WHAT IS MY STYLE WHEN I’M NOT IN MY 20’S ANYMORE?
We hear it all the time.
From moms who are super busy with kid-life, to those who’ve outgrown the trend-based styling we do in our 20's, keeping a pulse on your personal style as you age is hard.
“It’s a very weird place to be when you’re not in your 20’s anymore—trying to find what makes you feel good and fits you.” —Carey
CAREY’S TRANSFORMATION
A stay at home mom to two young boys, and going back to school herself, Carey was tired of feeling overwhelmed trying to fit an image of herself that just wasn’t her anymore. With greater demands on her time and energy, she needed a look that would stand up to her everyday life and not require so much maintenance.
So she got in touch.
Self-described as ‘super overwhelmed by personal style,’ she was a perfect fit for us.
STYLE AS YOU AGE
The season of our 20’s is often a time marked by excitement, freedom, energy and a lot of room to experiment. We’re learning who we are, what we like, and trying it all. The stakes are low, and there aren't that many other people to consider.
But as soon as you become a mom, or go hard after your career (or both!), those resources you used to spend on just yourself—time, money, energy—get redistributed. Now there is simply too much to do and too many other people to do it for, to consider putting energy towards personal style… and it can get lost.
So normal.
If you’ve seen my TEDx Talk, you know that style and identity are intricately linked, so when you experience a period of dormancy in your style (as most people will) when you finally do come up for air, it can feel a bit like you’ve lost yourself.
Like this specific part of you is gone.
Looking around at the ever-changing trends—with a new body, and wholly different life, it can leave you thinking…What is my style?
SUSTAINABLE STYLE
“So often style seems to be this ‘What’s in this season?’, but it might not work for your body or for your life. “
With age hopefully comes wisdom.
The further away we get from our 20’s, the less interested we are in what we’re told to buy (trend) and more interested in what will actually be useful to us.
We become more aware of our patterns—noticing that things we buy based on trend, feel wasteful when we don’t wear them. And if we’re honest, there’s a lot we buy that we don’t wear.
What’s going on here? Have we simply missed the boat? Did we ever even have style to begin with? Should we even care anymore?
Absolutely.
As we get older, we still want to look good/feel good, we’re just wiser, pickier, and more judicious about our choices.
This means letting go of the trend-based approach and leaning in to the authentic style that has always been within you—what we identify as your energetic baseline, or the way you move.
Ladybird Corners
CLOTHING THAT MOVES WITH YOU
For Carey, that meant identifying clothing that matched her core movement—the energetic baseline of the 3rd Corner—and shifting to a mindset of authenticity, functionality, and ease.
“My clothes need to be able to move and go to the playground and run around and chase kids. I can’t be bound tightly.”
After consulting with Geena in our salon, she made the decision to stop coloring her hair—a trend we’re seeing more and more women embrace.
And she now knows she doesn’t have to force herself into anything uncomfortable or constricting in order to look good.
AUTHENTIC TO THE SEASON YOU’RE IN
Fostering true personal style, like fostering gratitude, is about honoring the season of life you’re in. It’s about showing up authentically to wherever you are in your life, and gracefully letting go of all that is past.
What works in your 40’s is likely going to be different than what worked in your 20’s. But so what? Maybe it will be better!
“Stopping dying my hair was a huge step for me but it feels more authentic for this chapter.”
Style that is authentic reflects the season of life you’re in. It is grounded in the NOW. In the present. Not in the past, or in the future.
Choosing clothing in line with your energetic baseline will always be relevant. Regardless of trend, these are the colors, cuts, fabrics and shapes that best reflect your core frequency and they will always serve you in the most relevant and authentic way.
Take a look at Carey’s Transformation…
Want to tap into your energetic baseline to get results you can see?
