Written on
August 24, 2011 by
admin in
color,
dressing for your age,
fashion,
grooming,
image consulting,
lauren edge,
looking younger,
shopping,
style,
wardrobe styling
Are you curious about how an Image Consultant can help you? Do you think that an Image Consultant is just for the rich and famous? Let me ask you this: How do you feel about yourself in your clothes? This will give you a good idea of whether you need to see an Image Consultant or not. Here are some scenarios, see if you can relate to any of these:
- You look in your closet and get depressed. Is it a mess? Is it filled with clothing from years ago that you don’t fit into? Are the styles dated?
- You choose an outfit and look in the mirror. Do you feel happy with what you have chosen and know with confidence that the colors flatter you and that the styles are perfect for your body shape.
- When you leave the house do you get compliments everywhere you go? Do you feel more and confident as the day goes on?
- You go to the clothing store to find new clothing. Are you overwhelmed with all the colors and styles? Are you excited about trying on all the clothing? Are you confident that what you are purchasing is worth the money you are spending it? Are the clothes going to sit in your closet for years with the tag on, never being worn and you’re not sure why?
Most people (especially women!) wear 20% of their clothing 80% of the time. The rest of their closet is filled with things they never wear and should never have bought. If we say that every person has 100 significant items of clothing and accessories and that they each cost around $50 then that total will come to $5000. 80% of that would be $4000. This means that most people have wasted $4000 on clothing and accessories that they never wear! And this process gets repeated every 5 – 7 years.
I’m offering a free 30-minute consultation to anyone that would like to find out about how I can help them have a wardrobe filled with items that they love to wear. Whether you need just one outfit or a whole wardrobe I can help you. A Color and Style Consultation is a worthwhile investment. Just think of all the money you would save!
From my experience I know that everybody needs to see an Image Consultant at least once in their lives. It will be one day out of your life that will positively affect the rest of your life. It’s worth it!
I’ve been watching television interviews the last while and have noticed that the people being interviewed have not been briefed on what not to wear. They end up looking shocking on camera and the message about their product or service gets lost because all the viewers attention is on the bad-looking outfit instead of on them.
From my experience working with television personalities, here are my top 10 things to remember when appearing on television:
- Don’t think that what you wear in everyday life will look great on camera!
- Stripes are the number 1 ‘NO NO’. It doesn’t matter how far apart the stripes are, some camera’s can handle them, and some can’t. It’s better to steer clear of them. A good trick is to look at the stripes through a digital camera lens. Have a look at what the stripes do - they kind of bounce around. In TV we call that ‘strobing’. It’s very distracting for the viewer.
- Small prints can look terrible on camera and they also run the risk of strobing.
- Try to go for a clean look. Go for clean and simple lines. Again, have a look at it through your personal camera. Too much detail can be overwhelming.
- When it comes to accessorizing keep it plain and simple. Less is more here. You want viewers to focus on you, not on your accessories.
- Very important is color! Stay away from black, it absorbs all the color and all detail gets lost. Stay away from white and even light colors, they ‘flare’ which means that they reflect all the color and you end up looking like light bulb. Red is another dangerous color, the color can ‘bleed’ making your outfit look blurry.
- If you don’t know what colors suit you best, then rather go for a neutral color, in a medium tone.
- Wear something that fits you properly. Avoid frills or garments that are very tight or loose-fitting. Remember that the camera can add 10 pounds.
- Find out what the color of the set is so that you don’t wear a bright green shirt and end up sitting on a bright green couch!
- Get an expert to help you decide on an appropriate outfit. If this is your ’15 minutes of fame’ to advertise your product or service then it’s really worth the investment.
Click here to contact me so that we can discuss your needs and how I can help you to put a perfect look together for your television appearance.
These are the photographs from my first photoshoot with photographer Mimi Ahmed and make-up artist Amanda Pereyra. Carla needed photographs for her website, blog and social media. I’m really happy with how these photo’s came out!
We started Carla’s shoot preparation with a Color Analysis, and found that her best colors were cool and clear, or warm and dark. Medium to high contast between the colors was the most flattering. Carla wanted a couple of different looks so we went shopping for some items to complete the looks.
