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How to Dress Your Body…Your Way

Dressed for My Day...My Way
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January 30, 2023

I love shopping for clothes. But that wasn’t always the case. Sure, I liked the idea of “going shopping” with a girlfriend, my mom or my daughter. But more often than not, my initial enthusiasm would eventually spiral downward into what my husband calls “a shopping headache.” (Have you ever had one of those?) It’s not always easy to dress your body! But with this style series, we’re going to fix that.

Dressed for My Day My Way Style Series

Not too long ago this is how most of my shopping ventures would go. I’d head out on a shopping trip full of anticipation and girlish giddiness. I might be looking for a new and unique outfit for a special occasion. And I might even have had money budgeted for my purchase. But as the day wore on, I remember growing more and more frustrated. When I first walked into the fitting room where the sales lady had hung my chosen clothing oh so artfully, I was excited to begin trying on the items.

But it didn’t take long for the shiny to wear off. Pants sizes that normally fit didn’t seem to work that day. And even when the clothes did “fit,” they didn’t seem to do anything for me. They even looked prettier on the hangers than they did on my body. Ugh!

Shopping

Do you ever get frustrated while shopping and trying on clothes? Does it seem like the fashions in the catalogs and on the mannequins don’t work on you the way they do on others?

This post is the first in a series I’m calling Dressed for My Day…My Way. (Bonus: Handy printables are available for the series in the Printable Library. But only email subscribers have access! Subscribe to my daily or weekly email here. When you subscribe you’ll also have access to all my other printables, including my e-book, It’s Your Day…Style It Your Way!)

Learning to Dress for Your Day…Your Way

Some say that style is all art. Others say that dressing your body is not art at all, but purely science and math. I prefer to think that getting dressed in a way that flatters your body and tells your story is equal parts science, math, art and passion. The problems arise when we lack a clear understanding of how any of those factors contribute to our overall appearance.

Look classy in colored pants this winter

So I’d like to help you consider each of these factors and discover how you can understand the science, do the math, create the art and then wear it with passion. In this series we’ll slowly but surely learn how to factor in:

  • body shape
  • body proportions
  • body variations
  • coloring
  • personality
  • & lifestyle

so that you can dress your body for your day…your way!

To get us started, here’s what you can expect to learn about each of these contributing factors that make up your personal style.

How to Dress Your Body Shape

In the past I made the mistake of thinking that if I just learned my body shape (which was confusing enough in itself!) then I would be able to dress myself in a way that consistently flattered my unique body. But it turns out, body shape is only part of the equation. Body shape doesn’t tell you what colors look best on you, how long the hem of your skirt should be, what shoe styles look best on you or what accessories you should gravitate to. Knowing your body shape alone will not equip you to have a successful shopping trip.

Discover Your body shape

Understanding your body shape, however, does equip you to use lines and details in your clothing to balance your body. You’ll learn how to use vertical lines to elongate or slim, how to use horizontal lines to broaden or balance, how to use diagonal lines to move the eyes to other areas and how to use curvy lines to create the female form or add volume. You’ll also discover that where you add details, you also add volume and focus. Learning your body shape is an important first step.

How to Dress Your Body Proportions

While understanding your body shape is all about geometry, determining your body proportions will require you understand the science of aesthetics and do a little math. You see, body proportions is all about how you stack up!

Our bodies are basically divided into 8 portions. You’ll discover what those 8 portions are and how their measurements affect your overall appearance.

But on few to none of us are those 8 portions exactly even. In fact, most of us have either:

  • a long upper body and shorter legs
  • a short upper body and longer legs
  • or equal body and legs with shorter mid sections

As we go through the series you will learn how to measure your portions (it’s not even necessary to have a tape measure!!!) and how to then dress your body so that it appears more aesthetically proportional. Hint: It’s not a 50/50 split!

How to Dress Your Body Variations

Did you know that you can figure out both your body shape and body proportions and still not know what swimsuit to wear, how to wear your jewelry or which shoes to put on your feet? That’s because neither of those mathematical equations will address your unique body variations.

How to Dress Your Unique Body Variations

Body variations include your unique:

  • hand size
  • upper arm size
  • derriere size or shape
  • bust size
  • ankle size
  • foot shape
  • and more!

These are the areas that you either want to draw attention to or not, depending on…well…the size or shape! But they have nothing to do with your body shape or proportions. So we’ll have to learn how to address these separately.

How to Dress for Your Coloring

Most of us gals know that our coloring plays a role in selecting clothes that flatter us. But when we discover exactly how this works, it becomes easier to gravitate toward shades that flatter and steer clear of colors and tones that don’t. In fact, you’ll learn how your skin color and undertones, your hair and your eyes contribute to this part of the styling equation.

Floral Midi Dress

Style Rules –> Fashion Freedom

The four parts of the equation that I’ve mentioned so far could be categorized as the “rules.” Now, I know some of you gals don’t like rules. You want to color outside the lines and be who you want to be. I hear you. But hang with me here.

