The day after we got home from France and Amsterdam, I went to my brother’s house to see my mom, who was in town for his graduation (he earned his PhD!). She and my sister-in-law were in deep discussion about something I had seen here and there, but never thought anything of: Dressing Your Truth. Turns out my sister-in-law has been doing it for over a year, and never told me about it. It is an energy profiling program that also has dress guidelines to help you look and feel your best by dressing according to your energy type. At first I sneered. I may have rolled my eyes. A few times. I had seen Dressing Your Truth mentioned online, and honestly, I thought it was for old ladies who wanted to start wearing animal prints and short, spiky hair. I had no idea it could be relevant to me.
As Cheri, my mom and I read through the book, they both announced I was a type three, but as I read about it, I felt physically repulsed by the idea. It really upset me, as though someone was spreading lies about me. It made my stomach turn. Literally. I looked at the clothes, colors and styles for a type three and just knew I could. not. wear that. I could not deny that I do have many type three traits, but not the most important ones, and definitely not the facial features. There is nothing wrong with being Type 3. In fact most of my friends are either Type 3 or secondary 3. It just isn’t me.
Then we got to the type four chapter, and it was like someone had been reading my brain and spying on me my entire life. I felt so much peace and calm and connection. Then I read about type fours in the Child Whisperer book (written by the same author, Carol Tuttle), and I cried and cried from relief, validation, understanding, approval. The very next day I dove straight into the Dressing Your Truth program and the 30-day challenge of dressing my type for 30 days to see how I felt, how others responded to me, and it has been intensely emotional.
It turns out I’m a primary type 4, which is still, private, bold, authoritative, striking, perfectionist, clean, regal, simple, precise, structured, clear, reflective, and high-contrast. My secondary is type 3, which is why my mom and sister-in-law pegged me as that first. I do have a lot of type 3 qualities, but I don’t relate to that as a whole. Type 3s are dynamic, sure, and purposeful. They have the gift of action, and move toward getting things done. I get things done, but in a more precise, thought out way than type 3 would. I’m extremely efficient. I think through exactly what I want, but once I know, I get it done. Get. It. Done…Perfectly.
To do my 30-day challenge, I pulled out anything in my closet that was T4 in color, which is bold, true hues. Getting all of the elements right takes time, but color is where I started. I’ve always been naturally drawn to the structured, tailored clothing of a type 4, so that wasn’t as difficult. It is an ongoing process to find the right mix for my personal style, but I’m working it out every day through trial and LOTS of error.
The biggest problem I had when I bought the program was the example outfits. They are AWFUL. I mean, they were so bad that I almost asked for a refund and abandoned ship. Then I decided I would do it better than they do (which is so very type 4 of me, as Carol would say),and make it right for me. I’m sharing my 30 days of outfits and the things I learned from each outfit, for better or worse. Be warned, there is lots of worse.
To experience Dressing Your Truth and find your personal beauty, click here for the free discover your beauty course.
 I’m not a Dressing Your Truth expert. I’m just finding my way.
Day 1: This dress is a weekday favorite. Turquoise is my signature color, and has been for many, many years. I loved turquoise when turquoise wasn’t cool. It was my wedding color oh, so many years ago. I think it goes with everything. The sandals are sparkly silver, which is technically type 4, but more secondary 1 with the glittery finish and the circles. UPDATE: A year later the dress had to go, and it made me sad. But all that crocheted lace and swirls were just all wrong for my secondary three nature.
Day 2: This is the flowy shirt I mentioned above. The sleeves gave me anxiety. The whole loose and flowy cut and the lace and all of it is all wrong for me. This is the one and only time I wore it in two years. This top would be more appropriate for a type 4/2 or maybe a 4/1
Day 3: This is a good Type 4 outfit. Everything about it is right. These are the right colors, right fit, bold stripes, parallel lines on the sandals. The sandals even have a perforated pattern that makes it secondary 3, which is even more perfect for me. I will wear this again.
Day 4: I like this outfit and color combo. The extra bold stripes speak to my secondary 3. The stripes are navy. My sandals match the necklace in color. This necklace is a struggle. The round beads are more secondary 1, but I enjoy the classic strand of pearls look, and they really stand out against the stripes instead of fight with them. I also have very, very little type 4 jewelry, and I’m working with what I’ve got. The necklace and sandals make this too much for me. I would prefer silver jewelry and sandals now.
Day 5: I also like this outfit. Are you starting to see a trend in that I wear turquoise with everything? Wearing white, ESPECIALLY white pants makes me so nervous with six young kids. I feel like I’m wearing a bullseye. Come, children, wipe your sticky, dirty hands and faces on my most reachable parts. I love the color of these sandals, and wear them all the time, but the curved shapes make them more secondary 1.
Day 6: This is the Paris shirt I bought on our trip to Paris. I really like it, and conveniently, it is very T4. The triangle shape of the Eiffel Tower is secondary 3, as are the perforated sandals.
Day 7: The necklace and sandals are more secondary 1 (S1), but I am working with what I have. I wore dark wash denim shorts because wearing black and yellow together, especially when stripes are involved, makes me feel like a bumblebee. Stripes are very T4. Different accessories to make this solidly type 4 or add some secondary 3 would make it great. A year later I realized that this yellow is actually a Type 1 yellow, even though it was very close to Type 4. I never felt comfortable in it, and I finally figured out why. It went away.
Day 8: The colors in this shirt are T4, but the pattern is too busy and unstructured for a type 4.
Day 9 and another day: I wore this twice during my challenge. Once to my brother’s graduation, and once to my friend’s wedding. I love this dress. It could be too busy for other T4s, but I love it. I love the mirror images, the color, the cut, all of it. The neckline actually makes a V, which is perfect for S3, but it is too low for my taste so I have on a camisole.
Day 10: I tried to wear this blouse one more time and calm it down with a cardigan. I received several compliments at church, but the blouse is still a no and went in the discard pile. It was just too much color and too much pattern.
To see the next ten outfits in my challenge, go to this post.
P.S. I’ve never taken a selfie before, so it is what it is.
