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DISCOVERING PERSONAL STYLE BEFORE SUMMER
(Oct. 12, 2004) I believe changes of season give us a great chance to groom our image and sense of style. As new trends come out, we have the opportunity to explore the pieces that best fit our own personality and lifestyle. On my quest for expert advice, I turned to Jordi Castell, head of the Style and Image Design Program at Santiago’s University of Arts, Science and Communication (Uniacc).
A professional “image advisor”, Castell spoke about the lack of style we often see in the streets of Santiago, especially among older people.
“After 17 years of censorship, it’s hard to ask Chileans to feel free to express themselves through image”, he said, adding that he does see change in the younger generations of kids born after the mid-eighties, who are now entering university.
Castell explained the transitional period that followed the dictatorship that ruled Chile for most of the 1970s and 80s.
“After freedom was restored, we went into a phase of great economic growth, during which Chileans became “arrivistas.” Those days are over, and we’re left with a large part of our population living in constant debt, buying what makes them seem what they’re not, living like the rich, while they struggle to keep their jobs on a daily basis.”
I agree with Castell. Walk around Santiago, and you’ll notice too many women carrying Louis Vuitton imitation handbags. They aren’t nice, and one can certainly tell they’re fake. Why is it then that females keep buying them? The Vuitton brand does not fit everybody’s style. I find it too conservative for myself. However, Chilean women don’t seem to mind. They wear the label stamped on fake brown leather backpacks, trying to match them with a black business suit they bought for twelve monthly payments at Falabella. They think the label will give them higher status. As Julia Roberts said in “Pretty Woman”, “BIG mistake… HUGE!”
When asked about trends and the Chilean need to follow them massively, Castell laughed. “What happens in Chile is quite interesting. Salaries aren’t high, yet there’s a constant need to shop among the mass population. At the same time, large department stores, which give the higher financial “benefits” to shoppers, bring in trends from Europe and North America. But the garments don’t fit for most people: tops are too short and tight, while pants are too wide. They make almost everyone look awful.”
Aside from this, Castell highlighted the lack of awareness when it comes to hair and make up. “Why would a beautiful Latin brunette go blond and wear pinkish facial powder? Does she actually believe it looks nice?” And I wonder, does she really? I guess so. After all, our streets are filled with blondish damaged-haired women. I must confess I have died my hair on numerous occasions. While modeling for brands such as Wella, Joico and Nexxus, my hair would go from bright red, to sundry shades of brown, to plain charcoal black. However, it would never be lightened to blond – the experts knew that would be a disaster.
Through the years, I’ve grown more and more proud of my own racial features. I’ve decided to keep my hair its own natural shade, until it begins going grey. As for my body shape, I’m Chilean, which means having a flat bum and an undefined waist. For as long as I’m not fit – I start going to the gym this week! – I refuse to wear ultra-tight tops that make the excess fat on my nonexistent abs come out. I’m following Castell’s advice: “quit the bread, eat healthy, get off the chair and exercise.”
As for garments, I’d rather wear what fits my shape best. The color scheme in my wardrobe helps my skin tone look darker, rather than a pale shade of greenish yellow. How can you achieve this, you wonder? Easy. Get yourself to a shop that sells plain colored pieces and has them available in different shapes, cuts and sizes. First, head for a mirror with a bunch of different colored tops, and bring them to the side of your face. You’ll notice how your skin tone varies depending on the color it is next to. Choose the colors that bring out your eyes and hair tone well.
After you’ve done the color test, head to the dressing room with different tops in the shades that match you best and try each one on. You’ll see that, although some look beautiful in the hangers, they will make you look awful, while others will work wonders on your body. That is how I shop, and it works. My favorite shop for doing this is Zara, because of the variety of shapes and colors available in the stores every season, and the size of their dressing room. In terms of seasonal trends and styles, I consider them the best, and their prices are fairly low.
As for jewelry, I turn to national crafting – using stones and other natural materials – that match my tops and style. I have also begun to use Nivea’s “Sun Touch” sunless tanning spray, courtesy of Beiersdorf, which allows my skin to glow without the need for long hours of cancerous sunray exposure.
Last but not least, follow Castell’s advice for clinging on to your cash: “Buy only what you really need, and work with what you’ve got in your closet. That’s the best way to play with your own creativity and you’ll feel proud in front of the mirror. Never be afraid of going through your parent’s stuff. Vintage is great.”
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| Courtesy of schaulsohn.bloge.com |
| Image advisor Jordi Castell in his Uniacc office |
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