3 Wardrobe Rules That Work

Y ou can wear anything you want to wear. “Wait a minute,” you say. “I thought that would be the last thing I’d hear from an image consultant. Aren’t there certain ‘rules’ that apply to my image?”

Yes, of course there are. And... you can wear anything you want to wear. Of course, you can eat anything you want to eat, too. And there are consequences with every choice.

So the real test is, if you eat anything you want to eat, does it help you perform your best or will you be sluggish? If you wear anything you want to wear, do you feel confident? Will you attract the people you want to attract?

Looking your best obviously attracts a more favorable response from others, and you feel better. But, what is your best? What ‘rules’ are there and what principles guide your selection of clothing? How do you know what works?

The key to looking your best is harmonizing the personality, character and energy of clothing to your own. So, start by really noticing your physical characteristics.

1. Look to your hair, skin and eyes for your best colors. Overall, what is your coloring? Deep and bronzy? Clear, warm, and bright? Ashy, soft and light? Cool and vivid? Identify the theme in your coloring, then apply that to the colors in your wardrobe. For instance, if your coloring is bronzy and deep, then all your colors should have bronze or gold in them such as brick, ochre, olive, and teal. If your coloring is ashy and light, you’ll look best in gray, dusty rose, sage green, and slate blue.
2. Mimic your contrast in your clothing. If you have dark hair and light skin, you’ll look best wearing that same high contrast in your clothing, like in a dark jacket and light blouse. If you have dark skin, brown eyes and dark brown hair, wear clothing colors with the same low contrast or your clothing will be stronger than you.
3. Repeat your physical characteristics of texture and shape. If you have texture in your hair via waves, curls or salt-and-pepper coloring, or visible pores or freckles in your skin, refrain from smooth, shiny, plain-color fabric, and instead go for knits, raw silk or patterns. If your face and jaw is mostly curved, choose U-neck or scoop-neck tops. If you have a lot of angles (Maria Shriver comes to mind), wear V-necks or square necks.

When your choices of clothing and accessories are guided by principles or ‘rules’ of your unique physical characteristics and energy, you can still wear anything you want. But you’ll find that, because these principles enhance your appearance, your confidence and your joy in life, what you want to wear changes. When you’ve become accustomed to how good you can look, your “anything” will be truly special.

Laurice Brown, AICI works as an image consultant helping professional women achieve their own authentic personal style. She specializes in determining a client’s Personal Pattern ^TM, which drives the selection of harmonious clothing and accessories. Laurice can be reached at 818-517-7823 or laurice@LB-image.com.