During this time of year, it’s normal to think about what we want to experience in our lives, how we wish things were different and what we are hoping will change when the new year arrives. We set intentions, we make promises to ourselves, and often, what we choose is intimately tied to the way we see ourselves and the way we live our day to day lives. But you may not have thought of using style as a resource, or known how you could do it. In today's post we will merge my work as an image consultant and my work as a spiritual director and coach. How to Support Your Intentions for 2021Take a moment to think about this question. Your answer could guide you through this next year. Who are you being called to become as this year transitions to the next? I can’t remember who said it, but someone prominent said that each new and big change we want to make will require a new iteration of who we are. The process I am about to describe is a process I have been using for many years, and for several of those years, I have included style as a resource for empowering those intentions. One mentor who has helped me do this work at an even deeper level is Jacqueline Gates. She is an actress and businesswoman who uses the concept of putting a play together as a way of thinking about how we give wings to our intentions. For example, set design, so that the environment supports and helps to tell the audience the story of who the character is and what her life is like. Costume design and wardrobe choices so that the actress becomes the character she is bringing to life. And body language, mannerisms and more that deepen the actors’ and the audience’s belief in the story being told. So she guides her clients to go through the same process with their own lives. Connect with her, in her Facebook group, The Nest, to learn more about this process. But these 5 steps are a blending of my process, and her ideas and influence, all applied to style... 5 Steps for Supporting Your Intentions with Style(1) Get really clear about who you are intending to become and which story you intend to create and tell in 2021. Then, use these next steps are to help you experience and believe it before it manifests into physical reality. (2) Think about the way this new iteration of you will walk, sit and stand. And what will she be doing in her day? Try to imagine it as vividly as possible. (3) What will this you be wearing? Try to imagine a daily uniform. How does this daily uniform fit the story you intend to create? Is there anything you could add to her look that would tell the story even better? (4) See how many slightly different versions of this daily uniform you can create, until you have the vision of a mini capsule. (5) Go through your closet and identify everything that matches your vision, putting it all together in your closet. Take note of what you still need and add those pieces as you can. Once you have completed these steps, the work is to practice getting dressed as this you that you are becoming, using your daily uniform & capsule as support. You also might choose or find anchor pieces that you can deliberately infuse with the energy of this iteration of you - perhaps by holding them and meditating for a moment - like a piece of jewelry, or a scarf, or a pair of magic slippers. ;) On New Year’s Eve, take everything out of your closet that does not support this iteration of you. What you do with it does not matter nearly as much as getting it out of your closet does. Did you think of anything in your closet that might be a good intention piece for 2021? See you tomorrow! Love, Jeanine
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I worked with Shawna McComber earlier this year, and had a great time doing both her color analysis and style sessions. I identified her as Light dominant, and gave her both the Light color palette and a ten-color personalized color palette of her very best colors. In the video style sessions, I suggested body type style strategies, and we assessed her style personality, which we decided was a blend. She pulled out contenders from her closet and tried them on, and I helped her find what she had in her closet that she could wear. She also talked about a wish list of ideal clothing she would purchase whenever she could. But she was somewhat pessimistic about being able to find the clothes that would work best for her, and was considering settling for second-best choices, instead. I encouraged her to hold out for the best. Since our time together, Shawna was, indeed, able to find quite a few pieces to add to her closet, and now has a great capsule wardrobe. She built it using a denim and navy color palette. We identified one or two tops, a couple of skirts, a blue leather bag, a blue scarf, and a pair of jeans, that she already had in her closet. To that, she has added a new pair of medium-dark jeans, navy blue and French blue v-neck tees, 3 cardigans in navy and tan colors, a navy wool topcoat, a navy knit button-down dress, navy blue loafers, and has similar versions of some of these pieces planned in light camel and grey when she finds them. -2 pairs of jeans -3-4 tops, altogether -3 cardigans -one dress -one topcoat -a new pair of shoes She’s created a wonderful new capsule wardrobe, in both colors and style that are perfect for her. If you were about to create a capsule wardrobe, which colors would you choose? See you next time! Love, Jeanine |
Hi, I'm JeanineAuthor, hygge lifestyle blogger & connoisseur of delight writing about how to create a hygge lifestyle, with hearthcraft, comfy capsule wardrobe tips and cozy home decorating ideas. More here.
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