Foremost, Fit!

The other day, I was driving and saw a woman walking on the sidewalk. She appeared to be walking to the bus stop or to work. Being a bit of a purple freak, what caught my eye was her purple print blouse. (I'll stop right now to say that I must have been at a stop light. I usually keep my eyes on the road.) So she was wearing an attractive purple print blouse and a pair of brown slacks, and she had great, thick curly brunette hair. It was a cute work outfit, except that it didn't even begin to fit her!

Both her pants and blouse were way too tight, and her pants were absurdly short.Then to add injury to insult, she was wearing those clunky, black "comfortable" shoes. While I don't mean to judge her, and I know absolutely nothing about her situation in life, I just can't help wonder why she would go out of the house with her clothes fitting so poorly.

Fit is so crucial to a successful image. Again, I thought her outfit was perfectly cute, minus the shoes, which is another blog post altogether. But the fact that the clothes fit so poorly ruined her whole look. I'm imagining the blouse being a touch longer and a size larger. And the pants needed to be at least a size larger, and about two inches longer--no, they weren't cropped pants.

Taking the time to make sure your clothes fit properly shows you care about yourself. Finding clothing that fits or can be altered to fit perfectly is half the battle.

Fashion Rocks 2008

After watching Fashion Rocks 5 last night, I think it should really be called "Rock Fashions." After watching the program in the past, it seems like very little emphasis on fashion other than the stars looking FABULOUS! The best dress of the evening was worn by Mariah Carey. Click here to see Mariah's dress and performance of "I'm that Chick." Mariah has worked so hard to reclaim her great body. She looked about 10 feet tall the way the streaks of black ran up the sides of the dress, and I love how the black curves in at the perfect spot on her waist making her look that much curvier. I'm betting she may have had to use a little fashion tape to keep the plunging neckline in place. She has such beautiful skin that she certainly has the right to bare it!

Dara Torres Models Inspring all Inverted Triangles

Photos


Olympic swimmer Dara Torres models at Fashion Week
In this photo provided by Dan & Corina Lecca, The Charles Nolan spring-summer 2009 collection is modeled by U.S. Olympic medalist Dara Torres during Fashion Week Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008 in New York. (AP Photo/Dan & Corina Lecca)

I was really excited to see a designer seeking a normal woman to model his clothing. Not that Dara Torres is your average woman! However, she's not a skinny fashion model. She's a world class simmer, and having a swimmer body, her shoulders are far wider than average.

She has an inverted triangle figure, meaning her shoulders are wider than her hips. The photo shown is a perfect example of how to balance this figure type. The top she's wearing has a deep V, drawing the eye to the middle of the body, making her shoulders appear more narrow. Next, her waist is highlighted, then the bell shaped skirt gives her the fullness in her hips to balance her shoulders.

The overall look is gorgeous and extremely inspiring to me. Typically, even though I'm an image consultant and know how to balance my body, I'm a little insecure about my wide upper body. A lot of the fashion on the market right now emphasizes the upper body, ugh! Here we're seeing how such a beautiful classic look can be so elegant!

Stylish Updates for Fall

I’m always astounded how quickly time flies between my spring and fall trend reports, but here we are again! As with the last few seasons, we’re continuing to see many classic garments. However, this fall designers have gotten extra creative with colors, textures and best of all, the way they’ve combined classics with trendier pieces.

Since I specialize in professional dress, I always hesitate to use the word “trend.” Adopting trends doesn’t necessarily deem you trendy. Rather, think of it as new ways of updating your look to keep things fresh! The following is just a sampling of what awaits you in the stores.

Colors: Purple-from amethyst to deep plum. Red—mostly a tomato red, great for blondes and brunettes with warm coloring. More colors include russet, (brown with a tinge of red,) burnt orange and of course, black.

Lace: From heavy lace garments to lace trims. If a lace blouse seems like too much for you, consider wearing it under a jacket or sweater with only the collar and cuffs peeking out.

Belts: Although all widths of belts remain popular, the newest widths are approximately 2 inches and very skinny. Look for studded belts, ala Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, to freshen up any outfit.

Skirts: Bell shaped skirts are the new silhouette. Pencil skirts are stronger than ever. We’re seeing the pencil with a higher waist a longer lengths for added variety this season.

Bow Blouses: If you like bows, this is your season! This year’s bows are quite dramatic. Again, to cut the sweetness, wear this blouse with menswear styled pants or pair it with an angular styled jacket.

Layering: Go ahead and get creative. Short sleeved and ¾ length sleeved jackets layer beautifully with contrasting turtlenecks, blouses and elbow length leather gloves! Feminine dresses with belted long length cardigans are a great way to transition from summer to fall. If you’re always cold, try a blouse under a sweater with a jacket over it.

Dresses: Dresses are stronger than ever. We’re finally seeing a wide variety of dresses for daytime, something for everyone. The classic sheath is everywhere. Sleeveless, it’s perfect underneath jackets and sweaters, but don’t forget you can also pop a white blouse or thin sweater underneath for a unique, albeit professional look.

Animal prints: Animal prints have been coming in and out of fashion for so many years that they’ve truly become classics. Exquisitely designed animal prints have lost they’re “grrr” factor. Still, exercise cautious with your choices. Accessories, such as shoes, belts, and bags, are always safe. Vintage, fake fur coats are always a stand-out, and a subtle, animal print, pencil skirt looks new this year.

