Style Challenge Series: What are your biggest wardrobe and style challenges?
Whilst getting ready for an event a few weeks ago, I stood frustrated in front of my own closet screaming in my head, ‘getting dressed should not be this hard!’ or ‘choosing an outfit should not be causing me (additional) stress!’. Have you been here? As an Image Consultant and Personal Stylist, even I have not been spared the occasional moments of closet frustration. While my story behind this is a much longer one, I reminded myself that I am of course not alone, and every one of us may go through seasons in life of a Style Rut or Style Block. Pulling myself together, and opting for my go-to outfit formula (hint, it includes a denim jacket), I eventually left the house feeling confident and put together! But I pondered for a while on how and why I found myself in that position in the first place.
I recounted the many conversations and assessments or feedback forms with my clients over the 10+ years of my work who shared the specifics of their own frustrations. Identifying the challenges and understanding the WHY is the first step in turning my clients’ frustration into ease and their anxiety into confidence. I hope you enjoy ImaGen’s first blog series on Style Challenges and how to overcome them. These are the real life experiences of my clients and even myself! Perhaps you will find a little of yourself in there and gain clarity for your own style journey. I pulled out as many responses I could find under the question, “What are my biggest personal style challenges?” So here goes!
Finding clothes that FIT!
If you’re reading this and shaking your head in agreement, then come on over and join the 98% of my clients who responded with FIT FRUSTRATIONS. Seeing this reigning response was both surprising and not so surprising to me. I have worked with a mix of body types and size ranges, yet the answer was the same across the board. So what then really was the struggle? If the clothing is there; it can go over, up or around your body, why don’t they fit well?
A sad number of my clients (including myself at times) blamed their own bodies for this issue. “My tummy is too large”, “My chest is too big”, “My shoulders are too wide” “My hips don’t lie!” and the list went on!
If fashion is not your wheelhouse, you may be tempted to believe that ALL these clothes are just not meant for you, as opposed to: the world of fashion is formulated to accommodate what may be termed as ‘standard’ or proportioned body types. The majority of ‘us’ do not fit into such a category.
Being around clothes, shopping, feeling, ‘studying’ clothes IS my job. I am very conscious and aware of materials and styles that sit on my body and that of my clients. A struggle with finding clothes that fit well may be a matter of not knowing the plethora of options available out there; or the brand, shape, or fabrication that works best for YOU - not the mannequin, not your girlfriend, and most certainly not that fashion influencer you may be following on social media.
We can delve into a whole other sub-series on size, shape, height and style personality, but that will soon come!
I am fortunate to know many Image Consultants, Personal Stylists, Wardrobe Stylists in the industry, and our biggest joy is working with clients to discover not only THEIR personal style, but building a wardrobe that fits and flatters their whole body. A closet full of clothing pieces that are both functional and exciting for them to wear. It is truly my mission to remove one of the most unnecessary frustrations of our lives; getting dressed.
