Travel Wardrobe-a reality?

I am a big believer in the Cluster concept that I wrote about in a past post, and I use it a lot with my clothing. The thing is that I have a few clusters along with stand alone outfits and various pieces that mix and match but aren't really part of a cluster. Okay, so it sounds like I have a huge wardrobe, but I don't have nearly as many clothes as I used to have before I started my business and was trained by a woman who lives and dies by clusters.

To get to my point...My husband and I are going to Europe for three weeks in May. Of course, I'm already thinking of the clothes I'll take. But I'm a little nervous. We've decided we're going to pack all of our clothes FOR THREE WEEKS in the largest carry on bags that the airlines allow. We've been told that it's easier for trains, too.

I'm sure I can come up with scads of outfits, but will I be able to find things that don't have to be dry cleaned? I don't know why, but the majority of my clothes go to the dry cleaners. Most of the time I even take things that don't absolutely have to be dry cleaned. They last longer, don't fade, and I don't have to worry about ironing.

Also, I'm thinking about creating a cluster with black and white as my neutral colors. I know the black will be easy, but what about spots on the white? (I guess I'm a little messy.) I may need to rethink the color scheme.

Buy accessories you love.

I usually give the advice to only buy complete outfits, and don't buy something unless you are absolutely certain you've got something at home to go with it. As I was getting dressed yesterday, I realized this doesn't hold true for accessories.

Here's my advice on accessories. When you're shopping and you see an accessory you absolutely, positively love, BUY IT! We all tend to gravitate towards our favorite colors or basic colors, so chances are very good that when you buy an accessory you fall in love with, it will work with several things in your closet. The thing I've come to love about accessories is that they don't have to be a 100% perfect match with your outfit, and in fact, it's usually better that everything isn't perfect. (Perfection tends to look too contrived and a bit old fashioned.)

Let me give some examples. Yesterday I decided to wear my new Chaiken, charcoal gray pencil skirt. I paired it with a black, ballet neck sweater, (a favorite that I've had at least 5 years.) I then added black patterned tights, (with an open weave,) and red, patent leather, peep toe platform shoes. I don't really wear a lot of red, but when I saw them, I knew they'd be perfect to pair with almost any black dress or skirt. It happened to be gray in this case.

The outfit still needed something. I was picturing a long, pearl necklace, but I'm truly not much of a pearl girl. So instead I added a grey and black, chiffon printed scarf with black tassels. It was amazing! I bought the scarf on a leap of faith, knowing it would always go with black. And it wasn't an exact match with the gray of the skirt, but that's what made it great.

Have fun with accessories in your favorite colors. They can even turn a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt into an outfit that turns heads!

SOL

If you have never been to SOL Lingerie in Cherry Creek North, you must go for a bra fitting. They are truly experts!

I had bought lingerie there in the past, a pretty nightie and my wedding panties. And I had heard they were great for bra fittings, but I had no idea how many bras they have. Thousands! You see them when you head into the fitting room area completely off of the sales floor. There are hang bars with bras practically floor to ceiling that go on for miles.

I worked with Lara, and here are a few things I learned.

-You get 85% of your support from the band, so the proper band size is crucial.

-Your bra will actually be more comfortable when it fits a little tighter. It prevents the bra from riding up in the back, which creates discomfort.

-When you buy the bra, you should fasten it on the loosest hook. As it stretches, as all bras will, you can tighten it and still have a proper fit.

-For the longest life, wash your bra every time you wear it. It's easiest to have 7 on hand, one for each day of the week, so you're not spending your life at the sink.

-When your bra straps feel like they're falling off, it's usually because the band doesn't fit. It's riding up in the back and making the straps loose.

-Don't tighten the straps when this happens. It destroys the integrity of the fit and support. (Run, don't walk, to SOL.)

-There are different bra styles for different garments:

T-Shirt bras with completely smooth cups are ideal for close fitting knits; however, they don't always allow for the best support.

A lacy seamed bra will give you the best support. Fine quality lace lies smooth and gets smoother with each washing. Most of SOL's lacy seamed bras are smooth enough to wear under most knits.