Statement necklaces: For years chunky jewelry has been outdated, now it’s back with a vengeance! Small, delicate necklaces don’t do you any favors in business anyway. Look for jewelry that is bold enough to be eye catching, yet not distracting—a fine balance!

Tights: Tights are what make skirts and dresses wearable during the colder months. (Some may argue with me that they’re not comfortable. Tights are tough; try tugging on them to get them in the right spot!) Subtle patterns and subdued colors are appropriate for most business settings. Consider a charcoal gray pencil skirt with eggplant tights and shoes. For weekends and formal events, try bold prints, laces and colors for your legwear.

Although you don’t want to appear too trendy, unless of course it’s appropriate for your field, keeping up to date sends out non-verbal messages that you’re up on current business practices, that you’re open to new ideas, you’re in the know, and that you’re a quick learner.

I hope this post provides you with some inspiration to update and forge ahead this fall! Please feel free to contact me with any question or if you’d like some help with your fall wardrobe. I can be reached at dana@elementsofimage.com.

Sex in the City

I finally went to see Sex and the City on Saturday. The fashion and shoes were amazing! (I was never a viewer of the series--no HBO.) There was a great scene where the bridal party was getting into the limo to take them to the wedding ceremony. The wedding planner was organizing the women, identifying them by the color dress they were wearing. First he called out "Red" referring to Miranda. Then, "Blue" for Samantha, and finally he calls for "Black, " or Charlotte. She wasn't near the limo, so he calls again, "Black, where's Black?"

It got me thinking. Everyone has heard the cliche, "You are what you eat." Truly, I believe, "You are what you wear." People identify us by what we wear, especially if they've just met us. And we have the ability to bring out our personalities through our clothes as well as to dress to be perceived however we'd like.

I found it interesting that the movie's costume designer chose black as the color for the character Charlotte's bridesmaid dress. Black is typically thought of as mysterious, dark, serious, sexy, etc. Charlotte's character is forever sunny, optimistic, girly, and happy. Yellow or even pink would have matched her character better. On the other hand, perhaps the very clever Patricia Field was allowing Charlotte to be her alter ego for the day.

What color are you?

At Peace with Glasses

Years ago when I first trained to become an image consultant, I learned the following: The way you look affects the way you think, the way you feel, the way you act and then the way others react towards you. I experienced this at a very high level last Friday.

I was shopping for new glasses. I've worn glasses since I was 9 years old, but until I started wearing my current glasses, I never really liked the way I looked in glasses and never felt fantastic wearing them. (I wore contact for a few years, but I've developed a condition called dry eyes, and the contacts absolutely kill my eyes.) I also dreaded shopping for new glasses, as I never liked any of the new frames on my face.

This was all until I started working with Connie at Europtics in Cherry Creek North. She is fantastic at choosing frames that work for you. Her process is a lot like the one I use for image consulting. She asks about your lifestyle, needs and the look you'd like to project. Then she selects multiple frames for you to try on. Like me with clothing, she sometimes chooses frames outside the box, which sometimes work and sometimes don't.

I love my current glasses and get compliments on them all of the time, so I was excited to get another pair to give me a different look. Having accepted myself as a "glasses wearer" I liked a lot of the frames. I ended up putting several pairs on hold and went back later in the day. I ended up buying the ones I kept thinking about all day! They're slightly more subdued than my current glasses (which I am keeping,) but they're not too subdued. I found that anything too subdued just didn't feel like me, and I felt a bit nerdy and less fashionable. As an image consultant, I can't afford to look anything but stylish! (By the way, the ones I bought are in the middle above, but they're brown and they look completely different.)

And then I moved onto sunglasses, (cue choir of angels singing "ah".) I've never been a real label girl, but there's something about the designer sunglasses! I feel like a celebrity in my new Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses. And when you feel like a celebrity, how can you help but feel more confident, and in turn others will regard you higher...continuing the cycle. I love helping women look great and feel great about their image!

Summer styles for your body type

After looking at the new issue of In Style magazine and getting dressed in a casual skirt and top for my Monday office day, I began thinking about easy summer styles that are best for various body types.

My body type ranges between an inverted triangle and a rectangle, depending on my weight. (When I lose weight, I lose it in my hips first. When I'm a little heavier I'm a rectangle.) The following are some tips for a rectangular body type. (I'll follow up the inverted triangle in my next post.)

• Avoid t-shirts and tank tops that are tight through the torso. You'll only be emphasizing your lack of a waistline.
• This season's loose summer tops were made for you. By wearing t-s that are fitted in the shoulders and flare out through the body, you're completely bypassing your waist and making it appear smaller.
• Your waist will look smaller if you make your hips and upper body appear wider, hence creating an hour glass figure. Consider a belted safari jacket with both breast pockets and hip pockets. (Note: make sure the belt isn't too wide. Fabric belts that tie are great for a wider waist.
• Empire waists tops and dresses with detailing at the bust line bring all of the attention up to your upper body and face. No one will care a hoot about your lack of a waistline. They'll be too busy looking at your beautiful face!

Roses!

My husband and I went to the nursery yesterday to buy rose bushes. You see, our backyard is landscaped, but we have very few flowers.

