Banner image courtesy of morgane leisser
The modern definition of personal style is rapidly expanding. For decades, it was commonly thought that style was something completely external. People’s outward attire denoted their sense of personal style. Coats, shoes, leather handbags, hats, belts, and even jewelry – all typically outwardly observable items were used by people to project a particular image to the world and to communicate to others aspects of their personality. A person’s style revealed to others his/her personality traits, sentiments, likes and dislikes, etc. Style was a way of expressing oneself through attire, which signaled a person’s appearance to others. But style isn’t just a physical manifestation that’s outwardly visible. In reality, there is so much more to a person’s style than what first meets the eye. In fact, nowadays, style is becoming increasingly intangible and even internal – as it relates to a person’s personal financial affairs and more generally, how a person chooses to spend their money.
More and more, our outward appearance is no longer just a matter of what we wear. In recent years, a new aspect has entered the scene that we could call “lifestyle.” What we eat, how we move, and how we manage our finances all play a major role in how we feel on the inside. Taking care of our financial well-being in a healthy and sustainable way is an important part of our personal development and is becoming an increasingly important part of what we call “style.”
Redefine What It Means to Look Good
Historically, to appear successful and look good, people had to spend beyond their means. This is to say that those with expensive tastes often lead two lives: the facade of wealth and success, and the reality of stress from overextended finances. When you are wealthy, it is easy to keep up the illusion of more expensive things than what you really can afford. What was once considered indicative of wealth were items typically outside people’s price range, or that people with limited budgets could not realistically afford to purchase and maintain. Many people were affected by this way of thinking.
They felt pressure to maintain the facade of wealth by making purchases that would make them appear more affluent than they actually were. And to make ends meet, they would have to secretly go into debt to afford their elaborate appearance of wealth. When the bill for these purchases is tallied at the end of the month, stress and anxiety typically set in as the financial strain becomes apparent. But when you look good by taking care of your finances, you look good from the inside out. And there is nothing more that can scream to others that you have your life together than calm confidence.
The new style is so much more intentional, and the financial wellness that one has created is quite luxurious and the ultimate form of style.
When you know your bills are paid, your savings are growing, and your spending aligns with your values, you can’t help but walk into a room with confidence and ease. This sense of calm confidence is far greater than the impact of any accessory, no matter how expensive or high-end it may be.
The Rise of Financial Self-Care
Self-care used to be synonymous with spa days, expensive candles, and pampering routines. While those things certainly have their place, many people have realized that true self-care is proactive rather than reactive. A face mask might help you unwind after a stressful day, but addressing the root cause of that stress is what actually changes your life.
This realization has turned money management into a legitimate form of self-care. Setting a realistic monthly budget, clearing out lingering debts, or deciding to open a SoFi checking account online to manage everyday cash flow are acts of long-term self-respect. They are choices that honor your future self over temporary gratification.
When you view financial habits through the lens of self-care, managing your funds stops feeling like a chore or a restriction. Instead, it becomes a routine of empowerment. You are organizing your life in a way that creates freedom, reduces late-night worry, and frees up mental energy for what truly matters to you.
Curating Your Money Like Your Wardrobe
Think about how you would build out a personal wardrobe, made up of individual items that collectively make up your style. How do you select individual pieces of clothing? One by one, based on criteria such as whether or not they fit your body, how they make you look on a day-to-day basis, and whether or not they are based on realistic means. Similarly, selecting individual tools to help you achieve financial wellness on a personal level is a process that must be considered and approached with a similar mindset and set of criteria.
As with any aspect of personal style, how you manage your finances should reflect who you are and your values. Culling your money management tools, habits, and goals to better fit who you are and how you live could help you to be more intentional and therefore more in style with your life.
Your spending habits also get to reflect your personal taste. If you’re someone who values travel and wants to be able to occasionally have quiet mornings at local coffee shops, then your budget should reflect that. If you’re more of the type who values living a very minimalist life and is trying to retire early, then your spending and saving should honor those values as well. There is a lot of style to living a life tailor-made to your values and tastes.
Confidence Is the Ultimate Foundation
Style is identity, and when you have a solid financial foundation, it translates to every part of your life and means you don’t have to spend money to make a statement about who you are.
With financial stability, there is no longer any need to show off the latest material possessions to gain others’ approval. There is no longer any need to purchase products in the hope that they will fill a void or provide a temporary sense of happiness to alleviate anxiety or stress caused by fear of missing out. In fact, financial stability enables individuals to live their lives as they choose and spend their money only on the things that truly bring them pleasure and enjoyment.
In a world where the constant bombardment of messages about consumption will bring happiness, taking control of your finances and being stable and intentional is the greatest statement of style and who you are.
