10.19.08
Posted in Shopping Tips, Style and Image Information, Fashion Tips
at 9:14 am
Excessive Detailing – The more detail you find on an inexpensive item, the cheaper it will look. Most top designers are very subtle with their detailing on their ready to wear garments. Obviously they go nuts with their couture lines, but their day to day items are normally very sleek. For some reason, when you enter the inexpensive stores, they have gone overboard with their detailing. Keep the details simple and no one will know that it’s Forever 21.
Bad Seams – Pay careful attention to the construction of the garment. If the seams are uneven or busting, the garment will never fit properly. One of the quickest ways to tell how well a garment is made is to look at the seams, buttons, and zippers. You will be able to instantly tell if the garment is even worth trying on. Don’t bother buying an item with bad seams, it will never look right and it’s not worth the price of redoing the seams.
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10.02.08
Posted in Shopping Tips, Style and Image Information, Fashion Tips
at 5:44 pm
In this economy, we are all watching every penny very carefully. Although the wealthy are probably able to continue their healthy shopping habits, most of us are seriously reigning in our spending habits, especially on non-essentials like clothing. Yes, Of course we all need some clothes, but you know as well as I do, that we don’t need ALL the clothes in our closets.
Our economy is in the tank, and our pocket books are tighter, but our image is still a very important piece of our personal and professional image. Over the next week I am going to be talking about a few things to avoid when dressing on a dime.
Shiny Fabrics
Shiny, inexpensive fabrics always looks cheaper than shiny, expensive fabrics. So if you are shopping at inexpensive stores, steer clear of shiny fabrics. As you can see in the images above, the picture on the left looks cheap, cheap, cheap. The picture on the right, however, looks beautiful and luxurious. The cheaper the fabric, the more matte it should be. Keep this in mind at all times when shopping on a dime.
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07.15.08
Posted in Quick Fixes, Style and Image Information, Fashion Tips
at 10:40 pm
Do you ever have one of those moments where you’re already running late for an event, you’re standing in your underwear in your closet, you’ve already tried on five outfits, your heart is racing, and you’re starting to sweat. You feel like you’re never going to find something to wear, your makeup is running, and all you want to do is lay on your bed and cry? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.
I recently had an anxiety attack of a different sort, but wow, they are intense. I now know what my clients feel like when they tell me shopping or putting outfits together gives them anxiety. Isn’t it great that there are people out there, like myself and other AICI image consultants, that can relieve you from all the anxiety you face with your style, wardrobe, and clothing choices.
Getting dressed shouldn’t be an anxiety ridden event every day. If it is for you, do yourself a favor and hire an image consultant to help you put 5 foolproof outfits together. It will be worth every penny. That way, the next time you’re in a bind, you can just look at your cheat sheet of pictures and throw on one of your perfectly put together outfits!
Here’s to no more style anxiety! There are so many other things to worry about.
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07.14.08
Posted in Quick Fixes, Style and Image Information, Fashion Tips
at 4:10 pm
Remember those plastic soled shoes from the 80s that you laced up with any variety of fluorescent shoe laces? Well you could say that these sandals are the modern, eco-friendly, comfortable, and fashionable alternative. Another image consultant clued me into them as a perfect pair of shoes for someone that is having trouble matching shoes to an outfit. With the sheer variety of ribbon on the market, and the endless ways that you could lace up these sandals, the possibilities are endless.
Visit www.mohop.comfor more information. Here’s what they have to say: “Mohop sandals are environmentally friendly, comfortable, and best of all, allow nearly infinite design options with just one pair of wooden soles. Simply lace any ribbon through our patent-pending elastic loops to create your own one-of-a-kind, custom-fit pair! Mohop shoes are individually hand made by Annie Mohaupt and JoAnna Fleming in our studio in Chicago.”
Who would have thought that your image consultant and personal shopper would actually be encouraging you to revisit that crazy 80s trend.
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07.12.08
Posted in Body Type Tips, Style and Image Information, Fashion Tips
at 1:18 pm
The Round Face
A round face is just that – full, with few angles. Width and length in the same proportions or equal. Slightly angular, narrow frames will lengthen the round face. Avoid excessively rounded styles, which will exaggerate curves. The frames should be wider than they are deep.