I had always heard that roses are a lot of work, but my father lately has been insisting they're not. We were all excited to get the roses and finally have a beautiful backyard. So we went in the nursery, and although I've browsed through roses before, I suddenly felt as though I was in a foreign country. Looking through trying to decipher the types, etc. I got completely overwhelmed. My head was spinning and suddenly I was wondering about like a zombie! Seriously, I was even nauseated.

A nursery consultant told us all about the watering and feeding and pruning, and all I wanted to do was go home. We opted not to buy roses and went to a smaller nursery to start looking at other plants. We got great advice from the nursery owner, but we were still overwhelmed trying to make some choices. He suggested a website for ideas and making a plan. We were relieved and went home! Albeit not empty handed. I did buy one flower for a pot!

If you're wondering what this has to do with image or fashion, I have to say that I truly know what my clients mean when tell me they get overwhelmed when they go shopping. We left the house with a vague notion of what we wanted, but no plan, which is really a lot like going to the mall in search of a new outfit without thinking about what you really want or need. I can't say enough for planning and making a list and doing research as to what you like before you go shopping for clothes. It helps cut down on the confusion and allows you to focus.

I'm excited to make a plan for our backyard and have a successful trip to the garden center!

Parisian Suits

Even though most of the women I saw in Paris were dressed in a business casual mode, a few days into my trip, I saw a few women in suits. They were traditional pantsuits with an interesting twist. The women tied sweaters around their necks as was the popular ‘80’s style here in the U.S.

The sweaters they were sporting around their necks appeared to be very slim styles made of very smooth, lightweight knits, probably cotton/silk blends. The few that I saw were light colors and were very carefully placed, folded and tucked just so, so that the sweater lied flat in a slim column down the center of the back. (I’m guessing this is one of those “accessories” like a scarf that takes quite a bit of work at first, then it’s easy.)

At first I was pretty lukewarm about the trend, but then I got to thinking about it. It’s really quite genius. Let’s say you work in the corporate world and conservative dark suits are your norm. In a sense, the sweater becomes your accessory, allowing you a bit of color and femininity to your ensemble.

If you’re able to find a sweater set to pull all of this off with, your mix and match option are tenfold! One caveat-don’t wear the shell under the suit jacket when tying the cardigan—too contrived.

Eyes On France

One of the very first things I noticed in Paris is that far more people wear glasses than here in the U.S. Not knowing much French, (okay, barely any,) I wasn't exactly able to converse with women to ask them why they'd decided to decided to wear glasses instead of contacts. Instead, I came up with some conclusions of my own. (Again, I can't be sure if they're correct.)

First, it could be the expense. Glasses are generally more expensive up front, well, when you've got as many add-ons as I do. However, in the long run, with all of the solution, drops, etc., that is necessary, contacts are pretty expensive.

Next, perhaps French women are comfortable enough in their own skin that they see their glasses as an extension of their personality.

Lastly, perhaps the French women are onto something, and have decided to simplify their lives. (By the way, a lot of men wear glasses, too.)

I took my contacts to Europe after my eye doctor, Richard Cross, O.D., told me that I might do well with my contacts in Europe since the climate is so much more humid than here. Every time I thought about wearing my contacts on the trip, I nixed the idea, mostly, because I wouldn't be able to read a thing! The thing is, if I really wanted to wear contacts, I'd also need reading glasses. Right now, with my glasses, I either glance out the bottoms or take them off. (Oh, and reading menus is a big thing in Europe!) Then, I'd need non-prescription sunglasses to go with the contacts. And what would I do if I wanted to read something in the sun?! On top of that, I'd still need my regular glasses and prescription sunglasses. This is way too complicated!

Long story short--I've completely given up the idea of contacts, for good! And the decision feels great! I've worn glasses since I was 9 years old and I've never really liked my frames or how I've looked in them until now. I just hope I'll be able to fit the bi-focal into the frame.

Lastly, I want to recommend Europtics to anyone who needs eyeglass frames. I've been going there forever! I've found the Cherry Creek store to have the best selection of frames. Be sure to ask for Connie. She'll spend as much time as you need with you to find a pair that suits you perfectly.

Jackets, Pants, and Shoes-Oh My!

Jackets are very popular in Paris. The most prevalent style I saw was a belted safari jacket, usually in linen or lightweight cotton. Belted jackets are fantastic for women with curvy or hour-glass figures!

There were also a lot of military styled jackets, which the fashion magazines like to tout as hot for certain seasons, but truly, they’re never really out. The other style jacket that was highly visible was a cargo style made of sheeting cotton with a lot of double stitching and details.

If linen isn’t your thing, a lightweight, neutral colored, cotton safari jacket, military jacket or cargo jacket could give your wardrobe great mileage throughout the summer season.


Pants
I was fascinated with the pant styles in France. To a degree, almost anything goes. I saw super wide legged pants and very skinny pants. What was also interesting to me was that all styles were worn with both flats and heels. (More on shoes coming up.) What I took away from this is to just go with what works for you lifestyle and personal style.

Lastly, I saw what we’d consider dressy pants worn in a casual way. This is a different for American women, but it’s certainly a way to get more use out of your dressy clothes.

Shoes
I’ve saved my favorite subject for last. There are so many shoes in France! I definitely noticed a prevalence of flats. The lifestyle is very urban with a lot of subways and walking. I also saw a lot of kitten heels, but in addition to traditional kitten heels, there were kitten heels that were stacked wood with a broader base for more stability. Hopefully, we’ll get these soon in the U.S.

