If you're not aware, a style formula is simply when you follow a way of dressing and putting outfits together.
Think Hillary Clinton who wears a variety of pant suits in different colours or Sheryl Sandberg who typically pairs a pencil skirt or dress with a jacket.
If you’re a professional or executive woman, or a woman with your own business, this is what you need if you want to simplify getting dressed but still want to look stylish.
The other key reason to have a style formula is because you start to create a signature look or style that is consistent. And that means people will start to associate you with a particular look or way of dressing, which supports and strengthens your personal brand and presence.
The great part about a style formula is that it’s repeatable, so you can make decisions about what to wear much faster as well as simplifying your shopping, because you’re only buying items that will work for your formulas.
Your formula might look like an A line skirt, a blouse, heels or flats and at least two accessories that bring the outfit together. This formula is replicable with an infinite amount of different skirts, blouses or accessory combinations.
Or you might have a formula based on a colour combination - let’s say you love to wear and look great wearing black and white. You can create a huge variety of outfits based on that one simplistic formula.
So how you do go about creating your style formula?
For a formula to be successful, it needs to be built around and customised to what works for you - and the key things you must know are:
The colours that flatter you especially if you want to have a formula based around a colour combination
The styles and silhouettes that suit you - is an A line skirt or a pencil skirt better for you in a formula
What you enjoy wearing, so tapping into your personality is also key
Let’s look at a formula for Sandra.
Sandra is a 45 year old who runs her own HR consultancy business and deals with a range of small-medium businesses. She works from home and currently all her meetings are taking place online.
Sandra's style profile is made up of a Bright Winter colour palette, Inverted Triangle body shape and she’s a combination of Classic with a Feminine accent in her style personality.
Based on that, one great formula could be:
A smart casual tapered pant
A smart casual blouse or shirt with a medium to high level of contrast between the two
A flat shoe
A signature accessory
Finally, your formula has to support your goals and the way you want to present yourself to the world.
If we take Sandra's case again, let's say that she wants to be perceived as professional, friendly and knowledgable - so to create that, it’s important that she looks put together, but with garments that aren’t too structured or traditional corporate. There’s some softness and colour to her look that help communicate a friendly open nature.
I recommend that you create and have a couple of these, go-to formulas. It really is the simplest, easiest way to get dressed, go shopping and create a consistent signature look.
If you'd like some expert help to create your signature style formulas, book a call with me and let's chat.