Thursday 8 January 2015

Step 1: Style Personality

First impressions - whether we like it or not - are very important in both work and social situations. How often  have you looked at someone when you first met them and thought: "She looks very confident." or maybe "He seems a bit sloppy."? Come on, be honest!  Of course once you get to know someone really well you may change your mind, but wouldn't it be helpful if the way someone dressed totally expressed their personality?

The first step of Imogen Lamport's 7 Steps to Style system will help you to identify your style personality, which in her system can be a combination of styles and not simply the usual Classic, Dramatic, Romantic and other categories.

Growing up I was very much a tomboy, so when I did the House of Colour style assessment in January last year I wasn't surprised to be told I'm a Natural Gamine. The 7 Steps to Style system has 7 personality types: classic, relaxed, dramatic, creative, rebellious, feminine and elegant chic, but the permutations are endless. I wasn't too surprised to score highly for relaxed followed by elegant chic (I try to be chic even if I don't always succeed!), as that is close to Natural Gamine, however both classic and feminine came next, and I didn't expect that.  It goes to prove that many of us are much more complicated than we realise and it's why one style personality is unlikely to suit everyone.


The above styles are very close to the type of clothes residing in my wardrobe, so the assessment by my House of Colour stylist Fiona was pretty accurate. However it didn't necessarily cover the other elements of my style personality, which I have discovered while doing Imogen's course.

My original style recipe, which I concocted with the help  of others in the 7 Steps to Style facebook group, was "Casual Chic with a dash of Colour and Drama". As with all recipes, it's sometimes good to add other ingredients or swap some for those that suit your taste better. I've decided that I'd like to add some elegance to my wardrobe or be even more ambitious and change my style to "Parisian Casual Chic with a dash  of Colour and Femininity". I  know that colour is very important to me and I will cover that in another post.




If you are unable to invest in the 7 Steps to Style system, you can of course try to define your style personality on your own. There are numerous on-line style personality quizzes, though most are limited in what they can tell you. You may prefer to create a Pinterest board of styles that you love and that you feel would suit you, then analyse them to see if you can come up with your unique style recipe. Look in your wardrobe to find which of your clothes make you feel happy, and decide what elements they have in common.  In my case, not surprisingly, colour is an important element. Once you have a good idea of your own style personality, you can use it as one of the criteria when buying new clothes and accessories. Remember though that this is only step one - there are six more to come!





12 comments:

  1. Hi Sue

    Should I comment here for your larger audience?
    While I love the concept of Parisian Casual Chic, all I ever see in blogs is that Paris style means stripes and black. My own interpretation would be more like what I see you achieving: simple elegance, uncomplicated grace. And lively color! Drama for you is a little more interesting. Drama through color, and detail in your clothes, yes. But not like lots of studs on jeans, or angular shoulders or wild contrasts.

    Natural gamine is such a good foundation for you but yes, add a little drama with color and details.

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  2. I love reading this Sue and seeing how you are learning more and more about yourself and what you love! Have you done the 'thing in your house' exercise? I often find that really fascinating when I work through it with my clients.

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    1. Thanks, Imogen. Do you mean the exercise where you find some things in the house that you really really love and describe them? Funnily enough one of the items was a screen/room divider that we bought from a local Chinese shop that is very colourful and a bit quirky - hmm, could that be me?

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  3. Hi Robin

    Thanks for leaving a comment here for, as you put it, the larger audience. The middle photo does show a bit of colour but you're quite right when you say that all too often bloggers restrict "Paris style" to stripes and black. I do have a fondness for stripes, but black isn't flattering for most women of a certain age including me. I must admit though, as reported in my post "French dressing", I've never noticed a lot of colourful outfits when visiting Paris and other French cities. Still my view of style is that you should interpret it to suit yourself, so I'll stick with my own colourful version of Parisian Casual Chic.

    http://over60andoverhere.blogspot.com.es/2014/09/french-dressing.html

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  4. I loved reading about the personality aspect of your journey, Sue. I'm still working on my own style and reading about others' journeys is helping me to start formulating my own.

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    1. From what I've seen, you're making good progress Bernadette.

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  5. Thanks for your posts!

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  6. OK, my first post got lost in cyberspace.... Sue, because of your blog I am doing the Evolve Your Style Challenge and will do the 7 Steps to Style as well when I am done with EYS. I am trying to figure out my value contrast and color contrast. Really tricky for me and I think will make a big difference in my style evolution.

    Also, I just turned 60!

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    1. Congratulations on just turning 60, Cathy! I'll look out for you on the facebook groups - I'm sure you will find the other members very helpful and encouraging. Don't worry as you will have Imogen there to advise you on your value and colour contrasts and she has written some very helpful posts,

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