Something I started to notice in my twenties (way before I trained to become an image consultant), is how my behaviour changes according to how I feel I look on any given day.
Back then I worked in glossy magazines where the workforce was impossibly glamorous and fashionable. I’d just graduated from Uni and had spent three years in jeans and t-shirts. I very quickly realised that a pair of black trousers and a blouse combination wasn’t going to cut it.
I spent more and more time looking at clothes, buying ‘trendier’ pieces and shopping for more expensive labels in my attempt to look the part.
Sometimes I got it just right and on those days I would bounce along the road to the tube with my head held high. I would speak out in meetings and people would listen. Often my ideas were the ones to be implemented. That felt great.
On other days, I would put on another new and gorgeous outfit and look in the mirror and just know that it didn’t work for me. I didn’t know why, but my conclusion was that* I* wasn’t good enough (read thin enough, cool enough, pretty enough…) to wear such a fabulous outfit.
On those days I would lose the spring in my step, I would stay quiet in meetings and be largely ignored. On those days I felt invisible and my confidence was low.
I now know why those clothes were never going to suit me. Getting to grips with my authentic style has helped me to appreciate the hugely powerful effect of feeling good about the way you look.
This is my philosophy.
The way you look affects the way you feel.
The way you feel affects the way you behave.
The way you behave *affects the way people *react to you.
The way people react to you in the first instance is influenced by the way you look – sad but true.
One of the things I love about being an image consultant is when other women start to understand and implement this philosophy too. Putting consideration into what you wear is not a frivolous or ‘fluffy’ undertaking; by accurately portraying the ‘inside you’ on the outside, you tend to get the results you want. This is what was happening to me in my magazine job when my ideas were accepted.
This concept compliments the One of Many Soft Power ethos: we are soft and strong; we indulge ourselves and celebrate our gorgeous femininity; we are nurturing and we set boundaries.
Since I discovered this wonderful community, I’m more conscious of the ways in which I can nurture and support the women I work with. I do this by giving my clients the space to appreciate their bodies and learn how to recognise and draw out their individual style.
So, whether you’re looking for quick and easy ideas of how to look great on the stage; some new pieces to update your wardrobe; or a makeover after becoming a mum, my top tip is to discover the outfits that make you feel like the very best version of you. Then you can feel great wherever you are going and whatever you are doing.
3 tips for dressing the best version of you.
- Notice when you feel good in an outfit and check out the component parts carefully in a full length mirror. Can you tell which element or elements of the outfit are making the biggest difference? Is it the cut of the clothes, the fabric, the colour, the jewellery? The more you are able to tune into what’s making the difference, the easier it is for you to replicate and embrace it.
- Have a good sort out of your wardrobe. See what’s lurking inside that you forgot you had. Try new and different combinations of clothes and notice how they make you feel. To help you with this feel free to download my Ultimate Wardrobe Cheat Sheet which guides you through exactly what your wardrobe should contain to guarantee stress-free mornings and easy dressing.
- Come along to ‘Get Your Style Sorted’ on Saturday 21st May at London’s Waldorf Hotel, where I’ll be sharing exactly how you can discover your unique style, how to flatter your particular body shape and showing you how to have fun with accessories to finish off your outfits in the most gorgeous way for you. Because we are all beautifully different. And that’s ok! What works for your friend will not necessarily work for you. When you know exactly what your style is, life becomes easier, your confidence soars and, you find it easier to step into your femininity and be authentically you.
- Use Your Outfits to Boost Your Mood - January 11, 2024
- Guest article: What do your clothes say about you? - February 16, 2022
- Guest blog: Just use the lotion! (How to put yourself first) - April 1, 2021
