The designer and author of Your Body, Your Style reveals some simple and unexpected ways you can stand in your power.
By Rani St. Pucchi

We live in a world that seduces us to be like everyone else. The influence and hypnosis we experience through the social media, fashion magazines, and society to buy certain things, to dress a certain way, and to conform so we can belong is overpowering.
Worse still is the advice given out by style books to change the way we dress after a certain age. Women over forty, and especially those over fifty, are told to wear more subdued clothing and dress more conservatively—that they should cover up their arms, lengthen their skirts, and avoid bold prints and exuberant colors.
Personally, I feel that the most important aspect about style is to do what suits your personality and meets your personal preferences. It really is your choice.
Being original, being authentic, being yourself, and standing in your own truth—that is true power. Therefore it is extremely important that you understand your own personal style.
Style is that hard-to-define word that describes how you present yourself to the world. It is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma, an effortless confidence that you exude in being yourself, a magic wand that transforms you into a unique being.
Your style reflects who you are. It is very personal and unique to you. It is the way you dress that makes you happy, confident, and beautiful. In the process it matters not how many people you please as long as you are pleased with yourself. And it all starts with what you wear and how you present yourself to the world.
Does your wardrobe say something about you?
Chances are there’s a style definition that resonates with you. You respond to certain styles better than others and some pieces just feel right when you put them on.
Look in your wardrobe and what do you see? At one end you see rows of clothes you wear every day because you love them all, but at another end are stacks and rows that you pass. If you’re not wearing everything you’ve got then something is not right.
Does your wardrobe work together? If not, wouldn’t now be the time to assess who you are, what your personality is, and what you wish to convey to the world? Are you happy with what you see? Does what you wear make you feel beautiful and give you effortless confidence? Knowing who you are and what you want to project through your personal style is what empowers you.
While it is true that some people are naturally very stylish and know how to combine clothes to create looks that are cohesive, effortless, and chic, most women are not born with this skill. But this does not mean that they cannot have lots of style.
As with anything, practice makes perfect. When you want to learn how to play the piano you will need to practice every single day to become very good at it. The same is true for wannabe authors; they must write every single day. Thus it is that style only gets better with age as we naturally learn daily what looks and feels good as we dress and style ourselves every single day.
It can work wonders to learn a few tricks and understand your body, balance, and how clothing and grooming can work to enhance your style. Feeling better about yourself and the way you look can change your life.
Create your own individual and visual style. Let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others. After all, we live in a visual world. It’s what people see first before they even know you well, that they form their opinions on.
Unlike fashion, which changes constantly and fades over time, style is eternal. There is no separation between you as a woman, your clothes, and your way of being. Finding that unique style that works just for you can be magical indeed!
This excerpt was taken from Your Body, Your Style by Rani St. Pucchi Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.

© Rani St. Pucchi, 2018
Rani St. Pucchi is an award-winning Couture Fashion Designer, a Style & Image Consultant, and a Relationship Expert. She is a Bestselling Author, a Speaker, an Inspirational Coach and a Trainer. Her recent TEDx talk: Is Your Body Image Holding You Back has received worldwide acclaim. Rani’s #1 International Bestselling Books, Your Body, Your Style: Simple Tips on Dressing to Flatter Your Body Type; The SoulMate Checklist: Keys to Finding Your Perfect Partner; and Your Bridal Style: Everything You Need to Know to Design the Wedding of Your Dreams are available on Amazon and at Barnes & Nobles.
For more information on Rani please visit www.ranistpucchi.com