By definition, elegance is to appear graceful, stylish, simple and to possess the quality of being neat. There is a flow to getting dressed in the morning that, when you develop a signature style, creates elegance.
Even if your personal style does not resonate with elegance, the appeal of developing a simple style flow to start your every-day closet experience is undeniable.
Not everyone wants the look and appearance of a Grace Kelly or a Kate Middleton, what they do want is an easy, go-to outfit that makes them look and feel fantastic.
Elegance is a byproduct of such well-crafted ensembles.
And how do we make this happen?
- Listen closely and don’t be afraid to let go of the past
- Step into the light
- Be selective
Whether someone looks like they belong on the cover of Vogue or they have recently survived some sort of abuse, what I find with my clients is that the issue is never about weight or color or image.
How we dress and what we wear is much deeper than the tactile. The hurdles my clients often face is an inability to let go of the thoughts that no longer serve us and listening more closely to our inner voice.
For our wardrobes, we need to tap into that inner voice that tells us, “This looks great on me and I love it!” or “This is not me, let me put it back on the rack, or in the bin to give away.”
This is the first rule of buying or keeping clothing.
The second is COLOR! And yes, I am that image consultant that asks you to fast from black for a while. Never fear, just for a while I said, not forever.
Do you fear you will stand out if you wear something too colorful? You might! In a good way!
People may remember that incredible coral sweater you love. And so, you may believe that each time you sport a coral jacket, or a necklace, or a blouse, you create a signature style. But the color is not the centerpiece.
I have a client with bright blue eyes. Every time she wears one of the colors in her blue palette, she believes everyone will remember that she wears mostly blues. But that hasn’t happened. Instead she continually gets compliments on how great she looks irrespective of the blue.
Elegance is in how we dress — not according to the latest trends — but for who we are and what we love.
It may be fun to update our wardrobe with a piece or two every season. It is also wise to not bend to every trend and continually dress in the latest fashion unless you have an unlimited budget, or you need to be seen on the cover of every magazine when you step out the door.
Styles change rapidly.
If you are keeping up with the latest trend – say the cold-shoulder look – you must try and figure out how many of the shirt styles you can possibly buy and wear before you are tired of the trend. It might be fun to try one piece but be wary of investing too much in any piece that is the mark of an era.
Elegance is created when we simplify our selections to just those pieces that we love and want to wear.
Think about the clothes you buy or have in your closet.
- Are they part of a collection of clothes that have a structure to them?
- Do the tops go with many of the bottoms?
- Do the sweaters and jackets coordinate with the tops and bottoms?
There are likely several pieces you never thought would go together but as you create a signature style, they do because each design element in each piece is a part of you.
They reflect who you are and what you love. That is the beginning of a your style, your autograph.
When you refine the message, you naturally develop your own brand of elegance.
Signature style comes from a place of knowing. Knowing who you are and what message you send to yourself first, and then to others.
From there flows a personal style that is streamlined, beautiful and undeniably elegant.
