I've been thinking for a little while now that we needed
something a bit 'lighter' on Professionelle. What with all the
weighty topics we've been convering, like Positive Psychology, the
Impostor Syndrome and a raft of advice pieces, we thought it was
time we injected a little light entertainment!
Fashion, for example...
Let's face it, I DO like my fashion, as those of you who read my
Red Boots, No Suits will know. I spend a not inconsequential amount
of time debating the merits of various outfits and places to shop
with the girlfriends. So all I needed was for Sarah also to voice
it was time for something a bit frothier to prompt me into
action!
A Little Frugality
So what's brought these recent fashion thoughts on, you ask?
Well, the family is about to leave on a huge family holiday to an
exotic location that has many fabulous shopping opportunities. In
the run-up of getting organised and panicking about funds, I
decided that we should put a moratorium on shopping from January
(barring necessities and underwear…) to help build the momentum and
excitement and of course to save so that we can spend with
impunity) when we finally get there…
For me that meant wearing everything I had in my wardrobe and
making the most of it by using many different combination,
including ones I would not have ordinarily have thought of -
anything to break the boredom. What it also meant was that, given I
was wearing the same things over and over again, I could see what
people commented on the most! Lo and behold, I discovered a new
secret to working out what works best when it comes to fashion and
how to developing the best personal style with minimum spend and
maximum insight!
A Little Insight
After about two months of not buying a thing and wearing my same
old wardrobe in different combinations, I started noticing a trend
(yes, once a strategic consultant, always one, forever looking for
trends in everything). I noticed that the same type of items
generated the most comments. It wasn't necessarily my most
expensive or most 'designed' outfits, but outfits that had the same
things in common. Basically it was my structured, pinafore type
dresses made of firmer materials and anything with an interesting
collar! Without fail, every time I wore something that had a dollop
of the above, at least one person would comment!
The other thing that I discovered was accessories. I used to
thumb my nose at the various style gurus who advocated accessories
as a way to lift outfits. I guess I was just really being lazy as
the easiest way to lift an outfit is to buy a new one! Well, with
my self-imposed shopping moratorium, I did make an exception for
belts (which I had hardly any of). And yep, you guessed it,
accessories DO lift outfits. Remarkably so.
A Little Game
I must say I actually ended up really enjoying this little
exercise and almost turned it into a game of trying to see what
unique combination I could create with my existing wardrobe every
day. (Could this be my using my signature strength of creativity,
ingenuity and originality???). Given that I've always considered
myself a confident dresser, I was surprised to find that after the
first four months I have become that much more confident in mixing
and matching things I would never have considered before. It's all
down to knowing my wardrobe so much better and, more importantly,
knowing what really works!
So now I know not to get sucked into buying things that might
initially appeal to me through their designer lines and price tags,
but whicg experience has taught me don't necessarily work for me.
If you are thinking about your style, let me recommend this to you
- stop shopping! Take a couple of months out to really thrash your
wardrobe and see what works for you - what people respond to the
most and what you just really love wearing. You can even keep a
diary - what you were wearing and how many comments you got and for
what. Your confidence in trying new combinations will increase,
you'll save money and when it eventually come to shopping you'll
have a much better clue about what to go for!
Do let me know how it works for you!
© Professionelle Ltd 2008