Most of us don’t have unlimited clothing budgets, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to look great in the clothes we wear.  So how do you get more bang for your buck?  How do you invest your clothing dollars more wisely?

To look like a $million, you need to think quality.  You can find quality at all price points so what should you look for?

1. Clothes that fit you well.  Garments that appear to have been tailored for your unique body always look more expensive than ill-fitting garments, which look like you can’t afford your own clothes and you’ve borrowed someone elses.  Get your clothes altered to fit you and they will instantly look higher quality – and so will you!
2. Good condition. Pilled, stained, torn, faded clothes make you look old and worn out.  When deciding if your clothes are still good enough for you to wear, run this past them “would I buy it from a charity shop?”  if the answer is NO, then let them go.
3. Good quality fabric.  Acrylic pills within 1 or 2 wears – it’s not worth the money you spend on it.  Good quality fabrics will last longer and look fresher.  Sometimes spending a little more to get a better fabric will repay itself multiple times over as you keep the garment for much longer and your cost-per-wear diminishes hugely.
4. Well-constructed.  Look at how the seams are finished, how large the stitches are that have been used, whether or not a garment is lined.  All these are indicators of the quality of construction.  If you want a piece of clothing to last and look great, it needs to be made well.  Loose threads should be snipped off as soon as they appear.  If you can see two lines of sewing on parts of garments where there should only be one, this will cheapen the appearance.
5. Colours suit you.  When the colours you wear suit you, they make you look healthier and younger, more vibrant and alive, more efficient and effective.  Understanding which colours to choose will actually make your wardrobe more versatile as your clothes will mix and match easily and you will need less clothes to create more outfits.  This will save you money and make you look great all at the same time!
6. Understanding your unique body.  The more you know about what clothing styles and shapes suit your body, the easier it is to shop and the less you waste on clothes that don’t work for you.   I bet that any clothes that you have in your wardrobe that rarely if ever get worn are clothes that don’t suit your body shape, proportions, colouring or personality.  There will be a valid reason why they hang there.  Investing in the knowledge of what works will save you money for the rest of your life as you don’t buy clothes that aren’t right for you.
7. Belts and Buttons.  These are two obvious indicators of the quality of a garment.  Cheap plastic buttons look just that, cheap.  It can be worth going to the haberdashery store and finding some good quality buttons and replacing the ones on the garment as it will give the garment a more expensive appearance.  Belts that come with a garment are rarely good quality.  Replace them with a good quality leather belt (in good condition) as it will raise the overall appearance

Now it’s time to go through your wardrobe and figure out what is making you look fabulous, and what is robbing you of your value.

Not sure what to suits you?  Maybe it’s time you booked an image consultation with me to really get your style and wardrobe sorted.

It’s Valentine’s day soon which made me think about all the dos and don’ts of what to wear on a date.  Doesn’t matter if you’ve been married for 20 years, you should still put some effort into your appearance when you go out on a date – it shows you care and value the person you’re with.

What Women Should Wear on a Date:

Don’t let it all hang out.  Too much skin isn’t sexy, in fact it can read as desperate.  You are a present – a gift – presents are beautifully wrapped.  Show only one bit of skin at a time, so if you’re doing cleavage, wear a longer skirt, if it’s your back, then don’t have a low cut top.

Show some skin, no need to cover up neck to knees completely, but be a little mysterious – sheer fabrics can hint at what is beneath without giving everything away.

Wear touchable textures – soft fabrics, and fabrics that feel good to the touch are ideal to wear on a date.

Think form fitting, not skin-tight.  I we can see your underwear lines through your clothes, they’re too tight, be a little mysterious, hint, but don’t be too overt.

Animal prints are sexy, florals are not and stripes are not.

Dress like a woman, not a man.  Yes you may spend a lot of your time in jeans and trousers, but a dress or skirt on a date reminds him that you’re a woman.

Put on some makeup, focus on either your lips or your eyes, but not both at the same time.

Wear some earrings that sparkle, they draw attention to your face.

Want to raise his pulse?  Wear some red, studies have shown that red raises your blood pressure.

What Men Should Wear on a Date:

She’s most likely put some effort into her appearance, she wants you to do the same, so put on a nice dress shirt and a pair of stylish dark denim jeans if you’re going out to a more casual venue, those mid-blue comfortable kind of baggy jeans aren’t going to impress.  Keep a blazer or jacket to throw over if it’s chilly.

