Creating an unforgettable image lies in the ability to craft an external expression of your inner self. This may seem like an enigmatic concept and somewhat dramatic, but if you have an established sense of self and view dressing as a performance, as I do, you will understand completely. Anyway, who doesn’t love an enigma?

Style is one of those complex concepts that cannot be effectively replicated. Yes, of course you can easily mimic an outfit, but developing your own magnetic image is more multifaceted than that.

Personally, my signature style has been founded on a chaotic mélange of elements that deeply move me and allow me to explore beauty amongst the mundane. Every piece in my overflowing collection triggers genuine excitement and I am not ashamed to say that when I rediscover a long lost treasure I actually feel my heart start to race! Excitement is the foundation that I believe signature style should be built on, otherwise dressing becomes a chore.

I think that having a highly personal element to your image is powerful. As you can tell, my area of fascination is dramatic jewellery, rings in particular, all of which hold a memory or meaning to me. I didn’t wake up one day and decide I wanted to wear lots of heavy jewellery and find the first place I could blow my money in. Most of my rings have been randomly stumbled across in antique or secondhand stores or found in tiny jewellers after taking a wrong turn, excluding my Vivienne Westwood armour ring which was of course intentional! Some of my most incredible pieces of clothing have been found accidentally. I will forever be captivated by pieces that have a story lurking behind them and I like to feel a connection to the things I own.

Anyway, enough of me, let’s move on before I start daydreaming again. The fundamental thing to consider is that authenticity and strong self identity lead to the development of exquisite style. For some, the excitement is chased by following trends and recreating outfits, which is fine, but if you are wanting your OWN image, this has to be constructed by YOU, piece by piece. Once you have an established image, dressing is so easy. It is important to remember that this does not occur overnight and that time is your best friend.

Although I am advising against becoming a follower, extracting elements from something that truly moves you is different. Inspiration can come from many sources such as runway archives, films, or historical fashion movements. I have been deeply inspired by all of those at some point.

You may notice that those you admire do not display extreme style changes, or if they do, look closely and you may just realise the foundations are still holding the look together. My greatest style inspiration, Daphne Guinness, is a fabulous example of this as she expertly maintains inimitable elements of her image, creating an unshakeable signature look. (I write all of this whilst battling strong winds with Daphne’s music playing in my earphones, in my defence the sun is worth it!)

If you are someone still testing the waters of your style, I understand my discussion may sound overdramatic and intense, but unfortunately I’m both of those things and more! I am a habitual dreamer and tend to see everything so profoundly, much to the dismay of any practicality I may have. I get so much out of viewing dressing as an art form, it really just romanticises everything for me.