STYLE INTELLIGENCEI strongly believe that the strength of great personal style begins with knowing your Style Personality. I spend a significant amount of time identifying and educating my clients on how to create consistency in their shopping habits and personal brand identity. Everything from texture, silhouette, and color are nonverbal visual cues into your style identity. Each week in February, I'll dedicate a post to each Style Personality's defining characteristics and aesthetics. Most women can see elements of them self in each Style and think in terms of occasion. A Style Personality is defined by the dominant emotion attached to how you want to feel and be perceived every time you get dressed. It determines your purchases, your brands, and the general curation of your wardrobe. Let's start this series with the most popular style expression: Classic. Style CommandmentsHappy New Year! I'm thrilled about 2019. I anticipate greatness to manifest in so many lives of my friends, family, and clients. I can't wait to witness positive transformations! It's been said that a dream with measurable benchmarks is a goal. Wishing for better of hoping for improvement is not enough without action. "It’s important to find what really suits who you are, because style isn’t only what you wear, it’s what you project". – Carolina Herrera If you wish for a better wardrobe or dream of greater style, let's partner together to create a goal! I'll be your personal style cheerleader as we overcome unproductive habits and create a plan for success. To get started on style goal setting, here are the 10 Commandments of Great Style: 1. Know your Style Personality 2. Know your Body Shape 3. Identify the brands & stores that work for you 4. Identify your source of inspiration 5. Identify your signature look 6. Identify your shopping habits 7. Make friends with a tailor and cobbler 8. Make friends with a sales associate at your favorite store 9. Edit and replace 10. Organize and plan Have received your copy of my e-book, 3 Steps to Consistently Great Style? Complete your Style Assessment to receive your copy. Just indicate that you want your Style Book in the comments. It's a great resource if your looking to revamp your wardrobe and personal style.
With GratitudeThere's nothing like the power of maternal energy. It's gentle but firm with intuition, supportive but a leader in getting things accomplished. It's a natural trait in most women but is acknowledged in motherhood.
" I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mothers day commemorating her for the matchless service she renders to humanity in every field of life. She is entitled to it. " - Ann Reeves Jarvis This year, I invite you to celebrate all the women in your life that have demonstrated a maternal, feminine instinct for your benefit. Acknowledge her wisdom and love. To honor and celebrate the mother's in your life, I would like to partner with you. I've created a special Mother's Day Personal Shopping Experience for you to gift to this very special woman. It's a day truly dedicated to her. Who are You?One of my favorite TV shows of all time is Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. His remarkable kindness and profound wisdom were instrumental in my development of confidence and critical thinking. Before the end of each episode, he would tell me (and others!) "You've made this day a special day, by just your being you." " You know, you don't have to look like everybody else to be acceptable to feel acceptable." - Fred Rogers Mister Rogers gave me my first lesson in authenticity. An acceptance of my uniqueness, quirks, and gifts. That wisdom became my power and that power is continually demonstrated in how I dress and show up in life. Here's how to Dress with Power: 1. Break rules If you like it, wear it! That means mixing polka dots and stripes with florals. Wearing pink and red together. Mixing gold and silver accessories in your outfit. Whatever "fashion rule" you believe, it's time to break it if it contradicts with your personal style. 2. Let go of Judgements Stop waiting to try a new style because of your weight! TRY IT! As women, we often create barriers to our happiness. Enjoy the excitement of feeling sexy and confident regardless of your size. NOW! 3. Self Acceptance I challenge you to stand in front of a full-length mirror wearing only a bra and panty. Admire your beauty and uniqueness. Identify what you love about your physicality. This could be your height, your hair, your décolletage. Whatever you identify, celebrate it and thank it for being a part of you. Give thanks to your body for all the times you've been healed from any illness. Thank your heart for continuously giving you life and your brain for new ideas. Thank your body for freedom of movement regardless if you need assistance. Learn to live in gratitude and not criticism. 4. Identify your Personal Style Personality How to you like to feel when you get dressed? How do you want to be perceived in all areas of your life? Create a list identifying the qualities that first come to mind. Next, select 5 items in your closet that align with your list. This could be a pair of shoes, a necklace or earrings, a purse...doesn't necessarily have to be clothing. Once you've identified those 5 items, wear them like crazy and purchase similar items that provoke the same quality. Style is a personal journey. Here's to enjoying the ride!All images are from Pinterest.
It's Time to Shop!Have you ever attending a Clothing Swap? If you haven't, you're in for a delicious fashion treat! Join me and other fabulous women as you shop the racks of other attendees gently used clothing, shoes, jewelry, and all other accessories. Some of my Clothing Swap hauls have included items from Jill Sander, DVF, Tory Burch, and many, many others!
HOW IT WORKS - Bring up to 10 items of gently worn clothing, jewelry, shoes and other accessories - Items should show minimal signs of wear - All CLOTHING IS FREE for EXCHANGE - Hangers, clothing racks, and an fitting room are available at my DTLA Showroom - Lite bites will be provided Wardrobe Imbalances Too many of one and not enough of another. It's a common dichotomy. Often, this scenario is present in many closets I enter before a Wardrobe Audit.
"Elegance is usually confused with superficiality, fashion, lack of depth. This is a serious mistake: human beings need to have elegance in their actions and in their posture because this word is synonymous with good taste, amiability, equilibrium, and harmony." - Paulo Coelho What's the secret to a harmonious wardrobe? It begins with purposeful shopping which leads to a wardrobe of coordinated pieces. Here's how to become a shopper with purpose: 1. Go Explore Put on a comfortable outfit and shoes and visit 2 of your favorite stores for 2 hours. Browse the racks and select whatever catches your eye. Do this without judgment of fit or appropriateness. The goal is to learn what you like and dislike and what textures, colors, and silhouettes naturally draw you in. Take notes of how you feel. Snap a picture of the items you like. Most of all, do not purchase anything! 2. Take Inventory Remove any items that do not make you feel great from your wardrobe. This includes items that are not a great fit and do not serve a purpose in the current stage of your life. Using the pictures and notes from your shopping trip as a guide, match up all the items aligned with your likes and dislikes. 3. Split it Create 3 separate piles of your clothes. One for dresses, another for skirts/shorts/pants, and the last for tops. Count how many you have of each. If you can, match up at least 4 outfits that coordinate with your tops and bottoms. If you have any orphan tops or bottoms (you have already established that you like/love these items) that you find impossible to coordinate, place these in the front of your closet. 4.Go Shopping Take the orphan items shopping to find their match! At your designated favorite store, pull tops that you feel will look fantastic with your current bottoms. Do the same for your current tops. Goal yourself to create at least 3 outfits in the fitting room. Note how you feel and think about the accessories and shoes your currently own that will complete the look. The timeline works best over a two week period. Dedicate a Saturday or Sunday to Explore the shops if your professional life keeps you busy during the week. You want to feel refreshed and not rushed while you Explore. Remember: the goal is balance! Here's to a closet styled in harmony! |
AuthorJana Coke is the founder and principal wardrobe consultant of Jana Coke Style. This is the place to be to get your style tips and wardrobe advice! Archives
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