The beauty of fashion is that it is constantly evolving. Popular fashion styles and trends are always changing and developing over time. While the most popular types of fashion styles are heavily influenced by pop culture and society, you can create your own unique style that transcends the trends.
When discovering your personal style, consider a wide variety of fashion styles. Finding your unique fashion taste enhances self-confidence and elevates your wardrobe choices. This educational guide on fashion style types will help you identify your perfect match. Read on to explore today's most popular fashion styles and discover what best suits your personality.
Why Defining Your Style is a Game-Changer
Defining your style is the process of deciding what types of clothing align with your personal taste. If you don’t know your personal style, don’t fret! We’ll help you discover it. Knowing your clothing style is key to expressing your individuality. Having a set style also helps you build a cohesive wardrobe and shop more efficiently.
Defining your style should be fun and motivate you to shop for quality pieces that will become wardrobe staples. It’s important to embrace your unique preferences and experiment with different styles to find what works. Keep reading to learn about 12 popular fashion styles.
Explore Popular Fashion Styles
There are hundreds of different fashion styles to explore. To keep this article reasonable in length, we’ve narrowed our list down to 12 fashionable styles. Each style has unique characteristics.
1. Granola Girl
The Granola Girl style is perfect for women who like to shop eco-conscious brands and are in touch with nature. This outdoorsy style features staple pieces such as flannels, hiking boots, and earthy-tone tops and pants.
2. Coastal Granddaughter
The Coastal Granddaughter style gained popularity on TikTok as an offshoot of the Coastal Grandmother trend. This younger, carefree style is soft and feminine, leaning toward vintage-inspired pieces like linen dresses, sun hats, and cardigans. Think “beach chic” when you hear Coastal Granddaughter. Boat shoes are also a part of this casual style and further enhance your looks.
3. Cowboy/Western Core
The Cowboy/Western Core fashion style is defined by rugged details with cowboy boots, fringe jackets, and wide-brim hats. You’ll love this style if you’re a fan of Western-inspired pieces and big names like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Lana Del Rey.
4. Y2K Revival
The Y2K Revival style is bold and nostalgic, featuring low-rise jeans, crop tops, and butterfly clips. Other trademark pieces include blingy belts and moon boots. For inspiration for this signature style, look to your favorite celebrities of the early 2000s.
5. Cottagecore
Cottagecore is a vintage fashion style defined by dreamy countryside vibes. It includes flowy dresses, floral prints, and lace details. Cottagecore clothes are typically made from natural materials like cotton, linen, and wool. You may also see frilly detailing, romantic-style patterns, dainty jewelry, and eyelet lace.
6. E-Girl
E-Girl fashion embraces an edgy style with plaid skirts, fishnet tights, and chokers. It’s internet-inspired and features oversized t-shirts, platform shoes, and mesh shirts. If you like casual wear but with an edgy twist, this style may be right for you.
7. Clean Girl Aesthetic
The Clean Girl Aesthetic embraces a minimalist style with tailored pants, gold jewelry, and sleek hairstyles. This polished style gives off an air of sophistication without being too formal. Those who dress in this aesthetic tend to wear more neutral tones and lighter colors.
8. Gorpcore
Gorpcore gets its name from an old hiking acronym: "Good Old Raisins and Peanuts,” which is the basis of any good trail mix. This style is functional and rugged, featuring puffer jackets, cargo pants, and utility vests. It is a laid-back utilitarian style inspired by the clothing normally worn by hikers, climbers, and other outdoorsy folks.
9. Barbiecore
Barbiecore is unapologetically feminine with bold colors, lots of pink, sparkles, and platform heels. This fabulous fashion style was made even more popular with the release of the 2023 Barbie movie. From hot pink dresses and glittering jackets to light pink velour tracksuits, the Barbiecore style plays to a woman’s feminine side.
10. Soft Grunge
The Soft Grunge fashion style is moody and artistic. It is versatile and trendy, featuring dark florals, denim, slip dresses, and combat boots. Soft Grunge embodies a cool and relaxed vibe with leather jackets, chokers, beanies, graphic tees, and chunky shoes. This style is perfect for those who gravitate toward darker-colored clothing but still like touches of feminine style.
11. Athleisure
Athleisure is an elevated sporty-chic look that blends function and fashion. Opposite to formal fashion, athleisure clothes prioritize comfort without sacrificing style. From cute joggers or yoga pants and cropped hoodies to matching sets and sleek sneakers, this relaxed style is ideal for those who love fitness. Athleisure wear is easy to find from most brands and is perfect for any season.
