How do you know what to wear for any given occasion? Listen to this entertaining and informative radio interview with Women of Influence director Viki Stanley-Hutchinson and Denver area Personal Image Consultant Marian Rothschild on How to Know What to Wear:
https://stanleyhutchison.audioacrobat.com/download/4c0cebf3-81e6-ff0a-1b56-f216ea6884f6.mp3
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How are you suppose to know what to wear for work, an interview, a business meeting, or networking event? It’s different in many parts of the country and for different industries. Here are some guidelines for most business casual situations, even in Boulder.
Marian Rothschild, AICI FLC is known as the Wardrobe Whisperer. She is a Certified Personal Image Consultant in Boulder and Denver, CO. Marian helps successful professionals put together their complete head-to-toe look to feel confident, attractive, and genuine for every situation.
Visit our Look Good Now website and see which package of image services best suits your needs. Then call Marian at 720-933-9247.
The Holidays are over, but it’s still snowy and cold. Some days it’s sunny and cold, and other days it’s kind of warm, and then cold. Light lingers a few more minutes each day, but it’s fair to say we are, right now, in the dead of winter. These conditions may lead to what’s commonly referred to as the winter blues.
If you’re lucky enough to jet away to warmer territory, take the brief respite. I always know that by this time every year I’ll have had just about enough of these freezing temperatures and short daylight hours. That’s why I planned ahead.
To celebrate our 30th anniversary, last week my husband and I flew down to the warm waters of the Caribbean. What can I say; it’s a big anniversary. Many folks don’t get anywhere near this number, so hey, it’s definitely reason enough to celebrate with a trip to Rasta land.
There are other ways to cure the winter blues besides escaping. My number one recommendation: get out of the blues and into the greens! Emerald green, kelly green, and lime green are all great accent colors to give a pop to a drab, dull outfit of black or grey. Try a bright green scarf, sweater, or shiny shoes. Color is fun!
Creating a Personal Style Inspiration Board can catapult you to a 2012 update and rescue you from the blues. Get three or four age-appropriate magazines and/or catalogues. Go through and cut out photos of anything that you love; hairstyles, outfits, polished faces, separates, shoes, etc. Create your own inspiration board by putting those pictures up on a bulletin board that hangs in or near your closet. Use lots of pictures and add to your board every month or so. Observe the over-all fashion style and color scheme of the looks you love.
Apply your newly discovered personal style to outfits that you put together. See your clothes with objective eyes to create new outfits in ways you hadn’t previously thought of.
Colors don’t need to match exactly any more; I love two different shades of the same color worn together. Try pairing two different shades of greens, corals, blues or teal and aqua. Jewelry doesn’t have to match exactly either. But the different pieces do need to relate to each other. For example, don’t mix wooden beads with stones, and all metals should match. The purpose of accessories is to tie the outfit together, add a pop of color and accent.
Try a new hairstyle, maybe with highlights or lowlights. Plan your next trip to the hair salon fully armed; bring two or three photos of desired hairstyles and a list of questions. Ask your professional if the new style you’ve brought photos of suites your face shape and hair texture. Also ask your hair stylist to explain as he goes along, how to blow dry, what size brush to use, how to manipulate the straightening iron, curling iron, etc.
Another way to cure the blues: have a makeup lesson to update your makeup products and application technique. Several professionals in the area offer this service. As time goes by things change, but maybe your manner of application hasn’t… since high school.
There you have it. Updated elements of your personal style can give you a put-together look that pulls you straight out of the mid-winter blues. These tips are much easier and less expensive than traveling to the Caribbean. No sun block required.
Marian Rothschild is a Personal Image and Wardrobe Consultant in Boulder, CO., specializing in helping you feel more confident and genuine by looking your best for every situation. Please visit her website at www.marianrothschild.com.
Help, what should I wear to …. ?
You’ve got that event coming up. It used to be so far away and now it’s right around the corner. What are you going to wear? You’ve been wondering that for a while now, hoping the answer will drop out of the sky. How’s that working for ya? An association of professionals in the Denver area asked me to speak for them recently. I’ll be speaking about just this topic. One of the organizers asked me to specifically address what should men wear to business meetings.
The process of how to know what to wear is the same for whatever situation you plan on attending. Here’s how to figure out what to wear.
Prior to your event, ask yourself these questions;
1) Who will be there? 2) What message do I want to send to those people? Actually give yourself a list of adjectives to answer the second question.
If you want your message to be that you are warm, inviting, approachable, and gentle, you will choose wardrobe, hairstyle, and accessories that will convey those qualities. You’ll choose inviting colors like tan, beige, or white, you’ll style your hair (for women) loosely, maybe with a bit of a curl or wave. You’ll wear clothes that are casual, not too tight-fitting, natural and breezy. Maybe your top will have no collar, maybe you’ll wear flats rather than heals. Dangling earrings and wooden beads would convey an earthy, natural effect as well.
If, on the other hand you want to send the message that you are a smart, sharp, professional who is an expert in your field, you will choose wardrobe, accessories, and styling that reflects that message. You’ll wear darker colors like navy, black, plum, or charcoal. You’ll definately wear a medium to dark toned jacket, men and women, with a lighter color shirt underneath. The jacket or sweater should have a collar and thin shoulder pads. Clothes should be crisp, clean, well-fitted, not loose, but not too clingy. For women, long hair should be at least somewhat pulled back and you need to have a polished day makeup face.
