggests, an idealist personality type will mostly go for the idealist trait but combining it with an ambitious style can make the look more attractive. Such as cape dress, wrap skirts, and high neck tops with statement jewelry and hair accessories. Jazz it up with some bold colors and makeup and high heeled footwear.

The Persuader

To dress according to your personality type, you can try the bright summer colors of joyful trait with the styling of flamboyant trait. Persuaders are very confident, so trying some styles from confidence will also work your way. There are numerous options for you like crop tops, slip dresses, halter tops and fun prints like tie-dye, animal and sequins. Remember not to overdo any style. Try to flaunt your best features and add some sparkle to your outfit with some trendy accessories.

The Director

For Directors, mix conservative, assertive, and cultured styles. You can pair cultured clothing styles like midi dresses, tunics and cardigans with colors of assertive trait like vintage brown or ivory white. You can accessorize like a conservative trait but with gems and stones or anything exquisite. The overall look can be more conservative but adding some shoulder bags and ankle length boots can make you look more attractive and fashionable.

The Performer

Performers are very joyful, compassionate, and confident. As they are always ready to take the stage, their style needs to be very colorful and trendy. Choose joyful colors like yellow, pink and orange and add with the clothing styles of the confident trait. For example, bodycon, slip dress, tube tops, etc. Accessories too play a great role in a stylish look, so add layered neck pieces, tasseled earrings and even charm bracelets.

The Caretaker

To style for a caretaker, mix generous, compassionate, and optimistic traits. You can add colors and prints of compassionate like peacock prints, or brighter logo prints and combine with styles of optimistic like tiered sleeve tops, sundresses, and cold shoulder dresses. But don’t get too experimental, keep it a bit subtle. You can also look generous by adding some accessories like charm bracelets, dangle earrings, and styling with wavy hairstyles and braids.

The Champion

A champion always looks confident. So make your style bold and smart. Try some riskier and expressive clothing like slip tops, plunge necks and backless dress with bold makeup. You can also try some ambitious styles like peplum or cape dress but don’t become too flamboyant. Wear what you think will make you look brave and flaunt your best features.

The Giver

If you are a giver, then you can dress according to your personality as similar to caretaker personality with midi dress, pleated skirts or flared trousers. The colors needn’t be very warm or bright, you can go for some colder tones too. Add minimal or simple accessories like pearls or gems. Nude or natural makeup will also keep the look very simple like the personality of a giver.

The Debater

The debaters are very competitive and sometimes assertive. So mix clothing styles of both the traits with accessories of competitive trait. For example, you can pair sheath dresses, tube skirts or pleated trousers with statement jewelry and pumps and scarpin for footwear. Stick to the basic colors like black, white, and blue but experiment with several silhouettes.

The Commander

The most dominant style for a commander is assertive. Textured patterns and formal attires are the most popular choices for this personality type. However, you can add a pair of printed or jeweled footwear to give some more life to the overall look. If you are a commander, then style yourself with colors that suit you best and dress according to your personality traits i.e. both assertive and conserved.

The appearance of a person matters the most when they want to make a certain impression. Styling with certain clothes and accessories with particular colors and prints helps make that impression vivid. Of course, personal styling already gives a fair idea of what the person is about, but to give a certain impression it is essential to dress according to your personality traits and type that will make you appear how you want yourself to be. Additionally, when you look like the trait you are most proud of or relate to the most, it gives you utmost satisfaction and confidence that will help you carry yourself better.

We at Shilpa Ahuja would love to know about your style and how you dress according to your personality. So share with us by commenting below about how you style yourself everyday or on occasions to make the best impression. You can also tweet us @shilpa1ahuja.

How to Dress according to Your Personality