Beauty...
Be your own
kind of beautiful
Be your own
kind of beautiful
By Mollysims.com
Have you ever heard of The Wrong Shoe Theory? What about The Three Word Method? Today’s guest knows a thing or two about fashion theories, in fact she is the inventor of both of these theories. Allison Bornstein is a celebrity stylist, wardrobe consultant and what she likes to call herself, “closet therapist.” After spending years working with the top stylists in New York City, Allison realized her true passion fell in helping women curate and cultivate their everyday wardrobe. Whether you’re in a style rut, curious what fashion trends will be hot this summer, or want the inside scoop on where to find designer pieces at the best prices, this episode is for you!
“In working with clients, I realized that a lot of people were styling things to look very straightforward. For example, when wearing an all white look, people would think to wear nude shoes or something light. Or when wearing a dress, pairing a pretty shoe to go with it. That works, obviously, and that looks great, but it can get boring and it can sort of make looks feel a little bit basic. I think that a very easy way to sort of switch it up is to pick a not-your first instinct shoe. For example, and this is an easy one, pair a sneaker with a dress. That’s a look that we can all wrap our heads around. It looks great and it’s a nice way to make a dress feel casual. It doesn’t have to be a crazy shoe or an ugly shoe or an intentionally like super wacky shoe, but it’s a tool to force yourself to go beyond that first instinct and to add a little bit of interest to your look. What people love about summer dresses is you put it on one and done, but it can get really boring. I think Summer is especially an ideal time for the wrong shoe theory.”
“Shopping for denim can be very vulnerable, it’s tough. I always say, try on multiple sizes. Try on the size you think you are, then try on the size smaller and the size bigger. A large issue with jeans is that we either don’t know what size we are ,or we think we do, but really, it varies throughout brands, and also within one brand’s various styles. Try different styles on. It’s some times something you didn’t expect to look great on you that ends up looking the best. Also, if something isn’t working, for example, if you try on baggy jeans and really want them to work but they just don’t, take an extra second to stand in front of the mirror to ask yourself why they don’t work. Are they too high waisted? Too short? Too long? Is the color weird? What don’t you like about those? Take that extra step to be a little more analytical, and I think you’ll like the result better.”
“The 3 Word Method is something I developed when working with clients to help people define their personal style. First of all, I found that people would say they don’t have personal style or that they don’t have style at all. My thoughts are that obviously they do, because they’re making decisions every day about what to put on. Even if they maybe don’t like what they’ve cultivated, they have it, and they’re making these choices. I believe that there are three adjectives that you can use to describe your style, and I have a little method on how to find each one. So the first one is your realistic word. The way that you find that is by looking at the things that you wear all the time. They’re the regulars, the things that you’re actually wearing again and again, in day to day life. How would you describe that? The second word is your aspirational word and you find that word by looking at your mood boards or by looking at the people whose style you really admire. The third word is the emotional word where you ask yourself how you want to feel in your clothing. Do I want to feel put together? Do I want to feel undone? Do I want to feel comfortable or effortless? The combination of those words is like a recipe. It’s important to remember that your words can change and evolve over time, and they should. As we evolve, our style evolves, too. As of now, my three words are classic, 70s, and elegant.”
