As promised, here’s the second blog post explaining more about My Style Triangle – the Style & Confidence project myself and Sunita at Lucky Things have collaborated on.

If you’ve not read the first blog post, I’d recommend that you jump on that first. It’ll make more sense and you can click here to read it now.

OK!

So. Now that we’ve asked ourselves what we want from our wardrobes and have given ourselves time to think honestly about how we feel about ourselves and the message and mood we want to communicate or channel when putting our wardrobe together, we can now start to look at My Style Triangle.

And I mean, literally – look!

A lovely friend of mine, Tabatha – whom I met when I reviewed her incredible AirB&B property The Little Devon Barn – is the design genius behind these initial art concepts.

When discussing with her the idea behind My Style Triangle, I explained how it all came about when Sunita from Lucky Things approached me to be on her speakers panel to discuss Style & Confidence.

I knew she wanted more than the usual fashun trends and colours chat, so I came up with a more personal approach to style centred around a system that I’ve used for forever, when deciding what to wear.

By simply dividing my outfit options into three categories – my comfort zone, me daring to be different and my happy balance – I work with my wardrobe and how I feel to find the right combinations to compliment my mood.

I find this a more useful way of dressing for me because I’m working with how I feel and how I want to feel.

WHY A TRIANGLE?

I’ve come to loathe thinking in linear terms. You know how we’re conditioned into thinking of life as a pathway? A journey from a-b, to b-c and so forth.

We’re subconsciously taught that in life we go to school, go to uni, get a job, get a pension, or we fall in love, move in, get married have kids…blah, blah, blah…

Plus, this linear approach suggests, IMHO, that if you don’t follow the hierachy or this tiered model, you’ve fallen off your track or worse, failed…

I didn’t want My Style Triangle to be some kind of system that we climb on board, and work through, step-by-step, to achieve x, y and z. It’s not an exam.

This isn’t about trying to get you out of your comfort zone. It’s about identifying your three areas of My Style Triangle and making them work for you so that through your style choices, you feel confident in yourself.

Sunita and I also love how Tabatha has designed the triangle to be purposely at an angle. It’s not meant to be perfect on the page – because nothing and no one is.

Right, so this is how to kick things off. Look at your wardrobe and work out your three areas.

1. HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR COMFORT ZONE?

These are items or outfits that you know will always look good and therefore you’ll feel good. Imagine you’ve overslept and you have 10 minutes to decide what to wear. What would you select?

As with all three areas, it does depend on where you’re going, so you’ll have different looks depending on whether you’re going to work, the school run or date night.

For example, for me (and remember this is MY Style Triangle, yours will be different depending on your lifestyle, your needs, your everyday) if I was late for the school run, I’d probably throw on my gym kit. If I was in a rush to get to a meeting, it’d be a black midi dress and either leopard flats or black courts. Date night could be jeans and a cami top and midi heels.

Work out what’s in your comfort zone.

2. WHAT OUTFITS DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE YOU DARING TO BE DIFFERENT?

Now what do you consider to be outside of your comfort zone? Remember it’s not something that makes you feel uncomfortable. It’s a look that you’d happily put on if you wanted to stand out from the crowd and be noticed. You’re either feeling super confident and you want to project that, or you may need to give yourself a confidence boost ( the great thing about My Style Triangle is that it works both ways!)

Again, I’ll give you an example of what would be me daring to be different…Clashing prints and patterns, bright colours and unusual designs. I am drawn to the different and I love to mix and match different textures.

Furthermore (love that word) it’s not to say that ‘Daring to be different’ doesn’t necessarily mean bright clashing colours and batshit crazy patterns. Sunita for example, has bright colours in her comfort zone whereas a more neutral, monochrome palette is more daring for her.

So you see, My Style Triangle is so indie to you. Innit?! Its beauty is in how bespoke you make it.

3. WHERE IS YOUR HAPPY MEDIUM?

Finally, where is your happy balance between the two? I reckon, I live in this zone more than any other at the moment. I’m not sure if it’s the seasons, as the weather is currently so changeling and unpredictable, that can play a huge part in this all too as it does affect our moods and how we feel.

TBH, I don’t usually feel that daring during this time of year until I purchase a WOW! winter coat that usually elevates my comfort zone looks instantly into something a bit more daring.

Think about items which when combined with your comfort zone, makes your look go up a few gears. It can be something as simple as a pair of statement earrings or a colour popping shoe.

Have a look at your current wardrobe, this isn’t about buying new stuff.

Assess what you have already and start thinking each day, when you get dressed about where this outfit fits on My Style Triangle…

Next week, the final blog post explaining how to get inspired and keep My Style Triangle moving so that it evolves with you.

Do comment below and let me know if you try identifying the three zones in My Style Triangle – I’d love to hear how you get on.

Plus, if you’re on Instagram, why not join in the hashtag fun Sunita and I have created.

Simply take a picture of you in your comfort, daring or happy balance look, tag both @luckythingsblog and @the_ft_times with the hashtag #mystyletriangle and I’ll do a round up every stylish Sunday on my Insta Stories.

Follow #mystyletriangle to see examples so far or click on my Triangle Tribe on my Insta Highlights to see who’s taken part already.

Until next week, folks…

Thank you for reading.