Wardrobe Planning When I Am My "Client"

FULFILL

(1) How would you explain to your client that everything she wears must honor her PRIMARY ESSENCE ARCHETYPE in order for her to feel “at home” in her clothes?

For me, it means honoring my WOOD energy, which means that my wardrobe needs to be unfussy, with nothing that hinders freedom of mental or physical movement, and it also needs to be casual and natural.

(2) How would you encourage her to assess garments by asking herself, “does this honor my _casual__ (ELEMENTAL ARCHETYPE) soul?”

For me, the key words would be CASUAL and COMFORTABLE. Even if the garment has warm, rich color and a general casual style, I need to make sure it is comfortable. 

(3)How would you explain how her INFLUENCING ESSENCE ARCHETYPE (s) tempers her expression of her PRIMARY ESSENCE?

Well, my influencing essences are WATER and EARTH, so that means it is of the utmost importance that anything I wear be very comfortable. But there also needs to be room for creativity & self-expression. There needs to be a bit of flow in the style line or design elements, too, to really feel like me. So lengthy, columnar shapes in comfy fabrics but with a bit of flow and uniqueness.

(4) What are the most important things for her to remember in order to make authentic clothing choices?

Comfortable

Casual

Somewhat Fluid

Find a photo of a garment that would fulfill your virtual client.

FORTIFY

(1) How would you explain how to choose design elements from the Energetic Design Elements for her archetype that represent her INTENTION?

I have a double intention, for health/growth (WOOD) and peace of mind (EARTH), and for me, the best way to add both is columnar shapes, earthtones and the color green.

(2) How would you explain how to adjust it to her ESSENCE?

I would need to make sure they aren't too boxy or structured. They would need to add some fluidity, for WATER. Might also want to choose the darker earthtones, too.

Find a photo that affirms your client’s INTENTION but also honors her ESSENCE.

FLATTER

(1) How would you explain how to find elements that are in visual harmony with her BODY TYPE?

That would be EARTH, so they would need to be boxy in style and substantial weight in fabrics. However, I also have a slightly elongated torso (WOOD), so would need that in my clothing as well.

(2) How would you explain how to find elements that are in visual harmony with her APPEARANCE?

My coloring is mostly EARTH, so yellows, browns, and other earth-toned colors. Dark brown to mirror my hair, amber/topaz for my eye color and light brown for my skin.

Find a photo that honors or mirrors your client’s hair, eye or skin tones and body type.

FUNCTION

How would you explain how to find elements that would be appropriate for her lifestyle?

I have a very casual (WOOD) lifestyle, so would need casual and natural clothing.

Find a photo that honors your client’s lifestyle.

7 Outfits Deconstructed

Because this seems to hide a multitude of sins, this one is my favorite!

I think it is Wood both in structure and in the top's seagreen color. It's comfortable, allows for freedom of movement, and is a casual outfit.

But it also has some flow, so may have some Water-ness, as well.

I am not sure if the top is boxy enough to be considered Earth, too, but the structure reminds of Earth.

And I'm not sure if the bigger buttons are bold enough, but they did make me think of Fire.

I think these colors combine Earth and Water. Brown is a good solid Earth color, but the inner dark brown is a nod to Water's darkness. There is a boxy look to it, which is Earth, too. And the cardigan is textured, so more Earth. The jewelry is chunky: Earth.

I'm wearing pants (Wood columns) and the outfit is both comfortable and casual, which suggests both Wood and Earth. The fabrics are basic knits. And the outfit has versatile pieces, so more Earth and Wood.

The jewelry is slightly oversized and unusual, so has some Water element.

I am not sure the earrings could be considered whimsical, but they do come to a point at the end, and the shirt is a v-neck, and so is the cardigan, so there's some Fire.

Okay, we're starting off with Fire here, with the orange and red-orange colors in the cardigan and pullover top. And the cuff on my arm might be big and bold enough to be considered Fire?

