The latest from our House of Colour blogger Fiona Ingham
Wise words from Oscar de la Renta:
'Fashion is about dressing according to what's fashionable. Style is more about being yourself'.
Part of a Zoom Personal Style session involves me analysing your Clothing Personality so the clothes truly express who you are. It's a complex process but in a nutshell there are twelve archetypes including Dramatic, Classic, Natural, Gamine (boyish) Ingenue (pretty) and Romantic. Our Clothing Personality is frequently a combination of two. For example mine is Classic Gamine.
Over the years I've become fascinated by the link between clothing personality and our décor choices.
Movie Stylists, production directors and authors, being aware of this, use both clothes and surroundings to project character. Jean Cocteau put it succinctly 'Style is a simple way of saying complicated things' The language of our chosen habitat just like our clothes, can speak loudly about who we are, or wish to be.
Home stylings...
I have a friend who is petite and pretty, a fleet - footed ballroom dancer, suiting lace trim, small scale jewellery, tiny sprig flower prints and Victorian high necks. Guess what? Her neat home has floral curtains with frills tied back by satin bows. We sip tea from vintage cups, eating mini cupcakes. Dainty and pretty, perfectly describe this Ingenue's home!
A Classic's clothes embody structure, quality and tailoring . These elegant clothes mirror smart, minimalist decor. For a casual look a Classic woman might wear a striped Breton tee, neat slacks, loafers and a fine leather belt, medium scale necklace and earrings. The home, immaculate of course, with perhaps a structured white sofa encouraging good posture and in my case a dread of spilling coffee or sullying the glass and chrome coffee table with greasy fingerprints!
The other side of the coin
If that vibe scares you, then maybe you would prefer a visit to a friend who's an outdoorsy, laid back Natural. She embraces Boho, Scandi, 70s, overscale and unstructured, in both clothes and décor. Comfort and natural fibres are paramount. Coffee comes in a chunky pottery mug and her linen sofa is a serviceable dark taupe so any coffee spilling anxiety is eliminated. A dog and newspaper or two are usually spread around.
If you have Romantic in your Clothing Personality you might enjoy art nouveau, baroque, sparkle, luxurious fabrics, sheen, luxury and soft rounded florals in both wardrobe and décor. Romantics can never have too much adornment on themselves or in their surroundings.
Closing words
Has nothing resonated yet? How about an eclectic look, with bright colour splashes, fun retro prints, maybe small spots and stripes. If Gamine is your thing then the buzz words could be quirky, fun and 60s.
Let's end with Drama where both décor and clothes can be totally OTT, ultramodern, high fashion and large scale.
So take a look around you. Your decor might give more clues to your Clothing Personality and your Colour season than your wardrobe does!
Fiona Ingham
Consistent holder of the House of Colour Star Consultant award each year since 1991 plus the new Double and Triple Star Consultant award for 2020. Winner of the Business Development Award and Team Productivity Award and also a 2017 Livewire Innovation and Excellence Award.
Colour Analysis can be a private, Individual session or Duo session where two friends attend together in the Primrose Hill studio.
Personal Style can be an Individual session or a Duo session for two friends in the studio OR an Individual session on Zoom for clients who live further away.
Please email or call for full information.
Fiona.ingham@houseofcolour.co.uk
@fionainghampresentation
07791 507534