The language of the Body Signature is revolutionary, an inspirational collage of observations that honor our clients’ natural beauty. But one page in particular from the Complete Clothing & Style Guide I find most powerful, and I use it to draw forth and affirm the character and gifting of my clients. Having clients share the symbols that inspire them I find opens up doors to unlock unacknowledged dreams, character traits and the blocks that bind them. As together we connect inspirational symbols to their own personality, we then can extend their uniqueness to create design criteria for their clothing choices.

In a recent consultation with a male college student, as he started to share what inspired him about his chosen symbols, he stopped and turned away, clearly struggling with what was immediately surfacing for him. He was surprised at his own reaction, and with his girlfriend present he stated that he didn’t want to get emotional, that he had never been emotional with his girlfriend of 2 years. I stated that he was safe, and if he was willing to face what was surfacing, together we could work through it. He chose to trust. He discovered that he had chosen natural landscapes, as I gently probed, because he could be alone in them, and was desperate to be alone because he was never allowed to be himself, living between the homes of his demanding, divorced parents. He was enamored by chameleons because he had always been one, consciously choosing to become whatever he imagined was expected of him. He thought this was normal. I suggested he renounce choosing to play the chameleon, that he never again disappear in one his barren landscapes and become what someone else demanded of him. He stared at me in shock. And out came the pain and rage, the love and longing.

Even as he was working through all the pain that surfaced by facing the symbols that inspire him, we were developing his criteria for clothing design. He was wearing baggy pants and a shirt too large for him. He realized he wore clothes that helped him fit in, disappear in a crowd. I asked him if he wanted to remain a fearful wallflower, or learn to offer his enthusiasm and compassionate caring to others. As he chose to be himself and face what that required of him, he came to the conclusion on his own that his clothes needed to fit better, hold his thin body lines tighter and have an exuberant edge when he was ready to show up. He showed great courage. We finished working through the Symbols page and a whole box of Kleenex 3 hours later. We took a break and finished the rest of the booklet later. I wish I could share with you the exuberant letters I’ve gotten from him. His life is a sky dive of joy. He’s doing things he never had the courage to try before, and he’s thrown out his over-sized clothes. Don’t gloss over the Symbols page - it has the potential to unlock the mysteries your client is dying to discover.

By Craig Lauchner
Body Beautiful Stylist and Interior Designer
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