The pants are Wood and the outfit, to me, seems to combine columnar with boxy, so I would say Wood and Earth. The shirt has some texture, so more Earth. And the outfit is both comfortable and casual, is made of knit/cotton fabric, and allows for freedom of movement, so combines Wood and Earth.

Do the round buttons count for Metal?

The top might be fluid enough for Water. But I have to say that that is what I didn't like about it. It's a little too unstructured. It is a slub knit, though, so also Earth.

The scarf here is a big splash of Fire red! My lipstick is red, too.

The green duster seems earthy, so more Earth than Wood, but it is ribbed (Wood), so it really is a combination. And I'm wearing pants, so Wood columns.

Plus, I guess all these pants count as some version of brown? So Earth?

The inner green tank top is a Wood color, but has some Water sheerness, I believe, on the bottom. I'm also wearing a big, bold ring (Water) which seems like an unexpected touch, but in a green animal print (Fire). Maybe the scarf is an unexpected touch, too?

The earrings are rectangles, so Wood energy.

I absolutely love this pullover, although I think it is not NEARLY bright enough for my coloring. I get away with it, but just barely, and usually I do so by wearing red makeup and jewelry.

I think the shirt combines the asymmetry and flowiness of Water, the ribbed texture, casual knit fabric, freedom of movement and woodsy green/brown color of Wood, v-neck styling and some of the other pointed features of Fire, and the texture/brownness of Earth.

The pants are Wood columns.

The jewelry is Fire red.

Of the seven, this outfit might be my least favorite. I think the cardigan and matching tank top, though yellow and boxy like Earth, need to be a little longer.

So that is why I added the animal print scarf, which is brown for Earth, but also a Fire element. The pants are Earth brown and Wood columns. The outfit is casual and comfortable, with freedom of movement, so a Wood outfit, overall.

Except for the scarf, an unexpected Water addition, because it adds some uniqueness?, this is a traditional Earth outfit, too.

There is a also a big, chunky-but-unique brown ring on my finger, which adds more Earth and Water energy.

And hey, in any outfit which has an open cardigan, doesn't the top in the middle create a Wood column? Does the scarf create a column, too?

This is a favorite outfit for when I want to just be able to put something on and go, so lots of Wood energy. No fuss, no frill! Very casual, very comfortable.

Some Earth energy, too, with the brown pants, and cotton/knit fabric, the boxy shape of the shirt, and it's substance.

The pants are Wood.

The shirt has a v-neck, which is Fire energy, some flow, which is Water, and if creamy white/ivory counts as white, Metal color.

The little knot might be a whimsical touch? Which would be Fire.




So these outfits emphasize Wood and Earth, which makes them good role models for me when it comes time to shop, but they also bring in touches of Water and Fire. Not much Metal, but there's not much Metal in me, either. :)

I think they make a good capsule wardrobe...

Ratings: Still, since I love some and quite like others, I decided to rate them...

(1) 9
(2) 7
(3) 9
(4) 6
(5) 9
(6) 6
(7) 8

Analysis:

The only thing wrong with my 9s is that the colors could be better. Otherwise, they would be 10s because of length, substance and ease.

The 8 and the 7 are not long enough or don't have quite enough substance.

The 6s are not kind enough to the buddha belly, plain and simple. The duster needs to be a smidge bigger and closed all the way down, and maybe with more substance. The ivory pullover is a slight compromise, because it needs to be both longer and more substantive, but I love the color and the ease.

Shopping! :)  ...

Wood/Earth with Water/Fire Influence

Making a List & Checking it Twice

I went through the FFS book again and made lists of what I related to in each element, including the physical traits. All the numbers were extremely close, within a 2-point range.

So I picked the appearance elements (they did tie for the highest score) to be my elements to emphasize, with influence from the other two. Scores were 19 for Wood and Earth, 18 for Water and 17 for Fire. Metal had less than five.

Wardrobe Plan 

casual comfortable clothes
boxy shapes
columns
pants, hip-length or long jackets/shirts
bright earthtones
woodsy greens & browns
Tawny Spring wear

V-neck shirts
dark colors, reds/red-oranges
asymmetry
scarves
animal print