TikTok's ‘Three-Word Method’ Is Changing the Way Women Dress and Shop

glamour.com:

is a futile exercise, and to try to cobble together something that resembles personal style with a clear throughline isn't working because, often, I gravitate toward pieces I admire, but don't necessarily get much use from.Popularized during summer 2022 by stylist , the three-word method serves as an abbreviated checklist of sorts for anyone who suffers from frequent fashion frustration.

The method is remarkably simple in theory but extraordinary in its effectiveness: condense your personal style—wished or actual—into three words, no matter how disparate they might be from one another and no matter how silly you think the words are.

I chose “thrifty,” “edgy,” and “whimsical,” which allowed me to zero in on key pieces I already own and enjoy—maxi dresses, , high-waisted jeans, and basic T-shirts—and also allows me to weed out pieces that don't fit the profile when shopping, getting dressed, or doing a wardrobe purge.

It also aligns me with sources who have similar taste, making general style inspiration more targeted (hello, Florence Welch, Zoë Kravitz, and Chloe Sevigny.)“I’ve discovered that identifying a three-word recipe can really help clients unlock so many ideas and serve as a great reference point for getting dressed, editing, shopping, and evolving their style,” says Bornstein. “The combination of the three is really important because it allows for tension between words and helps people pinpoint their unique aesthetic.”Bornstein—who has styled A-listers like —has managed to democratize the service of a traditional fashion stylist (though she does conduct if you want a more intimate evaluation) after noticing many clients were feeling overwhelmed with options and had no clarity or strategy when it came to.