Monday, November 12, 2007

Invest in Yourself

Ladies & Gentlemen: Make your clothes work for YOU!

Your style is an investment. Many people convince themselves that worrying about one's style is superficial and of low priority. However, buying appropriate clothes and maintaining your style/image is an investment in yourself, your life and your future- socially, professionally and personally. The way you maintain yourself speaks volumes and often times speaks louder than what you may say with words. Typically, your style can tell people about you and your interests, like whether you're detail-oriented, artistic, conservative, etc. Are you portraying the image you want people to see?

Taking care of yourself is extremely important. Your style needs maintenance and upkeep. Are you still wearing clothes that you wore when you first started your job ten years ago? When was the last time you donated to the Salvation Army or Goodwill? Weeding out old clothes feels liberating, and it helps you 'cleanse' your wardrobe.

People do judge us based on appearances, fact. First impressions usually happen within the first five minutes of meeting a person. What kind of impression are you making? What sorts of impressions do you formulate when you first meet people? Pay attention to first impressions, style, body language... what do you discover? If one doesn't feel comfortable or confident, others can perceive that. Don't let this happen to you!!! Achieve comfort and confidence just by using the proper tips and tools that I provide in this blog and in my affordable StyleLife consultations.

So how much should you spend on your style? This is a tricky question. Some say that 20% of your annual income is a good amount to go toward your style and wardrobe (without overspending). If you're clever, you can easily stick to 10%. It's all about coordinating main, high quality pieces with moderate to high quality accent pieces. You should choose higher quality for the pieces you wear more often. In the end, the piece pays for itself especially if it's a little pricier than other pieces.

Find pieces that are timeless and look fabulous on you NOW. If you just have to have a piece of trend-only fashion then make sure it actually looks and feels fabulous on you NOW. Try it on before you get it home. Can you walk, sit, stand, bend over, move comfortably while you're wearing it? Does the color/ pattern accent your features, not make you look pale or tired? Does the piece fit and flatter your figure, height and size? Do you feel amazing in it? If you answered "yes," then congratulations, it seems that you have found a piece for your wardrobe! If you answered "no," then please put the piece back on the rack and move on to the next item. Your fabulous pieces are out there; don't give up! And don't settle for something that you don't absolutely love! The goal is for you to exude confidence by loving how you look and feel.

If you have style/ closet organization questions or want to completely overhaul your closet, I recommend calling a style consultant. Your image represents who you are. If you would like to speak with me personally, please email me at the address shown at the top right corner of this blog, and I will contact you. Thank you, and I look forward to working with you.

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