Feng shui has been used for everything from cleaning to clutter, from landscaping to selecting a car color. It’s no surprise, either.

At its roots, feng shui bears a strong relationship with shape, color and elements, so it really lends itself to fashion. Symbols used in feng shui are also often seen in styles and trends in fashion, too.

You may have even noticed that when you wear certain colors or styles, you feel better and more in tune with yourself and more comfortable in your surroundings.

That’s because you may be wearing a color or style of clothing that resonates with your personal feng shui.

One of the ways you can find out what is best for you to wear is by knowing your personal kua number – the number that’s associated with your date of birth and gender. The kua number can direct you toward fashions that are best for you.

Women usually love what they buy, yet hate two-thirds of what is in their closets.
Mignon McLaughlin

The fashion-success connection

Few things can make us feel as uncomfortable as clothes that are ill-fitting, are poor color choices for us, or that we simply don’t like. When you wear clothing that makes you uncomfortable, whether that discomfort is social (“Can you believe she’s wearing THAT?”, physically uncomfortable (a size 9 foot in a size 7 shoe), or psychologically (“Yellow is so not my color!”), you’re not going to project well during an important meeting or interview.

In addition to how poor styling makes you feel, when you’re not in alignment with your best colors and styles, it’s very possible that the perception of you by others won’t be as good, either. This is especially important in a work or business setting. Here, clothes can either bolster your confidence and improve your image, or make you self-conscious and create a lack of confidence in you by others – and that can impact your bottom line.

On the subject of dress almost no one, for one or another reason, feels truly indifferent: if their own clothes do not concern them, somebody else’s do. Elizabeth Bowen

For women, fashion and looking good plays an integral role in our ability to get someone’s attention in the business world and make us more confident in our own abilities. It’s a source of pride that helps us to feel good – and when we feel good, we do better in all areas of our life.

So, how you can use feng shui fashionably to improve your appearance and your success? Here are some fun ways that you can go from frumpy to feng shui fabulous — and tap into your personal success energy!

Get kua colored. Once you know what your kua number is, you can select colors based on your number. This will help you select colors that suit you best and represent color palettes that correspond with your personal directions associated with success, wealth, health, relationships and personal growth. By being in tune with these colors, you will be more comfortable and harmonious with your personal elements – and you’ll get a better response from others.

Get out of the pack. Too many women follow the pack when it comes to clothes. This keeps you from standing out (in a good way) and makes you one of the fashion sheep. Find items that you love and are fashionable, but if it’s on a rack of 300 similar items, look for something else. When you do this, you pull energy to you by creating open and clear space around you with your uniqueness versus your sameness.

Select styles based on your kua number. In addition to color, styles can also be chosen by your kua number. See the styles by kua number below:

Kuas 1 and 9 – Your success direction is guided by the wood element and because of that you have a tendency to walk fast. You love comfort and crave clothes that are fitted and that you can move in – and you are a shoe addict — something typical of the wood element because wood governs the feet. Greens, browns and floral patterns are especially helpful for you in attracting wealth, success, and career advancement. Be sure clothes allow for movement and have some elasticity — and that you can walk in your shoes!

Kua 3 – Your success direction is guided by the fire element. You like attention and prefer clothes that draw that attention. You also like clothing that has a little sexiness and you love Victoria’s Secret. Tight tops and jeans that show off your curves are some of your favorite go-to clothes. Select clothing that brings attention to your chest and eyes. Reds, pinks and purples are good choices for success.

Kua 4 – Your success direction is guided by the water element. You like clothes that stand out for their uniqueness. You like long, fluid and flowing clothing and feel most comfortable in these kinds of garments. Unusual cuts are also a strong pull and you own way too many purses. Buy colors in shades of black and blue for wealth and business advancement and draw attention to your throat with beautiful necklaces. You’ll captivate everyone with what you have to say.

Kuas 5, 2, and 8 – Your success direction is guided by the earth element. You’re opinionated and tough to budge, yet work to bring opposing sides together and provide a calming influence. You like to buy clothing that is traditional and will give you years of wear. You like light and bright colored clothes and beige, taupe, tan, yellow, and dark gold are your power colors. White is also a favorite in your wardrobe and is good for you when you want to make a statement. You have a tendency to wear clothes that are either too baggy or too tight around the middle. Kuas 5 and 2 like belts and comfortable waistbands and shirts that can go untucked – hospital scrubs are some of your favorite clothes — and kua 8 loves big rings, bracelets, and attention to their hands.

