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.