Style Stories is a new feature giving you an insight into style lives of real women. It is an opportunity to learn from each other, to be inspired by each other and to celebrate ourselves.
Jane and I met at the end of last year at a networking event where I was giving a short talk about radiance. We agreed to meet for a coffee and I felt like we “clicked” right away.
Jane Beinart is an artist, a career coach and an amazing woman. Her creative side is very powerful. Jane has inspired me to adopt a more playful approach to art and rediscover the joy of creating with colours.
When Jane told me she needed support to bring joy and fun back to her wardrobe and rediscover her unique expression as a woman, I was delighted to help. I visited Jane at her flat in London and we had a great time playing with her wardrobe.
Jane has very kindly agreed for me to share what we discovered during our session. I hope this will not only inspire you to have more fun with your style but that it will also give you practical tips to experience your own style transformation this spring.
Jane, who describes herself as a creative, organised, determined, sometimes self-critical (who isn’t??) woman with a mixed style leaning towards practical and casual with a distinct colourfulness to it, felt a bit stuck at the beginning of a new season. “I feel a lack of pleasure in getting dressed every day and I’m not that excited about my wardrobe or shopping at the moment,” she shared with me.
This is quite common during transition times. As women, we constantly change. So it is not surprising many of us feel like the old “stuff”, be it clothes, colours or pieces of identity, does not fit any more, especially during transition seasons.
“My challenge is balancing fun with practicality, arty style with femininity. I also wish I could show more of who I am with my style, express my creativity. I want to stand out for the right reasons, like wearing bright colours or putting colours together well,” explained Jane. “Also, I want to bring more consistency into my style, while allowing myself to be playful and creative”.
Taking a look at Jane’s colourful wardrobe revealed what was causing some of these challenges. Jane, as a creative person and an artist with an amazing eye for colour combinations, focused on getting lots of “fun” pieces for her wardrobe, while her basics were lower investment pieces she did not feel particularly good about.
I could relate very strongly, being a creative type myself, I am often lured by colour and sensual fabrics.
Why this could be a problem and why this was causing some issues for Jane?
There is nothing wrong, of course, with having lots of colourful pieces you love in your wardrobe. However, do make sure they can be easily matched with at least 3-5 other items you own. Otherwise, you end up owning a collection of beautiful items you struggle to wear. And this really sucks the joy out of your style.
With Jane’s wardrobe, we noticed that even though she loved colour and pattern, she would often go back to her less inspiring basics because it was too much work to style the pieces she liked, either because they were hard to match or they did not fit well.
Lesson 1 in how to have fun with your style:
Invest in good quality basics. This may feel counter-intuitive, because we rarely associate basics with fun. But once you have your foundation in place, which is what basics – your jeans, perfectly fitting pair of trousers and/or skirts in neutral colours, t-shirts and long-sleeved shirts in variety of neutrals, cardigans or blazers – do, you can begin to have fun.
To use an art analogy, it is a bit like having a blank piece of paper with lots of paints in front of you and not knowing where to begin. But once you do a sketch, a skeleton for your drawing, colour and details get easier and so much more fun.
Lesson 2: Make sure you invest in good quality basics because these are the pieces you want to last.
Lesson 3: Fit is everything. Invest time in finding the pieces that fit you perfectly, whether it is that perfect pair of jeans, a new lingerie set or a jacket. As women, we so often feel self-critical of our bodies. Yes, a lot of the times, internal work requires to be done so we can love and accept our bodies. And, very often, these “opportunities to self-criticise” can be avoided if clothes fit well. Well-fitted clothes remove the reason to be self-conscious about your style.
Learning about your shape, what suits you, what feels and looks good is key. And this goes for all your pieces, not only your basics.
So go out, look for that perfect fit and let it be fun. Have an adventure instead of putting pressure on yourself.
Once you have your foundations in place and feel good about yourself, it is time to have fun.
Add colourful accessories, scarves, handbags, shoes, betls, necklaces. Let your personality come though unique details.
Wear a statement piece, a bright coloured jacket, like the one here Jane has, a blouse in a pattern you love, a statement dress.
Take an hour off your busy schedule and try things on just for fun, find new combinations.
Let it be a playful experience.
Style is as much about a mindset as it is about your clothes. So a transformation takes place on both levels. Jane agreed: “I feel I now have permission to buy things that make me feel good and more courage to dress as me. I know what to look for, I have new ideas about how to put things together and I know where to focus my energy to have fun. This is just the beginning though. I am ready to have an adventure.”
Are you having fun with your clothes right now? Are you ready for your own adventure?
Let me know in the comments area below where you are. I would love to hear from you.
Desire a spring style transformation but don’t know where to begin?
If you would like to receive additional support from a style consultant or feel you lack confidence and time to align your style with the new season and the new you, then my Spring Style Transformation Session is for you. These are powerful half day in-person sessions are designed to help you to easily transition into the new season with your style and your mindset and to bring back the joy of dressing as you. Click here to request a free 20 minute consultation to find out if this is right for you.