12. Bohemian
Bohemian fashion, or the “boho” style, has existed for many years. It was heavily inspired by the hippies of the ‘60s and ‘70s, who embraced earth tones, fun patterns, long skirts, and bell-bottom jeans. Some hallmarks of boho fashion include maxi dresses, sandals, suede, slouchy bags, and woven pieces.
How to Rock Each Fashion Style
Now that you have a good understanding of a dozen different fashion styles, let’s discuss how to rock your preferred style. Styling outfits within a specific type of fashion may sometimes seem tricky. How do you know if an outfit matches the type of fashion trend you’re going for?
One of the best ways to get inspiration when shopping or putting together outfits is to research style icons and celebrities. Additionally, Pinterest is a great website for getting outfit ideas and styling tips.
Here are some actionable tips for styling within each of the 12 fashion styles we covered.
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Granola Girl: Layering is a great technique for Granola Girl fashion. Layer a flannel over a basic t-shirt, add loose-fitting jeans and boots, and finish the look with a fleece jacket.
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Coastal Granddaughter: For true Coastal Granddaughter style, wear white and blue shades as the base of your outfits.
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Cowboy/Western Core: Don’t be afraid to add some sparkle to your Cowboy/Western Core outfits with a bejeweled jean jacket or cowboy hat.
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Y2K Revival: Have fun with accessories! Grab some fun sunglasses, colorful handbags, or statement earrings to complement your street-style outfit.
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Cottagecore: Try layering a white long-sleeve blouse under your favorite midi and maxi dresses.
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E-Girl: Make sure to have striped long-sleeve tops in your wardrobe for the E-Girl style.
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Clean Girl Aesthetic: Avoid busy patterned clothing and stick to basic solid pieces for the Clean Girl Aesthetic. Tailored trousers are also perfect for this business casual style.
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Gorpcore: Bring your Gorpcore outfit to the next level with a hiking backpack or fanny pack.
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Barbiecore: Look to the red carpet for stylish celebrity inspiration for stunning pink Barbiecore ensembles.
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Soft Grunge: If you're going for the soft grunge style, pick up a few vintage band tees to add to your wardrobe. Ripped jeans are great to pair with graphic tees and sneakers.
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Athleisure: Elevate your Athleisure outfits with statement sneakers from your favorite brands.
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Bohemian: Mix patterns and textures to create dynamic and visually interesting boho looks.
Explore Porterist’s women’s clothing and accessories collection to find pieces that align with each style type.
Tips for Identifying Your Personal Style
Are you wondering how to determine your personal style? We’ll share a few tips on discovering your preferences and finding your fashion style.
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Evaluate your favorite outfits or colors in your wardrobe. It’s best to start with what you know—your current wardrobe. Mentally sift through your closet to identify your favorite outfits and see if you can pinpoint common themes. Also, look at what color palettes you typically wear to help you establish a baseline for your style.
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Create a mood board using Pinterest or fashion magazines. Get inspired by creating a mood board for your fashion taste. You can do this digitally using tools like Pinterest or physically by cutting out images from magazines. Either way, creating a mood board will help you collage outfits and pieces you like to develop your own style.
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Experiment with a few styles to see what feels most comfortable. If you’re unsure which fashion style most aligns with your preferences, try different styles. It doesn’t hurt to experiment with some of the top styles you might like to find the best option. Whether it's a preppy style or a more classic style, find what makes you feel your best.
Blending Styles for a Unique Look
When developing your style, you might not love everything about a certain style. For instance, you may like the look of the Y2K Revival style’s low-rise jeans and crop tops but not bejeweled pieces or moon boots. You may also like the feminine pink look of Barbiecore and want to blend elements of Y2K Revival and Barbiecore. Thankfully, fashion isn’t rigid, so you’re free to mix and match different elements to create unique looks that fit your style.
Other ideas include pairing a boho-patterned maxi skirt with a leather jacket, merging the Bohemian and Soft Grunge styles. You can also wear a classic blazer with streetwear sneakers to dress it down. Have fun experimenting with your style and curating a wardrobe of versatile pieces you love.
Find Your Style with Porterist’s Curated Collections
From Granola Girl to Bohemian, there are plenty of types of fashion styles to draw inspiration from and explore. Embrace your individuality when finding your style and create a wardrobe that reflects your personality.
Porterist is the best place to find high-quality pieces that suit any style. Our clothing is made from quality materials and designed to promote sustainability. Shop our hot list today to build a trendy wardrobe unique to your preferences. Show the world your style with Porterist.