Monday, May 7, 2012

T-Wah????

If you've perused the archives around here, you'll find a butt-load of posts referring to my T1-ness.  
For new readers, that's my Energy Profile, a la Carol Tuttle.  I discovered it a couple years ago, and it's had a HUGE impact on my life.  
I got into the Dressing Your Truth side of it on the blogola, but lately I'm wrestling with it again.


I went out an redid my entire wardrobe when I started, buying clothing and accessories and makeup in the T1 chromas and design lines, etc.  
But lately I feel 'frumpy' in them...which is definitely NOT a T1 word.  
This spring brought tons of great T1 colors and fashion to the stores, 
so it's not hard to find stuff, but I just feel a bit silly in them.  
After playing with 'looks' for the past couple years, I never really settled into a style I liked.
 I feel like I'm starting from square one again. 

(Me last spring, and would never wear this in public again)

In fact, I sold 3/4ths of my spring/summer clothes to consignment last week.

A lot of this has to do with my size, because I'm still learning to like how I look.  
And a bright happy overweight woman in bright happy colors can come off as well, clown-ish.  
I don't like drawing attention to myself if I feel like I look like a clown.  

(Easter 2010, would never wear this in public again either)

But maybe that's just me.
Maybe other folks enjoy looking like clowns.
I don't judge.


My T4 secondary is very strong, so I find myself fighting the urge to dress in very structured, bold straight lines (I think it makes me look thinner too).  
I have a good bit of T2 in there too, so I like comfy frilly, lacey stuff too. 
Which is why I MUST be a T1....all the possibilities, right?

(me circa 2005, dressed T4, size 12-14, LOVED this look and outfit, T1 son with balloon hat!)

As I continue to shrink evah-so-slowly, it will be good to shop thrift stores as I don't plan to stay in one size very long, so hopefully I can play a bit with styles and color combos that don't scream "bozo the clown".  
Some of my outfits on here are just over the top for my T4 secondary, so I need to somehow honor that without squelching my dominant T1.  
I notice I really don't care for much on Carol's site or in her Dressing Your Truth store for T1s
(although things have improved 100-fold since they started)
so I'm kinda on my own looking for what works within my world.

Then again, maybe I'll feel better drawing attention to myself with fun clothes and accessories 
once the weight is gone?
Shallow point of view, but probably pretty close to the truth.

(infamous 80's party circa 2005)

Any T1s have pinterest boards?  I'd love to see some inspiration for trendy, fun fashion.  
My fashion board on Pinterest is a hodgepodge, but feel free to follow along.



10 comments:

  1. I don't know anything about T1/T2, etc but I do know that when my weight is up, I tend to dress with darker colors toward the bottom and brighter colors near my face. I don't want to look like a spring chicken but I also don't want to look like a dowdy old granny either! My biggest issue is a ridiculous bosom that makes me look matronly. Ugh!

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  2. That acid wash jacket is my favorite.

    Also, I *must* be a very secondary 3 because I hate....LOATHE....bright, pastel colors, and they look horrid on me. My closet is full of earth tones and if you were to cut me open I would bleed chocolate browns, army greens and brick red.

    (Same colors I've always decorated with too - coincidence? I think not.)

    I've got a 3 nose, 3 skin, 3 face shape. But I can't claim 3 100%, because I'm just too ridiculous and distractable. Too many ideas. Too many unfinished projects.

    So here's my advice (keeping in mind that I haven't taken the class like my sister has and know very little) (see? not a 4 at all): wear your black and white but with a less tailored/more playful silhouette.

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  3. I know they mention a lot that if you've got a type 4 secondary (especially a strong one), to wear more structured, straight lines, fewer patterns if that's what your uncomfortable with, and wearing fewer colours at the same time (but still wearing type 1 colours).

    I think you'd find that you'd feel much the same as that pink and black type 4 look if you work a really dark chocolate skirt (with a bit of flirt at the bottom of the hem) and a light type 1 pink shirt. The v neck works for us type 1s, so that shirt would probably work just as it is.

