Breaking the Rules vs. Writing Your Guidelines

When it comes to personal style, rules often feel like a double-edged sword. On one hand, rules can provide structure, clarity, and direction. On the other hand, rigidly following rules—especially outdated or conflicting ones—can leave you feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or stuck.

So, what’s the solution? Not throwing out all the rules, but rewriting them into personalized guidelines that work for you.

Why Rules Alone Don’t Work

Let’s face it: Being directionless in life or style is frustrating. But so is following all the rules to the letter. Here’s why rules often fail us:

Some rules were never good to begin with: You may have heard style advice like “always wear black to look slimmer” or “don’t mix patterns.” But these “rules” are often one-size-fits-all solutions that don’t take your unique self into account.
Some rules contradict each other: For instance, one rule might say to wear bright colors to stand out, while another might suggest neutrals to blend in. How do you decide what works?

Rewrite the Rules to Serve You

The goal isn’t chaos, where anything goes. Instead, we’re looking for guidelines that empower you.

Here’s how to start:

Evaluate Your Existing Rules: Think about the unspoken style rules you follow—whether they’re about colors, patterns, or shapes. Are they helping or hurting?
Replace Bad Rules with Personalized Guidelines: Using tools like color palettes, body shape analysis, and personal style exploration, you can create guidelines that reflect your natural coloring, lifestyle, and preferences.

A Simple Color Guideline to Start With

Here’s one easy rule to rewrite:

“If a color looks good when held up against the colors in your palette, it’s a good color for you.”

This guideline is simple yet powerful. It helps you focus on what works without overcomplicating the process.

Your Next Step

Go back to your list of style rules and evaluate them one by one. Ask yourself:

Is this rule helping me feel confident?
Does this rule work for my unique coloring, body shape, or lifestyle?
Can I replace this rule with a guideline that serves me better?

Discover Your Best Colors

Want to simplify the process of rewriting your color rules? Start with my free color quiz. This quick and fun quiz will help you discover the colors that flatter your natural features and enhance your style. Once you know your palette, it’s much easier to create guidelines that work specifically for you.

👉 Take the Color Quiz Now!

By making these shifts, you’ll free yourself from the stress of bad rules while creating a style that feels uniquely you.