finding your signature style

bodysuit | similar skirt | earrings (on sale!) | shoes | similar bag | sunnies | cuff bracelet

photos by Laurel Creative

Last Saturday, I had the privilege of teaching a class at the Pinners Conference in Arlington, Texas for a group of around 200 eager-to-learn women. It was my second year being asked to speak at the conference and last year I was at New York Fashion Week during the Arlington show so I traveled to Phoenix, Arizona to teach a class there. Both last year and this year were so much fun- Pinners is an amazing operation that is the ultimate DIY/shopping experience. Basically if you're a fan of Pinterest, the Pinners Conference would have you drooling. It's Pinterest come to life and I always have so much fun seeing the other classes in action, shopping, and meeting new friends. I'm already looking forward to next year!

I promised the class that I'd post information/slides from the presentation on the blog in the next few weeks but since I taught a similar class last year and already posted the information on the blog, I'll just redirect those looking for the information to the following pages:
1. Dressing for Your Shape- found HERE
2. Finding Your Signature Style- found HERE
3. Must-Have Wardrobe Basics- found HERE

For this year's class, I also added a section on finding your color palette and choosing colors that work best for your skin tone. Generally, women with pale skin and dark hair and women with blond hair often do well wearing saturated brights such as violet, royal blue and emerald green. Women with medium-brown to dark-blond hair and warmer, darker skin tones often do better wearing tempered alternatives such as lavender, coral, turquoise and olive green. Some tricks of the trade on how to figure out your undertones:
-Check Your Veins// Push your sleeves up right now and look at the veins on the inside of your wrist.  Are they blue or green? If they look more blue, you likely have cool undertones. If the veins look greenish, you’re warm.
-The Old Jewelry Trick// Think about whether you look better in silver or gold jewelry. Typically, girls with cool undertones look better in silver and platinum metals, and warm-toned women look better in gold.
-Eye and Hair Color//Customarily, cool people have eyes that are blue, gray, or green and have blond, brown, or black hair with blue, silver, violet and ash undertones. Conversely, warm-toned women usually have brown, amber, or hazel eyes with strawberry blond, red, brown, or black hair. Their hair tends to have gold, red, orange, or yellow undertones.
-The Sun’s Effects//When you’re out in the sun, does your skin turn a golden-brown, or does it burn and turn pink first? If you fit into the former category, you’re warm-toned, while cool tones tend to burn (fair-skinned cool girls will simply burn, while medium-skinned cool-toned girls will burn then tan.)
-Identify with a Celeb//A few celebs who have cool undertones: Martha Hunt, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway, Lucy Liu, & Cameron Diaz. A celebs who have warm undertones: Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Alba, Rachel Bilson, Jennifer Aniston, Beyoncé, & Kim Kardashian.

Once you've figured out your skin tone, here are the best colors for you to wear:
Warm-toned girls:
yellows, oranges, browns, yellow-greens, ivories, and warm reds
Cool-toned girls:
blues, greens, pinks, purples, blue-greens, magentas, and true “blue-based” reds


I could speak about this subject all day long but considering I've already covered it on the blog in the posts linked above, I won't bore those of you who've already read my ranting on the topic. Finding your signature style comes down to feeling confident in your clothing, being comfortable in your own skin, and owning what you're wearing. Find pieces that work for your shape and lifestyle regardless of whether or not they're on trend- there's a reason trends come and go. If you find a pair of jeans that you love and fit like a glove (tip: boot cut jeans look good on ALL body types), buy 3 pair! Stock up on pieces that you know you'll wear time and time again, and these should also be your investment pieces. If you're a stay at home mom like myself, it makes more sense to invest in quality jeans, leggings, and sneakers than cocktail dresses. Splurge on those items you live in everyday and try to find the pieces you'll wear less often on sale. Most importantly, stay true to yourself and have FUN! Style is an expression of yourself and when you love what you're wearing, it will positively impact all aspects of your life.

Thank you so much for stopping by! I'm currently multi-tasking in my favorite coffee shop while Bear is in school- it's amazing how much more I can accomplish when my sidekick isn't asking for fruit snacks and Spongebob every 3 seconds. Although secretly I miss him very much during these times and am one of the first people in carpool line come 2:30pm. It's so bittersweet watching him grow and I can't believe come February we'll have another little boy to love!
xo, Britt