Align Your Dresses With Your Personality

couple in formal clothes drinking champagne

Find Your Perfect Dinner Dress

[Posted on Leaderonomics.com on an earlier date]
[Updated: 8 January 2015]

The perfect attire for extravagant business functions

Have you ever had the experience of wearing something that fits you physically, whereby your friends say you look lovely, but when you look into the mirror, you find yourself saying, “This is so not me.”?

In a nutshell, not everything that suits your physical proportions is a great choice of garment.

Think of the way you like to dress now, and think back to the way you dressed up 10 or 20 years ago. You will realise that your dress sense has changed – you are not the same person as you were then.

Our tastes are constantly evolving and, over time, the type of clothes we choose to wear and the way we choose to wear them also changes.

As image consultants, we noticed that the majority of women tend to focus on work attire. The minute it comes to attending company cocktail parties, clients’ weddings or one-off industry events where one has to pick a suitable dress, suddenly everything becomes impossible.

Even if an outfit suits their body shapes, the common remark would still be:

“It’s a special night, so I need to pick something that is ‘me’, suits my personality and is appropriate.”

Together with my colleague, Shawn Wong, who has experience making customised dresses for ladies, we will be imparting some great tips on how to pick your dresses according to your personality, and make things simple for you.

When assessing your dress preferences, you will likely find yourself between at least two dressing styles – a dominant style and a secondary style. It is the blending of our personality traits that makes us so unique.

There are seven recognisable categories: classic, feminine, dramatic, elegant, natural, creative and sensual. For the purpose on how to pick your dresses, we will focus on the first four styles.

Classic

According to Wong, the classic personality is timeless and evergreen. It is a style which suits the personality impeccably, rather than the style which is in trend for the season.

Classic women love their apparel to be understated and believe in the concept of simplicity. Less fabric, less texture and less fuss are keywords for these ladies.

These women tend to be steadfast, conservative and business-like. They like to be well groomed and tastefully attired; neither too casual nor too dressy, and always appropriate. Think Kate Middleton during her royal outings.

If you are someone who is of classic personality, then pick something which looks tailored and timeless.

Image by Pedro Miranda on Unsplash

Feminine

Classic women are the epitome of womanhood. They are warm, sensitive and caring, whose presence has the ability to calm and inspire others.

Asked how Wong picks clothes for the feminine woman, she said: “The dresses they enjoy the most are those that are soft to the touch, light weight, have pretty colours, are of soft tailoring, and have matching accessories. Everything must have elements of romance and dreams. Dark dusty shades are not their cup of tea. Instead, they adore pinkish hues and soft spring and summer palettes.”

If you are someone who loves frills, ruffles, lace and petals then, for your overall look, then check this out

Image by Debby Ledet on Unsplash

Dramatic

Dramatic women like to be the centre of attention. They enjoy clothes that make a bold statement, and tell the world they are confident and in charge. Dramatic women are often fashion conscious and willing to sacrifice comfort for style. Only in a blue moon will dramatic women suffer frills, bows, fluff or anything viewed as being pretty.

When selecting dresses for a dramatic woman, Wong says:

“Pick something that is of high contrast colours or asymmetrical designs.”

Women with such personality ooze confidence and want to flaunt their individuality. They appreciate over-scaled accessories that say, ‘Look at me!’

Here’s what you should have for a dress.

Image by Johnathan Kaufman on Unsplash

Elegant

Refined and sophisticated (think Audrey Hepburn) are words that best describe this personality style. The elegant woman is confident, calm and unyielding.

She enjoys high quality clothes and is prepared to ensure good fit and superior workmanship. While minimal in quantity, her favoured accessories tend to be investment pieces.

If you are looking into creating an elegant look with your dresses, see below.

Image by Cassandra Hamer on Unsplash

Conclusion

We hope this gives you a little guidance and leads you to find that special dress that says, “This is perfectly me!”

Wendy Lee and Shawn Wong are BrandImage consultants who are firm believers that with style, there must be substance. To know how to build your personal branding and would like to engage them for consultative engagement in your organisation, email us at training@leaderonomics.com.