So how do you do this? It’s really quite easy. First, your appearance must be impeccable, and then an accessory or blouse can do the trick. Debbie was a client who was going for a final interview for a big step up in the healthcare industry. The suits she’d been wearing had been colorful and a little too feminine. She knew her stuff and was highly qualified, but the male interviewer was tough and she needed a suit that would give her strength and command authority. We chose a black pant suit, and because Debbie was blonde with blue eyes, we chose a cornflower blue, satin blouse. When you wear a color that matches your eyes, your audience won’t be able to take their eyes off of you. Hence, they’re paying attention to what you’re saying.  It was obvious that Debbie delivered her message and created a memorable image. She got the job!

A second tactic for creating a memorable image is with accessories. Even if the expected necklace is pearls, as it is in the accounting industry, you can change up your pearls. Instead of basic pearls, choose fresh water pearls or a string of pearls with a colorful pendant.

In a more creative industry, go bolder with your necklace…but not too bold or distracting. It can only be helpful to be thought of as qualified and “the one with the cool necklace”!

If you’d like expert help from an image consultant who can ensure you’re dressed perfectly for your interview, please contact me!

If you want to buy anything else for this winter season, you’d better act fast! Unlike what’s in the stores right now, the Carlisle Collection  still has an amazing selection of fall and winter clothes in all sizes. You’ll be able to create beautiful, complete outfits. BUT…Carlisle moves in the same  fashion as the rest of the industry and the Fall and Holiday collections will only be available through Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

If you’ve been chomping at the bit to see the  spring trends, the spring collection will be available at the on line Carlisle boutique on Thursday, January 26, 2012. Be sure to register, so I can be of any customer service you might need. If you’d like advice from an image consultant on your purchase, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

It’s easy!  Simply choose the amount you’d like to spend or the service you’d like her to have. Then contact me at 303-463-4839,  303-868-8925 or fill in the form on the right.  We’ll discuss her needs and your budget, and I’ll put the perfect package together to fit them both!

A suggestion?  A Princess Day:  Treat your mom, best friend or any other special female in your life to a Princess Day.  I’ll take you both shopping at her favorite stores. Yes, you get to come along, but this day is all about the princess! (She not only gets pampering and expert advice, she gets to spend time with you, too!)  Since every wish is her command, we’ll do exactly what she wants…maybe a new outfit or two,  learning what styles look the best on her,  or even finding the perfect shoes for every outfit.

Click here for more ideas

Over the past weekend, my regional manager and I showed the line and sold pieces at the Junior League of Denver’s Holiday Mart. It was fun having so many fabulous garments at my finger tips. Let me tell you—the clothes are absolutely amazing! I’ve truly never seen such beautiful quality in clothing.

Here are a few things you might not know about the product:

• The wools come from mills in Italy, where they do wool best. I typically find wool a little itchy—not here!. I modeled wool jackets comfortably all weekend at the show. Here’s my favorite, (shown above.)  Yep it’s purple!
• Carlisle uses fabrics from the same mills that Armani and Chanel use.
• Details on the clothing are impeccable and unique. The embroidery on this skirt took 8 hours. While a piece like this is distinctive, it can be worn a multitude of ways. (I can help you with that.) And you’ll wear it for years; it’s stylish, never trendy.
• Every piece, even basics have unique details. For example, this ever elusive, elbow sleeve shell has cute buttons up the back. It’s a fantastic layering piece, but when you take your jacket off, you’ve still got style!
• Because Carlisle isn’t sold in local stores, you won’t see yourself all over town.
• And lastly, for today…the colors will match from year to year. For example, if you buy a black pant suit this year, you can add the skirt next year and it will match.

Please contact me if you’re curious. I’d love to take you for a spin around the site!

Where do you shop for your clients? Where I shop for you is usually dictated by your personal style and budget. I shop at a variety of department stores, specialty stores and boutiques. In terms of areas, I find Cherry Creek and Park Meadows to have the best selections, while outlying malls typically have smaller inventories of both size and styles.

How do you choose the clothes for you clients to try on? Before I step foot into a store to begin personal shopping, we’ve done a style assessment and I have your style recipe. I’ll also have your shopping list. We may be starting completely from scratch or filling in with pieces to make your wardrobe work harder for you. No matter what you need, I am searching for clothes to match your personal style; fit your lifestyle; and budget and flatter your body type.

