IMAGE - PART 3 - Your Clothing Personality

So what is "clothing personality?"

This is your natural, inborn tendency toward particular types of clothes.  It is based on your genetics and generally determined by your body shape which we have already talked about.  It is interesting that most of us innately know the type clothes that make us feel great about ourselves and those that make us feel "not quite right."

If this is true, then why do we continue making mistakes and never feeling sure about our clothing selections?  One reason may be that we have been influenced over time to accept certain colors and clothing styles that just aren't right for us.

Example:  Your mother or adult female role model may have been a Romantic and thought everyone should wear ruffles and lace and lots of flowers.  Although you may have hated this as a child, you have grown to accept that this is what you are supposed to wear.

Back in the golden years of Hollywood we learned that one's beauty came from individuality.  Each of the famous ones from that era was known for her specific beauty, based on the combination of how her unique physical features were brought out and enhanced her unique personality.

Let me give you some examples of different celebrities who knew and dressed for their own particular clothing personality.

Elizabeth Taylor in the formal from the 1951 To Catch a Thief  that was the most sought after prom dress of the decade.  Now imagine the Sporty Natural Diane Keaton in this billowing bosom-fitting style. Can we say ridiculous?

Can you honestly see the Romantic Elizabeth Taylor in this tailored, rough textured outfit or the sloppy pants and tie that was so fitting for Diane Keaton as Annie Hall?  Never!  She was much too feminine and curvacious to hide behind this much clothing.

Now, imagine Audrey Hepburn as seen here in the dramatic dress from Breakfast At Tiffany's in Marilyn Monroe's white dress as seen below.  What would JFK have thought of that?  You certainly wouldn't see the curves and personality that Marilyn gave it.  In fact, it would have emphasized her boyish shape instead of enhancing it.

What about dressing Marilyn a' la Breakfast at Tiffany's instead of this stunner from The Seven Year Itch?  Laughable?  I think so.  I can't see the audiences drooling over the matronly and heavy set appearance she would have had in that dress.

Now try to picture the Classic Grace Kelly in any of the above outfits.  It just doesn't paint the same picture does it?

Hollywood knew what they were doing when they dressed these classic beauties according to their "specificness" or clothing personality.  It certainly launched careers and clothing trends, didn't it.

Are you beginning to get the idea of why dressing according to your own clothing personality is as important for your appearance as it was for these Hollywood beauties?

If there is anything I want to accomplish with my blog is to help you realize, if you haven't already, that God created you perfectly.  It's true! There's not one thing about your natural physical appearance that isn't absolutely perfect for the totally unique individual you are.  You are God's unique, special design and it just doesn't get any better than that!

Since you can't tamper with perfection, it is so important that you gain the confidence to express that special brand of perfection which is unique only to you.  You may not be a Hollywood star, but never forget that you are a star of the highest quality because you were created in the image and likeness of the Almighty God.

So, what are the different clothing personalities?

There are many different systems that are legitimate and I encourage you to search out some of these.  But because I need to keep things simple, I prefer to just use four types because they seem to cover all the bases and are easy to remember.  Most of us can easily relate to these and they also relate to the body shapes that we have already talked about.

• Classic - the simple but elegant like Grace Kelly
• Sporty Natural - the earthy clothing personality like Diane Keaton
• Dramatic - the entrance making style like Audrey Hepburn
• Romantic - the sexy clothing personality like Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe

Next time we will break each of these down and look at them more closely.  In the meantime, do you dress according to your clothing personality or someone else's?  Good question!!!