SOL carries a bra called the Chantelle Fete, which gives amazing support to larger busted women. It creates kind of a "pointy' breast silhouette, which seems a little strange at first, but it makes your rib cage and waist appear absolutely tiny!This is also a wonderful bra for blouses. It lines you up perfectly with the darts.

If you've always thought a bra, is a bra, is a bra, SOL will change your mind. A bra in the right size that's right for your body type, can make you look 10 years younger, not to mention thinner! (I am all about that. Bring on the chocolate!) By the way, SOL didn't pay me to write any of this. I was that impressed.

More Wardrobe Essentials

Here's a continuation of my recommended wardrobe "must-haves."

Black/Brown Pants: These are in addition to your suit pants. They'll be a real work horse for you, so they'll need to be dry cleaned more. It's important to dry clean all of the pieces of your suits at the same time, so that one piece won't become more faded than the others.

I actually wear my brown pants more than my black pants. They're my all time faves, and sadly are starting to wear out! I love brown with purple, teal green, turquoise, peacock blue, pink, and lime green. You can wear brown with just about anything you'd wear black with.

White blouse: White blouses are classics, but they're especially hot this year. You can wear it with your suit, jeans, layered under vests, jackets, sweaters, and to quote my friend Stacy, who owns Violet and Chromosome, "everything!"

It's worth your time to search for one that fits well and that you really love. However, I don't see spending tons of money on it, because, come on, it's a white shirt! Doesn't everyone spill on occasion?

Cute jacket: Ideally, you want one that you can wear with your suit pants, your basic pants (above) and your jeans. Tweed can be great-a real departure from the suit jacket. Depending on your budget and how often you like to shop, this jacket can be a trendy shape or a classic shape. Make sure either works well with your body type.

Sweater set: I know a lot of people don't like these, but hear me out. Cardigans are so much more versatile than pull over sweaters. I'm big on jackets for professional dress, but the reality is that there are days when most of us want to wear something more comfy and cozy! A matched sweater set is the closest thing to a jacket in terms of authority, credibility, etc.

As you're trying to get your head around wearing a sweater set, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. It doesn't have to be that cutesy, old lady style. Look for styling your really like, perhaps one with beautiful beading, a really long one or one with a belt. There are lots to choose from. Also, the shell doesn't have to be a jewel neck that is hard for most women to wear. Next, be sure to look for colors and fabrics that you're absolutely crazy about.

Of course, if you can't stand the idea of the sweater set, the cardigan can still be worn over blouses and other knit tops. And the shells are great under jackets or even by themselves in warm weather. (Don't wear it alone in the office, though.)

Dressy Pumps: I love sling backs, but if you were only buying one pair of shoes, I'd recommend a basic, high heeled pump with a semi-pointed toe in the neutral you wear the most, i.e. black. They can be worn with everything from the LBD, to the suit, to the jeans. Of course, if you can't wear heels, look for the most elegant leather or leather-like shoe you can find that's comfortable.

These all great basics to get you started with a wardrobe. Of course, as I mentioned before, there is a lot of room for personal style, but these items will all take you far in all but the most casual wardrobes.

Photos Courtesy of Nordstrom and Talbots

Wardrobe Basics

I was recently asked the question, “If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only have ten pieces of clothing and three accessories, what would they be?” Wow, what a loaded question! The fact of the matter is, I don’t really have a pat answer of must haves. Everyone’s needs and tastes are completely unique. It’s truly impossible to suggest the same 10 items for all women.

But wanting to be helpful, I’ve given some thought to my friend’s question and have come up with some ideas of garments in general that could be useful. However, if one were really stuck on a deserted tropical island, I’d suggest a swimsuit and a cover-up. I’d then suggest using any additional garments to make S.O.S flags!

Remember, these are merely suggestions. Feel free to adapt to your likes and needs.

Little Black Dress: It doesn’t really have to be black. It could be any dark neutral color that looks good one you. The important thing is choosing a relatively dressy fabric in a simple style that can be changed easily with layers and accessories.

Swimsuit: Really. Even if you don’t swim much, you never know when you’ll need one. A Jacuzzi is a requisite for any hotel I stay at. Plus, you never know when you’ll be whisked off to a tropical island!

