I discovered TikTok’s viral “three-word method” at a time when I needed it most. During the last few months, my closet has been in fashion purgatory. I’m overwhelmed by what I own, yet somehow can’t seem to find anything to wear. My Pinterest “inspo” boards are proving to be uninspiring, organizing my closet is a futile exercise, and buying new pieces to try to cobble together something that resembles personal style with a clear throughline isn’t working because, often, I gravitate toward pieces I admire but don’t necessarily get much use from.
Popularized during summer 2022 by stylist Allison Bornstein, the three-word method serves as an abbreviated checklist of sorts for anyone who suffers from frequent fashion frustration. The method is remarkably simple in theory but extraordinary in its effectiveness: condense your personal style—wished or actual—into three words, no matter how disparate they might be from one another and no matter how silly you think the words are.
I chose thrifty, edgy, and whimsical, which allowed me to zero in on key pieces I already own and enjoy—maxidresses, cowboy boots, high-waist jeans, and basic T-shirts—and also to weed out pieces that don’t fit the profile when shopping, getting dressed, or doing a wardrobe purge. It also aligns me with sources who have similar taste, making general style inspiration more targeted (hello, Florence Welch, Zoë Kravitz, and Chloe Sevigny).
“I’ve 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,” says Bornstein. “The combination of the three is really important because it allows for tension between words and helps people pinpoint their unique aesthetic.”
Bornstein—who has styled A-listers like Katie Holmes—has managed to democratize the service of a traditional fashion stylist (though she does conduct FaceTime styling sessions if you want a more intimate evaluation) after noticing many clients were feeling overwhelmed with options and had no clarity or strategy when it came to cultivating their own style. Rather than subscribing to a single hyper-specific aesthetic, the method is focused on defining yourself, even if it’s a version of yourself you aspire to be.
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“A lot of people that we consider fashion icons have a signature style,” Bornstein says. “Jane Birkin to Princess Diana to Harry Styles to Billy Porter all have a style that feels genuine to them and recognizable.” Don’t confuse the concept of signature style with restrictive uniform dressing, however. Bornstein’s method encourages increased awareness of the types of pieces you gravitate toward, not necessarily the same pieces over and over. By nailing down your general vibe, you can mold a style that’s identifiable to you.
Her method has recently caught on via TikTok, with the hashtag #3wordmethod receiving more than 2.5 million views to date, and appears to be more than just a gimmick for many women.
“Prior to finding my three words, I was stuck in a cycle of halfway understanding the kind of clothes I liked but never knowing how to turn my pieces into full outfits,” says Chicago-based social media coordinator Misty Hopwood, 27, who says her three words are dark, casual, and playful. “Postcollege I had a small identity crisis and got sucked into dressing as who I was supposed to be and not who I really was.” Hopwood’s wardrobe now consists of straight-leg jeans (Levi’s ribcage are her favorite), short-sleeve button-ups, and fresh white sneakers, often accented with fun statement earrings.
What’s especially useful about Bornstein’s method is that it allows for change—what we like and the ways in which we choose to present ourselves can shift over time and that’s okay. Tweaking your words every so often is significantly less stressful (and, it should be noted, more sustainable) than buying into every short-lived micro-trend.
“Personal style cannot be developed by chasing every trend or diving headfirst into the latest TikTok aesthetic,” says Anna Grace Averett, the cohost of fashion podcast Verve, adding that if your words are, say, edgy, 1970s, and playful, pieces that fit the coastal grandmother vibe probably won’t get much use in your closet. Averett’s words are fairly general—sporty, sexy, and chic. She achieves this look through well-fitting hero pieces such as tailored jeans, cool sneakers, several layers of gold jewelry, white shirts in various styles, and a designer piece (right now she favors Marc Jacobs silver shoulder bag).
For mood-board style inspiration, Averett is drawn to Kate Moss, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, and fictional characters Carrie Bradshaw, Serena Van Der Woodsen, and Rachel Green—personae that now help her eliminate noise when shopping or dressing. “Not every trend or aesthetic is going to suit you,” she says. “The method [helps] eliminates style FOMO.”
Content creator Tyra Fisher uses the words classic, comfortable, and soft. Her go-to-pieces are oversized blazers, wide-leg trousers, New Balance sneakers. “Starting out with content creation, I’d just play into whatever was trending,” the 23-year-old says. “Now I wear what I [actually] think is cool.” Her style is largely influenced by the signature looks of influencers Matilda Djerf and Viviane Audi.
Cate Kittlitz is an influencer who swears by the three-word method and has been spreading the gospel with her 325,000 TikTok followers. “My approach to styling has always been to break down things as simply and as practically as possible, and that’s why I shared this method with my audience—it’s easy to implement,” she says. Her three words are classic, muted, and effortless, often taking broad style cues from icons Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor.
As far as closet staples, Kittlitz goes for a good pair of trousers, button-ups, and anything linen. “Homing in on your personal style, loving each and every piece that you add into your closet, and wearing those pieces for the entirety of their life cycle—I like to call this conscious consumerism—is the best way to dress affordably and sustainably,” she says. She also notes how the method is simple enough to jot down and reference when you’re feeling uninspired or when you’re debating buying a certain piece.
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Trying Bornstein’s method is free of cost and probably will reveal, to some extent, that you already embody the three words you choose to define your look. “The best part about personal style is that you already have it; it’s already in your closet,” she says. Your signature style will always evolve and change with seasons and with time, but having the recipe to access it hopefully brings you closer to the version of yourself you strive to be.
Maria Santa Poggi is a freelance writer and MFA candidate at Sarah Lawrence College. Her work has appeared in publications that include Vogue, Teen Vogue, i-d, Rolling Stone, and Nylon.