There was also a lot of variety in toes: round, pointed, and a cross between the two, pictured below. Having so much variety for shoes excites me, because it allows us more opportunity to be both fashionably and comfortably shod!

The thing that I was most surprised about Paris fashion was its simplicity. I didn’t have a lot of expectations of what I’d see, but somehow thought I might see a few extremes. I think this is good news for us in the U.S. It was truly refreshing to see comfortable, classic styles worn with ease. I encourage you all to seek out cool, comfortable clothing for summer that truly suits your lifestyle and personal style.

French Scarves

It’s true what they say; every French woman wears a scarf. Most scarves I saw were linen, cotton, or rayon casual scarves, which in that Parisian chic way didn’t always match the outfit, but always looked fantastic. Although everyone had their own little twist, the scarves were mostly worn either like a muffler or as shown in the picture.

Although I only had a cashmere scarf with me, I found the nice thing about it was that as the day warmed up, I could shed the scarf, and then in the evening, I could wrap it around my shoulders for added warmth.

Paris Summer Chic

Home at last-France and Italy were everything I’d hoped for. Along with studying all of the art and history of Europe, I’ve always been a big people watcher, and observing the trends and differences between French, Italian, and American women was absolutely fascinating to me.

I could truly write a book about everything I did and observed in Europe, but I’ll start smaller for today! I’d like to tell you about the trends I saw in Paris and share with you how you too can adopt “Parisian Chic!”

Linen

The biggest trend I noticed was linen. Women of all ages were wearing it. Overall, the styles were fairly casual and unstructured. And yes, it was wrinkled. But the wonderful thing about it was that it didn’t seem to bother anyone. The thing is--linen is supposed to look wrinkled. If you work in a business casual environment, consider an unstructured linen jacket and either matching or coordinating pants or a skirt for a cool, comfortable way to beat the heat.

I did a little shopping in Paris’ major department store, Galleries Lafayette, where I could have spent weeks. When I purchased a couple of unlined linen jackets, (surprisingly affordable,) I inquired about the care instructions. They’re washable linen. Even though linen will wrinkle, it’s definitely best to start the day with everything ironed. I actually think that a Jiffy Steamer, (www.jiffysteamer.com, using promo code image 048 for free shipping,) would do a good job, too.

The one thing I noticed the most is that although there are trends, no one looked the same or interpreted the trends exactly the same. It’s kind of difficult to explain, but there’s a quiet confidence among French women. They seem to create their own look, not being afraid of trying something a little different. For example, one of my favorite looks was a woman in her late 30’s to 40’s wearing lilac, wide legged, linen pants; a white linen safari style jacket; a medium gray athletic style t-shirt; white satin, ballet toe shoes; and a light gray nylon purse. Beautiful!

Vogue figure types

I just received my April issue of Vogue. Typically, I love Vogue, and as an image consultant, I was excited to tear into it. The top teaser on the cover reads Perfect Fit-DRESSING FOR EVERY SHAPE FROM SIZE 0-16. I have to admit, I was sorely disappointed to find their 5 figure types:

1. Tall
2. Pregnant
3. Thin
4. Curvy
5. Short

Tall is not a body type! Of course, very tall women can have some challenges, especially finding pants that are long enough and things that are long enough in the torso and sleeves. The article is disappointing in that they simply profiled a tall woman who spoke of the benefits of being tall, not the challenges.

Pregnant is not a body type! Pregnant is pregnant-as in having a baby! Of course there are challenges, but they're not permenant. The best highlight of the profile is that the model has learned to show off her baby bump and celebrate her temporary figure and baby. She also mentioned that she's learned to appreciate her pre-baby body more and will wear more fitted clothing when she gets her waist back.

Thin is not a body type! Models are Tall and Thin-what most women work for their entire lives. The article hints that the woman featured may think she's too thin. If you've got a very thin body with very few curves, the best advice is to avoid clothing that is super tight. Unfortunately, the article again is giving no real practical advice.

Curvy is a body type! As I mentioned in last week's post, "curvy" is another way of saying hour glass or very full bosom and hips with a very small waist. This featured vintage clothier has learned to dress her body, and mentions that if something is "too tight across the bust or hips, I'll buy the next size up and have it tailored." This is wonderful advice, and I couldn't agree more!

Short is not a body type! Of course, being petite is a reality, but a petite woman can have a curvy figure, an inverted triangle figure, a triangular figure, a too thin figure or one that simply lacks any curves. Again, the woman featured doesn't offer up any advice. She has truly made a bit of a caricature of herself by mostly wearing flats and wearing short shorts with a blazer and oxford style or Converse high top shoes.

Last week, I gave many tips for the curvy woman. In future posts, I'll give ideas for real figure types as well as the challenges listed above. Stay tuned.

How to flatter a curvy, aka hour-glass, figure

The other day when I was pre-shopping for a client, a woman in her late teens or early 20's struck up a conversation with me. (This is precisely why I only charge for two hours of pre-shopping.) The woman was very sweet and proceeded to tell me that she used to wear a size 8. Now she wears a size 18 and just doesn't know how to dress her body anymore.

She had a curvy figure, which is really just a euphemism for an hourglass figure, as you can see below. We've heard for years that the hour glass figure is ideal, but it's simply not true. The challenge that women with hour glass figures deal with is that their waists are much smaller than their hips and bust lines. If you're not dressing correctly, it's easy to look much heavier than your really are.