Black suit: Again, it doesn’t have to be black. Any dark neutral color, such as navy, charcoal, or brown would be suitable. Even if you’re not involved in the business arena, a suit is appropriate for a huge variety of occasions, from a funeral to a dressy dinner to a fun, funky look with a t-shirt. For the most versatility, try to find a skirt and pants that match the jacket. Feel free to dismiss the previous advice if you strictly wear pants. I know a lot of women who have freed themselves of skirts. If you have occasion to wear suits a lot, I’d suggest a suit in a lighter color like khaki or beige for warm weather.

Flattering jeans: Other than the swimsuit, we’ve got a real theme going on! If you’ve got a casual lifestyle, you may only need casual jeans, like Levi’s. If you want the most versatility, go for a dressy pair of jeans to wear with heels, more casual jeans to wear with flats, and super comfy weekend jeans that can take a lot of wear and tear.

Silver or gold hoop earrings: I’m a big fan hoops! (I’m actually a big fan of diamond studs too, but I don’t foresee those in my jewelry box any time soon!) The nice thing about a medium sized hoop is that they work for both long and short hair. They give short haired heads some volume and interest. They’re big enough to be seen if you’ve got long or thick hair. Another thing I like about hoops is that they are a nice blend of dressy and casual. Lastly, they are a simple compliment to a statement necklace, keeping you from being to matchy-matchy all of the time.

Check for more wardrobe essentials next time.

Coats-my necessary evil!

I have to admit, I don’t really like wearing coats. Strange for Colorado, huh? I like looking at coats, but not wearing them. Luckily, contrary to popular belief around the country, there aren’t many days here in the winter that you need a heavy coat. Nevertheless, I’ve found that no matter how hard I try to deny it, we need coats! Last year I was really excited to find a lightweight winter coat. Unfortunately, I learned it’s not warm enough!

So…I found myself coat shopping at the big sale at Macy’s over the weekend. It led me to thinking about what’s important to consider when you’re shopping for a coat. Here are a few thoughts to ponder:

-Do I wear mostly pants or skirts? A car coat is fine if you rarely wear skirts.
-How dressy are most of my clothes?
-What’s my body shape? Will a fitted coat suit me or is an A-Line better for my figure?
-Will I wear jackets and bulky sweaters under my coat? If so, be sure to try the coat on over both.
-What’s my personal style? Am I more sophisticated or sporty?

Here are some great coats:

This one is great for a triangle figure. The double breasted style widens the upper body. The a-line bottom accommodates hips and thighs.

Great for an inverted triangle, the wide sleeves will visually widen the hips, balancing the figure.

This is a simple, sophisticated style that flatters many body types.

What an amazing color! This a a great car coat for business casual and would be hot with dressy jeans and boots.(I put this on my wish list!)

Photos Courtesy: Macy's, Nordstrom

The Little Black Sequined Skirt

On Saturday, I participated in the Best Ever Holiday Extravaganza benefiting Warren Village. As my contribution to the event, I did a presentation on dressing for the holidays. My first idea was to show a little black dress accessorized in a variety of ways, but then I found the cutest “little black sequined skirt”, (LBSS,) at Ann Taylor and decided it would be a lot more useful and fun!(Don't let these pictures throw you off. Both pieces are much cuter than they appear here. I think Ann Taylor should let me style their photo shoots!)

Since shine is such a big trend for fall, there are ways to wear this skirt pre and post holiday season.

I love mixing dressy items with casual pieces. So I combined the skirt with a black, cashmere, faux wrap sweater, black tights and black, high boots. It’s all about mixing up textures that make this modern look interesting. This is a dressy look that’s not over-the-top. It would be perfect for an office party, dinner party or dinner out at a romantic restaurant.

The next look is inspired by an article I saw in Vogue, written by one of their fashion editors. She paired the skirt, (well actually hers was a mini-skirt,) with a white blouse and a big slouchy sweater. She wore it with thick tights and chunky shoes. It makes a great weekend look. In spite of the sequins, it’s casual.

For my presentation, I paired my skirt with a long sleeved black t-shirt from the Loft, a black DKNY rayon blazer that I’ve had for a few years, and the same tights. (Charcoal or aubergine tights could be cool, too.) I belted my waist with a black patent belt and changed to short, suede boots. I felt very fashionista!

