READing Your Style: The Science of Sexy (Part 1 of 2)

A bible to dressing for your body type

As I have made the focus of this month about Acceptance, as I explained in my July Letter from the Editor, I was going to touch on the topic of accepting our shape and size. Even though all women want the supermodel skinny body type where the average fashion model is about 5’10”, 115 pounds, and a size 4 at most, the average American woman is 5’4”, 164 pounds, and a size 14 as explained in the book that I consider a bible to dressing for your body type, “The Science of Sexy”, by Bradley Bayou, a prominent celebrity stylist to women such as Queen Latifah, Eva Longoria, Oprah, and Halle Barry, just to name a few.  Bayou touches on a science called anthropometry, which is the measure of the human form. As he points out, there is a lot of pressure to be thin, young, and beautiful. He reported that in the Personality and Social Psychology bulletin that “If there are a large number of desirable members of one’s own sex available, one may regard one’s own market value as lower.” One purpose of IMF.blog is to build your mental strength high enough so you don’t feel like that—EVER! So the first step is to understand your body so you are comfortable with finding the right clothes to highlight your strongest assets. Once you are fully aware of your body type then you can work to be as creative as possible in putting together dynamic looks that not only help you to best appeal to others, but more importantly, to feel as though you appeal to others, and that you are sending the exact message you want to show others. If you have that confidence, it won’t even matter what you do put on your back. Part II of this segment outlines the "The 10 Dress Sexy Commandments" which will help you choose your garments easier while shopping.   

Balance is sexy! There are many ways to balance your outfits to fit your shape?

The mission: Help you look your best!

Ø  That involves convincing you that not every style is going to look good on you.

Ø  Just because something is in style doesn’t mean you should wear it.

Ø  Why spend money on something that doesn’t look GREAT on you?

*Dressing well isn’t about spending a lot on your clothes. The trick is learning what kinds of shapes will balance your body, and what parts of your body you should conceal and reveal*



Demure/ Coy Sexy

 One thing all women have in common: All women want to look sexy!

Ø  Deep down, you want to look and feel beautiful, gorgeous, and desired (a.k.a. SEXY). You may never have thought about it, and you may not want to admit it, but I believe it’s true.

Ø  Three different kinds of sexy and your version of sexy should fit your personality



Glamourous/ Mysterious Sexy



o   1) Demure/Coy Sexy

o   2) Glamorous/Mysterious Sexy

o   3) Overtly Plunging Sexy



 What is the Science of Sexy:

Ø  Three factors that determine your body type:

o   1) Silhouette

o   2) Measurements

Overtly Plunging Sexy

o   3) Weight

Ø  Two principals on the foundation of this “science of sexy”:

o   1) Dress to balance your body

o   2) Learn to conceal your flaws and reveal your assets

*Based on scientific research and mathematical ratios of both height and weight, there are 48 shape types a women can fall under, and based your type there is a unique fashion prescription available for you to refine your sexiness*

Balance is Sexy: Science, in fact, has proven there is one timeless evolutionary trait for sexy: SYMMETRY!

Ø  Studies on perception of beauty have proven that human beings demonstrate an innate preference for symmetrical features because people prefer mates with symmetrical traits for it is equated with healthy genes and strong immune system.

Ø  The good news? You can fake symmetry!

Ø  The most basic balanced shape is the hourglass.

o   To look good every day, you need to wear clothes that replicate the proportions of the hourglass silhouette.

o   Your body’s silhouette + the right clothing proportions = sexy balance!

Conceal and Reveal Strategies: Every woman’s body is completely different and quite often, the differences that you consider flaws could actually be assets that set you apart as unique. Those flaws might not even be flaws at all!  

Ø  It is vital that you look at your figure objectively so you can develop an honest understanding of your shape.

Ø  Step 1: Circle the three body parts you consider “Flawed”:

o   Neck ● Shoulders ● Back ● Bust ● Waistline ● Stomach ● Arms ● Butt ● Hips ● Thighs ● Calves ● Feet

Ø  Step 2: Circle the three body parts you LOVE the most:

o   Neck ● Shoulders ● Back ● Bust ● Waistline ● Stomach ● Arms ● Butt ● Hips ● Thighs ● Calves ● Feet

Fall/Winter RTW 2012 looks courtesy of Style.com

The Psychology of Style: A picture says a thousand words…and so does an outfit!

Ø  Clothing has a language all its own. It’s like shorthand to help read and contextualize people we encounter. Instantly. Clothing helps us make snap judgments about a person’s tastes, habits, hobbies, social status, and more.  

*Visual communication is the most important form of communication for about 55% of communication is non-verbal*

Ø  We judge others by their clothing, and they judge us. It’s human nature.

Ø  Just because you decide you don’t want to be judged by your clothes doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. It’s happening all the time. It’s happening right now.

Ø  Don’t you want people to think you look fabulous and successful based in what you are wearing?

The Red Carpet Questionnaire: When deciding what to wear to an event, ask yourself these five questions. The most accurately you feel you have dressed to the answers of these questions will likely have you feeling and looking sexy each and every time you leave your home.