Imogen Lamport, AICI CIP

The Scientist of Colour and Style

Imogen Lamport is an award-winning image consultant, colour expert, author and educator whose work explores the science and psychology behind personal style. She is co-creator of 16 Style Types, creator of the 18-palette Absolute Colour System, founder of the Academy of Professional Image and author of Inside Out Style.

For Imogen, personal style has never been simply about fashion.

What fascinates her is why something works.

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Why does one woman feel herself completely in an outfit that would make another feel as though she were wearing a costume?

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Why do some people find shopping exhilarating while others find it exhausting?

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Why does one person crave variety while another values consistency?

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And why can technically “flattering” clothing still feel completely wrong for the person wearing it?

These questions have shaped Imogen’s work since she entered the image profession in 2004.

Her approach brings together colour science, visual perception, principles of design, psychology, personality, body shape and proportions, lifestyle and personal expression to understand personal style as something far richer than a collection of fashion rules.

The Psychology Behind Personal Style

Imogen believes that understanding who you are is fundamental to understanding how you want to express yourself through your appearance.

Throughout her years working with clients, she observed that conventional style advice often concentrated on what could be seen from the outside: colouring, body shape, proportions and physical characteristics.

These are important pieces of the style puzzle.

But they aren't the whole picture.

Two women with similar colouring and physical characteristics can want entirely different things from their clothes.

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Shop differently

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Make decisions differently

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Respond differently to trends

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Have completely different definitions of what it means to feel stylish

“The missing piece is the person inside the clothes.”

That intersection between personality and personal style became one of the foundations for Imogen’s work on 16 Style Types.

Co-Creator of 16 Style Types

16 Style Types was developed by Dr Jane Kise, Imogen Lamport and Jill Chivers to explore the relationship between Jung/Myers psychological type and personal style.

Imogen brought her professional expertise in image consulting, personal style, clothing, visual design, wardrobe behaviour and the practical realities of how women experience getting dressed.

Her contribution helped the team investigate questions such as how different psychological types approach shopping, style inspiration, wardrobe decisions, visibility, practicality, individuality and self-expression.

Importantly, the research wasn’t about assigning a particular “look” to each personality type.

Imogen was particularly interested in what sits beneath the appearance.

What motivates our style decisions?

What do we need from our clothes?

What makes clothing feel authentic?

And why can style advice that works brilliantly for one person feel completely wrong for another?

THIS DISTINCTION REMAINS CENTRAL TO 16 STYLE TYPES.

Your psychological type doesn’t tell you what to wear.

It can provide insight into how and why you approach style the way you do.

Creator of the Absolute Colour System

Imogen is also the creator of the Absolute Colour System, an 18-palette personal colour analysis system she developed in 2009.

Her experience analysing thousands of colours and working with clients led her to question the limitations of traditional seasonal colour analysis systems.

She developed the Absolute Colour System to provide a more nuanced approach that considers the interaction of the colour properties that make an individual’s colouring unique.

This same philosophy runs through all of Imogen’s work:

Understand the individual rather than force the individual into a predetermined rule.

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Today, the Absolute Colour System is used by trained colour consultants in Australia and internationally.

Founder of Inside Out Style

In 2008, Imogen founded Inside Out Style, where she began sharing her knowledge of colour, style and image online.

It has since developed into an extensive educational resource exploring personal colour analysis, personal style, body shape, proportions, visual design, wardrobe development, personality, psychology and the many factors that influence how we experience clothing.

Through thousands of articles, videos, podcasts and educational resources, Imogen has helped women around the world understand not simply what to wear, but the principles behind why different choices work for different people.

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Her philosophy is that style becomes far easier when you have the knowledge to make informed decisions rather than relying on fashion rules, trends or somebody else’s list of “must-haves”.

Training the Next Generation of Image Consultants

Imogen is the founder and lead trainer of the Academy of Professional Image (AoPI) in Melbourne, Australia.

Through AoPI, she trains image consultants, personal stylists and colour consultants in the science, psychology and practical application of personal image.

Her professional education encompasses personal colour analysis, colour theory, body shape and proportions, visual design, personal style, personality, wardrobe development, client consulting skills and image business development.

Her aim is not simply to teach future consultants what works, but to give them sufficient understanding to recognise why it works and when a different approach is needed for an individual client.

Professional Leadership and Recognition

Imogen holds the Certified Image Professional (CIP) designation from the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI).

She has served twice as President of AICI Australia and served internationally as AICI Vice President of Business Development from 2012 to 2016.

In 2019, Imogen received the AICI Jane Segerstrom Award, recognising her contribution to the image consulting profession.

She has presented at professional conferences and educational events internationally and has contributed to television, radio and print discussions about colour, personal style and image.

Style From the Inside Out

Across 16 Style Types, the Absolute Colour System, Inside Out Style and the Academy of Professional Image, one principle connects Imogen’s work:

Personal style works best when it begins with understanding the person.

Colour matters

Proportion matters

Design matters

But so do personality, identity, values, lifestyle, preferences and the way each person experiences the world.

For Imogen, discovering your style isn’t about becoming more fashionable.

It’s about developing the knowledge and self-awareness to express who you are, deliberately and authentically, through what you wear.

Explore Imogen's Work

16 Style Types

Discover how psychological type can influence your approach to personal style.

Inside Out Style

Explore Imogen’s extensive library of education on colour, style, image and the psychology of clothing.

Absolute Colour System

Learn about the 18-palette personal colour analysis system created by Imogen Lamport.

Academy of
Professional Image

Explore professional training in image consulting, personal styling and personal colour analysis.