Have you ever been shopping with a friend and she is drawn to pretty dresses, whilst you make a beeline for the sharp tailored blazers and jeans? That’s your individual style personalities shining through. Your friend loves touchy-feely fabrics with lots of detail, layers and layers of bangles and jewellery, embellished shoes and probably wears pretty, matching underwear. She’s a Romantic! You on the other hand, love understated elegance, well-cut clothes, in neutral shades, with just a small splash of colour now and then. Your wardrobe is small but made up of well thought out basics of blazers, classic shirts, cashmere jumpers, jeans and tailored trousers. If this is you, chances are, you’re a City Chic.
Of course these are just two examples of style personalities; there are six in total. Read on to find out more about this fascinating subject.
The Six Style Personality Profiles
CREATIVE: A Creative will shop in vintage and second hand shops. She doesn’t follow fashion, instead creating her own unique signature look. She isn’t afraid of mixing prints and texture. I rarely see Creatives in my studio as these people want to do their own thing. Paloma Faith, Zandra Rhodes and Helena Bonham Carter are examples of Creative style personalities.
DRAMATIC: A Dramatic loves fashion and enjoys shopping. She buys into many trends and constantly runs out of space in her wardrobe! She isn’t worried about practicality, loves to make an entrance and will often be the one in the highest of heels at a party. Joan Collins, Prue Leith (those bold colours, specs and jewellery are the giveaway!) and Kim Kardashian fit into this category.
ROMANTIC: A Romantic loves pretty clothes; ribbons, frills, texture and embellishment. She spends a long time getting ready and always, always wears perfume! Think Jane Seymour, Nicole Kidman and Carrie Johnson.
NATURAL: A Natural prefers a comfortable, functional and unpretentious style. She really doesn’t get on with restrictive clothes that dig and pinch, preferring soft denim, fleeces and easy-wear cardigans. She is the one that checks the label to ensure the garment can be machine washed before purchasing! Jennifer Anison, Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz are all Naturals off the red carpet.
CITY CHIC: A City Chic follows trends rather than fashion. She buys the best quality that she can afford and invests in stylish basics (a blazer is her go-to jacket). She doesn’t ‘do’ fussy and prefers neutral colours. Her look is chic and effortless. Meghan Markle, Joanna Lumley and Natalie Portman are City Chics.
Is Style Personality Important?
In a word, YES. Style Personality really is important, so much so that when I meet a new client, regardless of the session that she is attending, I take time to understand her style personality before I begin.
For example, someone may come to see me for a Colour Analysis. Let’s suppose she is a Soft dominant colouring type which means that she has a very blended look. Her colours are mainly medium depth which will look best when worn tonally. She also looks wonderful in her neutrals such as charcoal grey, light navy, pewter and taupe, to name but a few. If she has a Natural or City Chic style personality, she’s likely to absolutely love this palette but if she’s an attention-loving Dramatic, these more “low key” colours probably won’t immediately appeal to her. This is where, my knowledage and experience and the flexible tonal system come in to play, because I can show her how to wear her Soft palette in ways that will make her stand out from the crowd.
Likewise, in style consultations, my advice is tailored not only to the client’s shape, scale, proportions but also her style personality so that she understands what clothes and accessories will make her look and, most importantly, feel her very best.