SoSensational is delighted to introduce you to Sue Donnelly, Image Professional, who shares her fashion wisdom and wizardry…
What I’ve Learned!
In my 11 years as an image professional, I’ve made as many mistakes as anyone else in terms of my sartorial choices. I see this as a good thing. Why? Because it means I understand why we buy items that looked great on the website but have morphed into some horror story in front of our mirror. I totally get those times when your deciding mind must have been on a different planet from your body when you made a particular choice – what were you thinking?
Failure is not something to be ashamed of because we can learn from it. It makes us stronger. It makes us wiser. We can laugh about it – in hindsight, at least.
Here is what I’ve learned about buying clothes. Clothes can support your own unique personal style and provide you with a closet that truly works, functions and fulfills all areas of your life.
Buy clothes you’ll wear
These days I dress to suit my lifestyle rather than play to the audience or an occasion. I invest in neutral colours that I can mix and match in interesting ways. Rather than buying statement pieces, I create looks that are attention getting, not due to their complexity or bold design, but by their very simplicity. Mixing proportions or adding a masculine touch, such as a Doc Marten boot, is as suitable for a trip to the supermarket as it is to see a client. It’s also great fun.
Make friends with In-between clothes
These are clothes you can wear pretty much all the time. They should constitute at least 90% of your wardrobe and the same percentage of your shopping budget. It pays to master the art of buying clothes you can wear as soon as they arrive – and that’s also a great indication of how much you love them. Spending more time getting inspired and thinking about what you want to wear, means spending less time and effort getting ready.
Find retailers that LOVE You
If you have innate style, you don’t need a designer logo to let people know; it’s the way you wear your clothes that counts. I have 3 or 4 favourite retailers (yes, that’s all) and I can pretty well count on them to deliver the goods every time. Do I dress like anyone else I know? Emphatically NO. By honing your choices, you also make it quicker and easier to get a wardrobe that really works. But, don’t get complacent; always keep a look-out for something new.
Comfort is key
Comfort is a much maligned word but one with such powerful connotations. A rule of thumb: if it’s not comfortable when you try it on, it will definitely be 20 times worse when you wear it. You cannot look and feel good if you are not comfortable. Check out whether you can walk, sit, move your arms and travel without creasing; check that there is no sagging or bagging; check that it hides any areas of concern (i.e. it flatters your form) and it moves with you before you decide to keep it. Don’t put up with anything less. This particularly applies to footwear. Blistered heels aren’t a great look.
Less is more
Says someone who used to have 5 bedrooms of triple closets stuffed full of clothes. You really do not need that much. Most of us could throw away two-thirds of what we own and still have enough. Clutter is draining – mentally and physically. It may prevent you from moving on with your life, losing weight, getting promotion, finding love, increasing your business or financial prospects. Do not keep clothing that no longer fits – that is no longer fits your lifestyle, your body, your personality or your intentions. Hold onto only those clothes that you love and will wear; those that make you feel like you are ‘at home’. As we mature, we change both internally and physically so our clothing requirements need to keep pace. Get rid of anything that no longer serves you. This equally applies to accessories and cosmetics.
Mix old with new
Mixing old favourites with newer ones is the way to keep them fresh and exciting. The same applies to pairing expensive items with those that cost much less. It’s often too contrived, and not that stylish, to wear a label from head to foot. The uniqueness comes in how you team your garments together to make the look individually yours.
Life evolves. Your style must too.
I love fashion but it’s perfectly OK if you don’t. There is a world of difference between not wanting to be fashionable and looking dated and frumpy. Moving a hemline a few inches either way can add or subtract years from your age. Showcasing your best assets can do the same. Check out your make up and hair. Nothing is more aging than overly dark colored hair and thick powdery makeup.
Of course, you could go the other way and become a slave to the trends. This can be just as aging. Trying too hard to look too young can have the opposite effect.
Look at magazines, see what’s out there and adapt it to your body, your life. Choose a colour, a silhouette, a theme that grabs your intention and go check it out.
You know best
Really – you do. Image consultants, well-meaning friends and colleagues will all wish to help you look your very best but, in the end, the only person that truly knows you is YOU.
How many times have you bought something on the recommendation of someone you trust only to find that it remains, unworn, in the closet? There’s no doubt it is fabulous but if you are not feeling the love, there is a vital energy missing.
Dress from the inside out
It can help to have a style statement, mantra or something that describes the values you hold dear. This will be something that you live your life by. This will govern which rules to keep and which ones can be binned. It will describe what you stand for. Mine is ‘Easily Inspirational’ and it covers my entire life, not just my wardrobe choices. This includes what I eat, where I eat, with whom I mix, my clients, my hobbies, how I work and so on. Your clothing should be an outward expression of who you are; of your values and experiences. We make judgments in milli-seconds about appearance (that dreaded term “first impressions”), so dress in a way that best reflects you, regardless of what others might think.
Stay curious
Even though you may have your own style nailed as you get older, there is nothing wrong with a tweak now and again. It keeps you fresh. A change in a trouser style or hem length, choosing a high waist instead of a lower one can alter the whole look of an outfit and the body within. Curiosity inside and outside of the closet keeps you young, vibrant, interesting and prevents boredom. I’m all over that one!
We love Sue’s advice. What do you think? Do comment below; we’d love to hear from you!
[su_button url=”http://www.suedonnelly.com” target=”blank” background=”#6c20b1″ size=”7″ center=”yes” radius=”0″ icon=”icon: arrow-right”]Read more about Sue Donnelly[/su_button]
Leave A Reply