Kuas 6 and 7 – Your success direction is guided by the metal element. You like cutting edge ideas and you are fussy about your attire and you are a closet perfectionist. You’ll fret over a small stain and will iron every wrinkle. Your success colors are white, gray, and metallics. You don’t mind spending a small fortune to get a quality garment with exceptional tailoring and exquisite lines. Those high standards will help you get noticed for your taste. And if you don’t have a small fortune to spend on clothes, watch style magazines that make high style recommendations that are budget-friendly.

It’s an indispensable tool, a valuable fashion asset and a source of all manner of important things like breath mints, a safety pin to fix a broken zipper, or keys to entertain a toddler. A woman’s purse is a collector of things – and sometimes those things are downright unhealthful.

According to recent studies, a woman’s purse ranks as one of the top ten germiest items we come in contact with on a regular basis. Ironically, a woman’s handbag is also the place where she carries her wealth and financial power.

Is your purse a symbol of wealth or is it a danger to your health? Maybe it’s a little of both.

Interestingly, for women, a purse is often a symbol of the self. An attractive, organized purse makes us feel better and more in control of our lives. When our purses are a mess and we can’t find anything, we feel lost and our bank accounts often reflect that scattered state.

Simply put, a purse with good feng shui is a purse that is organized, a handy resource, and supports its principal purpose: holding your money and financial wherewithal.

Read these tips to get your purse in tip top feng shui shape — and make you more prosperous!

1. Elevate your purse.

You’d never see a man put his wallet on the floor, yet women put their purses on the floor all the time – in the restroom, at restaurants, at work. Always keep your purse elevated and off the floor. And never, ever, put it on the floor of the restroom. Hang it on a door hinge or the corner of the door. A great idea is to buy a purse hanger for those times when you want to put your purse down, but not on a floor.

2. Keep it clean.

Resist the temptation to throw gum or food wrappers, bits of paper or used tissues into your purse. What does it say when you carry trash in the same place as your money? Garbage should go in a trashcan and never into a purse.

3. Mind the change.

Avoid throwing change into your purse where it will fall to the bottom of the bag. This is disrespectful to money. If it’s too inconvenient to put change into a zippered coin compartment in your wallet, buy an old fashioned coinpurse that makes collecting change easy – and getting it out for tolls or parking meters — convenient too.

4. Be prepared.

Carry a small safety pin, a tiny container of dental floss, a small notepad with pen, a small pocketknife, highlighter pen and bottle of eye drops. Little items that make your purse a point of refuge in the world make you love your purse even more. Better still, when someone has a broken zipper they will forever remember you and your purse of wonders! Lastly, carry a $100 bill, but don’t spend it. Having a purse (and some cash) at the ready helps you be prepared for financial surprises.

5. Activate your purse.

If you see pretty hanging Chinese ornaments or tassels put some of these on your purse. These hangers are great for pumping up the feng shui volume of your purse and activating it for wealth. Choose hangers that appeal to you and that look especially pretty and coordinated. Yes, pretty is good feng shui!

6. Buy thoughtfully.

Like a bra, never buy a purse just for the fashion name or for how it looks. Make sure the purse hangs on your shoulder comfortably, and like a good bra, stays there. Even better, find a purse with enough compartments to hold small items like pens, your cell phone, and other items you need to get to quickly. Make sure you can easily close your purse for security sake, that you can find what you need and that the purse is working for you, not the other way around.

7. Use a key keeper.

These small hooks fit onto your purse and keep you from fishing around for your keys, which can endanger you if you’re trying to find them at night in an empty parking lot. By hanging on the edge of your purse, you can access your keys faster and more easily. This says you can find your way financially too.

8. Avoid wallet clutter.

Get a wallet that helps you stay organized with your money. Your money should be easily arranged, not rammed into a wad, and your credit cards should be easily accessible. Also, have only as many credit cards as you absolutely need. Too many credit cards becomes a financial trap, a credit score nightmare, and, well, clutter. When the clerks ask if you want one of the store-name-credit cards, tell them “No thanks; I’m cutting down on wallet clutter.” Who can argue with that?

9. Buy a purse in your personal wealth color.

Selecting a purse in a color that resonates with your personal wealth energy will help stimulate your wealth and money-making opportunities. If you don’t want to buy a purse in your personal wealth colors, other good options include red, metallic, white, black, and blue. Greens are also fine and a nice choice in 2010. The best choice for the year? Blue.

10. Pursue love.

The No. 1 feng shui rule for your purse? Don’t buy it unless you absolutely love it – and then treat it that way. Keep it clean, organized, and off the floor. Your money mojo will be activated and you’ll have more to spend and save. Show some purse love!