Jun 24, 2019 | personal branding, Style, Style Personality
The 4th installment in this series relating to the six different style personalities is centered around our classics. Remember, you wont necessarily fall neatly in to just one category, generally speaking there will be aspects of 2 or 3 style personalities that resonate with you, with some characteristics rearing their heads at transitional moments in your life, be it a change of career, post children or following on from a significant life event. Our style personality is that driving force that narrows down your buying decision and that pulls you to certain items or certain looks that you see on the high-street, on the catwalk or even on your friends.
The classics are all about tradition. Your wardrobes are neat and tidy and your look is well co-ordinated. Our classics are not life’s risk takers, once they find something that works they stick to it so they could still be driving the same model of car that they fell in love with at the age of 21! Whether it’s your desk, your kitchen or your garden shed, you keep it organised. You shop only when necessary and it tends to be in stores that you know. Your wardrobe is fairly formal with even your casual clothes displaying an air of tradition.
Your look is timeless and neat with an air of elegance about it. You tend to stick to the same hairstyles year on year and hate nothing more than your hairdresser moving away! Your make-up routines are fairly fixed and dare I say, a little unadventurous. Co-ordinated separates form the basis of all your looks. When putting an outfit together you love nothing more than matching accessories, along side shoes, handbags and even belts. You plan your outfits in advance so will always look appropriately dressed for any occasion. You do not follow fashion and the very idea of mixing textures or wearing daring colour combinations can cause your pulse to race for all the wrong reasons!
A word of wisdom for all you classics out there, taking risks is not something that features high on your agenda and therefore you can occasionally look a little dated. Try and modernise it by adding a splash of colour or a statement accessory to give your outfits an instant boost.
Think Barack Obama, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Bill Clinton and Mary Berry.
May 20, 2019 | personal branding, Style, Style Personality
My third installment in the style personality series highlights everything about our Romantic family, friends and colleagues. Remember your style personality dictates your individual style which is your own interpretation of fashion and how you wear clothes. The clothes that you choose and how you wear them are governed by many factors including culture, lifestyle, age, build, environment, budget and personal preference. The way that you project yourself maybe influenced by your upbringing, the way you wish others to see you or simply how you see yourself. Knowing your style personality will give you the starting blocks on which to project yourself in a more organised way and to feel more confident in your choices no matter the occasion.
As a Romantic, you have a sense of security in your look and you’re not afraid to make others aware of your interest in looking after yourself. You love everything about dressing up and planning your wardrobe. The female Romantics love everything pretty with all manner of details from bows, to ruffles, to fringing, whilst the male Romantics enjoy the luxury fabrics like cashmere, velvet, tweed and washable silk. Your clothes are well maintained and are hung up at the end of every day. You take pride in your appearance and are not afraid to invest a little money and time in to self grooming with a tendency to want to experiment with new skincare and body care products.
You tend to have a regular exercise regime to keep yourself fit and healthy and your gym wear will follow your style rules and will be colourful or adorned with decorative details. You like luxurious and comfortable modes of transport and you care about the environment you occupy whether that’s at home or at work.
A word of wisdom for all you Romantics out there, you spend longer than anybody else looking after yourself and grooming so if you’re in a relationship with a natural this may cause a little friction unless you’re wiling to make a few concessions!
Think Sting, Kylie Minogue, Donald Trump or Penelope Cruz.
Apr 11, 2019 | personal branding, Style, Style Personality, Uncategorised
The second installment in my style personality series looks at the Dramatics amongst us. Before we get too engrossed though, lets take a moment to remind ourselves what your style personality influences. It is that subconscious decision maker within each and every one of us that pulls us like a magnet to those new shoes, that new hairstyle or even that new car.
For our Dramatics, the “wow” factor is crucial. You will always make an entrance no matter the occasion and love nothing more than being noticed whilst being the centre of attention. Shopping is one of your favourite pastimes. Your wardrobe is brimming with clothes and accessories that make a statement, it consists of many different styles that you have bought on impulse without a thought as to whether you have anything to co-ordinate them with.
