You know what your personal preferences are when it comes to fashion, but did you know those preferences can be classified under a particular "Style Personality"? If you see a distinct pattern in your clothing and accessory purchases, this can be an indication you have a certain style personality. After discovering this, you may also want to find more designers or retailers that carry the fashion you love to wear. I have done a little research so you know exactly where to find fashion that best expresses who you are and how you want to appear. There are five basic style personalities, one of which you may fall neatly into, or you may be a combination of two or more. The greatest number of clothing pieces you have in any one particular category will indicate the style personality you resonate with the most.
The CLASSIC Style Personality
You have a Classic Style Personality if you like to appear polished and chic. You shy away from trends, choosing timeless pieces instead that are acceptable in any setting. You exude confidence and grace and feel no need to stand out or show off. Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Onassis were true to this style personality and are still influencing couture houses like Chanel to this day. You may already be wearing Hugo Boss. Hermes has your bag, Tiffany's your jewelery, but if your budget doesn't allow the expense, try shopping Kate Spade, Jones New York, Talbots, or Anne Klein to try to keep your wardrobe more affordable. Michael KORS also offers a lot of classic fashion and jewelery and can be acquired at the end of each season at reduced prices. If you are 50+ you will find a lot of classic pieces in sizes ranging from Petites to Tall or 00 to 22 at Chico's online shop. Your undergarment choices can make or break an outfit so a seamless fit is important for women who want to look polished. Soma has a great line of shapewear that achieves this, including their "Vanishing Panties", "Bodify Flexible Fit Perfect Coverage Bra", and their "Seamfree Turnaround Tank" which are all bestsellers. You can't go wrong with any of these.
The CREATIVE Style Personality
If you fall under the Creative Style Personality you know no boundaries in your dress. You are risk-takers who will wear pretty much anything and are sometimes viewed as ostentatious. This is okay as for you, there are no set rules. You will wear unique colour and pattern combinations because . . . why not! You can frequently find such creative expression on the catwalks. Marc Jacobs RTW Fall/Winter 21/22 show was right off the rails in this respect, as was Jean Paul Gauthier's Spring/Summer 2020 Couture collection. Versace's Menswear Fall/Winter 22/23 runway showcases a really unique collection of rich, bold colour combinations I've never seen on any man ever, and Rahul Mishra's Spring/Summer 2022 Couture collection takes creativity to a whole new level. If your budget prevents you from shopping such collections, don't fret. There are a lot of places you can shop similar items that won't decimate your pocketbook. If you have never considered consignment shopping, you should definitely try it. Here you can find some really unique pieces at amazingly low prices. If there is an arts district in your city or town this is a great place to find quirky boutiques or pop-up shops. Farmer's markets often have vendors who offer interesting items of clothing as well. I have even found unique pieces in boutique hotels and art gallery gift shops. I usually purchase them while travelling and discover great things to pair them with when I get home. Some clothing lines you should check out if you're not already shopping them are Desigual and Dolcezza. There is a great online company that carries both called "Fun Fashion Online Boutique". They offer a great variety of fashion lines for lovers of creative fashion, including Christian Lacroix, Igor Dobranic, IPNG, IVKO, and Farm Rio. The clothing is a little pricey but they have frequent sales. They also carry amazing jewelery and accessories bursting with colour for expressing your creative flair and amping up your outfits.
The DRAMATIC Style Personality
The major difference between the Dramatic and the Creative Style Personality is that Dramatic people tend not to mix contrasting patterns so much, particularly if they are conflicting. They will wear bright, bold colour however, and will pair opposite colours on the colour wheel for dramatic effect. If you have the typical Dramatic Style Personality you want to be noticed for what you wear. You love items of clothing that stun so there has to be something special about them. Bling and flair and opulence are what you crave. Voluminous collars or sleeves, billowy skirts, and bright jewel-tones like emerald or cobalt blue. There has to be something really eye-catching about a garment or you will add something to amp it up. Jewelery will typically be large-scale and artistic. Your handbags and shoes will be statement pieces. Some of your favorite designers are likely Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, and Schiaparelli. Finding budget-friendly items can be challenging for you but there are options out there. Desigual offers a lot of bold and dramatic clothing choices, as do Dolcezza, Christian Lacroix, and Farm Rio. You can find them at the Fun Fashion Online Boutique mentioned above. Betsey Johnson is the ultimate drama queen who consistently offers bold fashion and has a really fabulous footwear line. Samuel Dong is another designer who would appeal to a dramatic personality. GUESS has some amazing clothing that isn't overly pricey, and I.N.C. is a great low price-point brand that offers unique pieces you can purchase at Hudson's Bay. BCBG Max Azria used to be a personal favorite of mine and though Max Azria is no longer at the helm, they still offer some unique clothing you can purchase online. Don't hesitate to search out bold clothing and accessories in consignment shops as well. You can often find brand new items with the original tags still attached contributed by boutiques that have closed their doors.
