What Your Clothes Say About You

Learn How to Speak the Language of Style

Jul 15, 2008 Theresia Whitfield

What image are you trying to project with the clothes you wear? Is it something you want to change? Understanding the psychology of style can make a difference.

Let's face it. Most of us will never walk the red carpet to a Hollywood gala greeted by cheering fans and the flash of paparazzi camera bulbs. While the magazine racks at book and grocery stores display the women who usually do walk the red carpet, the women in those magazines are about as real as the chances of our very own red carpet moment.

The average fashion model is about 5'10", 115 pounds (or less) and a size four (or less). But that doesn't describe the average American woman, who is a size 14, about 5'4" and weighs 164 pounds. With a society that tells us we must look a certain way, reality must meet our style and our checking account balance. Some women cover up their flaws simply because they don't meet the bare minimums of what society expects. But covering up flaws also covers up the genuine woman underneath the fabric.

Your clothes send a message about you. Your style of attire speaks of your economic status, social circle, sophistication level, morality and mood. Right or wrong, clothes often generate judgments about a person. Make sure you know what your clothes are saying about you.

Bradley Bayou, celebrity and award-winning fashion designer and author of The Science of Sexy says that there are four basic body types; the inverted triangle, rectangle, triangle and hourglass. Within those body types, no two are the same. It is for that reason Bayou says it’s important to start with an understanding of your body type and then dress to balance. Other tips to help you project the right image include:

• Consciously choose clothes that make you feel authentic, that say something about your personality before you even say a word.
• Align your clothes with your personal and professional goals. In other words, dress for the job you want, not the job you have.
• Use your clothing as a form of social communication. The clothes you wear can change the professional attention you get, the kind of people you befriend and even the kind of dates you attract.
• Shop your image. Don't simply focus on the style of the moment. Shop at the stores that project the image you want to send.
• Consider conceal and reveal strategies which help you show off your best.
• Find your guaranteed color.

Every woman wants to look and feel beautiful, gorgeous and desired. Expressing that message starts by understanding that not every style is the right style for you.

Source:

• The Science of Sexy, Bradley Bayou

The copyright of the article What Your Clothes Say About You in Women’s Fashion is owned by Theresia Whitfield. Permission to republish What Your Clothes Say About You in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.