How to Dress Better 101
Resetting our wardrobe, dressing for our body types and our core personalities, and curating a wardrobe we love.
WEEKLY RECAP
Hey It Girls! Hope you had an amazing (ideally long) weekend of rest, relaxation and time spent with loved ones. For me, I spent most of time doing things around the house. I spoke last week about how we are prioritizing getting our primary bedroom together before focusing on other areas of the house, and I am eternally grateful for this decision. Largely because of the great sleep I’ve been getting since our new bed, mattress and bedding arrived. We also got our curtains up and our nightstands (which I scoured the internet for weeks to find) are on their way. Additionally, we finally got all of the upstairs boxes unpacked, set up our guest bed, and organized the garage. Other than house stuff, I got my nails done, did some home decor shopping and we took our dog to an Easter picnic at the park that a friend was hosting. But mainly, I’ve pretty much spent this long weekend in a state of relaxation and indulging in comfort hobbies (aka playing the Sims again, finally). But now that it’s officially April, I’m excited to fully welcome in the Spring and the start of Q2, and what better way to do that than with spring cleaning (and rebuilding) our wardrobe? But first…
WEEKLY R.E.P.O.R.T. CARD
Reading: China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan, the second book in the Crazy Rich Asians series. I’ve finally given up on A Curious Mind by Brian Grazer, while it was interesting to read about his process, I feel like his whole concept of “curiosity” would’ve been better suited for a short & sweet podcast episode or YouTube video. Not an entire book where every single chapter feels repetitive. There’s nothing worse than reading a book you find boring because it literally sucks the desire to read right out of you, which is why I’ve chosen China Rich Girlfriend to be my April book of the month. I need something fun, light and scandalous and I know China Rich Girlfriend will give me that.
Eating: snack plates. Back when I worked in office (pre-Covid times) I was known for making me a good little office snack plate filled with cheese, crackers, fruit etc. Lately, even though I work from home now, I’ve picked that habit back up again and have been enjoying picking up items for my snack plates at the grocery store. I’m a chronic snacker, and often prefer snacks over actual meals, so having easily accessible items to throw together on a plate helps keep me satisfied during my long work days. Some of my favorites are turkey sausages, cheese cubes, grapes, low-cal pretzels, pineapple, and dark chocolate.
Pinning: um… maternity photoshoot inspo? Lol, no I’m not pregnant, I just like to plan my life years in advance 😅 Also, fashion inspo, duh, which we’ll get into below.
Obsessing: over my pink colorblock nails. I went into the nail salon with my brain saying “sage green” but my heart was like “hot pink! bubblegum pink!” so I gave my heart what she wanted. Maybe next time, brain. Also, my curtains that I picked out throughout the whole house are *chef’s kiss*.
Recommending: the Shark Pet Cordless Pro Vacuum. Yes, your girl finally laid that old, rip-the-cord-out-the-outlet, vacuum to rest and went cordless and, baby, I’m never going back! I love how sleek and powerful this new vacuum is. It being skinny and cordless, makes it so easy to get around the house and I’ve actually been enjoying vacuuming with it. It also breaks down into a smaller, handheld, vacuum and comes with different attachments to fit your needs.
Treating: my dog to a new dog bed and toy bin (both from HomeGoods) that actually matches the aesthetic I’m curating for the house… so maybe it’s more of a treat for me? Lol.
Okay, let’s get into this week’s topic: How to dress better for 2024 and beyond…
RESETTING YOUR WARDROBE
The first step to resetting your wardrobe should come as no surprise, and that’s to declutter your closet. Or, in this case, Spring clean your wardrobe. Now some of you may have already done this back in March when Spring officially kicked off but, if you haven’t, now is the time! Do a thorough assessment of your closet, try things on and toss out (or donate) anything that you don’t love, anything that feels unflattering, anything that is damaged, anything that feels outdated (to you) and anything that doesn’t fit you by a narrow margin. I specify “narrow margin” because I think it’s acceptable to keep clothes you love that you may only need to have tailored or that will easily fit you again once you lose/gain 10 lbs (depending on your goal). That being said, I don’t think it’s fully acceptable to keep clothes in your closet that you need to gain/lose 20-40 lbs in order to fit again. Toss them now and then, if/when you do accomplish your goal, treat yourself to a new pair.
