I met a really good friend for lunch last week and she looked wonderful – even though she is going through a divorce, is trying to buy a house, hates her job and is thoroughly depressed!
Sarah is a Natural Spring (seasonal colour group) and works as a manager for a multi-national company. She needs to be well-presented at all times as she is always in meetings with management from other multi-nationals, but, as a Natural (style personality), hates wearing conventional suits as they are usually made from stiff fabric which makes her feel as though she is in a straitjacket!
When I first diagnosed her seasonal colouring, I immediately recommended to Sarah a bright coral suit that I had seen locally. Both Springs and Winters look good in bright shades but a Winter needs a cool version of the colour and Springs look much better in the warmer one. In the case of pink, for instance, Winters need cerise and Springs should opt for coral.
In her coral outfit, Sarah looked fantastic although it did take a few glasses of wine to convince her that this was how a Spring could wear a suit AND feel comfortable. Since then, she’s gone from strength to strength, always remembering that when choosing clothes for the workplace, the feel of the fabric is just as important as the colour:
- Naturals hate glossy fabrics; Dramatics love them
- Naturals adore the feel of cotton; Dramatics can’t abide the stuff
A softer haircut
So, when we met last week, she was tired and feeling that life was a struggle but still managed to look really good in a cream soft-cotton top and light fawn suede trousers. The coral lipstick added a welcome touch of colour to what would have been an extremely pale face but the icing on the cake was a softer haircut.
Sarah is a typical Natural blonde; she looks fabulous in cut-off denim shorts, skimpy T-shirt, trainers, no socks, brown legs, just a slick of lipstick or lip gloss, and with free-flowing hair. So, when Sarah recently had her hair cut into a sharp, curt bob, it was totally at odds with her innate personality – yet it obviously reflected how she felt about her life at that time! It was so good to see the bob growing out and into freedom again – this was the Sarah I know and love.
“I’m gonna cut that man right outta my life!”
Have you noticed how many women cut their hair when a relationship has broken down? Just watch those who are in the public eye who are going through a divorce or an estrangement. It’s quite amazing how women choose to cut their hair as an obvious physical message to the world that they are reasserting their independence. And some really go for it, don’t they. Talk about “I’m gonna cut that man right outta my life!”
However, unfortunately, some ladies look perfectly dreadful with short hair.
Old? And past it?
I gave a talk on style to a ladies’ group last week and was distressed to see so many older ladies with such severely short haircuts – especially on those with fuller figures. Yes, I know – it’s easier to manage short hair but that shouldn’t be the prerequisite.
Ladies with rounded features generally look much better with some volume of hair around their face. It’s usually those with angular features that can carry a shorter cut well.
It seems to me that many of these older ladies have lost their reason or desire to look good and they, too, are making a statement to the world – that in a deliberate attempt to make themselves look less feminine, they see themselves as no longer being desirable as women. This is a severe indictment of how our society treats older women and it makes my blood boil. Why is it some of us men seem to acquire the status of ‘sophisticated’ as we ‘age gracefully’ while women just ‘go grey’?
You have the power to change the way people think about you
You have the power to change the way people think about you and, more importantly, the way you think about yourself. If you think you are old and past it, then that’s what people will perceive about you and they will treat you accordingly.
So, let’s do something about this ugly state of affairs. Start with your hairstyle. Your hair is your crowning glory and most women feel much more confident when their hair looks good. Choose a style to suit your shape and personality, get a good cut, always keep it clean and well-groomed, and start showing the world that you feel good about yourself.
And don’t be shy about showing yourself off – if you’ve got it, flaunt it!