A woman sits on her bed, her wardrobe emptied all around her, sighing as she fills in a detailed questionnaire. Looking at the piles of unworn skirts, tops and trousers, discarded handbags and shoes, she feels exasperated about shopping.
Racing through the questions, the woman reveals she never gets her look right for any event and always feels that her clothes are too dated, or that she's underdressed, and is envious of women who effortlessly look perfect for every occasion.
But instead of going shopping for an entire new wardrobe, she turns to the professionals. They're not stylists, but experts who will delve into her wardrobe to examine her well-being. That's why the questionnaire doesn't just ask if she prefers jogging bottoms or pretty dresses. It digs deeper, to find out things like how spontaneous she is - does she drop everything to accept a last-minute party invitation? Is she the person people turn to for child-minding in a crisis? Or does she love being alone, enjoying the peace and quiet of libraries?
A few days after her interview, the woman receives a document that not only tells her about what she should be wearing, but what she could wear to attract the things she wants into her life. Amazed at the revelations, she is shocked at how well the consultants have understood her personality, and there are insights that even she hadn't realised.
This is ‘fashion feng shui', a soul-searching process of image consulting, styling, psychoanalysis and coaching devised by author and award-winning professional image consultant, Evana Maggiore. It's being used by everyone from businessmen who want more of a social life to housewives who want to revamp their style or get back to work. For years we've been told the ancient Chinese practice feng shui will work in our homes and offices - Evana believes it's time to get that good energy into our wardrobes too.
Fashion feng shui goes much deeper than the colours that make us look good and the styles that suit us. The process peels away our outer layers to get to our core and, once we understand who we are and where we want to be, Evana promises we will never have a bad clothes day again.
"It's like weaving a tapestry of personal style," says Evana. "Whether you're in the midst of a major life crisis, or you just cringe at the thought of getting dressed, fashion feng shui can empower you to transform not only your appearance, but also your self-image, finances, relationships, career and health.
"We're all unique and our clothes need to reflect our minds, our spirits and our goals, not just our hair colour or our waist measurement."
After graduating from the Western School of Feng Shui in the US in 1997, Evana, a colour analysis and personal image consultant, created the concept of fashion feng shui. Her 1998 book, Dressing the Whole Person: Nine Ways to Create Harmony and Balance in Your Wardrobe, was the first fashion-industry publication to link clothes to feng shui. Since then, Evana has developed her ‘fashion feng shui' concept, written a popular book on the topic, and coordinated a team of trainers throughout the world who help men and women to dress for their spirits as well as their bodies.
"One of my seminar clients in Los Angeles was Sarah. When she appeared with smudged, panda-like eyes, I could see she had been crying," Evana recalls. "After she introduced herself she revealed her husband had left her two days earlier. She sobbed as she told us she used to be fun but had lost her identity and wanted to get back to being herself again.
"Over three days she transformed from a colourless cast-off wife to a radiant, confident women. I took her shopping to Rodeo Drive and she chose a pale rose silk designer suit with matching high-heeled shoes. She had rediscovered the real Sarah at the end and a new life started for her."
Evana believes the five energies of water, wood, fire, earth and metal, which are important in feng shui, also apply to our minds, our bodies and our intentions. Each element represents a different category: water represents the Philosopher; wood is for the Pioneer; fire stands for the Pleasure Seeker; earth signifies the Peacemaker; and metal represents the Perfectionist. Based on these findings, she developed her Fashion Feng Shui system, and discovered that everyone fitted into one of the different classifications. "It's common for people to fit into three different categories for their Essence (mind), their Appearance (body) and their Intention (goals). There are five different categories for each and everyone falls into one of them," says Evana. Which one are you?
Get started!
1. Choose the five pieces of clothing in your wardrobe that make you feel great whenever you wear them - this could be your leopard print dress, your poncho, your skinny jeans or your jogging bottoms
2. Decide which materials you prefer. Do you like smooth, luxurious textures such as velvet or fur, or are coarser materials such as tweeds more your style?
3. Look at the patterns you are attracted to. Do you love floral prints, stripes or dots or do you prefer items with no patterns?
4. What style of clothes do you veer towards? Do you like loose-fitting comfortable clothes, or do you prefer snug-fitting items? Is your style different for your tops than it is for your bottoms?
5. If you could change one thing about yourself or your life, what would it be? Is there something you would like more of in your life?
Once you have these answers, you're already on your way to discovering the clothes that will not only suit you, but will also bring you more of what you want.
What’s your fashion feng shui?
Work out which of the categories you fall into for each column:
ESSENCE - this is your inner being, your inherent, unchanging nature and what makes you essentially you
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HE PHILOSOPHER is spiritual, sensitive and imaginative and loves independence, freedom and being alone. Philosophers become academics, writers and scientists and enjoy reading, meditating, painting and composing.
THE PIONEER is ambitious, dynamic and health-focused and loves getting things done, especially daily exercise. Pioneers become athletes, sales people and coaches and enjoy debating, travelling and the outdoors.
THE PLEASURE SEEKER is charismatic and loves being with people and having fun. Pleasure Seekers become actors, agents and DJs and they enjoy performing, entertaining and socialising.
THE PEACEMAKER is responsible, nurturing and traditional and enjoys helping others and being practical. Peacemakers become nurses, therapists and bankers and they love volunteering, babysitting and gardening.
THE PERFECTIONIST is organised, refined and elegant and values excellence and beauty. Perfectionists become statesmen, editors and analysts and they are at home directing, organising and dining.
