She Called Truths Out to Us All’: Lily Cole Remembers Her Friend Vivienne Westwood

Scene: a hotel room in New York, one spring morning in 2013. I’m staring at a photograph of a young soldier with the word TRUTH emblazoned underneath her tentative smile in white font and a red box like a Barbara Kruger, pinned to Vivienne Westwood’s “Climate Revolution” DIY top.

“It’s incredible no one knows who this is. You don’t know who she is?” Vivienne asks me in her soft Derbyshire lilt. She audibly gasps as I shake my head. “It’s amazing. Amazing. I’m here to try and do something about her.” The photograph, I quickly learn, is of whistleblower Chelsea Manning.

UNIQUE PERSONAL STYLE

 When we begin with a new customer, our first task is to build a framework for their unique sense of personal style. We do this by working with them the to develop an image that feels both authentic to who they are on the inside, as well as representitive of the message they want to convey. This is a very thorough process, and one most commonly used by customers who want to perform at a higher level in their personal and professional lives and recognize the important role that clothing plays in that equation.

Even if you’re not working with a Personal Stylist, 

our method is one you can most certainly implement on your own. 

Follow the steps below to begin developing your unique sense of 

personal style.

THE CLOTHING WE WEAR IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WE REALIZE

If you took a survey, most people wouldn’t really be able to tell you 

why they wear what they wear. More often than not, items and styles 

we consider favorable are usually just subconscious choices we’ve 

been making for as long as we can remember. We like them because 

they’re familiar and have become our go-to options, not necessarily 

because they portray an image we intentionally developed. 

But whether we have an interest in fashion or not, the clothing we 

wear sends a very loud message about who we are, well before 

we ever open our mouths to speak. Not just to others, but also to 

ourselves, and it’s up to us to decide whether or not we’re going to 

control that narrative. Our personal style doesn’t define our ability 

or what we’re capable of, but it influences how we feel and how 

we’re perceived. Best of all, it’s something that’s completely 

within our control!

HOW OUR IMAGE IMPACTS OUR PERFORMACE

An image that commands authority will look different amongst different 

industries, and will vary between personal preferences. So the notion of 

creating a standard set of dress code rules, or wardrobe must-haves, is a 

pointless exercise. It is the desired outcome that always remains the same: 

how confident we feel optimizing for how successfully we perform.

When it comes to inner confidence, often the right clothing can work like a 

suit of armor to give the extra boost we need to not just look the part, but to 

feel it too, and carry ourselves accordingly. Putting on formal clothing makes 

us feel powerful, and that changes the basic way we see the world and the role 

we play in it.

Our image is one of many tools available to help us succeed in our careers. 

When used correctly, it fosters the ability for us to feel empowered, comfortable 

in our own skin, and above all else – confident.

HOW OUR IMAGE CORRELATES TO PERCEPTION

What we wear may seem like a trivial factor in the bigger picture of our careers, but it’s far more important than we think. Human beings make judgments based on our first impression of a person within 7 seconds of meeting them. This means that whether we’re on a job interview, at a networking event, or in a business meeting, we have just a few seconds to establish ourselves as the successful person we want other people to view us as. 

We all know that the way a person looks and carries themselves matters, becuase it is the first thing other people see. What we don’t pay as much attention to however, is how much it matters. People form strong impressions of us; they do this very quickly and instinctively and with minimal information – all based off of the information WE provide them. How much of that do you think is based on the image we present them with?

Jessica Hart Nails the Front Row Beauty Quick-Change at London Fashion Week

 

jessica hart

 Photo: (From left) Splash News; Getty Images

The sartorial quick-changes backstage at a fashion show may seemingly defy the space-time continuum, but the front row darlings’ transformations are shrouded in even greater mystery. Just look at Jessica Hart, who not only switched outfits between presentations at London Fashion Week today—a trip to the loo housing a stealth glam squad?—but served up a new makeup look to boot.

The model was spotted at Mary Katrantzou with bright red lips that looked like she popped backstage for a quick makeup job to match the girls on the runway before taking her seat—only to reemerge at Topshop Unique with a ruddy wash of in-from-the-cold blush and nearly-nude lips that were enough to make any endless summer fanatic look forward to sweater weather. But perhaps it was her recently supercharged shade of baby blonde that made all the difference—because once the ideal seasonally defiant shade is achieved, makeup becomes that much more fun.