how to use pinterest like a personal stylist

Too many times, I have found myself returning to the same position: dozens of outfits, nothing to wear. And it’s not because I literally have nothing to wear, but it’s more like I have nothing to pair. Despite what Maddie Assi had to say, I still continue to show all the signs of wardrobe fatigue, and more so than I’d like to admit.

I had already worn everything, every combination— and when I went to buy new clothes (especially online), my mind went numb. I didn’t know what to search, I didn’t know what to look for.
I wanted something new, something fresh— but what exactly? What’s trending? Which brands are worth the hype? Do I go timeless or experimental?
‘What was that girl I saw at the mall 2 months ago wearing again?’ I wonder. And it will only be years later that I jump up from my couch in excitement and declare “I remember it now!” (True thoughts by the way.)

“I think we struggle because we have so many options, but we didn't really know where to begin … I don’t think most people actually know how to shop for fashion … We weren’t taught how to.”

—Andrea Cheong, fashion consultant and author of Why Don’t I Have Anything To Wear?

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

And after countless (and unnecessary 😭) meltdowns every other day and feeling unconfident in my own skin, I finally, finally, found the perfect digital wardrobe for me. Completely free, and 100% useful.

And that app is none other than Pinterest.

Now I get it, you’re probably thinking: Everyone uses Pinterest to find outfits.

And yeah, you’re right.
Pinterest has an inbuilt shopping feature, image searching engine and of course, there’s the comments. All equally useful in outfit finding. But what if I told you there was more? What if I told you that all these years, you’ve been using Pinterest wrong?

So allow me to guide you through a few things you can do to make Pinterest your personal stylist who find outfits 10x easier and 10x cheaper (yes, cheaper is right!!)

♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧

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01. Polyvore-style Moodboard

A throwback to the OG outfit collage site, Pinterest is chock-full with outfit keywords to search— and let me tell you, these things can get very specific.

Search “Vinted Shopping Guide” on Pinterest, and a bunch of these will pop up— God bless the teenage girls creating them!!

And guess what?! I actually made one myself with a theme centered around a very niche but loveable aesthetic: piano tiles and sheet music. If that seems like something you’re interested in, don’t hesitate to give that article a read!! <3

02. Rewear, Rework, Repeat

One of the best Pinterest hacks is searching for outfits based on items you already have.
Got a black mini skirt? Search “black mini skirt outfits.” Own a brown leather jacket? Type that in. Pinterest will show you new ways to style old pieces, often in combinations you’d never thought of. It’s a great way to extend your wardrobe without spending a cent— and makes even your most-worn basics feel brand new again.

03. A Lazy Girl Looking Put-Together

Most people already know that if you tap on an image, you’ll often see product tags leading you straight to similar items. You can even use the visual search tool (the little magnifying glass in the corner of a pin) to zoom in on one item in an image— say, a brown leather shoulder bag— and Pinterest will instantly pull up lookalikes from dozens of brands.
But if you already knew that, I bet you didn’t know that the tiny white square with four corners in the corner of any Pin is your best friend. Tap it, drag the selector over a bag, jacket, shoe, or any piece you’re obsessed with, and Pinterest will automatically pull up visually similar options— often with links to where you can buy them.

04. Champagne Taste + Budget Closet

Dupe.com is the internet’s secret weapon for finding affordable versions of viral outfits. Everyone’s seen an outfit on Pinterest or TikTok and thought to themselves, ‘I love this, but there’s no way I can afford it.’ Well look no further!
The site is literally known for curating budget-friendly alternatives to trending fashion pieces, and linking directly to items on Amazon, AliExpress, or small online boutiques. It’s especially popular for recreating Pinterest outfits for a fraction of the cost, with brands like Miu Miu minis, SKIMS basics, or Acne Studios scarves, all with a dupe-worthy price tag.

05. Search Smarter, Dress Better

I know, I know: ‘keywords are self explanatory’ and doesn’t need a section— but what you may not realize is that there’s a good chance you’re not using keywords as properly as you believe.
Most people just type in vague phrases like ‘cute outfit’ or ‘summer inspo’, which leads to endless scrolling and very little satisfaction.
Be hyper-specific. Think in descriptors. Instead of “Y2K outfit,” try “low rise cargo pants + baby tee + white sneakers.” Add in words like “layered,” “structured,” “minimalist,” or “coquette.” The more detail you give Pinterest, the more it gives back (and vise versa, the less detail you give Pinterest… the less it gives back.)

Results that show up when I search “summer inspo”: broad, high range of pins, no outfits and more vibes

Results that show up when I search “summer outfit inspo”: more tailored towards actual outfits, but there’s large and broad range in both clothing types + color and more which doesn’t help narrow down the search

Results that show up when I search “y2k summer bikini outfits pink and blue”: narrower range = more accurate results, all outfits are bikinis as requested, fits the color pallet, better range

06. Trend Psychic

80% of the time, Pinterest is where trends often start before they go viral on TikTok. Look at your explore pages for pattern spotting: repeated silhouettes, unexpected pairings, or styling details that keep reappearing (e.g. black hair bows, bolero shrugs, ribbon belts, etc.). I can guarantee you that there’s a high chance of any recurring pattern to go viral very soon— so buy whatever you can early on when it isn’t so expensive!!

* ੈ ♡ ⸝⸝ 📷 ༘ ⋆

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And that’s it— that’s your guide to navigating Pinterest and making it your own personal stylist!! <33

I hope this helped you realize that your dream wardrobe is not out of reach— you just didn’t have the right app (until now!) And if anyone else has their own tips and tricks, comment below.

You don’t need to have a crying session every time you try to find an outfit— you just need to organize yourself better. And Pinterest is your solution. ♡ྀི ₊