Everything Has a Style—Even You

In a world obsessed with trends and visual conformity, it's easy to forget a fundamental truth: every creative professional, whether they realise it or not, has their own unique style.

This signature isn't just about visual preferences—it's the culmination of our experiences, influences, and the peculiar way we solve creative problems.

Beyond the Surface

When we think of style, we often focus on the obvious visual elements: colour choices, typography preferences, or compositional tendencies.

But true personal style runs deeper. It's in how you approach problems, the questions you ask clients, the way you organise information, and even the projects you choose to take on or decline.

Consider how two designers given the same brief will produce markedly different solutions. This isn't just about skill level or technical proficiency—it's about their unique way of seeing and interpreting the world.

One might instinctively seek mathematical harmony in their compositions, while another might prioritise emotional impact over geometric precision.

The Evolution of Personal Style

Your style isn't something you choose from a catalogue—it evolves organically through your journey as a creative professional.

It's shaped by:

• The mentors who influenced your early work
• The mistakes that taught you valuable lessons
• The successes that reinforced certain approaches
• The clients who challenged your assumptions
• The personal projects that allowed for experimentation

This evolution never truly stops. As you grow and experience more, your style naturally shifts and develops, incorporating new influences while maintaining its core essence.

Recognising Your Own Style

Like trying to describe your own accent, it can be challenging to recognise something that feels so natural to you.

However, there are ways to uncover your stylistic fingerprints:

• Study your body of work chronologically. Look for recurring elements, approaches, or solutions that persist even as your skill level increases.
• Ask colleagues or mentors. They can often spot your distinctive traits more easily than you can.
• Notice which projects feel most natural. Pay attention to when your work flows effortlessly versus when it feels like you’re forcing something.
• Pay attention to consistent feedback. Look for patterns in both praise and criticism—it often reveals what stands out in your work.

The Business Value of Personal Style

In an increasingly competitive market, your unique style can be a powerful differentiator.

Clients don't just hire designers for their technical skills—they hire them for their perspective and approach.

A well-defined personal style can:

• Help attract clients who resonate with your work
• Make your portfolio more memorable
• Enable you to charge premium rates for your distinctive approach
• Create a more sustainable business based on your natural strengths

Balancing Style and Versatility

One common concern is that having a strong personal style might limit professional opportunities.

However, style isn't about being one-dimensional—it's about having a consistent approach to solving diverse problems. The most successful creatives maintain their distinctive voice while adapting to different contexts and requirements.

Think of it like a musician who can play different genres while maintaining their signature sound, or a writer who can tackle various subjects while retaining their unique voice.

Nurturing Your Style

While style develops naturally, there are ways to nurture and refine it:

• Keep a design journal documenting your thought processes and decisions
• Regularly analyse what attracts you in others' work
• Take on personal projects that allow for pure experimentation
• Study disciplines outside of design for fresh perspectives
• Practice articulating your creative decisions to others

The Role of Inspiration

In the age of Instagram and Pinterest, it's easy to get lost in a sea of inspiration.

The key is learning to consume inspiration actively rather than passively. Instead of simply saving references, ask yourself:

• What specifically draws you to certain work?
• How does it align with or challenge your natural inclinations?
• What elements could you reinterpret through your own lens?
• What patterns emerge in the work you're drawn to?

Style in Client Work

Maintaining your style while meeting client needs requires a delicate balance.

The goal isn't to impose your preferences on every project but to use your unique perspective to solve clients' problems effectively.

This might mean:

• Being transparent about your approach during the initial consultation
• Explaining the reasoning behind your creative decisions
• Finding ways to incorporate your strengths while meeting project requirements
• Knowing when to recommend a different designer whose style better fits the project

The Technical Dimension

Your style isn't just aesthetic—it often manifests in technical preferences and workflows:

• The software tools you gravitate toward
• Your preferred ways of organising layers and files
• How you name and structure your working files
• Your approach to project management and client communication

These seemingly mundane aspects are part of your creative fingerprint and often contribute to the final output in subtle but important ways.

Style Under Pressure

Maintaining your style during tight deadlines or challenging projects can be difficult.

However, these constraints often reveal the core elements of your style—the approaches and solutions you naturally fall back on under pressure.

During these moments, your style can become a valuable ally, providing trusted patterns and approaches that help you work efficiently while maintaining quality.

The Evolution Continues

Your style isn't static—it should grow and evolve with you.

This might mean:

• Incorporating new techniques and technologies
• Refining your approach based on experience
• Adapting to changing market needs
• Exploring new influences and inspirations

The key is allowing this evolution to happen organically while maintaining the core elements that make your work distinctively yours.

Teaching and Style

For those who teach or mentor others, understanding your own style becomes even more important.

It helps you:

• Articulate your design decisions more clearly
• Recognise and respect different approaches in your students
• Guide others in developing their own style
• Share not just techniques but also ways of thinking

The Future of Personal Style

As artificial intelligence and automation play larger roles in creative work, personal style becomes increasingly valuable.

While AI can replicate techniques and follow patterns, it cannot replicate the unique combination of experiences, perspectives, and approaches that form your creative signature.

Embracing Your Style

Understanding and embracing your style doesn't mean becoming complacent or refusing to grow.

Instead, it means:

• Recognising your natural strengths and tendencies
• Building upon them intentionally
• Using them as a foundation for growth
• Letting them guide your professional development and creative journey

Moving Forward

In a world where design tools and techniques are increasingly accessible, your unique style becomes one of your most valuable assets.

It's not just about standing out—it's about bringing your authentic perspective to every project you tackle.

Your style isn't just how you make things look—it's how you think, how you solve problems, and how you see the world. Embrace it, nurture it, and let it guide you toward more meaningful and fulfilling creative work.

The next time you find yourself questioning your approach or comparing yourself to others, remember that everything has a style—even you. And that style is exactly what makes your work valuable and unique in an increasingly homogenised creative landscape