Stye words to create outfits by

I was poring over the magazines and blog sites for all the commentary on the latest big fashion/celebrity event. As journalists were describing the gowns worn by the likes of Kate Hudson, Sandra Bullock, Amy Adams, Charlize Theron, Meryl Streep, etc., I saw a gorgeous list of style words forming.

Every client I work with has style words. In that first appointment I have with her, I give her exercises to do and I ask lots of questions. By the end of it, we have what I call a style recipe. It’s her personal recipe that describes her current style. These words will influence every item we purchase plus every outfit I put together for her.

It’s so creative! Like fingerprints, there is no style recipe that is ever the same. It’s usually not just one word or two. It’s up to five, sometimes more. Sometimes it’s a short phrase. For instance, one of my client’s style recipe is Quietly Powerful. As soon as I started dressing her to match those words, every one around her started treating her differently. It was quite dramatic!

Instead of following the trends or walking into a store and seeing a mannequin and telling the sales associate, “I’ll buy those things,” try on clothes and ask yourself: Does this fit my style recipe? If you’ve been in a rut for awhile, you may end up trying on several things before you can actually answer “YES” to that question. Of course, if you can have an image consultant help you with that interpretation, that’s the most efficient way to do it.

A simple way to start thinking about your style is to flip through magazines and pull out pictures of things you love and just stare at them. Ask yourself what you love about them and then listen to the words you’re using. I write about this a lot in my books. Brenda Kinsel’s Fashion Makeover has lots of exercises aimed at helping you discover your style words.

In the meantime, check out this list of words I discovered from reading the descriptions of celebrities in their dresses. See if any of them fit for you!

Style Words to Try On

easy glamour

powerful in a soft way

bold

quiet cool

classic/punk

cool, chic, ultra modern

simple, yet elegant

feminine and different

timeless

effortless

inspiring

edgy and classic

Does anything resonate? I hope so! Next step is to try something on, look in the mirror and ask yourself if those words and the image you’re seeing reflected back at you could be a match. Tell us all about it!

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