My thoughts on Kate's Advice: Wardrobe Personality

You may recall Kate's two posts on
Style Analysis for Ruth
and
Style Advice for Ruth

So I'm going to mull over her comments in public here on the blog (hope that's OK Kate).

Kate wrote:-

Wardrobe personality
I have covered the wardrobe personalities here. So let’s start by trying to determine which suits Ruth the best? What do you think?

• Classic
• Dramatic
• Romantic
• Natural
• Gamine

Ruth, having read lots of style books, put herself down as a Natural, with Dramatic qualities.
Now I don’t think Ruth is a Natural. Ruth loves clothes and has a strong commitment to looking her best, although comfort is high on her list of requirements. A true Natural doesn’t really care what they wear and will feel comfortable in hiking gear or jeans and a sloppy sweater. What Ruth definitely is not, is a Romantic – she actively dislikes bows, hearts, frills and flounces. So overall I think Ruth is a fairly conservative and Classic dresser who is looking for some Drama in her wardrobe – she is keen to wear jewellery, hats and colour – but as she notes within a professional environment it needs to be done really well to avoid looking a bit OTT.

So reading through Kate's thoughts there, I would say I do agree generally with what she says here. I am fairly conservative and classic in the clothing shapes that I choose, experimenting with colour, print and accessories but keeping my clothes fairly simple in shape. I do enjoy clothes and whilst comfort is a big factor for me I cannot bear for instance to wear things I think are clashing, and even on casual weekends will choose a tee with black in the print to wear with black casual trousers or brown in a print to wear with brown trousers etc. I become distressed if I have to wear non co-ordinating things due to a laundry problem for example.

I do have the odd heart shaped item, but more in room decor made from raffia or wood and one chunky glass pendant in a stylised heart shape, but I am definitely not a frills, bows and flounces person. The one blouse I have with a tie neck gets tied into a low knot and NEVER in a bow. So I think the Romantic is safely ruled out!

I have tried more Dramatic items a few times, but they are too much, I agree that I want my simple classic shapes but with a dramatic twist. So I am going to look at trying some slightly different silhouettes and interesting bits of drama without being too much, because then I become uncomfortable. So for example the black ponte skirt with 3 angled points in the hem. If I wear it to work I find the points get caught in the car door on the way, then tangle in the wheels of my office chair, before trying to trip me up as I descend the stairs!

I do however love coral, burnt orange, turquoise, seafoam green - rich warm colours particualrly for my tops and chunky jewellery if I am wearing a collarless top, more subtle jewellery within a collared shirt.
Maybe not so much the hats, but I really do love earrrings, necklaces and brooches the most, with stretchy bracelets a little and rings not much at all. I find rings and bracelets get in the way of doing things where earrings, necklaces and brooches do not.

I like matte things more than shiny (hammered pewter over diamante), texture over smooth (I changed the shiny faux silk lampshades on my bedside lamps for ones which look like handmade paper) and in my recent KonMari process got rid of almost everything satin (bar one dull satin blouse) and velvet so I shall be a bit stuck for an evening cover up come any winter dressy events. I do like leather, especially in jackets, coats, bags, boots and shoes, though suede seems impractical I have some boots. I like stripes, checks, paisley, prints shaped like large leaves in particular but cannot stand tiny prints or polka dots. Lace is for lingerie only, unless its a textural chunky corded lace.

I quite like (faux) pearls if something interesting has been done with them (not your basic strand though I did inherit my grandmother's classic 1950s 3 strand I never wear it) and tend to keep my earrings a little smaller due to having a fairly short neck.

I did think a classic would be a person who wears makeup every day and I must admit despite having a drawerful and having phases of wearing a little touch - mostly lipstick - I often forget and go to work in a smart suit and jewellery but no makeup. Maybe something else it would be nice to change slightly.