Last but not least, I paired the skirt with this magenta INC top I’ve been coveting for a couple of months now. (I got the last one at the store!) For this look, I’d shed the tights and change to strappy, sparkly sandals. It’s truly a fun look that will really go to any dressy occasion except for all but the most traditional, black-tie affair. (The top shown obviously isn't the exact top, but it's similar.)

For my presentation, I actually made my changes in front of the group, so if you have a variety of events in one evening that you’d like different looks for, you can too. I started with a stretchy, black camisole under the sweater, then layered the t-shirt and blazer over it, then changed to the dressy top, popped off the cami straps and wriggled the top down over my hips. I also loved that any of the tops I used can also be worn with jeans, so if you had a super, casual event, you could even change from the LBSS to jeans!

Where do you shop?

If you live anywhere in Colorado, and you're updating your wardrobe for a season and want to have the very best selection of clothing, you need to visit Cherry Creek Mall or Park Meadows Mall. Forget about convenience! I live closest to Westminster mall, but they don't have the stores I like, and because the chain stores there are considered 'C' stores, they have very little merchandise. On the other hand, if you're looking for a bargain, perhaps something you've seen at one of the larger stores and now it's on sale and gone, you might try one of these outlying stores.

Ann Taylor at Cherry Creek by far has the most merchandise. They get the best selection and a lot of it. I was at this store on Friday with a client. There was a ton to choose from and they had my client's size in everything! I popped in the Ann Taylor in Park Meadows on Saturday and saw several things I'd seen at CC, but I was astounded at much less they had. (In their defense, it appeared they'd had a busy day and probably had sold a lot.) One more tip I should share about A.Taylor is that many times they mark items down, but the pieces don't automatically go on the sale rack. If you typically head for the sale racks, slow down and look through the whole store. You're missing bargains!

Dillard's at Park Meadows mall has more suits and suiting separates than I've seen anywhere else. A sales associate told me they're the Antonio Melani store, meaning you'll find the whole line there and most likely only clearance items at their other stores.

I've also found that Park Meadows as a whole seems to be a "suit mall." Macy's has a lot of suits also...far more than Cherry Creek.

Last but not least...Nordstrom! Although I love the new Cherry Creek store and have been there several times already, I for the most part prefer Park Meadows. Park Meadows is a much bigger store, and like the rest of the mall, they have a lot of suiting and other professional clothing. On the other hand, what makes Cherry Creek's Nordstrom special is the they have many designers that aren't in their other stores. One department I've got my eye on is called Via C. It's an area with up and coming designers such as Vince and Philip Lim.

Let Your Image Speak Highly of You!

Studies show that people start forming impressions of us within mere seconds of first seeing us. In other words, your image speaks well before you ever get the chance to open you mouth. Without getting too technical, it’s all a matter of non-verbal communication.

The good news is that you can control the impressions you make or the non-verbal messages you’re sending out. In professional situations such as an interview, sales call or important business negotiation, your professional appearance and non-verbal messages can help get you the job, sale or seal the deal. Here are a few general tips.

-First and foremost, remember everything counts! Making sure every detail of your appearance is taken care of sends a non-verbal message that you pay attention to details. Employers like that!

-People really notice shoes. Ensure your shoes are clean, well polished and don’t show any signs of wear. Again, it’s the attention to details. Also, if you’re wearing a skirt, you need to be wearing heels at least two inches high. If you can’t wear heels, it’s better to wear pants.

-Make sure your clothing, accessories (including glasses), and hairstyle is up to date. Keeping current shows you’re aware of what’s going on in the world around you. It also sends messages that you’re flexible, a quick learner and that your skills are up to date.

-Whether you’re in a business casual or traditional business suit environment, wear a jacket. Structured jackets make your body just a little bigger, giving you stature and presence. The design details of a structured, tailored jacket can help send out messages that you’re authoritative, official, credible, persuasive, more formal, precise, and stable.

While you may be in an interview situation or business meeting, and more than likely you’re doing plenty of conversing, your image can be your silent cheerleader. It can say all kinds of key, positive messages about yourself that you might feel silly saying out loud.