    Otherwise, maybe spend some time living as a type 4 style wise and see how that makes you feel. If it makes you feel more full of life AND you get more compliments out and about while dressed that way, maybe you're more of a type 4 with a strong secondary 1?

    Mandi (on the T1 facebook as well) has a great fashion page on her pinterest with lots of type 1 looks! http://pinterest.com/mrsmandi/what-to-wear/

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  4. Cindy,
    I just wanted to say that I really appreciate your honest posts. I struggle with depression and weight gain and you give me hope that things can be better. Many of the blogs that I read (or used to read) are like Christmas letters. Every thing is always wonderful la la la...well its not in my life. I am working on changing things, but I am struggling. Thank you for sharing your struggles. It really does make it easier knowing that someone else is victorious.
    Keep up the good work and thanks!
    Clara

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  5. Good to read this as I feel the same after 2 years of DYT Type 1. I am so grateful to DYT for the transition away from black and for teaching me more about my nature. I am definitely happier and loving the colours I am wearing. I still feel I lack any sense of personal style and I don't think DYT helps much with this. I think T1's often come off looking the worst, with just a jumble of all sorts of ill fitting things in wacky colours. I have been wearing flowers in my hair just cos I feel I 'should' and sometimes feel uncomfortable. I have always liked plain things too, but I am loving the sparkle and glitter. It's just looking too formulaic and not individual enough for me - everyone wearing the same sparkly necklaces and gold earrings - there has to be more to it. I am searching the net for other info to help me create more personal style, teach me about proportions, about lengths, etc. I am really learning more about how to put clothes together but can't find a role model completely in tune with me. I too could throw it all out, almost and start from scratch. Felt a little down about it this week, but just seeing it as a stage of growth - I am out of the black, have had much more fun with clothes, enjoy shopping for clothes for the first time in my life and had lots of compliments. My confidence has grown.....now I need to find more of myself in it. Glad to be on the journey though and not in the clothes hell I lived in for years! Best of luck. Jane

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  6. You look soooooo gorgeous in the picture with the blue flower in the hair ! So fresh and fun ! It seems to me that you are a little bit afraid to play with bright colours , but they suit you so nice ...

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  7. I'm a 1 with a strong 4 secondary, too, and I have the same feeling of "clownishness" if I wear an all-out type 1 outfit. I think it's ok to keep the type 1 colors and tone the lines down a bit, at least to start with (maybe it gets easier with time?)
    Anyway, I second Jen's suggestion for the third outfit in warmer colors - that would look great on you. The first outfit almost does as well, except that you seem uncomfortable and it seems a bit busy for you - taking away a couple of the accessories would help.

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  8. Hi Cindy! I know you posted this ages ago, but I am just reading it, but anyway, I wanted to mention a couple of things.

    1 - I think you look so cute and great in ALL your photos! You are just adorable.
    2 - It is so funny that Jen commented basically exactly what I was going to say. The photo where you say you were dressing as a type 4 and loving it, I could so, so, so see you wearing that same exact outfit, but with a chocolate brown skirt color and making sure the top was a type 1 pink (have no idea, but it might already be...) and looking SO cute! :)

    Good luck with everything! :)

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  9. I'd say you're a type 4 just by your looks! Straight eyebrows, eyes on straight line, straight smile...

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  10. I have the same problem with feeling clownish in type 1 clothes. My weight has ranged from 106 (way too thin for me) to 140 and I've felt silly at every size so I'm sure it's not just a weight issue. I think the big problem with DYT, at least where I'm concerned, is that energy does not always equal coloring. I have soft autumn coloring and I'm trying to dress in colors that are way too bright for me. The makeup sits on my face and I look like a clown and the clothes overpower me. I've tried to bring this up numerous times in the DYT groups but no one wants to help. My post just gets erased or I get kicked out of the group. I'm just giving my side of the story because you may have the same issues I do. Maybe tints just aren't good for your coloring.

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I'm all ears! Er, eyes.