I’ve been teaching for years that there is an easy way to bring in the movement of your secondary energy to create your own personal style.
Let’s go over an example of the 5 Elements of each Type and how you could choose one of those elements and incorporate it into your style. It’s easy to add a little bit of your secondary energy with the concrete examples I share below.
Secondary Type 1 Tips
If your secondary is Type 1, you want to bring in a little bit of “animation” to your personal style.
Animation adds movement and a quality of fun.
How can you express animation in the 5 Elements?
- Design Line: Add in animated shapes in any part of the garment. Think fluttery sleeves and flirty skirts.
- Texture: Look for a bumpy, crisp feel to the fabric with a light weave.
- Fabrication: Go for light to medium-weight fabrics that feel light and fresh on the body.
- Pattern: You can really have a lot of fun here by choosing animated shapes randomly placed, with scattered and disconnected movement.
- Accessories: You may enjoy a bit more sparkle in your jewelry, along with smaller or lighter pieces.
Secondary Type 2 Tips
If your secondary is Type 2, bring in a little bit of “softness” to your personal style.
Adding a touch of softness will appeal to your sensitive secondary and will feel more comfortable on your body.
How can you express softness in the 5 Elements?
- Design Line: Take your dominant movement and just soften it slightly. Add a touch of flow to the cut and shape of the garment.
- Texture: Look for materials that are plush and soft to the touch.
- Fabrication: Go for fabrics that are relaxed and have a slight drape.
- Pattern: You’ll be drawn to blended patterns that connect with ease.
- Accessories: You may enjoy longer necklaces and earrings with more detail to the overall design.
Secondary Type 3 Tips
If your secondary is Type 3, add some “edge” to your personal style.
With your secondary 3, you will feel more confident with added edge and texture. What does “edge” mean? I encourage you to not think of it as spikes, chains, or toughness. Think of it more like an unfinished, substantial, “mmph” feeling to the style.
How can you express edge in the 5 Elements?
- Design Line: Edge will look like triangles, points, and asymmetry.
- Texture: Look for heavier-grain fabric that feels bumpy and slightly rough.
- Fabrication: Go for fabrics that have more weight to them and feel strong on the body.
- Pattern: You’ll like dynamic patterns with a swift movement and medium contrast.
- Accessories: You may be drawn to bigger necklaces and earrings and enjoy wearing more pieces of jewelry together to create a substantial movement.
Secondary Type 4 Tips
If your secondary is Type 4, incorporate some “structure” into your personal style.
Structure will create clean lines and simplicity. Think of structure as a way your garments and style can “hold their own.” You won’t do well with floppy, flowy, or roughness. You want something that looks polished and more on the straight side.
How can you express structure in the 5 Elements?
- Design Line: Parallel lines is a good way to express structure in any part of the garment. You will notice the fit of the garment and want it to be to your specifications.
- Texture: Look for fabrics that feel smooth and sleek, with little movement.
- Fabrication: Go for firmer fabrics that keep their shape.
- Pattern: You’ll do well with bold patterns that have high contrast and are symmetrically placed.
- Accessories: With accessories, you’ll take an all-or-nothing approach. This means you’ll either want them to be bold and stand out, or you’ll want them to be simple and not stand out at all. Either way, you’ll want them to have clean lines and not be jingly-jangly.
How to have the correct balance with your secondary style
Remember, you’re only choosing 1-2 of the Elements of your secondary energy and adding it to your style.
Your secondary is the supporting role, and your outfit should primarily express your dominant Energy Type.
A good practice to make sure you’re not overdoing your secondary energy in your style is to check the 5 keywords listed on the back of your Style Guide and see if your outfit expresses the movement of those keywords.
Now that you have all the info to help you bring in your secondary, what elements are you ready to start bringing into your style?
I’d love to see your pictures in the comments!