Shoes should be about a 2 1/2″ heal. Accessories should be more conservative, but still reflect your genuine self. Men, hard-soled shoes are the best choice. Bags and cases should be sturdy leather, in good condition, same with all accessories, shoes, coat.
Keep reminding yourself; Who are you and what message do you want to send? How do you want others to see you?
Men, if you want to appear up-to-date, current, and relatively stylish, your pants need to be flat front rather than pleated. Shoes should be leather with a sleek toe, not too clunky. Your shirt should be fitted, not blouse out too much. And ask your hairstylist to show you how to use gel or paste to give your hair some oomph.
For everyone, all clothes should skim the body, not hang, nor cling, (unless you’re going out clubbing.) Choose colors that flatter your skin tone, eye color, and hair color.
If that’s too confusing, get a color analysis done by a certified professional image consultant, (like me.) I’ll make you up a color chart so you’ll always know what colors look great on you. That’s part of my Color, Style, and Wardrobe Consultation that I do for Men and Women.
If you have a closet full of clothes that you’re not sure about, I can tell you weather they’re right for you or not. If you’ve got items from long ago that you hate to give up but don’t know if you should wear them, I can answer that for you. We may be able to save some classics and have them tailored to freshen their style. I can put together at least five “new” outfits from what’s already in your closet – outfits that you hadn’t thought of, complete with shoes and accessories. You’ll finally have the answers to so many questions about what to wear. It will be a relief.
How does that sound?
Marian Rothschild, AICI FLC is a Certified Image Consultant with Look Good Now in Boulder and Denver, CO. She is a speaker on image related topics and writes for newspaper and magazines in Colorado and Chicago. Call now to see if we’re a good fit; 720-933-9247. Don’t wait, Look Good Now!
A few days ago a friend of mine asked my opinion about letting her hair go grey. Other women are probably wondering the same thing. I’d like to share with you, my answer.Never buy anything JUST because it’s on Sale! If you do, it will shrink up, ball up, pill up, or twist up into a handful of floppy fabric that you’ve wasted your money on.
We are hypnotized by the word Sale! As if you’ll get everything you want for just a few measly pennies. Yea, not really. They want you to think that you will be the height of fashion and your wallet will be none the worse for wear. Hogwash. It’s marketing.
Don’t be fooled by marketing and advertising tricks. They tell you that you’ll look fantastic in everything they are selling…and they want you to believe that you’re a fool if you don’t buy it right away.
The first picture in the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale catalogue, is a very young lady, a teenaged girl, really, wearing a gray sweater, holding a gray handbag. Well, no one this girl’s age can afford that handbag, ($1,268.90) unless she is the daughter of an Arab sheik. The next picture you see is someone wearing gray tights and gray suede strappy sandals with a 4 1/2″ heal.
The only people who look good in gray are people with gray hair, or people who are so dog-goned young and cute, it doesn’t matter what the heck they wear. And the only women I know who can wear 4 1/2″ heals for more than a nano second, are teenagers – who can’t afford the sandals ($299.99) anyway!
There are definately ways to use the upcoming Nordstrom sale, and other summer sales, to your advantage.
1) Take a hard look inside your closet and see where the gaps are. What are you always thinking you need more of; skirts, dresses, cute blouses? Make a list.
2) Take an honest look at your finances. See how much you can afford to spend on clothes this summer without going into dept. Make a budget.
3) Edit your closet. Get rid of at least ten things in there that you haven’t worn in the last few years and, truth be told, you’re not ever going to wear. Make a donation.
4) Go through the catalogue and take a look at all the different fashion styles; trendy,(p.5), chic, (p.45), (p. 4G), artistic, (p.4), funky, (p. 13), retro, (p.8), grunge, (p.21), jr. (p.28). See what you love. Earmark pages. Go back and circle what you love. Check the price. Make priorities.
5) Check out looks in other magazines to be sure of what styles you love. This is how you get un-stuck from ruts. See how the stylists from the magazines put outfits together this year. There are lots of new ideas out there this year; mixing prints, bold color blocking, bright colors. Make note of new trends.
6) Before you spend a dime, walk through the store on the first or second day of the sale. See what they have to offer in the different departments. Venture into unchartered territory. Try things on and be honest about how they actually look on you. Don’t ask the sales person, they are on commission. They want you to buy everything. Ask yourself these three questions;
1) Does it fit? 2)Does it flatter? 3) Do I love it?
If the answer to any of these is “No”, do not buy it! Even if it is on sale! There are plenty other options. Make yourself a promise to be honest.
7) Hire a certified professional personal image consultant to help you shop. Not the “personal stylists” the store employes – they are commissioned sales people! They know nothing about what colors make your unique skin tone glow and your eyes sparkle. They don’t have any training or experience in design elements like balance, proportion, focus, contrast, scale, texture, and body shape. And they sure as heck don’t know you, your unique personal style, your tastes, your lifestyle, what you’ve already got and what you need, want, and love. You have enough mistakes hanging in your closet already. Call Marian Rothschild, AICI FLC to help you get the look you love for the life you want. Make an upgrade. Call now (720) 933-9247.
Marian Rothschild is a Certified Personal Image Consultant with Look Good Now. Boulder, Denver, CO. Services offered include color analysis, wardrobe style consulting, body shape dressing, makeup lessons, and personal shopping for men, women, and graduates. Do you have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear? Call now to see if we are a good fit, (720) 933-9247. Don’t wait; Look Good Now!