More on Dressing Your Truth

We are really enjoying our Dressing Your Truth trials. We bought several copies of the $1 trial so that we'd have the information for all 4 types since we have all four in our family.

I thought I'd share some of the things that have been helpful for us in deciding between one type or another, in case you're taking the course and having trouble deciding.

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3 and 1 actually have a lot of similarities in their features, but the main difference is that the 1 has a lot of upward, light movement and the overall impression they give is "cute" and "fun", while a 3 comes across as more intense and dramatic.

From what I have been reading/hearing, though, a 4/1 or 1/4 combination where both elements are coming across really strongly can look a lot like a 3 in the way it expresses in a personality.

Ultimately you really have to go with what seems right to you, I think. You know yourself best. But remember that often we have tried to change or squelch who we are, so that's why the physical traits and body language can be especially telling--sometimes even more than behavior, which is easier to alter.

I also had some doubt about the strength of the connection between physical traits and personality. But as a rabbit breeder I've come in contact with quite a bit of scientific and experiential evidence that there are or at least can be some strong genetic links between physical and behavioral/personality traits.

For instance, if you get a chance to read about the fascinating study where groups of foxes selected solely on the basis of temperamental and behavioral traits actually developed consistent physical traits in each line (with the tamer foxes looking more like domestic dogs), it's very interesting. Here's an article by Temple Grandin that includes some information about genetic links between various characteristics, and mentions the fox study.

So far, the connection between physical and personality traits that Carol makes in her program really seems to hold true for the most part in our family. Although DH points out that "The [Family Name] Nose" in his family appears to be a strongly hereditary trait independent of personality. :)

So don't forget to look at your facial features, hands, movement, doodling and body language as described in the videos, along with your internal feelings and tendencies.

Carol Tuttle has also written a couple of books on energy profiling. Both books have a lot of the same information in them, but It's Just my Nature is more general about the personality types and applicable to everyone, while Dressing Your Truth-Discover Your Personal Beauty Profile is more geared toward women and has more info. about the fashion industry and why it's not helpful for most women. I haven't actually read either book yet, but I have one on hold at the library and will probably buy the other.

They are running a special deal right now for a package with a book, audiobook, and the energy profiling online class that you can check out here if you want more info, or to see the individual books you can go to the store at the Dressing Your Truth website. The books don't teach you how to dress your truth, but they do teach the personality and facial profiling.

When I was questioning my type, I watched the "extra help" profiling videos again, and then watched the energy profiling video again. The first time through I sort of skipped past the sections re-showing images that convey each type, because it seemed redundant and I wanted to get to the point. (Type 3s tend to skip ahead or skim to get to the point.)

The second and third time through, I realized that the videos with images relating to each type in the "what type are you" section are really masterfully done. The images not only convey the types, but the music, the speed and even the direction and way the pictures move from one to the next fits each type very well.

I think that if you relax and watch those videos in a fully engaged way, paying attention to how you feel with each one, the one you resonate the most with and that feels like you will give a huge clue to which type you are.

I didn't particularly *like* the Type 3 video in the sense of feeling comfortable with it--it certainly wasn't relaxing! But I recognized myself in it.

When watching photo slide shows I inevitably feel like they're taking too long and going too slow; I don't need *that* long to look at a picture and am ready to move on to the next one way before it switches.

The Type 3 video was, in spots, too fast even for my comfort level. But it was dynamic and active and fast. It was hard to keep up with and at times made me feel a little uncomfortable--which is exactly how my Type 2 husband sometimes feels about my movement and energy. He loves me and the way I am, but I make his head spin. :) So I didn't find it pleasant in a soothing way at all, but I found it exciting and stimulating and resonated with it, if that makes sense.

On the other hand, there are some quality flaws in the energy profiling video itself, as well as some slightly inaccurate scientific claims (i.e. a simplified and not completely accurate description of elements).

