Sometimes there is a Zeitgeist at play and a mini Zeitgeist recently has had several people ask me, all in the one week, “What do you wear?”
Although I have never thought of ‘what to wear’ as being my special expertise, over the years I guess you build some ideas and here are mine. Hope it helps!
Get Help!
If I have learnt anything in my old age, it is to GET HELP. I have had advice, mostly from @Nikki Casey and I could not recommend her more highly.
I sometimes find myself in a shop trying on an outfit on and ringing Nikki on Facetime to ask her advice. Of course, I don’t like to hear “Take it off darling”, but that helps in the end and saves you money.
How often do we all see the totally wrong thing that looks brilliant on the blond, blue-eyed 16 year old model in and think, “Oh, that’s brilliant”. My inner voice these days has learnt to say “No” and it also saves Nikki the time and trouble. My style is tailored, with a touch of difference, often in one tone – I’m not clever enough to match!
In addition, after a decade of serious sport as a girl I have huge calf muscles, so I rarely wear dresses, especially ones that finish half way down the shin as this looks like my unrevealed legs grow exponentially fatter as you go up the body, which they actually don’t. Wearing long skirts would be an option. Not. And wearing a mini skirt would work, but that opportunity had a time line and it ran out.
Do you have a particular style that works for you and what are your body issues that guide what you choose?
TV
On TV, I try to wear a matt colour in either electric blue, red/orange or white. Simply I have watched the TV and copy what I see. It’s that easy.
In summary, this means plain clothes with a tailored neck and no patterns. Ok, and funky shoes (if I am live).
Speaking
Of course, you have to think of your own brand and my brand is ‘to be seen and heard’, but I think for all of us it is essential that both of those criteria are satisfied.
Sounds simple, but recently I have been astounded to see people on a big stage wearing black with a black curtain behind them. Not smart. Lighting is not always great and you are actually smaller than you think from the perspective of the audience.
In the past I have always had wings, but I got bored and lately I have swapped them for sparkle. My sparkle supplier is @Sonia Stradiotto
Microevents / Training
Again here, one needs to be seen, but also follow the brand, so it is a matt colour, not too fussy and comfortable.
Decades ago I went to training session and the American expert had shoes with tragically worn heels. It completely undermined their credibility for me. It may not do for you, but it is interesting to note that little things effect people.
Consequently, one of the funny things I do is have two pairs of shoes for any event longer than two hours. One pair has heels and the other doesn’t, but they are same colour and look. Shoes that I live by are Ferragamo, some pairs of which I have had for 20 years and they still look brand new.
Coaching
No one wants sparkle or wings for coaching, so, when I visit clients I try to be smart-casual, which usually means black pants and a nice jacket.
Carla Zampatti has been my go-to brand for this for years, but watch this space.
Jewellery
You don’t get a prize for knowing I love pearls, which I have toned down over the years, but I still love earrings. I find they bring light to the face, so I am sticking with it.
My favourite pair are Dior and they were an accidental buy. I had done a job in Hong Kong and I was super excited with myself and dropped into the duty free shops at the International Airport. I asked for the price of this particular pair and completely miscalculated conversion from Hong Kong dollar. When I got the credit card bill I nearly dropped dead. As they say in the styling world “It’s an investment piece, darling” and I have probably worn them 1000 times, so makes it pretty cost-effective in the end.
Some questions that can help when considering what to wear are:
What message are you sending in your dress?
What energy do you want to emanate?
What connection are you’re trying to build?
Having some intention about how you dress can have real influence on your Gravitas and on the outcome.
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