Important reminder: make cleaning out your closet fun! Depending on where you’re at in your wellness journey and your current thoughts on your body or your finances, cleaning out your closet can fill depressing. But try not to let it. Turn on some music or a good podcast, pour you a fun beverage (I recommend non-alcoholic for this process but the choice is yours), and fantasize about all the new clothes you’re making space for in your closet!
Once your closet is all cleaned up and only the items you absolutely love are left, you’re ready for the next step…
DRESSING FOR YOUR BODY TYPE
When it comes to fashion and style, there is a lot of different advice out there but I think the most sage advice of them all is to dress for your body type. Now, what does this mean? It means being intentional in the curation of your wardrobe by buying items you know look good on your frame and help to accentuate your figure. In my personal opinion, you’re never going to look good in your clothes if you’re not buying the right clothes for your body. And trust me, all of your favorite celebrities and style icons and influencers are 100% following this step — it’s one of the reason why we’re always fawning over their wardrobes and saving their outfits on Pinterest.
So, how can you dress for your body type? First, you need to determine what your body type is. Now, I think most people are familiar with the common terminology used to describe the different female body types: Rectangle, Pear, Inverted Triangle, Hourglass, and Apple. If you’re an Hourglass gal like myself, that means your bust and hips are similar in width while your waist tends to be narrower. If you’re a Rectangle girlie, then that means your shoulders, waist, and hips are all about the same width. I won’t do a full breakdown of all the body types, because there are already so many thorough breakdowns all over the internet so I encourage you to do your own digging to determine which body type feels most like you. There are different style suggestions for the different body types and knowing these will help you greatly on your journey to dressing better. Using myself as an example, with an Hourglass body type it is recommended that I wear clothing that accentuates my waist (like bodycon or ruched dresses) and keeps my neckline balanced (scoop necklines and off-the-shoulder tops). It’s also encouraged that I avoid boxy clothing and low rise jeans.
Knowing which traditional body type you identify with is a great first step but I encourage you to take it a step further and also learn about your Kibbe body type. Kibbe body types, created in the 80s by personal image consultant David Kibbe, are becoming more commonly used. Kibbe created these body types because he felt the traditional body types were too limiting and led to everyone dressing the same. He wanted to encourage women to embrace their natural characteristics and differences and strive for balance in their wardrobe via an understanding of Yin and Yang. There are 13 different Kibbe body types and you can take the quiz here to determine which one best represents you. For me, personally, I identify as a Soft Dramatic body type which means I am over 5ft 5in tall, and fleshier in my bust and hips with a more moderately sized waist (what we typically call “curvy”). Soft Dramatic body types are “defined by sharp yang with a pronounced yin undercurrent and is the overall combination of a bold, exotic physicality combined with a powerful sensual essence” (quote: theconceptwardrobe.com). It is recommended that I wear long lightweight and draping fabrics that emphasize my waist and avoid heavy weight fabrics or prints like stripes that can make me look longer. I highly encourage you to learn more about your kibbe body type as I think it helps lead to a greater understanding of not only your body type but your personal essence as well.
Once you know your body type, the fun can begin: create a Pinterest board for outfit inspo that corresponds to your body type. You can even look for inspo from celebrities or influencers whose style you admire and whom also identify as the same body type as you. For example, some celebrities that identifty with the soft dramatic and/or hourglass body types would be: Sofia Vergara (hourglass & soft dramatic), Tracee Ellis Ross (soft dramatic), and Kim Kardashian (hourglass).