The belted cardigan is such a great look at the moment, especially for fall. The contrast between the white cardigan and olive top looked great on Carla. The blue of the belt picked up the blue of the peacock feather earrings, and the outfit was finished off with a multi-stranded gold necklace and gold bangle which is also a big trend for fall.
The navy dress looked amazing on her! The navy was a great color for her skintone, the high, pleated neckline was really striking, and the belt detail finished the look off really nicely.
The classic white shirt with high-waisted skirt and belt is such a sophisticated look. The multi-stranded gold necklace added some flair and creativity to the outfit.
For the last look we decided on a coctail dress. The red is such a great color for Carla! The assymmetrical neckline and drape made the dress dynamic and funky.
Click here for more on Mimi Ahmed Photography.
Click here for more on Carla Sandine from Danka Marketing.
Written on
August 12, 2010 by
admin in
accessories,
color,
designer of the month,
fashion,
image consulting,
Joyce White African Jewellery,
lauren edge,
local designers,
shopping,
style,
wardrobe styling
Joyce welcomed me into her colorful home in South Phoenix to view her jewelry. Everything was beautifully displayed for me to view. I love the idea of dressing my clients by local designers. In South Africa I also loved using the local designers because it adds such an interesting edge to an otherwise ‘ordinary’ outfit. I had contacted Joyce through the Meet-up group Fashion Arizona in an effort to meet all the designers in Phoenix.
Joyce’s pieces of jewelry are more like works of art, each piece is original. She loves color (yay!) and is inspired by the bright colors of Africa. Her sculpted glass pieces are set into intricate tangles of gold and silver metals to create a look that is bold, sophisticated and elegant. What I really loved was that every piece has a name. Because of the manufacturing process every piece is individual and you never know exactly what is going to come out. Some of the pieces even have interesting stories!
I found it fascinating that Joyce is actually a qualified fork-life operator! Because of an injury she was unable to carry on working. She then worked as a florist, which is where she discovered her love for the arts and creativity, as well as where she got much of inspiration.
Joyce’s tale has some sadness to it. She comes from a background of abuse, and describes her work as being therapeutic. Because of this experience founded a program called ‘Hope for Women Arts’ in 2008. This program teaches women that have suffered abuse, an art or skill. She is looking for volunteers to offer 3 hours of their time to teach these women something that could benefit them. I have offered my time to teach them how to dress professionally for interviews, and how to achieve this look with a minimal budget. I’m really excited!
Joyce will be having a trunk show at Local Talent Art Gallery on October 16th, 2010. I would highly recommend you join her! To view the Fine Art Shows and other events she will be participating in please clink here.
I think the idea of wearing a piece of jewelry that is hand-crafted, has a name and a story, and is made locally is really best way finish off an outfit. It’s a great conversation starter, and a great way to make a statement!
Click here to view Joyce White African Jewelry LLC
Click here to find out more about Hope For Women Arts
Written on
July 27, 2010 by
admin in
accessories,
Amanda Pereyra Make-up,
color,
fashion,
image consulting,
lauren edge,
Mimi Ahmed Photography,
shopping,
style,
wardrobe styling
A new venture as a team is starting now, thanks to Carla, our marketing guru who brought us together.
Mimi is offering the service of having a professional photograph / headshot taken, with a wardrobe stylist and make-up artist. I think this service is such a brilliant idea! If you have a photograph that will be seen by thousands of people, why wouldn’t you want it to be absolutely perfect in every respect?
Over the weekend we got together for a test-shoot to make sure we could all work together. There was much preparation that went into the shoot. From meeting with Carla for a Color and Style Analysis, sifting through her wardrobe to find looks that worked, to going shopping for all the items that would pull the looks together. We had so much fun!! Especially the shopping, of course!
We met at 6am on Sunday morning in an attempt to beat the Phoenix heat. It was well worth it! Amanda, our make-up artist, did a great job of accentuating Carla’s natural beauty. Mimi created the perfect pictures, and chose the most phenomenal locations! You can see when people really love what they do. And we all do! We could all have stayed there all day playing with different poses, make-up looks and outfits.
Click here to see some of Mimi’s beautiful work.
Click here to find out more about Carla Sandine from Danka Marketing
Yes, I love shopping. I used to only enjoy shopping for myself; it was a self-indulgent kind-of thing. I would shop when I was happy, sad, bored, whenever. Walking through the aisles of the stores, I would dream up crazy scenarios that would take place in the outfits. Every outfit has a story. That’s what I love about clothes. Every garment, every earring, and every shoe says something to the world about who you are, and where you want to be.
