Cindy Newstead, from Style with Cindy, shares her tips on reinventing yourself in 2014.
Reinvention.
The word itself may sound daunting, but the simplest (and most painless) way to reinvent yourself is through the clothes you buy.
In my business as a style director and personal stylist, I use the word reinvention all year round however the New Year is a great time to put a stake into the ground.
Many of my clients come to me for a reinvention when they hit a new age bracket, are perhaps post baby and have lost their style or people on the cusp of a career change looking to dress to impress.
Whoever you might be, I would like you to consider your role in the family, perhaps place yourself at the top of the family tree, just for a mere moment.
Ask yourself: How does the family function when I am flat, miserable and down on the way I look and feel?
This train of thought can also be translated to the workplace or your friendship group.
Every time you dress, you tell your story to the world so imagine if this new years, you chose to “reinvent” your wardrobe in a bid to improve your self esteem and showcase your best self to those around you.
With the help of a personal stylist, the re-invention can begin and instead of wishing you were taller, or perhaps thinner, a professional can help you work with what you have and dress for you foremost. It’s also a lot more fun and effective than a weight loss detox.
So how about welcoming your best self this year and say, “I’m going to put ME first”. So in 2014, you will begin dressing for your body shape, feeling confident in what you wear and actually loving your wardrobe.
Sound good?
Okay, let’s begin the reinvention process. We suggest you make an appointment with a styling professional that might go something like this:
- Wardrobe Detox: This is where you make peace with your wardrobe, you will draw everything out, keep some clothing, part with others and end up with a wardrobe that is 100% wearable. If there is something sentimental you will store it and this “cleanse” will help you rediscover what you already have and make a list of what you’ll need to complete your collection.
- Pre-Consultation: Some of you may tackle the wardrobe detox solo and jump right into a styling consultation. But before your head out shopping, your stylist should have a conversation with you on your requirements. This should go beyond your favourite colours or stores where the stylist will consider your lifestyle, age along with your body shape and size to determine a shopping strategy for you.
- Shopping: This is generally the best part and you’ll be amazed what you can achieve in two hours with a stylist on your arm. This is where you need to brave and jump out of your comfort zone. The stylist will probably take you into new stores, try new looks on you and suggest things you might have never considered. Take the plunge, dress comfortably for the shopping expedition and enjoy the experience – this is all about you.
- Accessories: If this all sounds wonderful but you are worried about budget, start small and accessorise yourself to reinvention. Buying a few key pieces to complement your current wardrobe is a great way to update a look. This could be a belt, costume jewellery, handbag, scarf, or shoes. While we can’t promise that a pair of shoes can change your life (Cinderella is proof to this), you’ll be amazed how they can change an entire outfit.
- Hair and Make Up: Still sporting the same hairdo from the 90’s? Hair and make-up are a great way to reinvent yourself. Just like clothes, hairstyles need to suit your face shape and it’s key to match make-up to your skin colour, too dark or too light is too obvious. Many stylists contract a make-up artist for this part of the reinvention or can refer you to one.
Now, if you are seeking a longer-term solution, I have also recently published a book on style, lifestyle and inner styling titled: “You are more than just your bits”.
This book works as a support guide as you tackle your reinvention and details how understanding your style and dressing to reveal your best self can indeed be life changing. You can check it out here.
So when you are making resolutions, think hard, be honest to yourself and make it a reachable goal.
Embrace change in 2014 and you might be surprised where you end up and how good you look when you arrive.
Cindy x
You can check out Cindy’s website here and Facebook Page here.