DRESSING FOR YOUR SEASON
And no, I don’t mean the season of the year (but you should be doing that too), I’m referring to your personal color season. I’m sure you’ve all heard of the color analysis, especially if you’re on TikTok heavy like me, and how everyone is using it to detemrine which colors look best on them. I first did this a few years ago (virtually, but want to get it done in person too just to double check) and it’s a game changer as far as figuring out which colors really make you pop and which ones make you fizzle. Your color anaylsis is done by assessing the color of your skin (hue and undertone), your hair and your eyes, and determining which of the 12-ish color seasons you best fit into. There are a multitude of different ways you can determine your color season: virtually using a quiz or even using a TikTok filter or ChatGPT (look up how-to!) or by going in person to an expert to help you determine. Here’s a link to a free quiz you can take (note: I’ve never taken this specific quiz, I actually paid for a more thorough assessment years ago). Now personally, I really want to go to an expert to help me figure out my correct color season because sometimes the online quizzes aren’t the most accurate. For the longest time, I’ve always been told through the quizzes that I was a Dark (or Deep) Winter but when I tried the new ChatGPT method I was told that I was a Deep Autumn. For now, I’ll continue to go with the Dark (or Deep) Winter route because Deep Autumn doesn’t feel right to me. This means that I look best in dark and deeply saturated colors that have a sense of sophistication such as emerald green (my favorite color), burgundy, and ruby red. As someone who loves to wear neutral colors I look good in some of these specific neutrals: black, alabaster, and dark mud brown.
No matter which method you decide to use, having a general understanding of where you fall on the seasonal color spectrum is a must for elevating your personal style and dressing better for 2024 and beyond.
DRESSING FOR YOUR PERSONALITY
Now, would I be me if I didn’t encourage you to get a little extra? No, I wouldn’t. So, after you determine what looks best for your body type it’s time to dig a little deeper, do some soul searching, and figure out what type of clothing you are naturally drawn to based on your core personality. There are a few different methods you can use here. I, of course, am utilizing them all to curate my wardrobe, but don’t feel pressured to dive deep into all of them.
The first, is determining your style essence. Now style essences are another creation of David Kibbe (and expanded on by John Kitchener) and can tie directly into your Kibbe body type with the use of Yin and Yang to find harmony in your wardrobe. If you’re going to test out any of these methods then I encourage you to use your Kibbe body type and your style essence in tandem with one another. Now, what is a style essence? Rather than focusing on what necklines look best on your body, your style essence refers to your actual style and type of beauty. Your style essence is your vibe! You can determine your style essence using this quiz here.
Each style essence enhances a different type of beauty. If you have a Classic style essence then you typically have even features and your style emphasizes a timeless and elegant image. If you have a Dramatic essence then you typically have angular features and your style emphasizes a bold and powerful image. In my case, I have a Romantic essence which means I have a curvaceous figure and alluring eyes, and my style emphasizes a more sensual and mature image. The Romantic essence girlies love clothing that feels luxurious, feminine and shows off our figures such as satin gowns.
Again, I highly encourage you to determine you style essence along with your Kibbe body type. But if your interested in some of the other methods you can utilize to dress for your personality/vibe, then the next suggestion is to determine your feminine archetype.
An archetype refers to modeled instinctive patterns of behavior that we, as humans, can relate to. In Ayesha K. Faines words, “Public figures who appear larger than life often trigger deep archetypal responses within us, like Mother Teresa; the selfless, archetypal mother and Martin Luther King; the archetypal male Messiah. […] The presence of these archetypes in our psyches, to varying degrees, accounts for the major personality difference among women– they are the quiet forces that shape the arc of our lives.” To put it simply, your feminine archetype refers to the way you uniquely identify with and express your feminine energy.
Our understanding of the 7 feminine archetypes was curated by psychiatrist Jean Shinoda Bolen in the 80s and futher expanded on by Ayesha K. Faines. The 7 feminine archetypes are: The Mother (supporting, nurturing), The Queen (confident, leader), The Mystic (intuitive, balanced), The Maiden (curious, playful), The Sage (rational, wise), The Huntress (courageous, independent), and The Lover (passionate, sensual). Find out which ones you identify with the most here. It’s important to note that you can identify with more than one archetype, in fact, it’s encouraged that you actually take into account the top 2 archetypes you scored the highest in. Also, you’ll notice that the quiz says 13 archetypes instead of 7, that is because Ayesha K. Faines expanded the archetypes to include that blend of your top 2 archetypes and ultimately determine your seduction archetype. It’s all very insightful but, for the purpose of fashion you only need to worry about which of the 7 archetypes you scored highest in.
