Even your clothing has a role in feng shui

AP, Jan. 22, 2003
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
By Samantha Critchell

Feng shui master Carole Swann Meltzer says most people think the ancient Chinese practice is limited to rules about sofa placement.

True, furniture arranging is part of feng shui, the study of designing in accordance with nature’s forces to encourage balance. But, Meltzer says, there is a much bigger picture to look at, one that reaches even the back depths of your closet.

“Feng shui is about choice. It’s about deciding what you want to accomplish in your home, in your appearance, in your life,” she says.

The inanimate objects that surround you day in and day out can be put to work if they are used in harmony with your spirit, she says. And, Meltzer adds, becoming Feng Shui Chic, the title of her book published by Fireside, doesn’t require a huge leap of New Age faith.

“Dress to match your energy,” she says. “Six thousand years ago people weren’t worrying about exactly where to hang their drapes but they were looking for a better life.” Their wardrobes, she says, were an obvious place to start since the working class traditionally wore black while royalty wore bright robes. Workers itching to move up the chain of command started to wear colorful clothes.

Meltzer says a lot of feng shui is that type of simple, everyday common sense.

For instance, red is an energetic hue that invites fame, authority, power and happiness, according to Feng Shui Chic. Yellow brings joy, good cheer, clear thinking and tranquillity.

“Color definitely sends messages. It can turn your own power on,” Meltzer says.

Meanwhile, she advises those looking for love to load up on opulent, showy clothes: Consider a bustier for passion or a voluminous flared skirt to make a grand entrance.

If you’re more interested in getting healthy, try a tube dress or skirt, which combine linear energy with conscious allure. A dropped V-waist bridal gown encourages fertility and a lifetime of health, according to Meltzer.

For people who want to accomplish all of the above, she encourages changing outfits as moods shift, but, she warns, don’t send mixed messages by pairing competing garments. For instance, cinched waists achieved with belts or tucked-in shirts ooze creativity but they can constrict strategic thinkers who need their ideas to flow freely.

“Changing your focus can be as easy as changing shoes or wearing bright undergarments. No one has to know what you’re doing, but you’ll know,” she says.

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