There is a lot of social media content in the level up community around curating an elegant and classy appearance. I think most of us know that first impressions count and dressing beautifully improves our mood and self-confidence. But it bothers me a little when the posts all seem to suggest wearing the same thing – usually neutral colours, delicate jewellery and few prints. There doesn’t seem to be much about someone’s style personality. It almost looks like someone has chosen a costume that they deem to be “classy, chic and elegant”. Then, they have passed that look on to someone else, who now thinks that is the way to look elegant. Here is why I have a problem with that.
Levelling up is all about becoming the best version of yourself – working on your weaknesses, improving your strengths, always learning and always growing. It’s not about trying to be someone you are not or a copy of someone else. When I see posts that consistently emphasise neutrals and tiny jewellery, it leaves out those women for whom those items do not match their personality or their natural colouring. Someone who loves jewel tones and a statement necklace feels they are not elegant if they wear them. Consequently, they feel they need to adopt the “costume” instead of being uniquely individual. To me, just as any personality can become refined and elegant, any style personality can too.
What are the Style Personalities?
They vary in name and number but the most common list looks a bit like this:
Feminine
Classic
Dramatic
Natural/Relaxed
Creative
Rebel
Elegant
I personally feel the last one is a bit defunct, certainly for the purposes of this blog post. We are discussing how ALL the style types can be elegant, so from now on, we are going to leave that one off.
Keep in mind that you are likely not just one style personality. You might love all your dresses to flowing florals but your workout gear has to be sleek and slightly edgy. So you might be predominantly feminine with a touch of rebel, just for an example. So what do each of these look like and how can each one elegantly show of their unique personality?
This style personality is all about softness and romance. The Feminine enjoys wearing soft colours – pastels, muted colours and light neutrals. Fabric choices are usually soft in both feel and movement – think silk, soft cotton, cashmere and fluffy knits. Prints are swirly or natural, for example birds, flowers and paisleys. Colours are not highly contrasting. The Feminine doesn’t like their clothes to be too tight or too loose – it has to allow graceful movement. Accessories are never bold and contrasting – shoes and handbags are often in light coloured leather or suede, with round toes and corners. Jewellery is dainty and/or sparkly and she likes to wear bows, tassels and flowers. Even her grooming is soft – flowing hair, soft toned make up and light nails.
This personality finds it relatively easy to look elegant. After all, elegance is about appropriateness, fit, quality and good grooming. The Feminine should be aware of the nature of the event or location she is dressing for. A work environment is not the place for an artificial flower headpiece – flower studs would be a much more appropriate way to wear your flowers to work! Most Feminine personalities like their clothes to fit them well, with ease of movement. But with a love of suede and soft fabrics, maintenance is essential to prevent clothes and shoes looking pilled, dirty or otherwise poor quality.
The Classic personality likes to wear traditional colours – navy, black, camel, white, red, dark green, chocolate and light blue, depending on her personal colouring. Wool, linen, cotton and other natural fibres feature heavily in her wardrobe. Her prints are very traditional, like houndstooth and plaid and she prefers crisp, structured, clean lines to her clothes. The Classic opts for black or brown leather accessories and understated jewellery.
This style personality also makes it fairly easy to look elegant. Most Classics like their clothes to fit well, last well and keep their grooming simple. The Classic can appear stuffy and may need to look at ways to add interest to their outfits with colour, patterns and accessories.
The Dramatic dresses to make an impression. She loves high contrasting colour combinations (think black and red or gold and purple). Or she may dress head to toe in one colour – all to make an impression you will not forget! Patterns are bold and often geometric. Her clothing choices often makes a statement all their own – oversized jackets, padded shoulders, very high heels, obi belts, enormous faux fur coats and voluminous pants. The Dramatic favours jewellery that packs a punch – structural cuffs, bib necklaces, large coloured earrings and oversized sunglasses. Her shoes are brightly coloured, patterned, covered in embroidery, jewels or glitter or a combination of them all! The Dramatic loves boldly coloured hair – red, black or bleached white – with a sharp cut or a dramatic hair style. Her make up is as colourful and bold as her clothing choices.
The Dramatic can be a tricky one to do elegantly, as it is easy to go completely over the top. Special occasions, office wear and family events require balancing to be appropriate. A bold red dress with black heels can give enough drama for a wedding guest outfit, while a chocolate brown suit with a red shirt would still be professional for the office. The eye can only focus on one thing at a time and an outfit full of “hero pieces” can be overwhelming. So instead, the Dramatic needs a focus piece for their outfit to give them the drama their personality craves.
The Relaxed personality has more natural vibes and is all about comfort. Colours are usually peaceful and natural – brown, blue, green, cream, grey, rust. Nothing bright or neon here! Fabrics are generally natural and nothing stiff – washed denim, linen, fleece and cotton. Everything she chooses is designed to allow her to move and be free. Nothing is structured or restrictive – the Natural is certainly not going to be wearing a pair of stilettos. She likes her footwear to be canvas or leather, low or no heels, rounded toes and it must be comfortable first of all.
