How Design Style and Fashion Style Meet- 10 Bloggers Weigh In

When the weather changes, I always reassess my wardrobe for the new season. I have limited space, so I I have to be thoughtful about what I carry in my closet. I have written about the way I manage my clothes and how I systematically clear out what I am no longer wearing in this post. As I was sifting through what I want to keep and what I want to donate to make room for cozier sweaters and wintry colors, I began to notice a theme– I tend to like solid basics and fun pops of pattern. I am not a fashion blogger, but I DO buy clothes and dress myself. I know what I like to wear. Most of us do.

Then I looked around and realized… I dress the same way that I decorate my home!!! Solid basics– fun pops of pattern, I am not afraid of color and I like to follow the trends. This was a light bulb moment since I am often asked “how do I find my design style?”

When I worked as a manager/buyer/designer for home store, I was tasked with hiring new designers for the team. More often than not, I knew what their decor style was just by looking at what they chose to wear to the interview. Does not mean I thought everyone I hired had to dress the same or have expensive clothing. It meant I could tell they had their own sense of style. I hadn’t really thought that this concept is helpful in determining a person’s design style– but I had clearly always believed it.

Ask yourself these 4 questions before you buy something for your home….

Would I wear it? (yes would you wear that pillow pattern? Or think about the style of something, clean lines etc.)
- This question makes me laugh when I look around my home, I think, YES! I would totally wear something similar to that. Or the style of that chair is very simple and modern, and yes, I like simple and modern clothes. Or you might like the curves, because you like clothes with some shape)
Is it nice enough quality to wear?
- This makes me think of an inexpensive pillow that you randomly buy because it is a good deal or others might have it, so you think you should have it too. But if you stopped and thought, would I actually wear something this quality and not get board it? Would you still buy it?
Do I have a spot for it?
- When you buy a piece of clothing you typically think where you will wear it. So do the same for home decor, where will it go?
Is it me?
- How fast do we turn down clothes to try on because we know it won’t look good on us? Majority of the time we know what looks good on our bodies. If you don’t know what is “you” for your home. Before you buy anything make a design board of your favorite things. Or go though your recently saved photos and notice a theme. If you are out shopping and can’t decide on something, then typically it isn’t you. Just like clothing it should be a quick YES or it is a NO.

My fashion style verses my home decor style-

For me a lot of the colors I decorate with I wear. Like my mustard gold skirt above and my new mustard bath rug. I always grab gold colors to wear before any other color. I feel like my outfit above looks exactly like my bathroom. haha! With my new shower curtain! Speaking of color, I actually never wear any pink, but I do like it in my home. So to me that just means I like to wear color even if it isn’t the exact same color. Like below. I really have no red in my home, but I do decorate with contrasting colors.

Isn’t that interesting that we like some colors in our home but not to wear. But we can find similarities. For instance my bedding is all blush and I like to dress in monochromatic colors and I also like wearing linen and texture, just like my bedding. Lots of texture in my clothes and my home decor.

Examples where home decor style meet up with your fashion sense of style-

#1- Felt Hat vs pillow collection similar colors and similar structure

#2- Gold texture sweater vs ochre texture rug similar all around- texture and color

#3- Accessories complete the look either in fashion or home- Large hair pin vs strand of twinkle lights

#4- Bold statement in texture and pattern with the red flannel shirt vs the velvet bold pattern pillow

#5- Animal print to wear with the amazing bomber jacket or in a animal pillow. If you like animal print you like it at home and to wear!

#6- Timeless brass light vs timeless thermal shirt

#7- Vintage style rug vs vintage style high-rise Levis pants

Time to test my theory

I reached out to several of my friends and asked them the same question: Do you think you decorate your home similarly to the way you dress? Here is what they had to say:

Heather Bullard has a keen eye for the beautiful as evidenced in this dreamy sitting room she pulled together. So versatile and layered, just like her outfit!! Cute ripped blue jeans, a neutral top and elements of fun with her striped espadrilles and scarf. This natural jute rug is just like her sea grass handbag! (Heather is also the magazine scout that I talked about on this blog post).

When asked, Heather responded with: “I think what I’m naturally drawn to is expressed in both my home and my personal style. How that translates for me is relaxed neutrals and simplicity.

Living in California, my clothing is mostly casual; jeans and classics shirt in solid whites, black, or denim and I always choose natural fibers such as cotton or linen.

My home is filled with neutral tones and texture, natural elements and touches of black. I keep my environment simple as I deal with an enormous amount of color and pattern in my profession and crave a calm space to live in.”

Maddy from hutchinson.house said she looked forever for the perfect light fixture for this room! Little did she know that it was hanging in her closet in the form of a LBD! This picture is a twofer because this mama even dressed her little one to match (–Check out the pillow).

I asked Maddy and she said : “I would say that there are definitely aspects of how I decorate my home that reflect how I dress and my own personal style. One thing in particular that is similar, is that I strive for my home to be a curated collection of pieces I love, often timeless in design and a touch whimsical and eclectic with decorative pieces. E.g. Having a white shaker profiled built in storage cabinet as the centre feature of the living room but using an African drum as coffee table to pair with it. I apply this theory to my wardrobe too, a classic white Tee and a good quality pair of denim jeans are my go-to items and long standing essentials. If I add a little whimsy and interest to my outfit it would normally be an unusual pattern of shoes or a jacket to strike an impact but always remaining classic with the other core elements.”