You spend time researching on the internet and within fashion magazines for shopping ideas and trends. You are not remotely concerned with clothing practicality, whether that be comfort or if they can be tumble dried, this simply does not enter in to your mind. Regardless of your colouring you like bold and strong colour choices, often changing your hair colour and style to create new statement making looks.Your home is full of the latest hi-tech gadgets and you are drawn to fast cars that also make a statement. Perhaps you like to take the odd risk too!
My one word of wisdom for all you Dramatics out there is to be mindful that not all the latest fashion trends will suit your body shape so just because it looks good on the front cover of Vogue that will not necessarily translate to looking good on you.
Celebrity examples would include, David Beckham, Katy Perry, Robbie Williams or Chaka Khan.
Nov 6, 2018 | Clothing, Fashion, personal branding, Shopping, Style
I love meeting people for the very first time and trying to guess their own individual style personality. It’s a science in itself you see, and everyone has their own unique sense of style which is that subconscious pull that you get when you walk in to a shop, go looking for a new car, choose a partner, a handbag or even a holiday. Its your very first buying decision and comes before any consideration of colour or even shape. It can be rather important to know what yours is, as it may need tweaking every now and then to give you the best possible results when out shopping, attending a special occasion with a specific dress code or even when purchasing something for a loved one who may or may not share the same style personality as yourself. There are 6 different style personalities in the Colour Me Beautiful system and the majority of people fall between 1 or 2 categories. It really is fascinating as it can tell you a lot about yourself and your daily choices around make-up routines, shopping habits and outfit co-ordination.
I’ll start with our Creatives, the ladies and gents who want to carve out their own individual sense of style. Looking like everyone else is really not high on their agenda. Instead they opt for a sometimes quirky and eccentric approach to dressing with no fears of trying new things or standing apart from the crowd. Celebrity examples would be Paloma Faith or Lady Gaga.
Next we have our Dramatics who like to be seen and who like to make a show stopping entrance. They are conditioned to follow trends and require a new outfit for every occasion that they attend. They do not shy away from colour and like to make a statement with their outfit choices or make-up styles. Think Katy Perry or Angelina Jolie.
Next up is our Romantics who crave detail and femininity, whether that be in material choices where texture is crucial or in the finer details of the outfit such as buttons, fringing, beading ,hair adornments or in jewellery. Everything oozes all things pretty so underwear is often very delicate and detailed and the wearer will persevere with it even if its uncomfortable! Think Kylie or Katherine Jenkins.
We then have our Classics (like myself) who are creatures of habit when it comes to dressing. We shop in the same “safe” shops and buy simple yet elegant items that invariably match other items in our wardrobes. There is not a lot of risk involved in this category as we stick to the same tried and tested formula whether that be make-up application which may not have changed since we were teenagers or hair styles. Think Deborah Meaden or Hilary Clinton.
Our Naturals come next who have a no fuss approach to dressing. Comfort and practicality feature heavily in these wardrobe choices and they prefer an uncluttered look. Low maintenance is crucial for these individuals so a hair cut that styles itself, a low time investment make-up routine and flat shoes tend to be preferred. Think Julia Roberts and Kate Winslet.
Finally we explore our final category, City Chic. This is a far edgier version of the Classic. It has a more modern and European feel to it which oozes elegance but still has the ability to take a risk. Good tailoring is essential and investment pieces fill these wardrobes where items tend to cost more at ticket price as the buyer knows how to take full advantage of a timeless piece that will co-ordinate effortlessly. Think Halle Berry and Kate Middleton.
So now that I’ve got your all thinking about the style categories that you may fit in to, take some time to guess which style personality best fits your friends and loves ones, It can really help with present buying and with Christmas just around the corner this is my early gift to you!
Aug 3, 2018 | hair, personal branding, Style
For this months blog, I’m enlisting the help of my good friend, Julie Butterworth (lovingly known as Mrs B) of SOS (Simply Organised Spaces) to take us on a journey of what going grey can do for you when you embrace it head on! Julie did not start life with white hot hair, she was actually more of a medium warm brunette with a warm skin tone to boot and enjoyed her 30’s choosing clothing shades to compliment these two attributes such as oranges and lime greens. Fast forward a good few years and Julie was tired of the endless upkeep that having a medium brown crop meant and the multiple root touch ups that she had to endure. A good hairdresser (in Julie’s case it was Shaunna at Evolve in Edenfield) worked through the transition process of dark to light or as Shaunna refers to it, “Colorado to Natural White”, perfectly.
