House of Colour
Does it matter what you wear? Why I do care… As part of a style consultation one of the questions in the personality quiz we ask is whether you are interested or not interested in clothing/shopping. This might seem an odd question as you must surely be, to be in the room in the first place? Well, not entirely. You may hate clothes shopping, have no desire to wander about shops at all but you still want to look and feel good. It still matters to us, whether that’s because we have a role that means we are under the spotlight and want to look right or because for our own sense of wellbeing we want to feel good in what we wear. I have always cared, always been interested in shopping and clothing and fashion. My parents have always believed in dressing smartly to demonstrate that you care about yourself and the work you do. It’s a sign of appreciation to a host that you have dressed for the occasion, marking the effort that they too have made in their hospitality. Thus clothing is and has been a signifier to others. We may not like that view, not subscribe to it and yet it might be hard for us to iron out the way we judge others internally based on what they’re wearing. We can’t really help ourselves. My driver has always been how clothes made me feel. I have always liked to think that I looked my best, although on many occasions struggled to understand whether that really was the case. I’ve sat uncomfortably in offices, pulled at clothes, left things that I thought were lovely sitting in a wardrobe for ever thinking that one day I would find the perfect occasion to pull them out. I have saved lots of things ‘for best’, which never came, only to realise years later that they were now never going to be used.
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I’ve been to parties feeling incredibly self-conscious and unable to fully enjoy the occasion feeling uncomfortable in my chosen outfit. How I’ve winced at photographs… The money wasted, the time lost, the anxiety created. It’s incredible the effect clothing can have on us, yet when we shop it can all be lost on ‘that’ll do’. We’re overwhelmed, unsure, limited on time and lack clarity as to what is right, then we’re making snap decisions just to get it done. Soon we have a wardrobe of clothes that give us a slight (or even severe) sinking feeling. My own revelation was to understand the why. Why, though I loved the tweed jacket on lots of people it wasn’t ‘doing it’ for me when I put it on. Oh the joy to know that I needn’t worry about it any longer, a classic jacket was never going to work. Of course not. I can walk away, enjoy looking at it on others. There are other things out there for me and they definitely make me feel good, whatever the occasion. I know what will do and what won’t – so could you.
By Jennie Billings, Colour and Style Consultant, House of Colour www.houseofcolour.co.uk/jenniebillings e:jennie.billings@houseofcolour.co.uk 37