When we learn the science and math behind the rules of body shape, body proportion, body variation and coloring, we can make wiser choices about the clothes and accessories we chose and how we wear them. Those wise choices then set us up with the ability to just have fun in two other parts of the equation.

Discover Your Unique Coloring

Look at it this way. If you’re very experienced in the kitchen you know that cooking allows for a lot of liberty, but baking requires precise measuring and following a recipe. If I want to create a moist, delicious and structured (not flat!) cake, I’ll need to choose my ingredients wisely, measure them carefully, mix them properly and bake them at the right temperature. I’ve got to follow the rules or…no cake! But if I do follow the rules or the recipe I can then play around with a few things. I can substitute almond flavoring for vanilla if I’d like. Or I can add blueberries or lemon peel or nuts or chocolate chips. And I can ice the cake with a cooked caramel icing, a whipped buttercream frosting, a chocolate ganache or just a dusting of powdered sugar. Some things really are just up to me!

How to Dress for Your Personality

When we dress for our personality we consider our preferences (what do you like?) and our priorities (what do you value). We’ll really break that down later in this series. Personality is an important factor in determining your personal style so that you can dress for your day…your way.

Linen Pants

How to Dress for Your Lifestyle

Truthfully, I think one of the biggest fashion mistakes I’ve made in the past is starting with this component. I was so determined to dress for my lifestyle – whether it be college student, working gal, stay-at-home mom or work-from-home woman – that I forfeited the style I could have had if I’d paid attention to the previous components.

Linen Dress for a Hot and Humid Day

Considering lifestyle is oh so important. There’s no point in wearing clothes that don’t “work” for you. But considering lifestyle when we make our styling choices needs to follow on the heels of determining and observing the five aforementioned factors. We’ll really break down how lifestyle factors into your personal style after you’ve become very familiar with wisely choosing clothes that fit and flatter your body.

Look for more Installments in this Series

This post is really just an introduction to this series. The real work starts in the next post. And there is work involved.

To really benefit from this “course” you’ll probably want to keep some notes, jot down measurements and such. Ultimately, you’ll want to build your own personalized style guide based on your findings. These are the personalized guidelines that will help you walk into a clothing store with confidence and enthusiasm…and leave, not with a shopping headache, but with fashions that fit you and make you look fabulous.

So I’ve provided worksheets for my subscribers. You’ll find the worksheets for the entire Dressed for My Day…My Way series in the Printable Library. Use the code located at the bottom of all daily and weekly emails I send. It does work; enter it carefully, just as it is typed.

Not an Email Subscriber? SUBSCRIBE HERE.


Proceed to the next blog post in the Dressed for My Day…My Way! style series HERE.

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Blessed for My Day

As you might have begun to reflect today on your body shape, proportions, coloring and such, may you remember that ultimately you are an amazing work of art! The Creator has designed you wonderfully and intricately. He has taken time with you, and He is enamored with your beauty…inside and out. He knows ever part of you, even the inner workings of your mind and heart. He has made no mistakes concerning you. Instead, He creatively designed you to make specific contributions, generate personalized ideas, feel all those amazing and sometimes overwhelming feelings and strive to accomplish goals and dreams that are also unique to you. Ultimately, He shows us all a little more of His own character in you…and you alone. You are beautiful and you matter deeply. Be blessed in that truth today.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. ~ Psalm 139:13-14

xoxo, Kay
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15 thoughts on “How to Dress Your Body…Your Way

  1. Thanks so much for doing this series! I have never really known any rules and shopping for clothes has always been hit and miss with a lot of misses. Sure will be nice to be armed with some knowledge! So enjoy your blog 🙂

  2. Thanks so much for doing this series! I have never really know any rules, and shopping has always been hit and miss with a lot of misses. It will be really nice to be armed with some knowledge!

  3. Thanks so much for doing this series! I have never really known any rules, and shopping has always been hit and miss with a lot of misses. It will be really nice to be armed with some knowledge!

  4. Thanks so much Kay. I’m so excited about this course. Can’t wait to find out how to dress this body after all these years. Love your posts and the scriptures at the end. They always brighten my day. Sharon

  5. Thank you so much Kay. It is so confusing to try to figure out what does or doesn’t look good on you and the reasons why. I am really looking forward to the help you’re going to give us in that area of our lives. I love your dressedformyday.com blog and KayHarms.com

  6. I need this, thanks so much Kay! My body has changed so much in the last few years that I don’t know it anymore. Aging is wreaking havoc on my body. ?

  7. This is a very exciting series, Kay. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us this summer. Great “Blessed for my Day” component today.

  8. Heyy I subscribed you today. I am interested in the worksheets of this series. Can you please provide the previous ones also ?

    1. Hi Sherry. Thanks so much for subscribing. You should receive a welcome email. It has the password and link to all the subscriber freebies. Also you’ll see the password and link in every email you receive from me. Enjoy!

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