I gave my new friend a couple of tips and would like to share those and more with everyone today. Looking at the photos of America Ferrara below, the outfit on the left is a don't and the one on the right is a do. It's important to show your waist and never wear boxy, over sized clothes like the cardigan. Tailored, semi-fitted blouses always flatter!

It can be tempting to hide your figure in "schlumpy" over sized hoodies. You're not doing yourself any favors. Clothes should always skim your body. They shouldn't be overly tight, nor should they be overly loose.

V-neck tops are always flattering. Whatever you do, avoid turtlenecks, especially short sleeved ones. They tend to give a "uni-boob" look. There's just too much unbroken fabric. On the same note, avoid high waisted pants like these. You need a little more of your waist showing to balance your figure. (It's undeniable that Jessica Simpson has a great figure. She's just doing everything wrong here!)

Wrap dresses are easy and always flatter a curvy figure. You may need a camisole like the one shown for more modesty. If this dress appears a little dull to you, notice you've got a great neckline to fill in with modern jewelry. Also, the bracelet sleeves call out for a brightly colored bangle or cuff bracelet.

For a dressy dress, something like the one below is perfect. You've got the curves. Show 'em off! This dress is not only gorgeous, and on trend, but the belt will help widen your waist just enough to balance to your figure to make the rest of us jealous.

Halter styles also work for you-with a supportive bra. The deep V is extremely flattering. The cummerbund flatters the waist, and the skirt floats away from the body. What's important is to make sure there aren't gathers below the fitted waist or empire seam and the there is not too much fabric that can pouf out and start people wondering if you're pregnant. Think sleek!

Last but not least is a a top and sweater style to seek out. As I mentioned earlier, wraps are always flattering. You'll notice in the photo below, the sweater wraps just under the bust line, has a deep V-neck, and skims the waist and hips. A cardigan that buttons just below the bust line and worn over a fitted knit top is another updated style that will flatter your curvy, hour-glass figure.

Love Your Shoes

During the Millionaire Mindset workshop the other day, I stressed that you should never buy anything your not head over heels, falling down drunk in love with! This includes shoes. Think about it. We have countless options of what we can wear as women, but to be socially acceptable and appropriate, we have to wear shoes.

The thing that is great about shoes is that no matter how much you eat, your shoe size tends to remain fairly constant. Finding shoes to fit it leaps and bounds easier than finding pants or jeans to fit. And there are a lot of shoes out there, so I recommend instead of just finding shoes that merely fit comfortably, find shoes you LOVE!!

I love all of these shoes (which can all be found at Nordstrom):

Almost everyone can use a basic pair of black pumps. This is a beautifully cut pair that will last for years.

It sometimes seems difficult to decide what shoes to wear with light colored business clothing. Either of these shoes would be absolutely KILLER!

Shoes can be the piece that take a ho-hum, conservative outfit to looking like a million bucks. High quality, red shoes can't be beat for doing just that.

(The shoe on the left is a Cole Hahn and has an air insole-wonderfully comfortable!)

Basic jewelry

With all of springs colorful clothing it's best to downplay your jewelry and accessories. In other words, pair basic metallic and pearl jewelry with bright clothing. Or wear colorful jewelry with neutrals such as black and white.

You'll actually find that metallics are big trends in jewelry at the moment, so now is an especially good time to build or refresh your basic jewelry wardrobe. I'm not much of a "pearl girl", but I've been loving this necklace:

It's modern, yet classic and basic. I personally can't decide on the silver or the gold. I'm not the kind of image consultant that does color consulting and strongly recommends certain colors over another. I know I look better in gold, but I feel gold makes more of a statement than silver. So whichever you choose is a personal decision.

Because the necklace above albeit basic, makes a statement, I like the concept of pairing it with simple, somewhat more casual hoops like either of these.

Another option for an everyday, "go to" necklace is crystal. (Or if you've got the money and are comfortable, go with diamonds.) The necklace below could be worn dressy with a suit and matching crystal earrings.

If wearing the crystal necklace and matching earrings feels too dressy or "matchy," pair it with the plain hoops. The important thing to know is that any of the jewelry pictured can be worn with formal business wear, business casual clothing or even with jeans and a t-shirt.

Etcetera Clothing

Last week, I gave a workshop with a good friend of mine, Patrice Barber, of Taylor Made Wealth Coaching. It was titled The Millionaire Mindset--Look like a Million, Think like a Millionaire. For my portion of the workshop, I shared my Top 10 Professional Shopping tips, and how to create a wardrobe that can make you look like a million bucks. The main premise of the workshop was that if you want to look like a million bucks and become like a millionaire, you have to plan. It doesn't just happen.

If you'd like to find out when the next workshop will be, click here to sign up for my e-Style Tip of the Month. (I'll also have my website remodel done in a couple of months, hopefully. There will be all kinds of great info on it continually!)

One of my tips was to pay attention to quality. You're never going to look like a million bucks by shopping for your clothes at Target. Besides, do you really want someone to recognize your outfit they saw when they were grocery shopping?

On Friday, I went to see the Spring '08 Etcetera collection. I first started buying Etcetera clothing a few years ago. I only buy a couple of pieces at each show, but I can truly say, I love them all! While I try to buy good lines at the stores, it can still sometimes be hit or miss, but my Etcetera clothes have held up absolutely beautifully.

