What is the Secret to Style? Are we born with a sense of style or not? If not, why not? And can style be taught? If so, then what makes the difference between style and "So-So" using the same outfit? And what about Style versus Fashion?

These are important questions. The answers may surprise you. Have you watched little girls preening in front of the mirror, trying on mommy's dresses? Young children have a natural, delightful expression and inherent understanding of their own Style.

But then something happens. Negative words and messages begin to diminish their "sense of being," or sense of self - the source of Personal Style. Between ages 6 and 10 little girls begin looking to outside sources, well-meaning or not so well-meaning adults, their culture and their peers to define their place, their sense of self, their Style. They lose the security of youthful inhibition and become self-conscious. We who work in the image industry know that once a healthy sense of well-being has been damaged, it takes years to pry away the hard rocks of self-hatred and negative messages that keep one from understanding and expressing their own Personal Style.
Style can be taught. This is good news! When a woman comes to me wanting to learn how to have style, I always begin by affirming her body. Once the negative attitudes are uncovered we begin the process of discovering her Body's Design Patterns and affirming them. Doing so helps begin to take us back to that youthful place of self-acceptance.

These beautifully balanced and related patterns of design in our bodies - Line and Space, Shape, Proportion, Scale, Color and Texture - have been given to us as a literal "pattern for choosing" our clothing and personal furnishings. When our clothes, decor and furniture are related to our Body's Design Patterns, we feel more "in synch" with who we really are, more centered and in tune with our true self. We grow in an appreciation of ourselves, partly because we are being honest and truthful with ourselves and others. And those around us notice.

The biggest difference between Fashion and Individual Style is that Fashion seeks to communicate somebody else's idea of what is beautiful and Individual Style seeks to communicate your idea of what is beautiful on your body.

Be true to yourself. Have Personal Style. And begin the joyful process of living out of a place of beauty and self-acceptance, that sense that you truly are....Living Art.