You can always tell when people dress to be noticed. There’s usually something very dramatic about their style and outfit, either in a good way (Iris Apfel) or in a bad way (think the classic “Walmart shopper” cliche.) And there’s no doubt about it – they’re memorable.

When you think of women who are ‘elegant’, they are seldom “over the top”, but they’re memorable too – in a different way. They stay in your mind. You might not be able to put your finger on exactly what it is that stays with you, but it just does. Here’s how Giorgio Armani sums it up:

Dressing to be noticed and remembered isn’t inherently bad. It all depends on what you want to be remembered for. Let’s take a look at a few examples to illustrate the point.

Dressing to be Noticed and Remembered

Dressing to be Elegant and Remembered

You’ll notice that the examples of elegance are all masterfully simple in line and in color, and featuring just one or a very few colors. The examples of dressing to be noticed are bold and “in your face”. One whispers, the other shouts.

Dressing in either manner – to be noticed or to be elegant – will get you remembered. It’s all in how you approach it. Which one speaks to you?

Thanks for reading – and please share!

Adena