The NATURAL Style Personality
You are known to have a Natural Style Personality if you typically choose comfortable clothing. You tend to avoid fashion trends and prefer not to stand out in public. It could be you are shy or reserved, therefore have understated tastes. You may be eco-conscious and want to make better choices in your clothing purchases. Sustainability is important to you. You likely seek out natural fibres and breathable fabrics like cotton, bamboo or hemp, as you won't make purchases from clothing brands that harm the environment in any way. If this is you, your clothing brand options are becoming more numerous as more companies change their ways and employ more sustainable practices. Stella McCartney has been at the forefront of this movement, encouraging other designers to follow suit. If you can't afford her collections, more affordable brands are available that are just as good. Anthropologie is an American brand that strives to be "a force for good, a greater good, in better service of our planet, it's people, and our products - to incite meaningful change in our journey to become more environmentally sustainable and socially conscious". They cater to the 30 to 45 demographic who care about how products are created and sourced. Anthropologie's collections exceed those expectations. Everlane is an eco-conscious company that is working hard to build an ethical supply chain that reduces the waste, chemicals and plastic that endangers our ecosystems. They offer timeless basics that are designed to last. They have a line of women's and men's clothing that includes everything from dresses to jeans, outerwear and swimwear. The price point ranges from low to average and they start you off with a 10% discount. Pact - Earth's Favorite Clothing is another great choice as their clothing line is 100% organic. They source their cotton from sustainable crops and organic farms, and their dyes are chemical-free. They also partner with Fair Trade Certified factories that employ safe working conditions and support local communities. They use "thoughtful packaging", "carbon-offset shipping", and encourage customers to use their "give-back box" to donate unwanted clothes to nonprofit organizations. They offer women's, men's, children's and baby's clothing as well as organic bath and bedding. The price-point is average and really inexpensive in my opinion for an exclusively organic clothing brand. Pact gives you an automatic 20% discount on your first online purchase. You can also find Good Housekeeping-approved sustainable clothing brands by visiting the Good Housekeeping website where it lists their 21 top-rated affordable clothing brands for the year.
The ROMANTIC Style Personality
You fall under the category of the Romantic Style Personality if you love soft, flowy fabric. Your closet is full of chiffon, ruffles and lace, and you prefer muted tones and pastels. You likely wear florals as well, but nothing too bold or loud. You have an airy, graceful persona like Nicole Kidman, and you like clothes that exude romance, just as Penelope Cruz does. Your clothing is not always trending so you need to visit specialty boutiques or shop online to find the things you love. Wedding shops have them, of course but there are designers as well who consistently offer romantic styles in their seasonal collections. Zuhair Murad and Zimmerman are two that you should have on your radar as their garments are absolutely breathtaking. Self-Portrait has stunning lace dresses you will want in your closet, and Needle & Thread London have an amazing collection of short and ankle-length dresses in pastel shades of lace and tulle with intricately embellished bodices. If you can't justify such luxury, Sarah Ashley is a little more budget-friendly. They have a really interesting collection of dresses, blouses, skirts and footwear that is definitely worth checking out. The company was founded in 2017 by two siblings who were inspired by both European and Asian cultures and their garments are an infusion of both which make them unique. Their sizes run one-size small so keep that in mind when ordering online. The collection can be found at sarah-ashleystudios.com. April Cornell is a Canadian-born artist and entrepreneur who carries a lovely collection of romance-inspired garments at really great price points. She has a great variety of dresses, jackets, tops and shorts in pretty florals and solid pastels you are sure to love, and her accessory line includes floral bags, delicate jewelery, handcrafted sunhats with ribbons and flowers, and pretty headbands and scarves. Her collection can be ordered online at aprilcornell.ca.
The above industry standard categories are used by Style Coaches TM merely as a guideline. Most of us are well aware that every personality is unique and cannot be easily categorized. Combine elements of each to create your own unique style personality. Fashion is a form of artistic expression. Pairing contrasting styles together creates a style personality that is totally and uniquely you!
To view visual representations of typical outfits for the Style Personalities mentioned above, Google my Pinterest boards at Pinterest.ca under Bliss & Bling Life & Style.