DH and I were joking that the company should add that to their summary at the end to help people decide what type they are: "Do the minor flaws and unprofessional quality in this video bother you so much that you want to fix it or think judging thoughts about it? Or do you think, 'This is stupid,' and become tempted to dismiss everything else Carol has to say because of the flawed video quality, in your black-and-white thinking? If so, then you might have a 4 as either your primary or secondary leading.

"If it makes you feel angry that you're paying good money for an inferior product, or you have a drive to take action and do something about it, you might be a 3. If you noticed but didn't feel strong emotion about it or feel compelled to do anything about it, you may be a 2. If you didn't really notice, or noticed but then didn't give it a second thought or found it amusing, you may be a 1."

I'm glad I pushed through and gave it a chance anyway. :)

I went ahead and signed up for the Type 3 course, and the more I watch it the more I resonate with it and am sure I picked the right type for me. I so much enjoyed watching the videos, and laughed out loud at things that Carol said like, "Dainty is not our thing," and ""That's too neat and tidy for us--we move through life way too quickly to be tucking in our shirts."

Remember that you don't necessarily have to like the particular clothing items in order to understand the design principals from looking at them. Everyone's interpretation of a Type 1, Type 3, etc. will be different--you can combine the design elements in almost infinite ways.

They will also be affected to some extent by your culture and preferences, but they can apply in any situation.

For instance, in a group of nuns in a convent they will have only the option of very small variations in the way they wear their habits and drape their rosary beads to express their individuality (and, really, the whole idea of the habit is that they're all supposed to be the same and not express individuality or distract from spiritual things).

But a Type 1 might allow a few curls to escape from her coif, while a 2 might drape things more softly, a 3 might wear hers slightly asymmetrically and tie her belt or rosary beads at an angle, and a 4 might wear her habit and headdress in very severe and symmetrical lines. In a group of women who are all wearing the same colors and clothing items, those subtle differences will express their personalities even though it won't be as dramatic an expression as if they could vary their colors and styles.

Carol's Dressing Your Truth class teaches you to use colors, textures, lines and other elements together to most effectively complement and support your personality and unique features.

Overall, most of it just plain makes sense.

I think I will end up keeping the course after the trial. It's not something we would normally spend that kind of money on, and being a one-income family we have to carefully consider expenditures, but DH is on board with it and especially with the 30% discount they are offering I think it will be worth it to me. There are ongoing new resources being added all the time that I'll have access to, and I've found the information so very helpful.

I signed up for the trial fully intending to cancel it before the 5 days were up. Especially since I'm T3 with a secondary T4, my initial reaction was a very strong, "Who do she think SHE is to be telling everyone how to dress?!?!" But my 3 frugality and wanting to get a good deal and get my money's worth won out long enough to make me really give it a chance and go through the information.

I've found it surprisingly valuable.

I have no fashion sense at all, and had actually already been considering hiring someone to help me go through my wardrobe and do some shopping because I was tired of feeling like I looked frumpy, old and weird. So the timing was good for me.

And, I'm having so many new amazing insights into who I am, and in understanding my family better. Plus, I absolutely love my new look. So does DH.

I truly do think it's going to save me a lot of time, money and frustration in clothing shopping. And the amount of benefit we've already gotten out of it as a family in understanding each other has got to be worth at least the cost of a session or two of family counseling a few years down the road. :)

M&M was smiling ear to ear last night as she did her chores and got ready for bed, saying, "I like to say my words that go with Type 1 over to myself. I'm exuberant, light, bouyant, fresh, crisp and fun!" I think it's really validating to her, especially since she so often gets told to "settle down" in her life. :)

I do keep reminding the kids that they have elements of all types in themselves and it's fine to be other ways too . . . I don't want them to take this as a box to confine themselves into, but I like the part about it validating the value of who they are and the beauty in everyone's differences too.

Now, if I can just figure out what to do about a Type 3 hairstyle that would work with my wave and texture, but not go overboard with the movement and edginess to also honor my secondary 4, that would be great.

