When Stassi Schroeder went to her first confession as a Catholic school girl, she had a very important sin that she needed to repent: Her outfit didn't match. In her new book, Next Level Basic, the Vanderpump Rules fashionista opens up about the journey she took to find her signature style, and it all began in church (long before her #OOTD days). 

"I went to Catholic school, and my very first confession as a kid was about fashion. (My outfit didn't match, and I guess I felt that was a sin I needed to repent for!)" she wrote. "I just cared deeply about what I wore to receive the sacrament, and I've cared deeply about what I've worn every day since. It's actually kind of exhausting." 

Exhausting may be an understatement. After sharing that she prayed for forgiveness for breaking a cardinal rule of style, Stassi goes on to share the trajectory her look has taken since Catholic school, which acted as the catalyst for breaking all the rules of fashion. 

When she wasn't in a school uniform, Stassi's style underwent a number of transformations: First, there was the Spice Girls Stage ("I'm glad it's over," she said), followed by the Preppy Stage. "I may regret this one more than any other phase," she said of her Doc Marten-and-Abercombie days. Then, her style was influenced by Debra Messing, a goth Angelina Jolie, and Paris Hilton — and all of these failed phases led her to find her current look.

"In a way, having a personal style means having a uniform," she wrote. You need to find what works for you and stick with it, and Stassi has her's down to a science. "Knowing what looks good on you is the most important thing when it comes to finding your look," she advised.

So, what exactly is her "uniform?" She broke it down: "During the fall, I love tight, skinny boots with a skirt and oversize sweater." And in the summer, you can almost always find her in OneTeaspoon denim shorts ("because they don't pinch your back fat") with a light top and kitten heels. "This look isn't skanky because the heels are two to three inches," she promised.

So, after years of trial and error, Stassi's current style isn't a result of what other people like to wear — it's a formula that's perfect for her. "Style is about showing the world who you are inside, and my style trajectory started way back in Catholic school, as a form of rebelling," she said. "Fashion makes us feel good when we not only look good but have on something that we feel represents us as a person... once you have your look, no one can take that from you."