Design Shopping for Your Personal Style
I was shopping with my mother-in-law in a clothing boutique and I reached for a multicolored cashmere sweater and wanted to know her thoughts on my possible purchase. I wanted it. It was bright. Very bright. Lots of pretty, bold colors. “Wow,” she said, “that must appeal to your inner child!” But what she was really saying was, “Whoa, that isn’t you…you’d never reach for that!” For me, that was an “aha moment” and one that I think about often.
Her comment has since inspired me to make much, much better purchases, especially while design shopping — ones that reflect who I am. And I am not a rainbow sweater kinda gal. I often wish I were, but being true to yourself means a lot less regret later on.
The truth is that I generally have a uniform, and my uniform consists mainly of white shirts and jeans — punctuated by black or my other personal favorite “color” taupe. So as you can imagine, I am probably not likely to reach for a brightly colored rainbow sweater.
I use this line of thought when I am buying items for my home all the time – dishes, throws, towels and especially when I am shopping for others. Sometimes I am drawn to things that speak to something inside me, but I know that come tomorrow that I’ll be wracked with guilt when it goes untouched.
Now I force myself to stop and think: “is this really me, or does this appeal to my aspirational or fantasy self?” Gretchen Rubin, a prolific author on happiness says that one secret of adulthood is knowing “what is fun for other people may not be fun for you and vice-versa.” I think that quote really applies to your personal design style…if you like minimalism, then more is not more.
Use this inner child test when you are design shopping – make sure they reflect your true style. If you like patterns and color, then your home should reflect that! Go big. If you like all things white and quiet, then go big in that direction… Have your environment reflect your personal design styles and tastes – you will be so much more comfortable and decrease your buyer’s remorse. The point is, you be you!