Once you understand who you are, decide which category you fall into for APPEARANCE
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HE PHILOSOPHER has dark hair, skin or eyes and their shoulders are narrower than their hips. They like flowing garments with asymmetrical hemlines, fringes, beads and an unexpected mix of colours.
THE PIONEER has brown hair or blue/green eyes and a balanced shoulder-to-hip body shape. They like clothes with no, or slight, waist emphasis, elongated garments such as exercise clothes and slim trousers.
THE PLEASURE SEEKER has reddish hair and ruddy or rosy skin and their upper body is usually larger than their bottom part, making an inverted triangle. They like to wear V-necks, short, slim skirts and narrow-hipped trousers.
THE PEACEMAKER has golden-blonde or brown hair with brown eyes and they have a short, full torso with an undefined waistline. They wear tailored trousers, elasticated waists and tweeds.
THE PERFECTIONIST has light hair, eyes and skin and balanced hips and shoulders with a defined waistline. They wear high-quality, perfectly fitting clothes without any patterns and with a cinched waist.
Thirdly, look at your INTENTION - the goals you want to achieve
THE PHILOSOPHER focuses on creative goals such as writing a book or studying for a qualification.
THE PIONEER has health or exercise targets, such as running a marathon.
THE PLEASURE SEEKER has social goals, such as attending a major event.
THE PEACEMAKER has community or family aspirations and they will want to do community work or have their own children.
THE PERFECTIONIST has cultural goals, which may involve improving their social status.
Evana explains: "Once we know which of the categories we fit into, we can start to buy clothes that suit us and no one else. We dress according to our Essence and Appearance, and add one or two pieces that fit in with our Intention.
"Our clothes can be visual affirmations. Someone who wants more money or refinement in their life will wear Perfectionist items such as a cashmere twinset or a status-symbol gold watch. A Philosopher who wants to get fitter will wear some Pioneer blues and greens and possibly stripes to attract sporty energy.
"A sporty Pioneer who's always in her jeans may want to settle down and start a family, so she will use one or two Peacemaker items, like a textured shawl or a brown leather handbag, to attract the Peacemaker energy she wants in her life."
Once we've done our homework and some deep soul-searching, we can then dress for personality and purpose. And, according to those who have been through the process, we will always look the part, whatever we're doing!
‘I feel – as well as look – better now!’
UK writer, Christine Fieldhouse, tries out fashion feng shui – with liberating results
I thought a fashion feng shui consultation would be a waste of time. I'm a writer, I love reading and I even meditate, so wasn't it obvious that I'm a Philosopher? Yet I had a wardrobe full of mistakes in my effort to look trendy and artistic.
I opened my heart to Evana and her team, revealing that I'm organised and orderly, that I love my husband Ian and 11-year-old son Jack, but I'm not an ‘earth mother'. I'm incredibly active - I walk every day and I have run half-marathons, but I'm not competitive with exercise. I'm also an odd mix - I can be incredibly outgoing and sociable, yet introverted and quiet. I love being at home, yet I like to travel, visiting exotic new places and staying in nice hotels.
From the photos I sent, Evana could see that I have straight dark brown hair, pale skin and dark brown eyes, and I'm a pear shape, with a little top, a defined waist and bigger hips.
As far as clothes go, I feel happiest when I'm smart. I'd bought so many clothes that just didn't suit me - a chunky purple fleece purchased because I liked the colour, but I always felt shapeless wearing it; and a white summer dress with large black spots on, which made me feel mumsy, even though I love black and white. I feel downmarket in flimsy tops and I never wear my sporty gear anywhere other than when running if I can help it.
I also sent photos of the few outfits I'd got right - a navy wrapover dress, and a boxy black-velvet Russian-style jacket.
I said my intention was to have a bit more fun. As a self-employed journalist I work a lot and with the recession hitting my earnings, I'd stopped going out and seeing friends as much as I used to.
Evana's report was enlightening: my Essence is Perfectionist. Like a pack of cards, everything fell into place. I realised that's why I have a picture of Audrey Hepburn from the film Breakfast at Tiffany's, in my office, why I feel best when I'm wearing good-quality clothes, why I love afternoon tea in china cups and why my ideal night out is in a nice restaurant or at the cinema or theatre.
My Appearance is Philosopher and, according to Evana, I should wear black, white, blue, red and purple with fitted tops, safari jackets and more flowing skirts or trousers to suit my Philosopher shape. The Perfectionist in me doesn't like patterns, yet my little waist should be emphasised. Square or pointed toes in shoes are better than round toes. As a refined character (in Evana's eyes!) I should wear cashmere, silk, suede, fur or velvet and avoid coarse and dull fabrics. It became obvious that my purple fleece was the right colour but wrong for its fabric and shape. Because of my sporty Pioneer side, I need clothes that allow me to move around easily.
After the consultation I went through my wardrobe and had the confidence to throw things out.
For me there was no more ‘I should be wearing this.' It meant I could be conservative and enjoy classic clothes.
I stopped trying to be trendy as the clothes just didn't suit me and there seemed to be a discrepancy between who I was and how I looked and, at time, I felt I was pretending to be someone I'm not.
As for having more fun, I invested in a red wrap-over dress and sling-backs, which always make me feel like the life and soul of the party. Every now and then, even when I'm working, I pop on a red necklace or some bright red lipstick to remind myself there's fun to be had!
For me, fashion feng shui was about so much more than clothes, but I have to shop much less often now, because everything in my wardrobe is right for me.