Typically I buy suiting, since I think it's hard to find suits that are classic yet unusual. Since I'd just bought a suit the previous week, I opted for a printed knit top and skirt that can be worn as a dress or separately. It can be worn with a white jacket or sweater. I also bought a contrasting knit top.

I'll say it again. It's expensive, but barring any stains or laundry mishaps, they'll be the kind of things I can wear for years. I know this because they're not only cute and classic, but they're comfortable. I continually hear from my clients that they want clothing that's comfortable. When you find wonderful quality like this, it can be extremely comfortable.

The more times you wear something, the cost per wearing goes down, leading to VALUE. And you also get the intangible aspect of loving your clothes and feeling fantastic wearing them.

No One I know Likes to Shop for Blue Jeans!

Shopping for jeans usually ranks right up there with shopping for bathing suits. As women, most of us hate it! Often times, if we find a pair of jeans we love, perhaps they fit but they don't really flatter. More often than that so many pairs just don't fit. There are so many to choose from it's overwhelming. Finding the perfect pair can take on the feel of a full time job.

Now there's a web site with a tool that can help you find your perfect jeans, www.zafu.com. You simply answer a few easy questions about your body and how you like your jeans to fit, and up come several options. (If you'd like some tips about building a jeans wardrobe, check out my May e-Style Tip, where I've already raved about zafu.com.)

Even as wonderful as Zafu is, there are still a couple of problems. (Don't get me wrong, I love it, but unless you're buying on line, there are a couple of problems.) First, when your jeans come up, they all have a name. When you're shopping in the store, you can't always find the name on the jeans. If you can find a good salesperson, they can often show you the jeans even if the name isn't in plain sight. The other thing is that while Zafu has tons of jeans, they don't have every jean on the face of the earth in their system. Basically, what all of this means is that while you can arm yourself with your Zafu list, you may still have to try on a good number of jeans.

Or in my case, you might rush out the door without consulting your list like I did last Saturday. I had a client in the morning, and having used Zafu to help a client find a pair of jeans, I was inspired and decided to shop for some jeans for myself after I was done with my morning client. Not being a morning person, I didn't even give Zaful a thought before I left the house. However, I was determined to find some jeans that day.

Really, even just answering the Zafu questions can help you be aware of your body type and how to ask a salesperson to help you.

My first stop was Nordstrom. They have a large selection of David Kahn jeans. I have clients and friends who love these jeans, and since there are quite a few styles, I thought surely I could find a pair to fit. Wrong! One thing I've learned is that because I have a short waist and an undefined waist, I need extra low rise jeans. All of the David Kahn's were a hair too high waisted. Next, I tried Kut From the Cloth jeans in a couple of styles and even some good old Calvin Kleins. None of them worked. This wasn't even a fraction of the jeans they had at Nordies, but I was really looking for some kick around jeans and didn't want to spend over $100, so I decided to forge on into the mall.

I was heading down to Macy's since I had a coupon to use and had found some cute jeans for a client there when I saw the Levi's store and went it. The guy there was pretty helpful, and I might have stuck around longer to try a few more pairs, but I was so hungry I thought I was going to pass out! And since Wetzel's Pretzel's, my favorite shopping snack, was right by Macy's, I went back to plan A.

Once nourished albeit a little discouraged, I headed into Macy's. (That is so usually not me. I was kicking myself for forgetting the Zafu list!) As I was passing the Junior department, I thought why not! I've bought a couple of pairs of junior sized jeans in the past, but I thought they were flukes. Nevertheless, I picked up a couple pairs of American Rag jeans and headed up to Missy jeans.

I was dismayed that I couldn't find any "popular priced" jeans in a long length. Do the buyers think that when a woman reaches the age where junior sizes don't fit, she has suddenly gotten shorter? I determined that this must be why I see so many women wearing pants that are too short. I tried on an entire stack of jeans, and they were all too short.

Then I tried on the Juniors. OMG, they were amazing! Actually, extremely comfortable, but hard to believe a little too big. I was about to head back downstairs to find a size down when I decided to take a look at the department that sells Paige, (my favorite,) Seven's, Citizen's of Humanity and the like. These jeans are always long enough. They should be, they're crazy expensive!! At this point I didn't really care about the price. I wanted some jeans!

Then another shock happened! I met the nicest salesperson, Kayla, who offered to find me a fitting room and even went downstairs to find the junior jeans. (I was totally convinced a smaller size wasn't going to work.) The American Rag junior jeans fit and since I was so proud of myself for enduring and finding such a good price ($39), I also treated myself * to a pair of Citizen for Humanity jeans. I believe the style is the Ingrid. (*I had coupons and I don't want to go jeans shopping again for a really long time.)

For what might seem like a lot of rambling, there are several morals to this story.

• Don't leave home for a jean shopping trip without consulting zafu.com.
• Make sure to have a snack when you're hungry and feeling a little down.
• Be open minded.
• Like toilet paper, if you can afford it, buy a couple pairs of jeans at a time and save yourself the hassle of another trip.

"Clinton Makes Fun of Her Fashion Sense

According to an article in US Weekly, Senator Hillary Clinton admits her fashion sense is not nearly as sharp as her political instincts. As an image consultant, I have to agree, but truly, I have so many mixed feelings about this issue.

(Click on the link above to read the article and see several old photos of Clinton where she has made humorous comments about her fashion choices.) Of the coat on the right, she says, "I'm a big believer in recycling--even carpets!"