Clustering-Enhance your Business Image!

As busy professionals, you’ve got a lot to juggle: your job, your boss, co-workers and employees, your home, family, and finally your image. Clothes, shopping, image…who has the time to think about it, not to mention the money? Good News! There’s a great wardrobe technique you should know about called clustering. It’s a concept all smart professionals can use. It saves time and money and helps you create a personal image that will enhance your professional image.

A cluster is a small group of coordinated clothes. You may be thinking, “She must be talking about mix and match. I know all about that.” Clustering goes beyond mix and match and allows you to build a complete wardrobe that will last for years. A well- planned cluster includes enough garments for a variety of looks to fit all of your needs. The technique not only saves you the headaches of figuring out what to wear, it also saves you time, because you’ll know what to look for when shopping…pieces that work with your cluster! Another benefit of clustering is that you can build your wardrobe as quickly or as slowly as your time and budget allow.

The strategy is easy and works for everyone, no matter what your age, lifestyle or budget.

The following are specific guidelines that will help you begin to build your cluster. You have some flexibility with the guidelines, but the more closely you follow the guidelines, the more outfits and flexibility you’ll have.

1. Find a pattern, print, stripe or plaid to inspire the color scheme of your cluster. Your print can be in a blouse, shirt, pants, skirt or even an accessory item such as a scarf. A great place to start is with something from your own closet. Chances are good that if you bought it, you like it.
If you prefer a wardrobe of solids, simply go shopping, browse the prints, and choose your color scheme without buying the print.

For maximum versatility, choose a color scheme that includes at least three hues. Two of the colors should be wardrobe neutrals, and at least one should be an accent color. Keep in mind that “neutral” doesn’t have to mean boring. A wardrobe neutral is simply a muted shade of practically any hue. And accent colors are just like they sound, lighter and brighter. They create an accent in your wardrobe.

For example, you might find a blouse with a print in red, camel, black and white. Camel, black and white are the neutrals, and red is your accent. On the other hand, you might prefer teal, burgundy and charcoal. A third example might be French blue, navy, white and tan for a great spring/summer cluster. The possibilities are endless!

Be careful not to choose a print that’s too trendy, or you’ll chance having one of your core pieces going out of style not long after you’ve started the cluster. Also on this note, try to stick with fairly traditional colors. You don’t want to tire of your color scheme! Plus, as you add on to your cluster over time, you want to be able to find the colors.

2. Plan for five to eight pieces of clothing—top and bottom pieces. Five pieces might include three tops and two bottoms. Believe it or not, these pieces can be combined to form as many as 12 different looking outfits. This may be enough pieces for many people depending on your needs. (Keep in mind, you may have several beginning pieces already in your closet.)

An eight-piece cluster goes even further. When you finally build to a 12-piece cluster, you can create 48 to 72 different outfits! An example of a 12-piece cluster might be two jackets, three skirts and/or slacks, five blouses or shirts, one cardigan sweater and one pullover sweater, vest or knit shirt. Remember, these are just guidelines. If the pieces listed don’t appeal to you, go ahead and substitute. For example, instead of the cardigan, you might choose a suede jacket or simply another knit top. Just make sure that knit top is distinctly different than the other. (Ooh, I smell a guideline. I’ll talk more about this later.)


A great tactic is to employ a couple of suits in your cluster, since a matched suit is a mainstay for many business people. This strategy provides you with the ability to wear the pieces of the suits together or to break them up and create a variety of looks.

More than likely, over time, you’ll want a few clusters in your closet for the greatest variety of color. Yet another option is to acquire several smaller clusters. When you’re planning additional clusters, a smart plan is to “steal” one color from a cluster to start the next. For example, you might start with a cluster of white, black, and coral. Simply lift the coral, and combine it with cream and mocha to form a second cluster.

3. Select pieces that are basic—simple in styles lines and shape. Basics are clothes that are simple and somewhat plain in design without much detail or decoration. Think of a pair of flat front black pants made of lightweight wool. The possibilities are virtually endless. Paired with a jacket for day, they’re business appropriate. Paired with a dressy blouse, the pants work for more formal, evening events.

