Nat Laurel

One of my blog readers confronted me, commenting on my out of character camping picture last week. Whether working with clients or illustrating my style blog entries, I often use my auteur Amazon-Siren beauty concept and use myself as an example of a typical Siren. My reader, however, confessed that she couldn’t help seeing me as an Amazon. She said I felt so much more appealing to her in classical Amazon gear: combat boots and a camel coat.

I was deeply flattered by such attention to my work. But this is also a very typical misunderstanding of the Amazon-Siren concept. Many of my blog readers conclude that Sirens should stick to dressing Versailles style, while Amazons were born into pampas-wear. This is true to an extent, but it is also a simplified interpretation of my system, which defies the purpose of the concept: to teach you to shop strategically, navigate the eclectic world of modern fashion, and dress well for a variety of situations.

Sirens can look great outdoorsy, but they need to put a lot of effort into it. The effort can come in money, time, or the special knowledge required for finding the right clothes and putting them together. At the same time, a Siren can shine in a very affordable gown with zero effort. Investing in utility-lifestyle clothes and putting effort into what is quintessentially effortless-based dressing is counterintuitive. This is where lots of Sirens get lost.  On the contrary, an Amazon will have her natural, healthy glow in simple, rugged clothes and a ponytail. But when it comes to a special occasion, she dresses up, does her hair, and puts on her heels only to be dismayed by the result despite all her efforts. A typical Amazon needs to find a way to make her special occasion outfit look earthier. Making one’s formal clothes deliberately unassuming is counterintuitive. This is where a lot of Amazons get lost.

These two pictures  I recently shared on Facebook illustrate the Siren’s dynamics well. The empire waist maxi dress shot is my straight-out-of-the-shower look. I dried off, fastened my corset, pulled on a dress like it was a sack, and was ready to roll. I do not own a hairbrush and my makeup routine is ridiculously minimal. My dress cost $100. Clothes in this camping shot are my version of Bedouin jewelry.  Google ‘Brunello Cucinelli boots’ and cry.

The expensive combat boots are not mandatory; they can be substituted with time, care, and knowledge poured into conscious shopping and careful wardrobe editing. And it is a pleasure for me to help you with my blog.   Being with nature has turned into an elaborate and expensive project for me, and so it will for many Sirens. I have written a lot of drafts on this paradox. There are a lot of pieces, heavy research, fact checking, and expert review involved, but I cannot wait to share it all with you. For now let me  reveal the visual logic behind  my ‘Amazon’ look.

With the colors of my camping clothes, I try to recreate the ‘onesie’ dress effect: nothing high-contrast, choppy or jagged.  I am all about sfumato here.  I stick to jewel-tone, not the earthy hues because they emulate ‘heritage’ and this concept is complementary to a Siren type beauty.  In this inherently Amazon environment  I need all the  support of these Siren-friendly colors I can get.   The fact that my readers are digging my Amazon inspired looks means I did all my Siren work well. The path to an Amazon lifestyle for a Siren is not through borrowing Amazon styles. It is through fine-tuning her Siren styles to an Amazon vibe.

Learn more about  Amazon and Siren beauty types in my S ‘n’ Z beauty types section.