Wear leather dress shoes. Women notice your shoes, sneakers just don’t cut it.

Wear a collared shirt if you’re going out somewhere nice, but not one that just says ‘work’ and ‘office’, something with a little more personality.

Be careful with the aftershave, too much can overwhelm, you want a hint, not a bucket, so that she wants to get closer to you not further away.

Everyone

For both sexes, think about wearing a shirt or top that brings out the colour of your eyes, then you’ll have your date staring deply into them all night.

Smile – that’s the best accessory you could ever wear on a date!

And of course, what you wear needs to be appropriate for the occassion, going bowling, dress down a bit, going to dinner, use it as an excuse to dress up.

What would you take?

Natural disasters seem to becoming more common, with two recent earthquakes in Christchurch New Zealand, parts of Australia are regularly destroyed by bush fires and one of my friends houses was recently flooded and 80% of her possessions destroyed.  What has this got to do with clothes you ask?  Well even if you don’t live in a natural disaster prone area it’s worth thinking about this… what would you take if you only had a few minutes to grab your clothes before having to evacuate?

Would you be able to grab your favourite garments quickly because your wardrobe is well ordered and you can lay your hands on them easily?

Would you find it difficult because you’re swamped by too much choice because you have too many clothes?

Would it be difficult because your clothes are all orphans and don’t work together and no matter what you grabbed it would be hard to put outfits together?

Would you want to leave it all behind as you’re really not happy with any of your wardrobe?

What would you take?  Would it be an easy or a hard decision?

Imagine what it would feel like having to wear someone else’s clothes if you couldn’t take your own?

Even if you never have to grab and run, consider your wardrobe – do you have the clothes to support your lifestyle?  The clothes that are appropriate for the range of situations you regularly find yourself confronting?  If you don’t, which situations do you find most difficult

The new year is a great time of reassessment (well anytime is great to reassess aspects of our lives, but we frequently focus on it during the New Year period).  It’s worth looking at your wardrobe with a critical eye, removing all the clothes that you never wear and then assessing what you have and whether or not they’re still working for you.  If your favourite garments are looking tired and old, it’s time you refreshed them and found replacements so that you look modern, in-charge and in control.

If you had to get someone else to go shopping for you who would you recommend as a style you’d wear to give them an idea of the kind of image you’d like to portray?  Thinking about this question can help you find your personal style, so that you’re not forced to wear someone elses clothes (which can feel all wrong).   Sales people have often said to me that people come into the stores and try on garments but will then say “it’s not me” but can’t actually figure out what is “me”.

Fortunately I can help you find out which garments suit your personality and make you feel like the best version of you.  The clothes that make you look and feel fabulous – so if you find it all too hard to figure out – feel free to give me a call!

These colours say fun

Did you know that studies have shown that sporting teams who wear black uniforms are penalised more heavily than teams with other uniform colours?

Did you know that sporting teams who wear red are considered more aggressive than those who wear blue?

Did you know that shades of soft pastel pink help to reduce aggression and are used in some prisons in the USA to keep prisoners from getting aggressive and using violent behaviour?

Did you know that blue is the worlds favourite colour?

Did you know that men tend to name colours in their basic terminology – red, yellow, blue etc. whilst women tend to name shades of colours – raspberry, tomato, lemon, cornflower, olive etc.

Did you know that we perceive colours such as brown, tan and camel as sturdy and reliable, earthy and non-judgmental.  Thus if you want people to open up to you, wearing these shades will help people to feel comfortable with you and they will be more open.

In advertising:

• Colour increases brand recognition by up to 80 percent.
• Colour ads are read up to 42 percent more than similar ads in black and white.
• Colour can be up to 85 percent of the reason people decide to buy

More interesting colour facts:

• A factory in the United States changed the colour of their bathrooms to an unpleasant green  saw production increase by 8%.
• Customers of a coffee house constantly complained about the cool temperature in the room. At that time, the walls were painted a light blue. After changing the colour to orange, there were no more complaints.
• The colour yellow can cause nausea, so it is avoided in airplanes.
• Black boxes seemed heavier to workmen than green boxes filled with the same material.
• Red can make you hungry, while the opposite colour, green, suppresses it.
• The colour red can also increase your muscle reaction, make you want to gamble more, and raise your blood pressure. Blue has the opposite effect.
• Blue street lighting resulted in lower crime rates in Glasgow in 2000.