The Natural often wears no jewellery or pieces inspired by nature – leaves, feathers, natural stones or leather. She prefers a back pack to a clutch any day. Her grooming can best be described as low or no maintenance. She wears little to no make up and her hair is usually short, pulled back out of the way or left to do its own thing.
The Natural/Relaxed style can be accused of neglecting her appearance as unimportant or relegating it to only something to bother with for special occasions. She will need to be careful that her outfit choices are not too casual for her environment and that the fit of her pieces doesn’t overwhelm her. A loose pair of harem pants is better paired with a jersey wrap top than the loose peasant blouse, which would be better balanced by a pair of stretch jeans. Only one item should be a loose fit, while the other should be a slim fit. Fabrics with stretch are great, as they still allow freedom of movement without looking too loose.
Footwear can also be a struggle, as many Naturals dislike heels. Here, a pair of espadrilles can be an awesome saviour, giving a more elevated look while still being extremely comfortable. Boots with a low rubber heel (instead of the stiffer more plastic-like kind) or a flat sole are also great options, if they are kept well-maintained.
Many Naturals also struggle to accessorise or tend to their grooming without begrudging the time it takes. A simple pair of earrings draws attention to the face and a leather or macrame necklace can add interest. Of course, no one should feel they have to wear make up but good grooming is always a must. Relaxed can and should still mean clean and neat. If the Natural finds her hair frustrating, a good hairdresser will be able to suggest a wash and wear style that can look great while still being unfussy.
This one can often be mistaken for Dramatic (by others and themselves!). Unlike the Dramatic, who loves to make an impression, the Creative is simply expressing herself. She likes to have fun with her choices. Rather than trying to be bold, the Creative likes to be quirky. She loves try things in a new way, whether that be new colourways or a new way to wear an item of clothing. One never knows what she might think of next.
Her patterns are often abstract and artistic – a landscape on her t-shirt, random stitch lines on her denim jacket or hand painted canvas shoes. The Creative loves to add her own touch to make sure her outfit is different from everybody else! She loves to upcycle and thrift. She also loves lots of options, so she can choose her outfit depending on how she feels that day. Maybe she wants to dress head to toe in patchwork or wear roses on every accessory. Everything is a little bit different and uniquely her. Her make up and hair follow the same thinking – one day it is left au natural and the next it is every colour of the rainbow.
The Creative can have similar problems as the Dramatic when it comes to dressing elegantly. Fit is not often a problem, but like the Dramatic, there can be too many heroes. The Creative needs to ensure her outfit isn’t too overwhelming for those around her. She needs to balance appropriate with her love of the unique and unusual. An embroidered denim jacket would stand out when paired with simple jeans and t-shirt. A satin dress with a leather jacket or a beautiful pair of cowboy boots would be a creative outfit for a wedding. Try to channel the eye to something you love, instead of wearing so many hero pieces that the eye doesn’t know where to focus.
The Rebel style personality loves to remind everyone that only she decides what she wears. Graphics and black are the order of day. She loves leather – leather jackets, combat boots or a studded leather cuff. The black might be paired with red or purple or even pink, but black is the overwhelming colour. Prints are often skulls, spiderwebs or the pirate skull ‘n’ crossbones. Clothes can be skin tight and plunging or rocker chick. Shoes are pointy, shiny, laced and most usually in her favourite shade – black.
Her accessories are often reminiscent of a hardware store or the pet shop – leather collars, chunky chains and solid metal cuffs. The Rebel loves to add in the unexpected. She might wear a bejewelled skull ring or a metal snake wrapped around her ankle. Her grooming can be anywhere but often favours dark-rimmed eyes and unusually coloured lips, like khaki green or purple. Her hair is often brightly coloured or sculpted.
The Rebel is often accused of being inappropriate for the occasion (or just inappropriate). To elevate her look, she should remember the advice for her Creative and Dramatic cousins – create a hero and draw the eye to that. Tone down the rest and let the rebel shine in the hero. Maybe it is a purple dipped hair style worn with simple jeans and t-shirt. Perhaps it’s a statement snake necklace to wear with a blouse and leather pencil skirt. Dramatic eyes go with a plain lip and vice versa. Too much skin on show does not show class and elegance – one area is plenty. A short skirt is balanced by a high neckline or long sleeves, while a lower cut goes better with a knee length hemline or a pair of pants.
Remember, everyone is a mix and these are just each personality in the extreme! Styles like Preppy and Boho are examples of a combination of personalities. Each personality will look a little different between people, as you add your personal colours and unique expression. Read carefully through the different types. Which types can you see yourself in? How do you struggle to elevate your look? Are there any more tips you would like for your particular mix of personalities? Do you know your style? Click here to find some more tips!
