1. DON’T EXPECT YOUR SIGNATURE STYLE TO EMERGE IN AN INSTANT.

Life is not a movie montage, and Richard Gere won’t be bankrolling your shopping spree. Start with just one thing you like, advises Paula Nguyen of e-commerce shop Pradegal. “Have a staple that’s true to you, like a pair of jeans or hoop earrings, and incorporate that into whatever else you’re feeling.”

 

2. DO TURN TO SOCIAL MEDIA — IN MODERATION. 

Remember, Instagram outfits are just that — outfits for likes, not for life. “On social media, the louder the better,” says fashion designer Tanya Taylor. “It encourages us to shop for shopping’s sake, and you end up with things that are kitschy and trendy rather than timeless.” Your wardrobe should be a reflection of reality, not algorithms.

 

3. DON’T BUY A STATUS BAG. 

“In New York, you’d eat ramen for a month to buy the latest Céline. It was very much a social hierarchy thing, and that doesn’t exist in Canada,” says Berkeley Poole, who worked as an art director at Barneys New York before returning to Toronto. The solution? “Just carry something that complements your outfit, even if it’s a simple woven basket,” says Gaelle Drevet, founder of the boutique Frankie Shop.

 

4. DO OWN MULTIPLES. 

If you’re always reaching for a pair of black trousers, curate a collection of different materials (wool, satin, cotton) and cuts (flared, cropped, skinny) that can act as the building blocks of your style. And if you want to create a signature, keep your jewellery consistent, like celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger (Lupita Nyong’o and Diane Kruger are her clients, nbd), who rocks a vintage Rolex and a Cartier Juste un Clou bracelet daily.

 

This article originally appeared in the September 2018 issue of ELLE Canada.