First, I appreciate the fact that she can make fun of herself. I mean, she's usually pretty dry, as many politicians are, but the fact that she wasn't too threatened to make jokes about her clothes lends a certain charm and "everyday woman" quality to her.

On the other hand, (and you're not going to believe an image consultant is saying this,) it drives me nuts that the media is making any mention of her clothing. Doing a bit of research for this blog post, I Googled "Hillary Clinton, fashion." Quite a few articles came up. I failed to find any articles with the media bashing any of the male candidates. Why is "fashion dissection," limited to women? Hillary Clinton may not win any fashion awards, but other than the above pictured coat, her clothing isn't wretched! The reality is that society is still focused on women's clothing and not men's.

Back to my other hand though, Hillary Clinton is campaigning for the President of the United States! She admits she has poor fashion sense, so why wouldn't she use an image consultant to dress her and show her at her very best at all times? Using a seasoned political image advisor, Hillary could easily manage her image to where it's a non-issue or at the very least, create a buzz about how amazing she looks. Honestly, she has much more important issues to think about than what to wear.

Think you can't afford designer clothing?

I was shopping with a client the other day at Saks. I have to say, this isn't the best time for shopping either for winter clothes or spring clothes. However, my client was in true need of some winter clothing.

The fall clothes have either been shipped out or the selections are really spotty. And the spring collections haven't been fully shipped. Truly, it's a pretty dire scene at most of the stores, but Saks had a pretty large selection of sale items left. I actually think they may have had things shipped in from their larger stores.

While I was pre-shopping, my trusted salesperson, Joanie, mentioned, "We have some things on sale." (She works in the Chanel department, where they have the best dressing rooms.) At first I didn't see it, but then she led me to a back corner where there were several racks of deeply discounted DESIGNER CLOTHES. I'm talking Max Mara, Escada, Armani, Akris Punto, and more.

My client found among many other great sale items, an Akris Punto jacket that was originally $1000, marked down to $397.

While it's a gamble, sometimes it can pay off to wait until the very end of the season to find some steals. If you don't think you can afford designer clothing or even to step foot into stores like Saks or Neiman's, think again.

While $400 is nothing to sneeze at, the designer quality you're getting is far superior to what you'd find at Anne Taylor or Macy's where a typical regular priced jacket $228. In addition to getting a piece that you won't see all over town, cost per wearing goes down, since you'll be able to wear it much longer.

Too Much Black!

The other day when I was giving a presentation, a woman asked me the question, "How can I stop myself from continually buying black?" She had prefaced the question by telling me that she has tons of black clothes in her closet, and she always intend to buy other colors when she shops. But then she always comes home with black.


Me, in all black, with my friends Shelley and Corrinda. See how pretty Corrinda looks in pink!


I had built a good rapport with the group, so I casually answered her, "Have someone follow you around the store with a stun gun!" It's a problem for a lot of us. As women, we just naturally gravitate toward black and have a lot of it in our wardrobes whether we intend to or not.And black is everywhere in the stores. Sometimes it can be hard to find anything but.

On the other hand, we're asking for it. Stores give us more of what we keep buying!

Advantages to black?

• Of course, we think it makes us look skinny.
  
• It's easy.
  
• Stains don't show up.
  
• It goes with almost everything!
  
  
  My friend Brenda and me, neither of us in black!
  
  Disadvantages to black?
  
• It can be intimidating.
  
• It can be a little depressing.
  
• It's predictable.
• You might look skinny, but a wardrobe full of black can be a little boring.
• And...it doesn't look that great on everyone, me included!

I'll admit I sometimes have the same problem as the woman in my workshop. I've made a New Year's Resolution to buy less black. The key as with any resolution is to be deliberate. Go shopping with a plan. Look through magazines for colors you like. The last idea, which isn't a hard one for me since I love to shop, it to know that it's okay to come home from a shopping trip without a purchase.

All in the Name of Beauty

I specialize in professional dress, but grooming is an important aspect of image. Today I thought I'd talk a little about beauty tips and products.

The best skin care advice I've ever gotten is to wash your make-up off every night not matter what time you get in. For years, I didn't really think it made a difference and I was pretty sporadic, but when I got engaged I knew I wanted my skin to be perfect for my wedding. I started the ritual, and voila! It really makes a difference.

Before I started really taking care of my skin, I never invested much in skin care, but I've found some products that I love and want to tell you about.

Mary Kay Oil Free Eye Make-Up Remover: This works like a dream and doesn't leave your eyes all oily. The trick is to leave the remover on your eye lashes for about 30 seconds before you wipe if off. My only Complaint is that this product doesn't come in a bigger bottle!

Mary Kay Satin Lips Lip Mask: This is also amazing. I get crazy chapped lips year round no matter what kind of lip balm I'm using. The lip mask is kind of like a scrub. Put it on, let it sit a couple of minutes. When you take it off, all of the dry, dead skin comes off. Your lips are absolutely, beautiful, soft and kissable!

Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with pomegranate oil: After 45 years of searching, I've finally found something that helps my chapped lips. It's all natural and feels great. You still need to put it on fairly often, though...something I'm not great at. And unfortunately, it doesn't have sunscreen, but it's good stuff.

