Do you feel too old to follow fashion but still want to look on trend and sometimes worry about looking like mutton dressed as lamb...or your mother? You might see stuff in magazines but don’t know if you’re too old to go in ‘those’ shops, or how to incorporate trendy stuff into your outfits without looking and feeling a bit daft. 

 

Mostly when I work with clients who feel this way it’s because they don’t actually know what their Style Personality type is. They can describe the type of clothes they like best and whenever they’ve decided to try something different it’s ended up in the back of the wardrobe with the tags still on; they’ve got it out and tried it on loads of times but never actually got round to wearing it. Or they wore it once for a night out, but it didn’t quite feel right. 

 

When this happens it’s usually because you’ve veered away from your innate Style Personality archetype. 

 

You will probably have had some clothes in your wardrobe that you’ve worn until they fell apart and others you’ve put in the charity bag like new. 

 

This email about the importance of understanding your innate style personality and how it can save you time, money and even stop you from feeling guilty!! 

 

Read on to appreciate why, even though you love that Joe Brown tunic on your sister it just doesn't look or feel right on you. 

So, if fashion says, ‘me too’ and style says ‘only me’ my job is to help women discover their own personal style. We usually start with clothing tastes (style personality) then figure out which colours suit, which key clothing styles suit their body shape, and then throw lifestyle into the mix. The end result is a personal ‘recipe’ that they know is truly ‘them’. 

 

If you've been a follower of mine for any time now, you'll know that I have a 4 Step system that I work with that is a top to toe look at getting dressed without stress - you basically develop your own dressing by numbers recipe. 

 

Step one of my system is all about style and your innate style personality. Understanding your style personality is ESSENTIAL to having a stylish wardrobe that is just right for you...it's the thing that will prevent you from buying things that you never wear and help you make more informed choices when you are shopping - hence money saving. 

 

It helps you save time because you understand why you'll never find anything in that particular shop so it's not worth even going in for a browse, you'll never waste time thinking about what you 'should' be wearing for that party or wedding because once you have your style personality sussed it all makes sense. 

I work with 6 Style Personality archetypes and most of us will have one dominant type with possibly a secondary one which determines our personal style. Things like whether you prefer minimalist or more flamboyant things, pretty and feminine, tailored and simple, flowing and tactile fabrics, pattern and colours etc. Even your hair and attitude to make up are considered. There’ll be certain brands and shops that you are drawn to because your Style Personality type matches their target market profile. 

 

When you choose items that cross over Style Personality types it can create disharmony with your overall look and things will not look quite right. For example, a bohemian, fringed, soft suede handbag wouldn’t look quite right with simple, classic shift dress and smart court shoes. This is because they belong in two different categories. 

 

The trick is to actually analyse your personal style to find out WHY you like something. There will be recurring themes within your wardrobe, things that repeat in a variety of items of clothing. If you were to ask yourself what it is, you like about something what words crop up? Write them down and you’ll start to understand what you prefer and why. 

 

I have a quiz that I do with my clients to help them understand their Style Personality type. It is one of those mostly A’s, mostly B’s type quizzes...very occasionally someone comes out without a clearly defined style. This generally means that they are very confused and can get extreme wardrobe wobbles, never really knowing what to wear OR they are extremely confident in their clothes choices and possibly have their very own unique style (and don’t need me!). 

 

If you haven't done my quiz yet to find out which category you are OR if you haven't done it recently click here and find out your archetype - Classic, Elegant, Dramatic, Natural/Relaxed, Romantic, Eclectic/Creative. 

Once you understand your Style Personality type it’s easy to develop and create your own style and image. 

 

The best thing about following your style rather than fashion is that you don’t need to worry about what is in the magazines. You can nod to trends but know that you will stick to items that are a good fit for your personality. For example – if suede is a key trend this season – you would choose a suede item that fits your personality. It might be classic court shoes, a biker jacket or a fringed handbag. 

 

It even works with accessories - jewellery, bags, shoes etc. Many years ago, before I knew about the style personalities, I was given an expensive gift - teensy, weensy diamond pendant set on a really delicate gold chain with matching earrings - very pretty, cost over £100 but just simply not 'me'. I never wore it, I'm a Dramatic and this delicate set was more suited to a Classic - the gifter had chosen something that suited her style personality, not mine. 

 

It ended up in a bedroom drawer never seeing the light of day and I felt guilty about never wearing it until I realised that it was incongruous with my style personality. 

Once you are totally aware of your authentic personal style you can get dressed with confidence on a daily basis. No more wardrobe wobbles because you have your own recipe to follow. You save time because you ‘own’ your look and getting dressed becomes easy. It also saves you loads of time when you are shopping because you aren’t wandering round looking at things that don’t suit you in terms of colour or shape that end up at the back of the wardrobe. You save money because you wear everything that you buy. 

 

So there you have it. My absolute number one tip is to learn about your style personality and what that actually means if you want to save yourself time, money and guilt! Wouldn't you rather have a wardrobe full of clothes that you love and wear regularly because your clothes are perfect for you than have stuff languishing at the back of the wardrobe. TAKE THE QUIZ