Are you a casual woman?

I've really pondered the name for this category.  It used to be "sporty" but too many women would say that they were not athletic or didn't play sports.  I thought about natural, but I know a lot of women in this category that do the hair and makeup and still dress more casual.  That's why I finally decided on Casual Woman.

This woman is absolutely full of life.  She is busy and active and involved.  She loves her family, friends and community.   She may not be playing on a soccer team or golf everyday but she is moving all the time.  But, by the same token, this is the woman that is most likely to play some type of sport or be involved in running, biking, swimming, etc.  If she has kids she plays with them.  If she doesn't, she probably has a dog that she walks and plays with.  She is the woman that you can call to do something at the drop of a hat.

This woman is an easy friend to have.  She caring, fun and easy to be around.  She has a tendency to over-commit because she likes to be involved.  She is great to have on a project or committee because she has excess energy to get things done.

The Casual woman doesn't worry a lot about what she wears.  She wants it to look good, but more importantly she wants it to move.  She wants to be comfortable and dressed to do whatever her day may hold.  Binding or stiff clothes will make her feel like she is in a straight jacket.  She would love to live in yoga clothes, jeans and a tee shirt or sweats.  If she has to dress up it will be pretty simple and still have some comfortability.

This woman isn't a big shopper.  She goes and gets just what she needs.  She has a tendency to wear her clothes to death if they feel good.  This woman usually has a laid-back, easy style that comes off as casually cool.  Jennifer Aniston is a great example of a Casual Woman's style.

Here are the things that every Casual Woman should have in her closet:

• Great fitting jeans...multiple pairs
• Comfortable military style or denim jacket
• Graphic Tees
• Stylish sweats
• Knit dress that can be worn with flats or dressed up with jewelry and heels

The Casual Woman will have some jewelry, but it is generally meaningful.  A friend will have made the pieces, the proceeds went to a good cause or they are representative of something this woman believes in.  She isn't a big accessorizer  but she sometimes likes to put on a piece or two of meaningful jewelry.  This woman doesn't accessorize in many other ways.

She is not a purse woman.  She is more likely to be carrying a big tote, a backpack or a very small bag she can throw across her body or over her shoulder.  She will not change bags to match her outfit, but will change bags to meet the needs of her day.  Her bags are utilitarian not fashion.

This woman will generally be in flats of some sort.  She may have a selection of tennis shoes...both functional and stylish.  She will prefer to wear flats with pants to the office.  She just needs to be able to move quickly and heels hinder that.  Flip flops are definitely her summer choice.

The Casual Woman is usually not my client.  They know what they like.  There is a chic coolness about them that comes naturally.  And, they are generally pretty confident in their appearance.