dressing for presence with style - Laurel Kinney Personal Styling

Style & Presence (my word of the year)

January 13, 2015 Laurel Kinney

Do you have a resolution? I don't. This year I'm keeping a word or a manta in mind as I go about my regluar ole life. A word that keeps me focused and helps me to push along towards my more concrete goals (like keeping an editorial calendar and booking more speaking gigs).

I didn't think long before coming up with PRESENCE as my word for 2016. It's got multiple meanings for me: remaining present in the moment and embodying a confident presence of being, just to name two. Since many of you might find truly showing up and being present as something that's important to you, I thought I'd discuss this concept as it relates to your professional style (where it can really count)!

Presence of Body: Fit

The number one thing that gets you misintrepreted, clothes-wise, is how your clothing fits. If you're swimming in your clothing people might think you're super sloppy and disorganized, or depressed and trying to hide. Too-tight or ultra-revealing clothing will read a tad insecure in most professional settings. Clothes that just straight up don't fit you correctly will cause a lot of pulling, shifting, and messing-with that just makes you look uncomfortable. No matter what kind of presence you want to exude, wearing clothing that fits your body (no matter what kind of body you have) will help you appear more confident, feel better, and will therefore allow you to more clearly focus on the task at hand. So, if you want to show up and look present: wear clothing that really FITS.

Presence in the Moment: Current-cy

Being in the moment is really difficult sometimes. There's always stuff like the phone, the fridge, or the dogs to pull your attention away from whatever you should be focusing on. Does your wardrobe feel out of step with what's going on now too? If you haven't cleared most of your college clothes out of your wardrobe or are still wearing the same kind of pants you've been purchasing since 1994, it might be time to up your presence and get your wardrobe current too. Adding current-cy to your style doesn't mean going out and buying every new trend, but can be as simple as trying a narrower pant leg, or a cool new bag. Freshening up your style will help you align with what's happening now, as well as who you are now, which feels really really good, trust me.

Presence of Character: Style

So now your clothes fit and were purchased within the last decade, but what's the special spice that truly creates presence in an outfit? YOU. Adding a dash of your own signature character trait as expressed through your style is key to creating a memorable impression. Are you outspoken and bold? Try adding that statement necklace or a brightly hued jacket to your look. Kind of dark & edgy? Layer dark colors in contrasting textures. Are you super consistent and detail-oriented? Play around with monochromatic styles. There's nothing better than being present in an outfit that feels like it was made just for YOU...

Flummoxed, but ready to give your style a closer look this year? Let me help you discover the wardrobe that lets you show up. Drop me a line and let's chat!