What you wear should tell the world something about your personality, not just what stores you shop at.

Every time you stand in front of your wardrobe, you have the chance to express yourself through your clothes. But if you’ve fallen into a fashion rut, you don’t have to break the bank or try something crazy to get yourself out of it.

Here are a few simple ways to make your style more unique.

Find your personal style

Discovering your ‘style brand’ might sound like a self-indulgence only the Kardashians can afford, but finding what kind of clothes suit you and make you feel comfortable and attractive is the key to developing a unique style.

Start by creating a list of adjectives to describe yourself, or who you think you can be. Are you fun, exciting and extraverted? Or reserved, chic and polished? Match the clothes in your wardrobe against this list, and if they don’t fit, donate them. There’s no point in wearing something that’s just not you.

Personalise with accessories

Sometimes you have little choice but to wear something plain, like a suit or uniform to work. But even in these circumstances, you can bring a little character to your style through some choice accessories.

Accessories are a great way to subtly show-off your personality. Jewellery, watches, sunglasses, socks and bags are all little things which can bring a pop of colour or charm to an otherwise bland ensemble.

Know your signature colours

We all have colours which suit us and those that don’t. Work out which shades complement your complexion and pick your favourites from the list.

You don’t have to wear a single colour every day, but you can make it a regular feature of your wardrobe through tops, trousers, skirts, dresses and accessories. It might be that a whole family of colours ends up being your signature, whether it’s pretty pastels, neutrals, monochrome, or jewel tones.

Embroidery services

Sometimes it’s hard to find something in a big chain store that’s truly unique. If you don’t want to set aside a few hours to seek out gems in a pile of thrift shop clothing, there is one other option available to you: embroidery services.

Embroidery services, such as those provided by Woven Inc., are a fantastic way to update plain clothing with a new cut or design. You can even work with a consultant to create a custom piece from scratch, using screenprinting, embroidery, and garment finishing.

Go vintage

All clothes tell a story, and vintage clothing has a richer story than most.

Rummaging through your parent’s, grandparent’s, or auntie’s wardrobe is a great way to find stunning, unique fashion from the distant and not-so-distant past. You can find timeless pieces, and those that speak of a particular style era, which you can then give a modern spin by pairing it with the latest styles.

Channel your icons

Sometimes finding your personal style is a matter of finding the stars whose style you admire and making an effort to channel their poise in your everyday life.

You may not have the money or resources of Kim Kardashian, the Beckhams or Audrey Hepburn, but you can study them to see what makes their style so appealing, and take influence from it. Is it the silhouette of their clothes? The colours? The immaculate tailoring? Or the whimsical accessories?

What makes their style unique, and how can you make it your own?

Be true to yourself

Last, and most importantly: make your style a true expression of yourself.

If you like it, wear it, regardless of what anyone else may think. You can be wearing the most gorgeous designer gown, but if you don’t feel comfortable in it, that will show. When in doubt remember it’s always better to be original.