Style doesn’t need to be complicated.
Last fall, I had a string of clients all in a row who had a similar frustration in their wardrobe. They felt like there was something missing. When pushed further, it turned out they have others in their lives whose styles are just *more*. In contrast, they feel like they’re not measuring up. But when we take these women’s style preferences out of that context and look at them alone, here’s what they are drawn to: clean lines, classic pieces, timeless items, and solid colors. In other words, quintessential French woman or classic American woman style. The style of Katherine Hepburn, or Audrey Hepburn, or Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. Would anyone ever think their style was boring? Only when their style is compared with something else, does it suddenly become not enough. In fact, their style is totally complete and whole as it is, it just happens to be simple and classic. It’s not boring. There is nothing wrong with these women’s styles, it was just that they needed the confidence to look at those other *more* looks and say, “good for her, not for me”.
The more they show up in these classic looks, the more they’re going to leave an impression with people that they’re always classic, never overdone. A lifetime of showing up in simple looks creates a signature style identity that’s elegant, not boring.
I thought I’d talk to one of those clients a bit more about her journey from feeling bored with her style to accepting it as understated and timeless. Check out our conversation here.