Why I Am Stopping My DYT Type 4 Looks

my ideal self collage from Oct 2012 | Thank you~* Kathleen~^_^

OK. Today, I am deciding to share about my experiences with DYT program as a Type 4. First of all, when I bought the books AND the online videos, I typed myself as a Type 2 Dominant for Facial Profiling, and Type 1 Dominant for Body Language. I was so severely torn between the two categories, and I joined their forum and had some lengthy chats with other ladies about which I look like.

Some months later, I was typed by Carol and Sarah via several photos as a Type 2 Dominant. I decided to dress in Type 2 for 90 days, got my hair, clothes, and accessories as suggested by DYT. The weird thing was, despite how *feminine* I looked, I felt so lethargic and depressed. I'd never been so depressed in my life.

Now, living in Korea, I sadly did not have the opportunity to take advantage of the Dressing Your Truth's 'Energy Dressing' program. I did have fun though, experimenting with new styles, and really working my ass and leg off, trotting around, looking for things that matched the Type 2 guideline. Must admit though, how HARD it was to find things that had both the Type 2 color AS WELL AS type 2 design lines, textures, and metals. In Korea, we have a LOT of *gold* everywhere. It's only been in the recent 1.5~2 years that H&M, Forever 21, and Eight Seconds started providing a wide range of cheaper end yet trendy accessories and jewelry. So when I first began DYT, shopping was SUPER hard.

Anyhow, I decided that something was amiss, and found out about a local 'Seasonal Color' Draping service. It is one of the few pioneers I guess in Korea that 'mass' marketed to individuals. Other services here are usually geared towards the more traditional 'Image Consulting' and a lot of them are focused on corporate clients or celebrities.

Well, getting analyzed with professional drapes cost a bit, but I was determined to find my so-called 'Category' and to my surprise, surprise, my best colors came out 'Bronze Autumn' according to their category. The service at the time didn't give specialized sub categories, I only found out later through their web board that you could have 2 different types of Autumns. Anyhow, my analyst told me that even though Autumn Colors look best with my skin color, I was to avoid the a) muddy tones of Autumn palette, and b) to avoid bright accessories. I bought their small sized cards to take to the department store to check out some makeup from Bobbi Brown, but was really disappointed in how awful they looked on me.

The difference though, between DYT and my color analyst's suggestion is that, whereas in DYT you can ONLY wear the colors specific to their style guide among one of their preset 4 color palettes, you could actually wear non-colors away from your face and 'get away' with it. My analyst told me that she was the same type as me, and that she wears her best colors near her face and for her inner top, and that she wears non-Autumn colors in her lower body parts.

I was totally lost between the two systems that Winter, and learnt about astrology based fashion, as well as Feng Shui based fashion systems. Seriously, the world was just one big mess regarding these diverse array of fashion systems! And I slowly got really angry for how un-aligned the systems were. I just couldn't deal with all the mis-matched theories. I was disgruntled and restless.

By the time, I reached a year after I first discovered DYT program, I think I posted something on Amazon, that caught the DYT program managers' eyes. I was seriously unhappy because I had read and read ALL of the relevant materials they had out on the market, regarding fashion. They wrote an email to me, respectful but also curt, saying that Carol really wanted to help me. So I actually had a 20 minute Skype session with Carol.

This time though, she was able to see how I moved and how I spoke. And she typed me as a Type 4 dominant with a Type 1 secondary. I was stunned. Me, a Type 4???

Anyway, Carol was sure this time, and I decided to give this a try. I started shifting towards Type 4 colors. Wore more black and white. Bought a lipstick in Type 4 color. I must admit though, adjusting myself closer to those Bronze Autumn colors, and then, pulling myself out of it was harder than I thought.

Actually, back track a little, I had found a specialty hairdresser's near my new house around that time. They knew about the 4 Seasons System, and I was fascinated by their information on the website. I learnt that they were actually a spin-off from a Japanese hair salon brand. Again though, there were discrepancies. While they had the quadrants and axis worked out, using the Warm/Cool and Soft/Hard categories of a 4 Seasons approach, they were truly more Asian, in that they ALSO labelled the middle of the road categories as a distinct area. So they in fact had a 9 boxes system, much like the Bagua of a Feng Shui system. The hairdresser had been trained but I was her first customer that knew about the 4 Seasons system apparently. We talked for hours that day. She analyzed me from my features that I had a lot of 'Softness' in my face, so she put me there in the extreme 'Natural' category.

Anyhow, while initial stages of Type 4 was tough, I had my hair colored back to my original hair color, completely matching my roots, so as far as hair color was concerned, things started to straighten up pretty fast-paced. I did have more energy dressing in Type 4 colors. Training my eyes to select the correct Type 4 colors did take a while. It took courage and willingness to wear them to work too. But as soon as I started affirming my Type 4 characteristics, and focused on my Type 4 physical qualities, I actually felt better and had some wild responses from family, students, and strangers.

* * *

That Summer, I had fun with dressing as a Type 4. But I had no idea what was to come towards the late Autumn. I was doing Project 333 for the first time that Autumn, and with the limits I had I ended up wearing a brown jacket which was perfect for the weather condition.

I still dressed pretty much Type 4, and by that time, my hairstyle was Type 4 too, so things looked good.

But as the winds got chillier, I just *shuddered* at the thought of wearing high shine silvers, and wearing cool/hard colors. My physical response was too severe, I just couldn't bring myself to wear those colors on my person.

It also got me thinking too, how from my Color Analysis, it was the bronze metals that really looked best on me. And how my BEST colors were gold and grass green, my best lip color being salmon.

