Everyone Is Losing It Over This Personal-Style Hack That's Blowing Up on TikTok

In our Ask a Stylist series, we're tapping a new expert each month to weigh in with all of their style insights. Return for a professional's perspective on what to know in fashion.

My personal style is ever evolving and has spanned the fashion spectrum to include everything from bold pops of color to pared-back neutral looks. That being said, my core sense of fashion has had some common threads running through it that I can trace all the way back to high school and the outfits I wore as a teen. This became even clearer to me after I learned about stylist Allison Bornstein's "three-word method" to personal style—a hack that is blowing up on TikTok. Essentially, it boils down to finding three words that describe your current style and the style that you aspire to have. She even has a handy list of adjectives you can reference, ranging from "edgy and sculptural" to "romantic and playful" if you're trying to pinpoint what makes sense for you.

Reflecting on my overall sense of style, what I'm currently wearing, and what I want to dress like moving forward, I narrowed in on "classic," "'90s," and "polished" as my three words. Immediately, it made a closet clean-out easier and helped me make decisions about purchases I was on the fence about. Applying each word, I was able to identify what felt true to my personal style and which pieces felt like trend-driven purchases that were outliers. Curious to learn more about the method and dive in deeper, I spoke to Bornstein—a stylist and fashion teacher who makes getting dressed feel approachable, deliberate, and, best of all, fun.

The Three-Word Method

Tell me about your three-word method to personal style.

The three-word method was born out of my work with personal styling clients and is designed to help you define and refine the details of your personal style. I have 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 in general! The combination of the three is really important because it allows for tension and helps clients pinpoint their unique aesthetic.

I have had clients who felt like their wardrobes were very disjointed because they had many different things all living together in the closet but being worn separately. I would tell these clients that these differing aesthetics are actually what makes up your personal style, and they should be embraced and worn together.

For example, I had a client who was between L.A. and New York and felt like she was super boho and romantic in L.A. and a little more tailored and oversize in New York. It made it hard to shop and hard to reconcile her identity apart from the cities she lived in. Together, we married these aesthetics and created something unique to her, so instead of separating the words, we brought them together to create something genuine to all of her desires!

Applying It to Your Personal Style

What is the best way to figure out which three words apply to someone's style?

To discover your three words, the first place to look is in your own closet. We all have personal style whether we know it or not! So the first thing I usually suggest you do to find your three words is to pull out all of your "regulars," or what you wear all the time. How would you describe these pieces? Are they all casual or sporty or sexy or flowy or printed? This is what I mean by your style exists in your wardrobe. We are literally pulling out what you wear to determine this. Don't get bummed if what you pulled out doesn't inspire you immediately. It is just helping us determine where we are at. I usually like to use two words to describe what I am seeing in a client's closet and then save the third word for a more aspirational word!

The third word is like your North Star. It is the near-future you! This word can also change and evolve. Actually, all of your words can and should change and evolve. Mine usually shifts between "tailored" and "elegant."

If you are having a hard time identifying your words or need a little inspiration, it can be really helpful to look at Pinterest or your saved images. It can be looks you like on other people or looks you like on yourself, and take a second to look at that. What do these looks have in common? Is it similar to what you see in your wardrobe? Maybe you notice its a lot of pins of Hailey Bieber in big blazers, but your "regulars" are not as tailored or oversize as that. Maybe you want to choose "tailored" or "oversize” as one of your words to help guide you where you want to go.

How to Put Your Three Words Into Action

Once you figure out your three words, how should you utilize them for shopping, getting dressed, and editing your wardrobe?

One of the most helpful ways to use the three-word method is as an editing tool. It gives you a really helpful framework and gives you permission to let go of something that isn't serving you or allowing you to express your style.

It also forces you to look at what you might want to add to your wardrobe in a whole new way that allows you to go much deeper. It also helps when you are shopping. Once you are acquainted with your style and understand who you are and what you like, you will be able to be more streamlined and make better decisions. You will have a stronger sense of what you like and what you need once you can identify your style. Investing in the process of uncovering your fashion identity will actually save you so much money in the long run and help you be a smarter consumer.

I often advise clients to call upon their three words when they are feeling stuck or when their look isn't quite working. You can use the words as a mental checklist and make sure that you have the elements represented in the look. It can be as simple as changing up your hair or rolling up a shirt sleeve, but these small tweaks can make a huge difference!

Ahead, see how stylist Allison Bornstein has applied her three-word method to celebrities' personal style.

Ashley Olsen

Ashley Olsen: Oversize, Minimal, Refined

With attributes that can also be applied to her brand The Row, Ashley Olsen's style is steeped in oversize, minimal pieces with a through line of refinement. Think crisp button-downs in a few sizes up, big polished leather bags, and pared-back loafers.

Zoë Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz: Sexy, Effortless, Edgy

With an approach to style that is simultaneously relaxed, casual, and sexy, Zoë Kravitz brings a distinct coolness to her outfits that is apparent everywhere, from the streets of NYC to the red carpet. Her looks also exude a degree of edginess that you'll spot in daring fashion choices that include memorable sartorial choices like her "naked" gown from the 2021 Met Gala.

Hailey Bieber

Hailey Bieber: Sporty, Oversize, Sexy

As she is the queen of all things oversize, that is one clear theme in Bieber's closet, whether it's an upsized blazer or super-baggy jeans. She brings in the sexiness with pieces like cropped tees that balance out the relaxed proportions. Lastly, she incorporates sporty elements with pieces like sneakers and chunky scuba slides.

Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy

Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy: Classic, Minimal, Elegant

A lot of what lined Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's wardrobe was classic, timeless, simple staples that were, in part, a product of the '90s and her job in PR at Calvin Klein. The way she styled them has a lot to do with why her style is so iconic. Both minimal and element, her style is all about a "less is more" approach to getting dressed that highlights perfectly cut, beautifully made pieces.

Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington: Classic, Elegant, Glam

Similar to Bessette-Kennedy, Bornstein describes Kerry Washington's style as classic and elegant but differentiates it as glam. While they have many similarities, you can see how this third word instantly shifts Washington's style into different territory from Bessette-Kennedy's more minimal take on the classics.

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