When clothes are simple in line and shape, not only can they can be combined for a variety of looks, but the entire mood of an outfit can change with the change of accessories. Another way of looking at this is that the interest doesn’t come from each individual garment but in the way you combine the clothes and accessories. Another advantage of dressing in basic clothing styles is that they’re often classics and stay in style longer than trendy pieces.

4. Select pieces that will go together and will work with at least two other pieces. This is how you build to those 48 to 72 different looks! Initially, all or most pieces in a cluster should work together. They should coordinate in terms of line, shape, color, texture and pattern. When you get past 12 pieces in a cluster, allow yourself to buy something you love that doesn’t go with many other items. These items are fun and give you that sense of fashion freedom.

5. Select pieces that are distinctly different from one another—no two pieces alike. This guideline is crucial to creating many various looks and feeling with your clothes. If you have five polo shirts or three pencil skirts in a cluster, you’ll not only be limiting your flexibility, but you may start to feel like you’re wearing a uniform! The “uniform strategy” may sound appealing to some, but it truly won’t allow you to fill all of your needs as a business professional. Also keep in mind, similar styled clothes can go out of style all at once, suddenly leaving you with a large gap in your wardrobe.

6. Select accessories that go with the clothes, starting with basic accessories. Let’s say you’re building a cluster in black, white and red. If you don’t already have a pair of black shoes, you’d be smartest to buy black shoes before you move on to red shoes. Additionally, it’s always nice to have basic gold or silver earrings before you invest in colored jewelry. As your clusters grow and the color schemes strengthen, feel free to invest in more varied accessories, such as red leather pumps, turquoise earrings or a plum colored handbag. Knowing you have many outfits to wear these accessories with takes away the guilt factor, and by this point you deserve it!

7. Gradually expand your cluster(s) to meet all of your wardrobe needs. Obviously, the simple pieces mentioned, such as pants, shirts, and skirts, can’t meet all of your wardrobe needs. You may need formal evening wear or work out wear. Depending on your lifestyle, you may even want to start specific clusters, for example, evening wear clusters, or travel clusters. If you travel often and perhaps unexpectedly for business, you may want to reserve a cluster just for travel and have it ready to go at any time. What a stress buster!

Even though there seem to be a lot of “rules,” clustering isn’t meant to make everyone look the same. On the contrary, clustering provides everyone with the ability to create dozens of looks all their own. Just as no one’s career is exactly the same, nobody wears their clothes exactly the same way.

Clustering’s simplicity, cost effectiveness and variety will allow you to build a wardrobe that has you looking great all the time, and allows you to create an image that will help support you in all of your endeavors, both personally and professionally.

Dress in Pink (Carefully) for the Cure

I belong to an organization in Denver called the Alliance of Professional Women, http://www.apwcolorado.org/. Quite a few members are participating in the Race for the Cure, http://www.komendenver.org/ on October 7. I was at a board meeting tonight and tomorrow is our monthly luncheon. They mentioned that the participants are going to try to wear pink to the luncheon tomorrow. It got me thinking, "hmmm...pink for business...be careful!" While I make it a practice not to make big rules about dressing, I think pink is worth talking about. The problems with pink for business are:

-It's associated with Barbie. (Okay, so she's an icon and she's got a great body, but if you take her head off of her body, it's hollow!)

-It reminds a lot of people of baby girls. (They're adorable, but they're not so powerful.)

-Really pale pink can wash a lot of people out. (Aren't we all trying to really show up?)

Seriously, I'm not about to tell my clients or anyone else not to wear pink for business if they love it. I just advise caution! Here are some thoughts if you love pink and want to wear it for business.

-First, think about your occasion. If you're going on your first sales call with a decision maker who's known to be a barracuda, I'd probably suggest black and white or navy and white over pink. If you feel powerful in pink, wear pink hanky pankies until you develop a relationship with the guy. I'd also keep your pink under wrap when you're negotiating and closing the deal.

-Instead of an all pink suit, consider it for your blouse. Charcoal gray with fuscia is a really unusual combination!

