Style Your Body Shape

When I started researching for this project what I planned was a a short session where I sat down, filled in a couple blank questionnaires and hey presto! shopping list. With only a little preliminary research I already know that its not going to be that simple.

So … What Is Wardrobe Planning?

For a start the process of wardrobe planning is different from developing your style. Jennifer Skinner, an online wardrobe planning expert describes developing style as …

…all about figuring out what looks best on you. It involves choosing the colors that flatter you the most and the silhouettes that enhance your figure. It covers discovering your style persona and how you want the world to see you. It involves learning how to put outfits together. It also includes deciding what makeup and hairstyle best compliment your whole look.

Developing your style is all about learning and experimentation. Wardrobe planning by comparison is the process of actually putting together your wardrobe so you always have the elements on hand to look fabulous. Using a building analogy developing style is the design stage and wardrobe planning is the actual process of building.

Which all means that if you’re at the stage of planning your wardrobe it’s expected you already know what your personal style is.

What If You Don’t Know Your Personal Style?

The next step after this one is to audit what you already have. After that I will go through some ideas about defining what is your style and how to go about putting it together.

Whatever your style, or lack of it, you need to have clothes and in this current financial climate it’s vitally important to make your money go as far as possible. The way to do that is by making a plan and then sticking to it. Taking the steps to plan, even without knowing your signature style, will give you the edge by having more pieces that work together.

Step One: How Do You Spend Your Time?

Your wardrobe is a tool; one that works with your lifestyle. So … um, what is your lifestyle? Sit down and do an inventory of your ‘usual’ week. How much time do you spend at work? How much time on leisure and entertainment? If it helps make a diagram to show how you spend your time.

Below are some questions to try and get you started.

Family: Are you married, dating, divorced? Do you have children? How old are they?

Location: Do you live in a city, town, quiet beachside resort, the country or the suburbs?

Weather: What is the weather like where you live? Are there long hot summers? Or freezing cold winters? Are the spring and fall (autumn) temperate or cool?

Work Life: How much time do you spend working? What sort of activities does your job entail? Do you need special considerations in your wardrobe like conservative suits or durable clothing? Is there a dress code in your job or a uniform?

Home Life: What is your role in the family? What style of home do you have? What are your regular activities or duties? What do you and your family do as a group?

Social Life: Do you go out often? Where do you go? What do you do? Whom do you do it with? Do you do community work? Do you attend fundraisers or church or the kids football on a regular basis?

Exercise / Sport style: What sort of sport do you play or exercise do you do? Do you need special clothing, such as for tennis or gold or yoga?

Weekend / Holiday / Travel Style: Do you go a way for the weekend? Where do you go and what sort of activities do you undertake.

Try and take a long term view - over the next year. Are you going somewhere on holiday? Are you planning on moving to a more temperate or cooler environment? Will there be major changes in your lifestyle over the next year?

Once you know how much time you spend on various activities in your life, and have identified any unusual events that will require different items then you’re ready for the next step: Wardrobe Planning Step 2: What Do You Already Have?

Good shopping,

LISA

I’ve always had this dream about clothes - specifically a wardrobe full of beautiful, sexy clothes that fit wonderfully and are perfectly me. Possibly this is not much of a surprise since you’re reading this on my blog about style.

That said I have to say I’m not much of a fan of fashion. I read a lot of blogs and look at a lot of clothing websites and frankly it just makes me tired. What I want is to have a wardrobe of classic items that work together so that I’m covered for all occasions. I like to shop, but I’m very budget conscious so I prefer to prioritize my money. What I really want is to have some looks all worked out and then buy the items I need to achieve those looks, always working with my own body shape of course.

Such is the province of wardrobe planning, and it’s twin sister the look book. Since this is something that I really want to do for my own personal wardrobe I may as well write about the process as I go through it.

Stick around and find out how to plan your wardrobe.

LISA

I haven’t posted for a while because I’ve been in two minds as to whether to continue this blog or not.

Recently I’ve been reading lots of different stuff about body image. I struggle constantly with my own body image, and it tends to permeate every part of my life. When I step out of my comfort zone, and try something new and different, I feel uncomfortable, which, hello, the whole point. The problem is that when I’m uncomfortable I’m afraid and when I’m afraid my mind conjures thoughts and memories to try and get me to move away from what makes me uncomfortable. And those thoughts are always about my weight; the many diets I’ve tried and failed, how ugly I feel, how unacceptable and unlovable I think that makes me.

And then I find images that reinforce how ugly I am. I’m an overweight person and in this particular society that’s portrayed as a very bad thing and there are an infinite number of images and comments that reinforce that opinion.

Rethinking My Aim

I started this blog when I began learning how to dress to flatter my shape and I couldn’t believe how much difference it made to the way I felt about myself. I started because I was sick of waiting for nice clothes but it turns out to be one of the steps to overcoming eating disorders - go figure. Suddenly I was feeling sexy and beautiful for the first time in a very long time. Having finally found something I was passionate about I started this blog to share it with the world, hampered somewhat by the process of learning how to blog along the way. Unfortunately in researching this blog I’m soaking in thousands of images every day that reinforce premise only the thin are beautiful, only the thin deserve nice clothes and only the thin are acceptable. The gains toward self acceptance are constantly being undermined by my own reading.

One of the basic ideas of working with your body shape is to create the illusion of an hourglass - that figure being the ‘ideal’ feminine shape. As I learn more about overcoming body image issues I realize I’m selling the same fantasy; lose the excess weight and suddenly be happy and whole. Or, as is the focus of this blog, fake it. I don’t believe that though; being thin is not the root of all happiness. And quite frankly I’m starting to see beauty in shapes other than an hourglass.

Examining My Own Beliefs

But I still keep looking in the mirror and examining my ‘bits’ critically. I look at my beautiful daughter and ignore how wonderful and amazing she is in favor of focusing on her size as if that is the only thing that’s important. I have this ingrained habit of contrasting my body with other women’s bodies, and it always includes a critique of the other women, even if it is my 15 year old daughter. I feel so judgemental and I’m incredibly ashamed of that.

The really confusing thing is that I look in the mirror and I like what I see - well maybe not my thighs - but I’m pretty ok with me and the way I look. Right up until I actually leave the house. Or try something and fail. Then I failed because I’m fat. I’m single because I’m fat. What an excuse - it’s all powerful. The Wall Street crisis has hit because Lisa is fat.

Really it’s just a stick that I use to beat myself with. Because I’ve believed the message that I can change my body shape with diet and exercise and I believed all the other messages that said if I was fat I was ugly and it was my duty to rectify the situation. It’s no wonder I’ve spent so much time confused. On one hand I like the way I look, and on the other I believe the messages that it’s wrong to look this way.

Where Do I Go From Here

I don’t really know where I’m going from here. I know I have more to say, particularly on the twin issues of self esteem and body acceptance, although this is possibly not the right arena. I know I don’t want to keep looking at endless pictures of thin, toned young women in clothes I can never wear.

So … I’ll be making a few changes over the next few weeks. I look forward to finding out what they might be. If you have any suggestions they will be greatly appreciated.

LISA