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07.08.08
Posted in Body Type Tips, Style and Image Information, Fashion Tips
at 1:22 pm
The Oval Face
Because of its mostly balanced proportions, the oval face is considered to be the ideal face shape. The chin is slightly narrower than the forehead, and the cheekbones are high. Frames should maintain the oval’s natural balance. Select frames that are as wide or wider than the broadest part of the face. Keep frames the same proportions as the face. Follow your brow line; don’t let eyewear create a new expression.
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07.02.08
Posted in Color Tips, Body Type Tips, Style and Image Information, Fashion Tips
at 8:25 am
The Heart Shaped Face
This shape has a very wide forehead and high cheekbones. Face narrows gradually to the chin. Frames should add width below the eye line to offset the narrow chin. Very light colors and rimless styles are very effective. Try frames that are wider at the bottom. Other choices include aviator, butterfly, or low triangle styles; frames with rounded tops and squared bottoms will also work.
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06.30.08
Posted in Color Tips, Body Type Tips, Style and Image Information, Fashion Tips
at 11:43 am
The Oblong or Rectangular Face
Because it is longer than it is wide, the oblong face needs a frame that is deeper than it is wide to shorten the face or to create the illusion of a shorter face. Frames should break the length of the face, making the face appear shorter and wider. Frames should have top to bottom depth. To soften the face, try round, deep, or low triangle shapes, or frames with strong vertical lines. A low bridge will also shorten the nose.
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06.26.08
Posted in Color Tips, Body Type Tips, Style and Image Information, Fashion Tips
at 10:42 am
Finding a great pair of sunglasses is a must! Personally, I suggest having at least two different pairs. But if you can, have a whole sunglass wardrobe based on your mood, outfit, or location. You’ll need a casual pair, dressy pair, very dark pair for the beach/pool/water, and a lighter pair for those partly cloudy days. You can then add in a few differently styles depending on how fashionable you want to be. The large Jackie O variety, retro 80s styles, or classic aviators are still considered fashionable. Here are a few tips for finding frames that suit a square shaped face. You can employ these same tips when looking for regular eye glasses as well.
The Square Face
A strong jawline, a broad forehead, and a wide chin and cheekbones characterize a square face. Width and length have the same proportions or are equal. Frames should make the face look longer. Gently curved narrow styles will minimize squareness and add length. Frames should be more horizontal than vertical. Try oval shapes with temples in the center.
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06.16.08
Posted in Color Tips, Quick Fixes, Body Type Tips, Style and Image Information, Fashion Tips, Baby Boomer Fashion
at 9:04 am
This is a pretty large can of worms that I am about to open up here, but I thought I needed to address this annual dreaded occasion. Most women I know absolutely hate shopping for bathing suits, so here are a few things to think about to hopefuly make this event a little easier.
Go Up a Size - Always try one size larger than you think you wear. When a bathing suit is too tight, the edges cut into your body creating bulges where you’d rather no one look. When a swimsuit fits a little looser, the skin is squeezed less and creates fewer unwanted bulges.
Dark Colors and Skin Tones - Remember that darker colors recede, making your silhouette appear smaller. So dark-colored suits work well. Skin tone suits give the impression of an all-over monotone look, which is also always a winner. Loud Prints and ColorsSmall or sparse prints are ok, but big prints attract attention and make you look bigger. If you can’t resist being covered in hibiscus flowers, at least make sure you wear the print where it will draw attention away from problem areas.
Stripe Cleverly - Cleverly placed vertical or diagonal stripes can help slim your silhouette if they are placed in the right spot. Where stripes start and end on a swimsuit is the key to whether you are drawing attention to or away from problem areas.
Buy Separates - If one half of your body is much curvier than the other half, you have probably had difficulty finding a one piece swimsuit that fits well. The good news is that there are many brands today that sell tops and bottoms separately.
Busted - Full-busted women need a little extra support. Try under wire tops or suits designed for long torsos as your bust will take up some of the extra material.
High Cut - The higher the cut, the longer your legs appear. The longer your legs appear, the leaner they look! Go for the highest cut you feel comfortable in.
Short Cut - Boy shorts may be a good alternative to wearing thong underwear, but stay away from them in bathing suits. This style makes your legs looks significantly shorter and adds a horizontal line across your thighs. It can also make your thighs look larger if the leg opening is too small which squeezes any extra flesh.
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