BU Conversation: Natalie's Style Discovery
Owner Natalie Tincher shares how creating the BU Style Six™ has aided her own personal and professional style discovery.
Natalie Tincher, Owner & Principal Style Strategist || Photo Credit: Ambe J. Photography
Natalie’s Style Personalities
What are your top-2 current style personalities?
Magnetic & Creative
What is your goal style personality?
Soft, which also comes in as my 3rd-highest current
What style challenges were you experiencing that discovering your style personalities helped you navigate?
I spent the beginning of lockdown in the VERY relaxed city of San Diego. It was challenging to be away from the daily inspiration of NYC—the people, the cultural goings-on, the landscape, the shopping. As a result, I found myself feeling uninspired and like my style was missing any edge. Like many of our clients, I was in a rut. I was without my usual wardrobe and without the usual daily visual stimulation.
Before lockdown, I had also started re-examining my personal style in light of my business expansion and future goals. I wanted to dress for the tables I’d like to be sitting at, as I looked to further grow BU Style. I was already looking for a shift to a more bold, confident—yes, Magnetic—style. But with all of that, I didn’t want to lose my approachability and warmth.
Creating the BU Style Six and applying it to my own personal style brand helped me clear the fashion “noise” and focus on ME and my style goals and how I want to show up at this stage in life.
I am bold and dynamic. I am curious and innovative. And I am a kind, welcoming space for my clients, friends, and colleagues. I want every outfit I put on to reflect elements of these qualities—and depending on the setting, I can choose how much of each style personality to inject into my outfit to help me communicate my desired message.
How is Magnetic reflected in your personality and style?
When I was in 4th grade in small-town Indiana, I said I wanted to be the first woman president. This says a lot about me as a Magnetic. When I first moved to NYC, I leaned hard on leading with the Midwest “nice,” until I had someone call me “feisty”—as a compliment! It jarred me at first, but then I realized I was always Magnetic, even as a Midwesterner. I was outspoken and relentless when I had a passion for something, like submitting a petition and persuasive proposal to my high school principal to get a final school dance approved my senior year.
While I don’t feel the need to take charge at every moment (in fact, I prefer not to), I have always been ambitious, bold, and fearless (or feisty, you may say) when it comes to things, people, or causes I am highly passionate about. As a reflection of that, in my style, I have always loved strong lines and silhouettes and am not afraid of mixing bright blocks of color in order to make an impactful style statement. For me, 95% of my “power outfits” mean something styled with a “power blazer.”
Self-Discovery Through Style Personalities
What have you learned about yourself through digging deeper into your style personalities?
I’ve been exploring style personalities for many years, but I needed the years of experience and the support of a team (and, let’s be honest, the time granted by pandemic lockdown) in order to research, write, revise, and launch the BU Style Six. The process of digging deeper into creating the BU Style Six came at a time when I had done a lot of digging deeper into my goals and evolution as an individual, a friend, a partner, a business owner, and a style strategist. I learned more about myself and was able to further understand how my personal ethos, business ethos, and style story are all fully aligned and intertwined.
My top-2 style personalities are Magnetic and Creative, while my 3rd current and top goal is Soft. This is reflective of my personal and professional evolution. In business, I have grown into a more passionate, confident, innovative entrepreneur [Magnetic + Creative], but I always want to lead my team and interact with other people in a kind and open way [Soft]. In my wardrobe, I love strong colors, lines, and new silhouettes [Magnetic + Creative] but I never want give off an unapproachable message, so I often soften up the look in one way or another [Soft].
How does the BU Style Six help you better understand your clients?
Fashion is alienating to many, but by product of getting dressed every day EVERYONE has a style—even if you aren’t “into fashion.” Whether we like it or not, people are making assertions about us as people based on our clothing. The BU Style Six empowers clients to know that there is no wrong style and that exploring their style is a valuable investment in themselves. You have to get dressed every day, so it might as well be in clothing that makes you feel like your most authentic self.
The BU Style Six also helps personal and business clients create style alignment with who they are and the spaces they are in. I hear it all the time: businesses are struggling to communicate new, more-casual dress codes, particularly in this post-pandemic WFH life, and employees are confused at what they can and cannot wear to work. The BU Style Six helps businesses discover their “style brand” and teaches employees what that means and how to dress appropriately for their environment while also understanding ways to inject their own personal style into their wardrobe.
Every time I get a set of assessment results, I am still blown away at how accurate it is in reflecting clients’ style and giving them “a-ha!” moments! It’s so cool, empowering, and useful!