Florists know how much to water each type of plant; that’s why their flowers exude their greatest beauty.

Image consultants know which outfit suits their clients best; that’s why movie stars and supermodels always look good.

So, how should you care for yourself? Which style of beauty are you– delicate, glamorous, exotic…?

No one fits in a box. Just as flowers have general needs that should be adapted to the environment they are in, so do each of us. Understanding which type of beauty you are is like knowing the culture your family comes from. If you are Italian, well that explains why conversations around your house are so animated. If you are Greek, well that might explain why Momma wants your wedding to be so big. Generalizations can be limiting, but analyzing your general style can be extremely helpful. It will help you to understanding yourself and others, making your relationships, shopping and daily preparation much easier!

3 determining factors in knowing your style:

1. Stature: indicate which culture or family you belong to. Your body frame is the foundation of all your image decisions. Basically, there are four body types: straight, curvy, full and sleek. Each body type is one of the five figure frames: A, H, 8, 0, and V (defined below); and each figure has its own strengths and challenges. You probably know your figure flaws already, but knowing your figure frame helps you to balance out any disproportions. There are lots of tips available (you can find some in my book of guidelines on amazon here) to help you with this. You cannot give yourself a fair makeover without knowing your physical stature. Your height is the greatest indicator. If you are tall, you are either a Dramatic or a Natural. If you are short, you are an Ingénue, a Romantic or a Gamine. If you are of average height, you could be any of the personalities, including the Classic.
2. Coloring: To further determine which personality you are, it is best to assess your coloring. Depending on your seasonal palette of coloring, you may have to tone down or play up your Img.ID with a secondary clothing personality. For example, Gamines and Dramatics with a Summer or Autumn palette are often a combination of another clothing personality since the soft, muted colors make it difficult to be bold or create drama. Also, the softer-natured Img.IDs—Romantic, Natural and Ingénue—with bold coloring may have a secondary personality to balance them out. (for more on combination clothing personalities, click here).
3. Facial features: The third most important factor in determining your Img.ID is your facial features. This part, like the coloring, is hard to do without a professional face-to-face assessment, but I encourage you to do your best in choosing which style your eyes, nose, lips are by taking my FREE Img.ID Quiz –the pictures certainly help. Whatever you do, though, please do not stress over this. Have fun with it! Tomorrow I will walk you through a more detailed assessment.

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Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their image issues. It is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Loosing a Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available soon.

If you are interested in getting these books or having Catrina come speak at your event, you can contact her at www.CatrinaWelch.com or on facebook.