I love color. Most people are afraid of color. Color sends out messages to the world. I think that people are scared of sending out the wrong message and that is why they would rather play it safe and wear black. The only problem is that black also sends out a message. It says I’m professional, it also says I’m safe. I’d rather have people say I’m interesting, creative, dynamic, or daring.
Clothes and colors are there for us to play with. We should be able to have fun with them. It’s a bit like reconnecting with our inner child. I think the trick is knowing what looks good and what suits us. That gives us the confidence to play!
These days I love shopping with people. It’s so much fun pulling out hundreds of garments that they would never have thought of choosing, and watching their faces light up. I was in Macy’s for 5 hours with a client over the weekend. The time went by so quickly because we were having so much fun ‘mixing and matching’ all the garments together.
Shopping isn’t work to me, its fun. So yes, I’m a shopaholic and proud of it!
As we get older we need to put more effort into our grooming. If your hair isn’t in great condition I would suggest you have it cut a bit shorter. This will make it look healthier, it will carry more bounce and will be easier to manage. It’s really worth it to spend the money on a good hairstylist. You could always go to an expensive salon to get the style right, and then have your local stylist maintain it in between.
Well-groomed eyebrows can take years off the clock. The brows frame the eyes just like the hair frames the face. Natural-looking brows are best. They should be just a shade or two darker than your hair color, and neat. They should start out medium width, arching up, the highest point being above the outer third of the eye, and taper down slightly. Don’t let them taper down too much because that will make you appear older as it draws the eyes down.
Very important is not to overpluck – this look is very outdated. If you do need to draw in the eyebrows do so with a matt eyeshadow and not a pencil as this will look too ‘drawn in’ and unnatural.
Men also need to shape their eyebrows, not to the extent that women do, but just to keep the hair short and neat, and a bit of plucking here and there will keep them looking well-groomed and attractive.
The question I’ve been asked most in the last few months has been ‘What is appropriate to wear for my age?’
The best advice I can give is to dress for your body shape and skintone, rather than for your age. These days there aren’t hard and fast rules anymore about what is appropriate and what isn’t. There are certain guidelines, but the most valuable lesson will be to invest in a Color and Style Analysis. Because our body shape changes with age, the things that used to work become harder to pull off. If your clothes are flattering and fit well, the colors form a harmony with your natural coloring, and you know how to accessorize, you will look stylish and sophisticated at any age.
That being said, I found a really great article by Kelly Whitt, a professional writer on Suite 101. She wrote a great article with guidelines on what to wear in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.
Women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, need to distinguish themselves from the child they were and the mature woman they are going to become.
Click here for the full article
Photo courtesy of Plethr at Stock.xchng
I grew up in South Africa. I was born in a beautiful small town in the midst of many valleys. After moving many times to many little towns I realized that I love the energy of the city and settled in Johannesburg. I studied many things – Fashion Design, Textile Design, Image Consulting. I’ve done many things, from designing wedding dresses, evening dresses, ranges of clothing and accessories, to working on commercials, theatre productions, and TV. But the Image Consulting is what I really love! I love working with people, helping them discover a look that is true to their personality and lifestyle. I love anything to do with fashion and style, but most of all LOVE helping people to look and feel fabulous. I dress people from all walks of life, young and old, men and woman, corporate, creative, moms, anyone, everyone that would like some good advice or a new look or to update an old look. The services I offer are Color Analysis, Figure and Style Analysis, Wardrobe Audits and Personal Shopping. Packages, group consultations and make-over’s can also be worked out on an individual basis.
I’m also mom to Ethan, and wife to my gorgeous husband Martin. We moved to Phoenix in January when Ethan was just 6 weeks old! I’ve been at home for the past few months, enjoying the time I get to spend with Ethan, but there’s been a little voice inside calling me to put myself out there again and do what I absolutely love! I don’t see what I do as work, it’s fun, it’s play, yes sometimes it’s serious, but most of the time it’s pulling people from the caves of their closets and showing them how awesome they really can look.
So here’s to getting my life and my Image Consulting business started in Phoenix!