As a Greek mythology enthuasist, I love that the 7 feminine archetypes are largely based on the Greek goddesses and the archetypes they represent and I’ve found that having an understanding of my feminine archetype has helped me gain a better understanding of my core personality and desires. Now, how does this relate to dressing better? Just like determining your style essence was all about determining your vibe, the same can be applied here. Your feminine archetype speaks to a specific type of style that you embody (or should be). For example, my dominant archetypes are The Mother and The Lover which means that I should gravitate towards bold colors, body conturing materials, luxurious fabrics like silk or lace, elevated basics, and timeless and cozy looks. Some celebrities who fit one or both of these archetypes are Sophia Loren, Nia Long, Sofia Vergara, Megan Fox, Kim Kardashian and Ayesha Curry. Also, the characters of both Miranda (The Lover) and Charlotte (The Mother) from Sex and the City.
Okay, if this isn’t enough for you then I leave you with one more suggestion for how you can dress better for your personality and this is one that should be relatively easy for you to figure out if you don’t already know: determine your venus sign. Yes, we’re talking astrology. Venus is the planet/goddess of love, beauty and aesthetics which means your venus sign should directly align with your personal style. If you’re an astrology girlie like myself then you already know your venus sign but, if you don’t, you can pull your full birth chart here. All you need to know is your date of birth, time of birth and location of birth.
Once you know your venus sign, take some time to do some research on which fashions the astrology experts are saying directly tie into your sign. For example, I’m a Taurus Venus which means I value: stability, loyalty, luxury and beauty. In fashion this means I should be prioritizing emphasizing my curves, sensual fabrics, open-toed shoes, and expensive perfumes and bags. If you’re a Virgo Venus that means you value: organization, careful curation, balance, and practicality. In fashion, this means you should be prioritizing classic and simple looks, crisp white linens, structured bags, denim jeans, and neutral colors. There are a lot of different guidelines out there but I personally like the simple and easy breakdown done by Ashlina Kaposta here.
NEXT STEPS
Okay, that’s all It Girls! A full breakdown of all the methods I’m personally using (and highly encouraging you to use) to help me curate a wardrobe I love and dress better for 2024 and beyond. I love that all of these methods have helped me gain a better understanding of my body, my beauty and who I am at my core. I know this may all seem like a lot but I promise you all of these methods are far more aligned than they may seem at first glance (and, reminder, you don’t have to do them all). For example, I noticed in all of my results amongst the different assessments I kept being told similar things: accentuate my figure via bodycon clothing, elevated fabrics like silk, bold and saturated colors, embrace my sensuality etc. If you choose to dig into all, or multiple, of these methods than I encourage you to find those similarities amongst your results and use those to anchor you on your journey to better your wardrobe.
Reminder that these are all just suggestions on what experts feel would look best on you based on a multitude of factors (body type, skin tone, facial features, personality etc.), but at the end of the day — wear whatever makes you feel like an It Girl! Nobody knows you better than you.
Now, here’s what you do next:
Compile all your newfound knowledge and results somewhere easily accessible.
Curate a Pinterest board full of inspo that fits your personal style (based on your results and core desires).
Look around your newly purged closet and make a list of items you need to go shopping for (I suggest prioritizing your list by season or occasion. For example, it’s Spring so if you’re looking for any Spring or Summer dresses, I would prioritize those over the new Winter jacket etc. Same for if you have any special occasions coming up you need to shop for).
Set your budget and go shopping!
I hope this was all helpful for you! After doing a thorough a purge ahead of our move, I am so excited to start rebuilding my wardrobe.
Until next time, It Girls!
And if you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading! 🖤✨
xoxo,
Bae