Kiehl's Lip Balm: This one has SPF 15. I don't like it as much as Burt's Bees, but it's great for outdoor sports. It also comes in a couple of tints, so you can cut down on bulk in your parka pocket and skip the lipstick.

Mary Kay Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20: I've just started using this and am very happy with it. It's great for weekends and travel when you don't have a lot of time to put make-up on.

MAC Eye Shadow in Sumptuous Olive: This is also a new find. It's really a fun color, kind of an iridescent green. As creepy as this sounds, it makes me feel like a bug, albeit a very glamorous bug! MAC also has a good concealer.

Bath & Body Works Shower Gel (Pleasures Line): I hate shaving cream! There are too many reasons to list, but I found this makes a great substitution. It's super concentrated and really easy to use. Of course it doubles as body wash. Just pick your favorite scent-smells great!

Premier USA Miracle Mask Noir: Okay, this is from one of those annoying kiosks in the mall. I usually just walk on by, but the guy was really cute and ever so charming. They claim that the mud is actually from the Dead Sea with tons of minerals you can't find anywhere else. It's actually more fun to use than the peel off masks. You leave it on for about 10 minutes, and then you use a magnet to take it off. (It kind of feels like science class.) The down side is that this stuff is expensive. I recommend buying it on line, http://www.premierdeadsea.com/Miracle_Noir_Mask_p/a10.htm so you're not roped into buying a bunch of products.

Pevonia Care Cream: This is a natural spa quality line that I'm considering for my next foray into new skin care. (It's also unfortunately expensive, but I'm not getting any younger!) The care cream is wonderful for treating any super dry patches or irritations that may occur from time.

It seems the older one gets the more products hat are necessary, so these are just a few of my favorite products. I've never found foundation or eye cream that I absolutely love, so if anyone has any tips, I'm open. Feel free to leave comments:)

Political Candidates Dress Strategy

I wanted to take a few minutes to comment on the attire of the U.S. political candidates' attire on Saturday night's New Hampshire debate. As I strongly believe in the power of image--using one's clothing and image to convey messages that one wouldn't normally say out loud, hopefully you can pick up some pointers that might help you with your success.

I want to preface these comments by saying that with the fate of our nation in these candidates' hands, image shouldn't be on the forefront of their minds. They have image consultants (or should) to think about and advise them on these matters. And image alone isn't going to ensure success to anyone, however a successful image only helps. It never hurts!

I hadn't really paid attention to what the candidates were wearing until the Democrats came on and my husband commented on Bill Richardson, "He looks rumpled!" It's true that his clothing looked a touch disheveled. While he was an extremely credible candidate, the rumpled suit could have been sending out non-verbal messages that he doesn't pay attention to detail and that he's unprepared. His image advisor should have made sure that all of his clothing fits perfectly!

John Edwards looked like a million bucks! I did notice that all of the candidates were wearing black suits and Edwards' suit was beautiful and could not have fit him better. He was wearing the requisite white shirt. Black and white is the strongest contrast possible, an indication of ultimate authority. And lastly, he wore the blue tie, as did most of the others on stage. Blue is a color that indicates loyalty and trustworthiness. Of course no candidate is going to look credible standing up verbalizing these statements; however, it's important for their clothing to do it for them.

Barack Obama took a risk! He stood out wearing a red tie. Red is psychologically perceived as a power color that evokes strong emotion, creating excitement and intensity. I thought the red tie was a great choice. It showed he had the confidence to do something different. Also, and this is just a personal opinion, I find Barack to be a bit monotone when speaking, so the red only helps him make his case.

Last but not least, we have Hillary. As sharp as she is, she made several mistakes with her image. Luckily, she went with the black suit per status quo. I find it interesting that her suit appeared to be the darkest shade of black on the stage. (It wasn't really a positive or a negative and probably something only an image consultant would pick up on. I'm sure it was just a matter of the fiber content and the weave of the suit that made it appear so dark.)

The biggest problem I had with her attire was the shamrock green top. Not white, not red, not blue, but green? What was she thinking? Admittedly, it was a strong contrast against the black, but green is usually associated with nature, purity and tranquility. Furthermore, the pure shade she wore is not traditionally appropriate for business. Shouldn't she be going for power? I know that she's been accused of being too harsh, but wearing bright green was not the right way to counteract the perception.

The next mistake Hillary made was wearing a rounded, jewel neckline that actually had a T-shirt feel to it. It did absolutely nothing for her. In such an important appearance, the fabric of the sweater and the round neckline simply appeared too soft and casual. While I don't believe that women have to lose their femininity and look just like men, Hillary should have opted for a blouse with a pointed collar. The firm fabric of a blouse and the angularity of a collar would offset the beginning of lack of tone in her neck. I know this sounds picky, but in a tough race amongst men, she could gain more authority and credibility by the status quo of a collar. The fact of the matter is that it's a non-issue among men, because they always wear a tradition shirt with a collar.

The last mistake Hillary made was with her necklaces. They were too close to the neckline of the sweater. And because it appeared she was wearing several necklaces, the way they laid appeared a bit messy and distracting. She could have gained a more powerful look by wearing a longer, bold, single chain with a strong pendant on it. Even a strand of traditional pearls would have sent out a stronger message.

Truly, none of the candidates will be elected because of what they wear or don't wear along the campaign trail, but in the biggest race of their lives, making sure that what they're wearing is appropriate at all times can only strengthen their message and free up their minds for the real issues at hand.