Are you used to working with petite or plus sized women? Absolutely! Because petites often have a hard time finding clothing or aren’t sure how to alter their clothes, a large percentage of my clients are under 5’4”. I also have some fantastic places to shop for my plus sized clients.

Do you have to see the clothes in my closet before you shop for me? Even if you absolutely abhor what’s in your closet right now and are ready to set fire to it, it’s helpful for me to see you in a few pieces. Seeing you in various garments allows me to determine not only your figure type but areas where you’re struggling with fit. And let’s face it; trying on your clothes is more comfortable for us both than having me stare at you in your underwear.  If it isn’t convenient for me to see your closet, we can definitely make other arrangements.

Your web site says you specialize in professional dress.  Can you help me with casual clothes? Again, absolutely! Because our professions take up a majority of our waking hours, many women devote most of their clothing budget to work clothes. The fact of the matter is all of my clients have complete lives. I love helping my clients look and feel great whether it’s for dating, the kids’ soccer field or travel. On the flip side of casual, I also love helping my clients with their attire for weddings or black tie events.

And comments  I hear frequently…

Your clients must be rich!  As an image consultant and stylist, I work with a variety of clients, and I’ve never asked to see anyone’s bank statement, so it’s hard for me to comment on their wealth status. What my clients do have in common is that they’re all busy and they want to look and feel their best!

You’d laugh if you saw my closet! Everyone is different. Some closets are uber neat, others are disasters. Some have beautiful clothes, (sometimes begging to be worn.) Others are minimal. While I think I have a great sense of humor, I have done  hundreds of closet audits, and I can honestly say I’ve never laughed at a closet. My only concern is helping you organize in a way that works for you, and helping you curate a wardrobe that makes your heart sing!

There you have it! I certainly get other questions, but these are ones I get quite a bit. If you’re curious whether my services are right for you, please feel free to call me at 303-463-4839 or e-mail me at dana@elementsofimage. And as always I welcome questions and comments on this blog post. I’d love to hear from you.

Somewhat similar to mini skirts, there is a range of lengths for the midi, from barely below the knee to just above the ankle. Personally, I prefer midis on the shorter side; however, experimenting to find your perfect length skirt is advisable.

Here are just a few tips to help you make the most of this new length:

• “Short over long,” is a rule you want to follow. In other words, since your skirt is long, be sure to pair it with a short jacket or tucked in blouse. This allows you an uninterrupted line from waist to hem. Tall gals can bend this rule a bit. (See bottom photo.)
• Add a heel! While short skirts look adorable with flats, calf length skirts look elegant with a heel.
• If you’ve never worn midis before, have fun channeling the ‘70’s vibe.
• If you had countless midis in your closet back in the day, consider creating a ladylike look perhaps with a bit of retro inspiration.  
• I’m all for wearing what is in your closet, but please be cautious if you want to repurpose your midi skirts from days of yore. Question whether or not the style and fabric look modern enough to prevent you from looking “stuck in the ‘80’s”
• You’re smart to pair this “new” length with up-to-the-minute accessories for a fresh look.

Midi skirts have been on the runway since last fall; however, now they’re in the stores. If you’re looking for a way to update your look in this coming season, I encourage you to do so. It’s not an outrageous look, and who knows? Perhaps you’ll become an Opinion Leader!

So now to you…do you like this “new length?” Or will you skip it opting for shorter skirts?

Within the realm of “clothes that fit your body” there are many variations. One of the fits that flatters most bodies is semi-fitted. For today’s post, I want to sing the virtues of the semi-fitted top. “Semi-fitted” is just what it sounds like. It’s not tight and it’s not loose, a.k.a. baggy. These tops hint at your body shape without showing it off or flaunting it. Hence, this is a great style for business, too.

Semi-fitted tops best flatter women with a straighter waistline and women who have a tiny bit of a tummy. No matter what physical shape you’re in, if you have a boyish waist line, wearing tops that are tight or hug your torso only emphasizes your lack of curves. Likewise, wearing a tight top over your belly emphasizes the curve of your stomach. Alternatively, semi-fitted tops, as you can see in the photo, usually allow you to create a little ruching which always flatters your figure!

Now for the bad news… this style is kind of hard to find. The trend right now is toward loose fitting tops that totally hide your figure. My recommendation is to look in stores with relatively traditional clothing such as Talbot’s and Ann Taylor (also great stores for professional clothing.)