So lets begin on New Years Eve with the original picture, top left, Julie hated the way her hair was making her feel and didn’t like the amount of make-up that she was needing to use in order to feel “human”. It was at this moment that Julie took the brave step to stop dying her hair as part of her New Years resolution.
A good hairdresser will support you through each stage of the process and Shaunna did just that, agreeing to let the underneath layers grow out for 3 months (it’s worth mentioning at this point that Julie has fast growing hair) whilst topping up colour on the top layers and roots. The second picture demonstrates 4 hours at the hairdressers of which non of the “grow out” hair was coloured. This was followed up every 4 weeks where Julie had a conditioning bleach strip for a few minutes at a time which kept removing colour but which kept the hair conditioned. The final result came just 9 months after Julie started the process and she maintains this look with regular stylish cuts and White Hot Hair products.
With the alteration in Julie’s hair tone from that of a warm hue to that of a cool hue she realised that some of her most favourite shades in her wardrobe were no longer making her look and feel fantastic. Following a colour consultation and make-up prescription, Julie discovered her most flattering colours to match her shiny new locks.
So, is going grey something to be feared or avoided? If you ask me, Julie looks 10 years younger as a Silver Siren, so what are you waiting for?
Mar 21, 2018 | personal branding, Uncategorised
Can you think back to a moment in your life when you were feeling at your very best? The planets had somehow collided and your hair, make-up and outfit choices all felt right? You were feeling confident right? How did that make you feel? What effect did that have on your posture and body language? How decisive were you at that time? What connections did you make? Were you proud to be you? Whether this memory is just a one off, a few moments in time or how you feel most of the time, it is not a coincidence that our self-esteem and confidence levels are directly affected by the image that we choose to represent ourselves with. With 50% of individuals suffering from self-esteem issues (this is set to rise with the pressures of modern day living and the instant comparisons that we can make on-line) wouldn’t it be nice if we could flip this around and teach people the power of personal branding and just what this can do for inner confidence.
Not to bore you with statistics, but I was shocked to learn that 54% of women rarely feel proud of their appearance and 56% of men are often upset by their looks. The positive thing about these numbers is that they can be improved.
Coco Chanel once said “The badly dressed woman will be remembered for her clothes, the well dressed woman will be remembered for the woman”
What you wear is key to inner confidence. First impressions happen every time you walk in to a new situation where you don’t know everyone in that room. It could be the school playground, a new office, a christening, a wedding, arriving at university for the first time, going to a job interview or starting a new class or activity. Would it surprise you to learn that first impressions are formed within that first 20 seconds of meeting someone and with only 7% accounting for what you actually say, the rest comes down to your appearance, your tone, your mannerisms and your overall body language.
This is why shows like “Take Me Out” are so successful with their “No Likey No Light” tag lines. It is built around a first impression model and they have a surprising success rate for dates that end with a kiss. Think about the similar principle of speed dating or speed networking, essentially we are using the same first impression principle to attract or repel future connections.
So, what is your personal branding saying about you? What 3 words would others choose to describe you? More importantly are you happy with those assessments and do they fit with how you want to be seen and remembered? How you look on the outside reflects how you feel on the inside. This in-turn affects your attitude to new situations, your decision making and what plans you choose to make.
“True elegance and style comes from being confident and feeling comfortable in your own skin” Tory Burch – fashion designer.
So, I ask you this as a final thought, consider what you want people to notice about you in that first 20 seconds and start there. Not every trend is going to work for everyone, nor will they work on every body shape. Determine what works for you, what makes you feel good, empowered, confident, trustworthy, strong (whatever the descriptions you choose for you and your personal branding) and there you have your starting point.
If confidence is holding you back and you’d like to learn more about how you can improve this, then why not consider booking a place on my brand new “Confidence Lab” workshops. Alongside coach Trisha Barker, we will teach you some simple yet effective techniques to kick start your confidence journey.
To book your place simply click on this link: https://www.universe.com/events/the-confidence-lab-tickets-ramsbottom-YT641S
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