So, come beginning Winter season, I slowly had to let go of DYT standards and guidelines. I needed black, and a coat I got had a beige trim on the hood. I looked great in it, despite how DYT color guide doesn't allow me to wear gold. I didn't want to wear stark white either, so I started wearing grays and creams instead. So basically, I just really couldn't continue with DYT's advice.

I think this was around the time, I discovered how for *me* wearing things appropriate to my surroundings AND seasons were really important unconscious values.

* * *

That Winter was long. It was also the first time in 35 years that Seoul had been that cold. Seriously, it was the first time ever that my house's water pipes got frozen and I had to go to a nearby bath facility to shower!

Come Spring, I colored my hair brownish which I hadn't done in a long time. I wanted to test out the Bronze Autumn colors again. By this time too, I really started missing all of my favorite 'Neutral' colors too. 

Dressing My Truth as a Type 4, I couldn't wear a lot of the Universal Colors nor the Neutral Colors like gray and beige. I used to LOVE wearing both, because they always gave me such 'sophisticated' looks.

* * *

Now, it's Summer in Seoul. I've had a lot of time to process these different fashion systems. I've studied other color based fashion theories from various sources and authors, as well as style tips, including more in-depth look at Fashion Astrology.

I've found more insights regarding Minimalism and fashion, as well as the different approaches to creating your color palette or style personality.

And, I feel like I've just come to a loose 'foundations' of what works for me.

Being Asian, I definitely am a Deep Winter. I can do deep and vivid colors. I can do high contrasts. I can wear gold, bronze, and silver. My hair, although not jet black, is more of an off-black, but it's still black. I do have some slight red/brown but I am not a dark-brown either unless I color my hair. My eyes are dark brown reading closer to a black, and the rim a round my pupil is a bluish gray. Charcoal and slate colors, as well as navies are great neutrals for me, along with black/cream/and white.

With my browner hair, I tried an outfit totally in my 'Best Color' as suggested by my analyst. I took a picture of me wearing it, and I looked awful. I look very 'Un-Urban' and there is no chicness to be found.

The look was SO BAD, I actually went back to return the clothes and got other colors instead. 

So, really, what gives?

Despite the suggestions of DYT and my color analyst, why won't their suggestions stick for me? Or why aren't they giving me the most Optimal Fashion System?

* * *

And the conclusion I'm coming to is this.

a) Doesn't matter what the fashion systems say, you will have to dress appropriately to your surroundings. I live in an urban and cosmopolitan city. My color preferences for my core wardrobe leans more to Cool/Hard colors at the end of the day. Not because of anything, but because I am surrounded by a city and urban structures that look more cohesive with that palette. And as per Asian philosophy, what is more *desirable* is to opt for something that is more 'harmonious' with the environment, than to be the odd ball, sticking out like a sore-thumb in the midst of a crowd. When in Rome, right?

b) Your profession determines a lot too. I'm a teacher at an academy. Although, it's a not a public school, so I can dress a lot less traditional, the label 'teacher' dictates a certain fashion sense.

c) Trends. It doesn't matter, if you are cookie-cut into one of the 4  types in whatever color based system you go into. Color combinations fluctuate with each wave of a trend that sweeps through these big cities. Same for dominant silhouettes and design lines, and accessories. I like being current and updated. And following DYT did have a lot of merits, I couldn't just *ignore* what is currently in or what is deemed *out.*

d) Neutrals, neutrals, neutrals. I've done the Type 2 and Type 4 looks. Type 2 got me wearing grays and grayed colors, and I often ended up looking washed out, totally a wall flower. Type 4, gave me definition and articulation, but I felt like a walking billboard. And some of the Type 4 color combos make you look like a clown too. To have a versatile yet efficient and money-savvy wardrobe, the right neutral colors are a MUST. I felt that DYT severely limits my color choices there.

e) Metals. Well, here is one place where I feel like my color analyst was really right. While I can pull off both gold and silvers, my BEST metal really IS a Bronze. Something about Bronze really helps bring out my eye color. While Black still IS my #1 Base color, as far as jewelry choice goes, Bronze is my Best Bet and my Best Friend. (Haha! I guess, Diamond's AREN'T my best friend, then!!!!)

* * *

So, I've finally come to a personal resolution regarding DYT program. And throughout the whole process, I've learnt a lot about my *own* fashion values. In some ways, I feel that yes, DYT IS right on this too. Carol did mention how a lot of Dominant Type 4's ARE and WANT TO BE their own authority, even regarding fashion. They don't take your word for something. They are their own authorities, and they make their own rules. In that regard, hell yes, I am a Type 4 Through and Through! :-D

But, having been on that particular Fashion Merry-Go-Round, I feel the time has come for me to *move on* and move to other pastures.

I'm spending a lot of time on Pinterest and I learn so much from other bloggers around the world! :-) There are still new horizons to explore, more refinements to be reached and had...

The search goes on...

But, as I choose to part from DYT's guidelines, I want to thank them from my heart and my conscience, for all the insights they have passed on to me. They have given me an opportunity to make some awesome friendships, and in some funny turn of events, this blog, which truly sprang out of my interaction with other ladies who were also on the DYT journey with me, has actually become my first ever blog to have a blog post with more than a 10,000 views, and a total of 89,771 views total as I type this.

OK. So a deep, considered Thank You! to Carol and her awesome Team!

And also a very warm thank you to all my readers and followers!

You mean the world to me!

Love and appreciation,

xoxo

L o v e ,

Jessica