-Pale pink in combination with other colors can be very elegant and sophisticated. Your textures need to be rich. For example, a silk charmeuse, pale pink blouse would look incredible under a pearl gray, cashmere blend suit. A sumptuous, pale pink, cashmere sweater would be great with a beige, wool, pencil skirt. Think quality!

-Pink accessories might be enough for some. Again, really think it out. Nothing you wear for business should look like something your teenage cousin, niece or daughter would wear.

Deck yourself from head to toe in pink during October to support breast cancer. Wear pink with caution for business!

Photo: bcrfcure.org

Does size matter?

I was giving a presentation last week and one of the participants asked me "Does size matter?" My answer? No! No! No! As women, we're so conditioned to judging ourselves by the clothing size we wear. On top of that, manufacturers and designers are driving us crazy with the inconsistencies in their sizing.

The fact of the matter is that the only thing that really counts is being healthy and making sure our clothes fit us correctly. A number is just a number! You can take a size 6, an 8, and a 10 from 3 different makers and lay them all on top of each other. Chances are good that often times they'll all be the same exact size! I always say that if I ever got tired of image consulting (which I can't ever imagine!) I would lobby congress for a law to require sizes to be standardized. As I mentioned earlier, our identities are often tied to the number we wear. And most of us feel better when that number is smaller. It seems to make sense that designers would realize that if they make their clothes true to size or a little bit big, they'll sell more clothes! Although it's practically impossible for me to fathom, but I'm sure that even really small women are tied to their size. If you've always been a size 2 and have worked really hard to maintain it, and you need to buy a size 4 in something...panic sets in! What are they thinking?

Back to the real point...It's really just a number. Except for Levi's 501's, I've never seen a piece of clothing with the size printed on the outside. What's important is for you to be happy and healthy whether you're a 2 or a 22.

I got a newsletter from sassyfit.com the other day with a great message from sassyfit.com's Celina Moser. It read, "I was a diet freak in my 20's. I could eat the same simple meals meal-after-meal and not really think twice about it. I'm sure part of it had to do with the fact that I was broke, but I also had quite the social life and hardly had time to eat anyway (lol). I was rarely concerned about how a meal tasted as long as it kept me looking good in my size 4 jeans. How things have changed...(sigh).

Today, the new me wants sass in different ways - more mature ways I'd like to think. I want tasty and good-for-me meals that can be prepared without much effort at all. My focus isn't so much about fitting into my super tiny jeans (to look fabulous for my next hot date). My focus today is about feeling strong and toned - and fabulous in my size 8 jeans."

Remember, it's just a number!

Dresses

I'm so excited that dresses are so hot this season! I know it all started with the wrap dress, which I never really got around to, not to mention I can't afford the DVF's. But there is quite a plethora of dresses on the fall market.

I wore dresses as a little girl, but they were gone from fashion for years. The thing is...they're so easy. One piece...pop it on and out the door you go! But back up one moment. You still need accessories. The great thing is, though as with the "little black dress," or LBD, you can completely change the look of a basic dress with the accessories. I was looking through my InStyle Instant Style book this morning over breakfast.

They showed a LBD 3 ways. First, a la "so genteel" the dress was topped with a velvet cropped jacket with ruffled trim and worn with pearls, black lace over nude satin pumps and a clutch purse.

Next, a la "haute stuff" the dress was topped with a feather shrug. (Feathers are hot this season.) The model was also wearing very strappy shoes and a couple of mid-sized silver bangles.

Last was the simply sexy style. Starting with the basic dress, the model belted the waist of the dress with a metallic buckled belt, carried a sleek silver clutch and wore super sexy shoes, think Sex in the City shoes.

Those are only a few of the options for a dressy little black dress.

The sheath dress is big this fall, too. It can double as a jumper over a white blouse, be worn alone with several strands of pearls, (think Audrey Hepburn) or be topped with a basic blazer in the same color as a stand in for a suit.

Although I've found that dresses are super comfortable and easy, there are still tons of styles and fits, so you still have to try on a bunch to find what works. And on that note, I better go shopping!

Photo courtesy of: edressme.com

Fashion Tape!

