How Do You Know When You Need a Style Consultant?

You know you need a style consultant if:

• You are stuck in a rut – you keep buying the same colors (black, right?) and the same styles you have been wearing since 1995.
• You walk into a store and feel confused and overwhelmed with all the choices
• You buy clothes that look good on a manikin -- a ceramic, non-human form that looks nothing like you!
• You look into your closet and say, “I have nothing to wear!”
• You hate shopping
• You have a special event coming up and you want to look perfectly put together

Almost every time I meet with a new client, I hear the same thing, “…I wear black because it’s easy and it goes with everything,” or “…I don’t like shopping and I don’t think I am particularly good at it, so I only go once a year. And yet it is important in my work to look really put together.”

Do any of these problems ring true for you?

If so, a style consultant can pull you out of your rut, teach you about the colors and styles that bring out your best assets, and even take you shopping to show you how to do it effortlessly and with confidence. The key is SELF KNOWLEDGE. And sometimes it takes a professional consultant to look at you in a new, more artistic and objective point of view.

How do you find a style consultant?

Most of my clients come to me by word of mouth. Ask your friends, co-workers, hair stylist, or your favorite boutique clothing store employees.

If you're still unsure about a consultant’s credentials, you can ask for the names of some past clients to get a feel for how others rate the experience.

Most importantly, be open to change, but make sure you choose someone you're comfortable with and can trust. Change is hard and personal change is even tougher. You do it when you're ready.

And get ready to be your most beautiful (or handsome) self!

What Colors Should I Wear?

Do you know what colors look best on you?  Do you defer to black because it's easy and you think it makes you look thinner?  When you look in your closet, do you see every color in the rainbow?

If you're confused about what colors to wear, you're not alone.  It's not something that we learn about in school, or from our parents.  It's a discovery that, once you understand, your shopping life will change forever, and you will always know how to look your best. 

Let's start by talking about what makes you YOU.  We each have, what I call, a Personal Blueprint.

Your Personal Blueprint is everything that makes you unique!

- Your Personality

- Your Body Shape

- Your Coloring

- The Way You Walk

- The Way You Speak

Generally speaking, most of us instinctively know a few colors that are flattering on us, but we don't have a clear idea of ALL the colors that are flattering, or how to mix and match colors attractively. And most of us certainly don't have a clear idea of the styles that will flatter our body structure. When you know your Personal Blueprint, you will know your COLORS and STYLES.

Read through each of these personal blueprints, and select the blueprint that most closely resembles you - these blueprints won't fit you perfectly because each of us is uniquely unique, but it will be very close!

Gold Personal Blueprint

Your Face Shape:- Your face is Round or Heart-Shaped and you have a full foreheadYour Coloring:
- Your Eyes are blue, green, aqua, or light golden brown
- Your Skin Tone is creamy ivory, peachy with or without freckles, or golden beige (you have delicate skin!)
- Your Hair Color is golden blonde, strawberry redhead, auburn, or golden brown
Your Favorite Colors:

 - You prefer to wear aqua, periwinkle blue, purples and pinks!

Your Personality:

- You light up the room when you walk in

- You're a fun, animated person

- You are an idea person

Platinum Personal Blueprint

Your Face Shape:- Your face is shaped like an Oval, You look good in longer hair

Your Coloring:- Your Eyes are soft gray blue, gray green, pale gray, hazel, bright clear blue, or soft brown

- Your Skin Tone is pale, rosy beige or rosy brown, very pink, or sort of gray brown

- Your Hair Color is platinum blonde, ash blonde, taupy brown, or blue-gray

Your favorite colors:

- You prefer soft blues, rose, lavender, gray-blue Your Personality:-You’re detail-oriented

- You like to connect the dots!

- You’re romantic at heart

Copper Personal Blueprint

Your Face Shape:

- Your face has angular lines, like a triangle or rectangle, and you may have a pointed chin, and angular nose

Your Coloring:

- Your Eye color is golden brown, amber, green, hazel, or pale green

- Your Skin Tone is ivory, peachy, freckles, golden beige or brown

- Your Hair color is red, coppery red-brown, golden brown, golden blonde, or charcoal black

Your favorite colors:

- You prefer orange, mahogany, dark chocolate brown, gold

Your Personality:- You are energetic and you get things done

- You are dependable and sure

- You are a dynamic leader

Silver Personal Blueprint

Your Face Shape:

- Your face shape is elongated oval, your eyes and cheek bones form parallel lines, you may have a widow’s peak hairline

Your Coloring:

- Your Eye color is dark brown, black-brown, hazel, gray blue, or green

- Your Skin Tone is either pale white, beige or rosy beige, olive, or black

- Hair color: blue-black, light to medium brown, salt and pepper, silver-gray, white

Your favorite colors:

- You prefer black, pure white, and bright turquoise

Your Personality:

- You see how to improve what's been done

- You are precise, you think in terms of black and white

- At a party, you generally wait for people to approach you

HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THE RIGHT COLORS?

The best way to know what colors look best on you is to hold them up to your face. Try draping different colors on your body and see which colors look best on you. It’s best to have a friend do it with you so you can get a second opinion.

Try colors from each of the four blueprints, and if you look radiant in these colors, you'll look radiant in ALL the colors of that blueprint:

• From the Gold Blueprint, try the following colors: periwinkle blue, peach, daffodil yellow
• From the Platinum Blueprint, try the following colors: dusty rose, raspberry, gray
• From the Copper Blueprint, try the following colors: mustard yellow, olive green, mahogany brown or bronze
• From the Silver Blueprint, try the following colors: pure white, black, magenta, royal purple

THINKING IN TERMS OF BECOMING A BETTER YOU!

This is to get you thinking in terms of becoming a better you -- it’s about gaining awareness of what works best for you. The more self-knowledge you have about yourself, the easier it will be to shop for clothes and accessories that make you look great. When you gain that awareness it will change your life!

- giving you greater self-confidence- saving you money from buying clothing mistakes

- all the clothes in your closet will coordinate!

You’ll never say "I don't have a thing to wear tonight!"

Next week I'll show you colors, styles, and accessories for each Personal Blueprint!