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.

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