I’m currently reading a super interesting book called “Dressing your Truth” by Carol Tuttle. The book itself is truly fascinating- but the story of how it got to me is rather serendipitous as well!
Would you like to hear the strange way the book appeared in my life?
I have an i-phone and I
love to take the occasional hot bubble bath and watch the news, or youtube videos on it while I soak! It’s my escape! Well, a few weeks ago I’d looked up videos on it and stumbled on some videos with a
panel of women talking about clothing- but also relationships and personality types. It was like watching The View- without the stress!!
Eventually I realized that the panel was based on a book “
Dressing your Truth” – and at one point the author picked the book up and I couldn’t believe it!!!
I recognized the book ! I had seen the book at the
BlogHer Conference I went to in August, and I’d thought it looked interesting! But I didn’t know yet that when I fully unpacked my BlogHer stuff I’d see that
Carol Tuttle had gifted her book to everyone that went to one of the parties I went to! What are the chances? So lo and behold- the book I had been watching and obsessing about online- was actually in my possession the whole time- I just didn’t know it!!
The reason I’m loving the book- The book presents a fundamental question…THE fundamental question. It asks who you are. And it asks you to consider that most people can be sorted into 4 main “types.” And that learning how these personality types operate can help you relate better to the people you know, and most importantly to accept and understand yourself with less judgment and more understanding. How does dressing come into it? Well- Carol’s feeling is that the fashion industry has done women no favors feeding them a steady diet of cookie cutter beauty and seasonal fads. Anyone disagree with that? Didn’t think so..lol.
The reason the book has me up at night- The book has made me realize that the personality I had as a little girl and as a teenager- is very different from the one I have today. While I am still very silly and jokey and light with people I’m close to, I’ve become a much more reserved person than I was. As a kid I would have skipped up to a strange group of people and joined in a conversation very easily- while today I am much more at ease with a group of close of friends having a heart to heart. So the book has me thinking- which of these personalities is THE AUTHENTIC ME? In the book Carol talks about how many times kids are shamed into thinking their natural personalities are wrong – and so they change them. In my case that is not what happened. But my mom died when I was a teenager, and at that point my life took on a seriousness that it hadn’t before. In the book the more animated, light, random personality is called Type 1 – and in many ways I do typify that. But I’m also in many ways an introvert. For instance- at a gathering I don’t want to be the life of the party. I’m thrilled for someone else to take that role, while I have a deep meaningful conversation with someone I connect with! And that is all very Type- 2 . So it makes me wonder…am I just denying my true personality? Was it just lost? Or is my present more shy personality just as real as my former more outgoing self? Just different?
Why does knowing your type matter?– The idea in the book is that there is more than just one kind of feminine beauty. Also- rather than advising women to dress based on their skin and hair colors like the fashion industry does, the book suggests dressing to support the kind of personality you have. For instance someone very outgoing would dress in a bright animated way- a way that would almost invite people to chat with them in the grocery line! Or a Type 3 woman- dynamic, and gifted in getting things done would dress in a way that celebrated her go getter attitude rather than say pastels that might signal she was a retiring wall flower. The point is- live your truth first…then dress it.
What the book has me doing next!– So Carol Tuttle must have a lot of people who, like me, love the concept of Dressing your Truth – but who are still not sure what type they are. And so she created a
Dressing Your Truth Online Course. An online SCHOOL really! And it teaches you all about the 4 basic types – and how to identify which type you are. And once you know- she walks you through all the finer points of dressing as your type. And I’m going to take the course- and maybe try some of the tips! …Once I can figure out if I am a Type 1 or a Type 2 that is…lol.
I really think this book is on to something special. The fashion industry thinks it has women in a choke hold- it gets to tell us what’s in fashion- and it can feel like we have no voice. This books system endeavors to make women
their own beauty experts– no longer needing to look outside themselves to know what works
for them. And that I think – is a worthwhile idea.
Update: My progress doing the
Dressing Your Truth online course can be found here.
Has anyone else done it? 
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