Let’s start with the little blue dress. Both a client and I coincidentally own this ocean blue, organic cotton knit dress from Coquette. (In real life, it’s the color is more saturated and it’s a little longer.) However, we wear it completely differently. Last week, I helped her create outfits for her busy schedule and incorporated this dress into a casual, weekend getaway. We styled it for day with flat sandals and silver jewelry. To dress it up a bit for dinner, all she’ll  do is change into higher wedges and larger earrings.

I’ve accessorized my “little blue dress” with:

• Black gladiator sandals with silver studs, silver hoops, and silver bracelets.

• Metallic sandals with a 1” heel, antique gold and royal blue drop earrings, and a stack of gold bangles.

• Nude platform wedges, ebony/wood bracelet and earrings.

Because the dress is cotton knit, it has a casual feel to it, but within the realm of casual, it can change its look extremely easily. So if you’re tired of black, black, and more black, look for a simply styled dress in your favorite color, and see for yourself how versatile other colors can be!

Trends are usually introduced at the New York and international runway shows. As you can see from the chart, new styles start on the left and evolve into a bell curve. Initially the clothes and accessories are quite expensive and are adopted by the Fashion Innovators. As time goes on, the style becomes more and more popular, peaking when it is very widely available to the masses at all price points. (How long each of these stages lasts varies greatly.)

As a style starts to fade, it is accepted by the Late Adopters. And finally when the style is virtually gone, it’s adopted by the Laggards.

The point of this style education leads me to two points:
1. To get the most longevity out of a garment and a trend you love, try to adopt it very early. Become an Opinion Leader. (Unless you travel or live in a fashion capital, it’s quite difficult to get in on the very beginning of a trend.) You’ll be fashionable and get a great cost per wear out of your purchase.

2. No matter your budget, take a quick trip to fashion leaders like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and high end specialty stores/boutiques at the beginning of a season– just to get a feel for what is in. (Looking is always free!) Often times, when a trend is in the Late Adopter and Laggard stages, it’s still available in discount and lower to mid price department stores, but you won’t see these styles at the afore mentioned shops. It’s sad to say, but just because something is being sold in a store doesn’t mean it’s in style. It doesn’t make sense to buy an out of date item at any price.

In today’s fashion world, knock offs of original designs are available sooner than ever. Fashion is available at every price point. You don’t have to spend a fortune to have a stylish image; however, doing a little homework each season will pay off. It’s a little extra effort, (if you don’t enjoy shopping,)  but the dividends are huge. And if you want to keep your research to a minimum, consider building the bulk of your wardrobe with classics, and sprinkle in trends here and there for fun. Your wallet will thank you!

If you don’t already subscribe to the e-Style tip of the month, I provide a wealth of information each month with realistic tips real women can use to make the very most of their image. Sign up today and receive my FREE special report, “Using Your Image to Gain That Professional Edge.”

As an image and wardrobe consultant, I’d be remiss to let you hit the sale without your shopping list. You may be thinking that shopping lists are just for groceries, but having an apparel and accessories shopping list is equally important for avoiding poor purchases.

Your shopping list doesn’t have to “needs” only. “Wants” are fine, too. Now is the perfect time to buy a new trend you’ve been anxious to try, but not at full price.

• Look for items in your favorite colors. For example, my color this summer is coral, and I’ve bought several coral pieces to jazz up my summer neutrals.

• Try things on! And then walk around in them, sit down, and move around. Next analyze how it will fit into your wardrobe. It’s easy to get excited about something that’s a great price, and buy it quickly. Beware:  most of your purchases will be final sales!

• Take breaks. It’s hot to be shopping outside in July, but the savings are worth it. By stopping to refresh yourself, you won’t make rash decisions or give up too soon.  Besides, CC North has plenty of amazing spots to stop for cold drinks and frozen yogurt.

• What are my favorite shops? I love Coquette Boutique, Garbarini, SOL and of course, the Blues Jean Bar. You’ll also find mall favorites such as White House/Black Market and Lucy.

These are just a few of my favorite shopping tips. Check out my chapter, “How to Shop Like a Pro and Look Like a Million Bucks,” in the book,  Image Power, for more savvy shopping techniques and everything else you need to know for your best image ever. As always, please feel free to contact me if you’d like some help navigating the the sidewalk sale.