Okay, so this isn't anything absolutely new, but nevertheless very exciting to me, so I thought I'd share. Fashion Tape! It all started when I was at Victoria's Secret the other day buying a bra to wear with a very low cut ABS dress I'm planning on wearing to a wedding in a couple of weeks. (This is actually the dress, however, I'm hoping my hair will look better!) I was very excited to find a great new strapless bra. I was also looking for accessories to go with my dress and had it with me, so I thought I'd try on the dress over the bra, just to make sure it worked. You could still see the center of the bra a little. In a panic, I asked the salesperson if there were any other solutions. She suggested using fashion tape to stick the bra to my dress. Voila! You can't see a thing.

Coincidentally, I had on a top that day that is very complicated. (I know, you may be wondering why a shopping pro would wear something like that on a shopping trip. Hey, no body's perfect!) I won't go into all of the details, but I had the top pinned to my bra straps, etc. All I did was whip out the fashion tape, and everything was perfect. I'm thinking this fashion tape is going to be great for a lot of sticky situations: the blouse that fits, but the buttons are in the wrong place, hems that fall out as you're walking out the door, strapless tops that just won't stay up and more!

I bought the ones from Victoria's Secret, since I was there, but the Hollywood Fashion Tape is a little cheaper, and I happened to see it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond when I was buying a wedding gift.

Jewelry Organization

I was working with a client on Friday whose mother had come into town for an extended visit, and was organizing everything in sight. (I so wish my mom would do this!) Very shortly after I arrived at my client's home, said mom whisked me into the enormous closet to showed me what she'd done with the jewelry.

She had put cork board on the wall above the built in dresser. Then she had put in tons of push pins and hung the jewelry on them. Okay, so it's a really simple concept, but it was amazing how organized it was and easy to see the jewelry. Obviously, it worked for necklaces and some earrings, just not posts and bracelets. Still!

After we'd gone through my clients existing fall wardrobe, and I was accessorizing her "new" outfits I'd created, I was able to see the jewelry so much easier than when I'd even just had it all laid out on the dresser in the spring. One caveat though, you have to keep sterling silver in plastic bags so it won't tarnish, but I can picture pinning the bag on the wall. I think I'm going to try this in my closet. I think I do a pretty good job of wearing all of my jewelry even though it's hidden in a jewelry box and drawer, but I'll be interested to see how much more creative I'll be once it's hanging up.

Scouting Fall Fashion 2007

In just a few mere days, all of the Fall Fashion Preview issues of the fashion magazines will be hitting the newsstands! Admittedly, it's a pretty exciting time of year for me. Although the magazines have been giving small glimpses of fall for most of the summer, September is when the big, thick, "bibles" hit. You may be wondering why I'm talking about this. It's simple, one word, okay well two: Wardrobe Planning! By seeing the new trends and designer offerings, you can begin to get a good feel for what you need to update and complete your wardrobe.

My favorite magazines are Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and InStyle. Lucky and Marie Claire are pretty trendy and don't really have anything professional.

Instead of simply planning a trip to the mall, where it's easy to get overwhelmed and sidetracked, take a little time to browse the magazines and see what you really like. Don't just look at the fashion editorial. Study the advertisements as well. (This is the Super Bowl of fashion advertising!) If it's a handbag or shoe ad, take note of the model's clothing, hair and nails. For example, I absolutely love the nail design in the current Dior models are wearing. Next, look at the editorial and identify trends for shoes, pants, blouses, jackets, and more. Once you have a good handle on the trends you like and the pieces you need to update your fall wardrobe, you're ready to hit the stores. With plenty of ammunition!

Photos: Style.com

E-Mail

In all of the excitement of welcoming everyone, I forgot to include my website address. It may be here on the site somewhere, but hey, I'm in fashion, pretty low tech! Please visit my website, www.elementsofimage.com.

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog! I'm Dana Lynch, owner of Elements of Image, an image consulting firm located in Denver, Colorado. I specialize in working with professional women helping them not only look great, but I teach them how to use their image to speak up for them--in other words, non-verbal communication.


I'll be talking about professional dress mostly, but since we all have a full life, and we wear clothes for the majority of it, I'll also be musing about fashion and clothes for your entire lifestyle.




If there's ever a topic you'd like to see adressed or if you have any fashion or image related question, please let me know. I'll be blogging weekly, so please visit me again!