This sock is not disposable

I'm currently learning how to knit socks. The project may have been a bit ambitious for my first attempt at knitting something more complicated than a dishcloth, and my first attempt at knitting anything other than a gauge swatch in probably at least ten years. But I do love a challenge. And learning to knit in the round on multiple double-pointed needles was certainly not boring.

Trying to figure out how to turn the heel from pictures and words on websites, without having anyone to show me in person, was more challenging. And frustrating. I did come pretty close to giving up once. Well, maybe a lot more than once.

But when I finally successfully got the heel turned, I was elated. A couple of days later, when I finally finished the first sock, I had quite a sense of accomplishment. Sure, my first sock has a few mistakes in it. Probably more mistakes than you can count.

There are gaps running along the length of the sock where I didn't pull the yarn tight enough when transitioning between needles. The toe is a little oddly-shaped. The purl stitches in one row don't line up with the ribbing in the next. And there's a strange little spot on the ankle where I somehow managed to twist about 5 stitches completely backwards. My best guess is that I accidentally turned the needle around with those stitches on it while working that row. I'm not sure, but I think I accidentally figured out how to make something like a cable. It actually doesn't look that bad on.

Even with all the mistakes, it's recognizably a sock. And it fits my kids' feet. AJ tried on the completed sock and promptly wanted to wear it all day. She loves it. Both of the other girls clamored to try it on too, and all begged to wear it. That is, of course, very gratifying. But I told them that they at least have to wait until the other sock is finished before they start wearing them.



I think I'm hooked. I've actually already started the next pair--this time a toe-up pattern. But, wait, first I need to make the second sock from the first pair. I guess I can have two pairs going at once. Let's just hope they both get finished. :)

Knitting socks is fun. But it's also a lot of work. And sock yarn is expensive! I think the only way, nowadays, that knitting my own socks would actually save money was if I unraveled old sweaters to get the yarn. There's quite an investment in time and money in making handmade socks.

Some of the sock patterns I've found online have what's called an "afterthought" heel and/or toe. Besides looking cute, the touted benefit to this style of heel and toe is that they're replaceable. When you wear a hole in the heel, you can just rip out the old heel and knit or crochet in a new one.

I've found myself thinking a lot, as I work on knitting socks, about the disposability of clothing nowadays. It used to be that everyone (or at least every female and quite a few males) knew how to mend clothing, darn socks, patch holes, repair broken zippers, and remake clothing that was too worn for repair into something new.

Nowadays, if a sock gets a hole in it, most of us throw it away. Even removing stains and odors from laundry is becoming, for some, a lost art. Sometimes it's easier to just throw it away.

To some extent, there is some sense in deciding it's not worth the time and energy to repair something that can be replaced for far less than the value of the time that would be spent fixing it. But I can't help but feel as though we've lost something.

As a culture, we no longer value and care for most of our possessions the way we once did. Our landfills are cluttered with things that are often still usable or could be repaired or recycled in some way. We spend money lightly on things that were manufactured for pennies in factories by machines, or by humans who struggle to survive on far less than a living wage. When those things lose their shine, we throw them away and buy new ones. There's a constant drive to make things cheaper, while often true quality gets lost. Who cares how long it's going to last, if they're going to get bored and throw it away or replace it with a newer version before it wears out anyway?

I find myself feeling nostalgic for a culture where things represented a personal effort, and some care and skill on someone's part. Where people had far fewer possessions, but valued the few they had much more.

I doubt I'll stop using paper plates or buying cheap things completely. But I might think a little more carefully about how I take care of our possessions, and try not to treat non-disposable things as if they were disposable. I might choose to buy something of quality that someone made with care, instead of just buying the cheapest one. Hopefully I'll choose a little more often to buy things that were made by people who were paid a fair price for their labor.

I definitely plan to learn how to darn handmade socks. After all that work, my hand-knitted socks are going to stay around as long as possible.