These colours are more serious

When you think that all companies the produce good wrap them in packaging and there is some considerable thought and research into the colour of the packaging, what do the colours you wear (your packaging) tell the world about you?  How do people react to you depending on the colours you wear?

Have you noticed if people react to you differently when you wear particular colours as compared to wearing black?

Many of my clients notice that when they start wearing flattering colours people know something is different and although they can’t put their finger on it, but will comment on how they’ve lost weight, look well rested and younger, or just look great.

One of my clients who suffers rosacea noticed after her colour analysis and starting to wear her flattering colours which helped to tone down the redness in her complexion, that people had started behaving much friendlier towards her, previously she’d been perceived as aggressive and angry (because of her red skin).  She was overwhelmed with happiness how a simple change such as changing the colour of her top could make such a huge and positive difference to her interpersonal relationships.

Start using colour to your advantage.  If you need to be the focus or centre of attention in a meeting or giving a presentation, try wearing a little bit of red to draw attention to you and create some excitement.

Want to gain consensus?  Wear lighter blues and greens to appear non-threatening and approachable.

Need to be the authority figure team a dark grey or navy with a light or white coloured shirt.

Want to close a sale?  Wear a light pink (particularly if you’re a man).

Want more ideas on wearing colours, check out these articles on Inside Out Style:

How to Create a Casual Column of Colour

Style Rules – Break or Follow?

How to Mix Colours

How to Look Taller Using a Column of Colour

How to Use Colour to Enhance Your Life

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How long is it since you got a new hairstyle? New glasses frames? Updated your wardrobe or your makeup?

Why does it matter if you’re wearing frames that are 10 years old or that you’ve had the same hairstyle since 2001?

In simple terms, if you appear dated and old-fashioned, we will assume that your ideas are old-fashioned and out-of-date and that you aren’t keeping up with new ideas, new technology and that you are resistant to change (which can make you a dinosaur in the workplace).

As we get older we tend to be less interested in fashion trends and worry more about looking too young for our age. Often we become focussed more on our childrens lives and forget about ourselves as we put their wishes first.

There are a few key factors that can make you look older than you are very easily:

1. Dated hairstyle
2. Dated eyeglass frames
3. Yellowing teeth
4. Frumpy or old-fashioned clothes
5. Disappearing or unruly eyebrows
6. Makeup colours that no longer suit your changing complexion

If I look back at my own wardrobe, the clothes I wore 10 years ago are in general quite different from the clothes I wear today. Not only because the fashions have changed and my lifestyle has changed as I don’t work in an office environment, I’ve had a couple of kids, and have a new career. But also because my personal style has changed as I’ve grown and changed as a person. I am not the same person as I was 10 years ago and my style reflects that.

As an image consultant I have to constantly reassess my wardrobe to make sure it’s the best, most authentic me, today, and will help me get to where I want to go tomorrow.  But it’s not just me who benefits from reassessing personal style,  in the words of one of my clients who took the time to rediscover her style:

The experience was FABULOUS!! I’m SO GLAD I was able to do all sessions because it would have felt incomplete otherwise. Doing all sessions gave me a complete picture.

Between the wardrobe ‘reno’  and the shopping I was just reflecting on just how much I’d let myself go over the years. All our money had been ploughed into the house and our businesses and it felt ‘indulgent’ to spend money on myself. But when I took a long hard look at my ‘wardrobe’ and particularly with the style consultation it really made me realise that I’d lost my identity through it all. All my girly femininity had gone and I’d swung so far past relaxed I was nearly comatosed!!

I loved showing Kelvin everything I bought. His comments were ‘WOW!! That’s amazing!! I don’t know why it’s better but you look skinnier and taller and younger and WOW!! Why is it? What’s the thinking there? Geez, you look great! I’ve got my Adele back!!. ‘

He was genuinely interested to know why we picked out the things we did and I was able to tell him about everything I’d learned.

We went up to Shoppingtown last night and I was wearing one of my outfits and I felt a million bucks. I walked taller and was so much more confident.

There’s no going back Imogen! This has been such a blessing – and cleansing experience.

Is it time you made some changes and took the time to reassess your style?

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