Sherry From Young House Love has a clean uncluttered approach to her homes. She notoriously wears MOSTLY black and jeans (with the occasionally cool jacket thrown in). Her home and fashion aesthetic tested my theory since these light and airy, pastel hues live in her home. I asked her if she thinks she dresses like her home and I love what she had to say:

“I actually love a minimal wardrobe and I always wear the same few colors that are my favs. In that aspect, I love a minimized space full of a few of the same favorite colors and textures softly layered. My clothes are dark and my spaces are light, so there’s balance in that for me, too.”

Whitney from The Tiny Canal Cottage is a favorite to follow. I know you will love small home and the way she lives with her family! I asked her if she thinks that she dresses like her home and I just loved her response:

“The words I use to describe our tiny cottage are the same ones I’d use to describe the items in my wardrobe— simple, versatile, and eco-minded. (There are, of course, exceptions. But these are characteristics we value highly and aim to honor.)

Much like our home, the majority of the clothes in our single (shared) closet are neutral in tone but rich in texture. This is for 2 reasons.

First, I personally find that neutrals make for a strong, multifunctional foundation, as they’re easy to pare down, alter for the seasons, or glam up with smaller layers and/or accessories.

Secondly, textile dye is the second largest polluter of clean water across the globe. The rich hues often found in mass-produced garments are attained through synthetic dyes that are made with non-renewable resources that end up releasing toxic chemicals that permeate not only water, but also soil and air. As such, I try to avoid clothing and homewares made with synthetically-produced colors.

Several items in our wardrobe and home (including our kitchen and bath) were crafted in small batches with linen. Linen cleans up easily, air dries quickly, has natural antibacterial properties, and is surprisingly durable, allowing it to get better with age.

It’s also worth noting that our lifestyle influences how we dress. We are constantly biking, walking the dogs, canoeing, and running around with our son in the garden and on the beach. Our fashion choices support this lifestyle, and then many of our garments also become decorative elements within and around our home when we’re not wearing them. For example West’s apron dangles from a hooked magnet on the fridge. Our scarves drape the bedroom walls. Our backpacks and market bags border our front stoop.

Everything is used in multiple ways, and is a testimony to our appreciation of life with less. “

I went very LITERAL with my friend Liz from Pure Joy Home. She said this room is one of her favorites in the house! Only makes sense that the love and joy that this space gives her would spill into her closet (or vice versa… depending on which came first)!

When I asked her, she said “Yes! I definitely decorate like I dress! I’m always in search of something new and DIFFERENT! I get sick of seeing the same doormat everyone [has] so I will scour the internet to find something original. I also love to mix high and low in my home, like my fashion (or maybe it’s mostly low, but looks high, lol). We just did a gallery wall in our living room and I went to goodwill to buy all vintage frames and found some really cool printables on Etsy! The entire wall cost under $100! But I also threw in some treasured pillow cases that cost a pretty penny!”

From the time I first met Annie from Most Lovely Things and got to see inside her gorgeous home, I loved her sense of style. She loves using black, wood, texture and plants!

“I tend to dress like my house – or perhaps it’s the other way around. I prefer simple lines with little or no pattern except maybe a little plaid. I like shades of black and white, gray, cream, natural woods and leather.

I have the same attitude for my home as I do for my clothing. I like a few luxury items like our Knoll Barcelona chairs that I’ll never part with, but then I’ll mix them in with flea market textiles, objects and a few pieces from Ikea.

My clothing is very simple. I actually love and appreciate fashion, but I tend to stick to the basics. I guess you would say i lean toward menswear. Denim, white shirts, turtleneck sweaters, black tunics over jeans with oxfords or my one luxury – Gucci loafers. I’ll wear a pair of pants from The Gap and a vintage Burberry sweater with Stan Smith sneakers – pretty much what I wore 30 years ago.”

Lynzy from Lynzy and Co actually shares majority fashion and lifestyle. But she also shares her home. I could clearly see how her fashion style was represented in her clothing style-

“Yes, I definitely think that my home decor is similar to how I dress! My decor style is very “laid back and cozy” and I typically mimic that through my style with cozy joggers, oversized cardigans, and comfy outfits! This is especially true the second fall hits! Give me all the knit throws, cozy ponchos, fur lined slippers and plaid pillows please! 😍”

Anissa Zajac from House Seven Design creates beautiful serene interiors that look so comfortable! I asked her is she dresses the way she decorates and she said:

“I gravitate towards a neutral pallet in both my interiors and personal style. It’s how I feel most comfortable. I usually stick to white, creams, blacks, grey and deep greens for my clothes which is a lot of what I use in my designs.”

RandiGarrett has a beautiful and very distinct aesthetic when asked, she responded:

“Fashion and interior design go hand in hand in my house. Both my fashion and interior design choices feature classic pieces with a pop of something fun. Leopard is my go to for a timeless wow in both my closet and in my home decor. I like pieces that are tailored with a little bling. The same is true for both fashion and interiors. I like to buy classic pieces that are timeless and mix in a few trendy pieces that can be switched out easily as styles change and evolve.”

Corrine from Mint Arrow has impeccable taste and is known for her ability to spot an awesome deal! The casual California vibe in her home is so welcoming. Notice her crisp white walls and neutral palate is a great backdrop for the texture and soft colors of the pillows and ottoman. The Light fixture is a total show-stopper too!

“I think my home decor is pretty similar to how I dress! Sometimes whimsical and Anthropologie-ish, and sometimes more clean and modern like my obsessions with Madewell and West Elm. If it’s pretty, I’m in!”

My Conclusion:

When considering your home decorating style, consider looking to your closet for inspiration! What is your favorite outfit? Why do you like wearing it? This can be a wonderful jumping off point to not only find your decor style, but feel confident when it comes to investing in bigger pieces like rugs, and sofas.