The famous Cherry Creek North sidewalk sale starts this Thursday, July 21, 2011 and goes through Sunday, July 24th. Just like it sounds, all of the merchants put their deeply discounted merchandise out on the sidewalks giving it a fun, bazaar-like atmosphere. Because this is such an exciting sale, and it’s easy to get carried away and make mistakes, I’d like to offer up some of my best shopping tips. 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

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One of my main tips from my chapter “How to Shop Like a Pro and Look Like a Million Bucks,” from the book I co-authored, Image Power, is to Buy Complete Outfits. Complete Outfits not only include all of the garments, but also the accessories. My dear friend and AICI colleague, Marjory DeRoeck, MFA, AICI CIP, has written an entire Image Power chapter entitled “Accessories: The Frosting of Fashion.” Here’s an excerpt from Marjory’s chapter. “Top Reasons to Use Accessories To put separates together as outfits. Use a multicolored scarf as a road map to pull together individual clothing items. A brown, orange and gold scarf would coordinate with brown pants, an orange sweater and a gold tee. To direct attention toward your best features. Is a tiny waist one of your best assets? Wear a wide leather belt with a gorgeous buckle and everyone will notice. To vary your wardrobe to suit your mood. Feeling upbeat? Put on your sparkly earrings. Feeling calm and casual? Add a mohair scarf in your eye color. To provide a conversation piece. Attach an interesting pin on your lapel and see how many people comment. It’s a great icebreaker at a party. To add color to (Read more...)

In my chapter from “Image Power,” How to Shop Like a Pro and Look Like a Million Bucks, I am adamant about buying complete outfits; however, today I’m going to talk about breaking that rule with accessories. It is perfectly fine to buy an accessory in your favorite color without having something to wear with it. If it’s a color you’re absolutely drawn to, chances are good you have it in your wardrobe or you’ll buy it in the future. For example, I am crazy for purple, usually a dark shade versus one that is light or muted. I once saw a pair of shoes in DSW in kind of a berry tone. They were very cool and a fantastic price. I couldn’t think of one thing I could wear them with, but I thought, “What the heck,” and took the plunge. I wear them all of the time! (Right now as a matter of fact!) I originally wore them with a printed, silk dress that had various shades of purple. The other day, I wore them with a charcoal gray dress with a border print of mauves and berries. Today, they’re sassing up a charcoal gray skirt and plaid trench (Read more...)

WHEN: Friday, October 2, 5-8 p.m. WHAT: Book Signing and Fall Fashion Party WHERE:  Violet, The Affordable Boutique 1439 Larimer Street, Denver CO 80202 Join us as I sign copies of my collaborative book, Image Power, What You Need to Know to Look Your Best. I will also be giving fall fashion tips on “How to Wear it 3 Ways” and will be available to answer any of your style questions. Of course we’ll have Stylish Sips and Scrumptious Snacks! Call your girlfriends, and plan to start your girl’s night out at Signing, Sips, and Style!

Please join me Friday, March 13 at Violet, The Affordable Boutique, in Larimer Square to celebrate the launch of Image Power, What to Know to Look Your Best. I'll be signing books and sharing tips from my chapter, How To Shop Like a Pro and Look Like a Million Bucks. We'll have champagne and snacks, and of course, there will be plenty of time for shopping! Event Details What: Image Power Book Launch and Signing When: Friday, March 13  5-8 p.m. Where: Violet, 1439 Larimer Street, Denver CO Park: Larimer Square Parking Garage on Market Street between 14th & 15th. Start your evening with us, and plan to stay downtown for a fun girls' night out!

In today’s age of post consumerism, the concept of cost per wear is more important than ever. In my chapter from Image Power, Shop like a Pro & Look like a Million Bucks, I offer the tip that you should only buy what you love. Certainly you’re not going to love your clothes like your children, pet or significant other, but let’s look at the concept a little closer. You want to spend time with your loved ones. So it should be with your clothes that you love. On the other hand, when you buy clothes that you’re only luke warm about, you won’t be as excited to wear them. Back to the cost per wear equation—when you wear something to death, your cost per wear is very low, even if you spent a lot of money on it. Consider the following:

A $10 top you may wear once = $10 per wear A $100 top you may wear 20 times = $5 per wear a much better value "Go for clothes that become your friends, so when you open your closet you smile." -Diane Von Furstenberg

The other day, I read the advice that to keep your closet fresh, your clothes should be 70% classic and 30% trendy. I thought this made sense, but I have a couple of tweaks. Thirty percent trendy is a pretty big chunk of your closet. Trendy clothing is extreme and won't last more that a season or two. It could be expensive to replace 30% of your wardrobe every year! Instead, I recommend 10% trendy and 20% fashion forward. Fashion forward clothing is interesting and fun. These pieces are not necessarily classics, but you won't look out of date wearing them a few years down the line. That brings us to the classics, styles that will be fashionable for at least 5-10 years. Some classics can be worn even longer, but truly, there is no classic that can be worn "forever." Silhouettes and fabrics change over the years, and it's important for your image to wear updated, modern silhouettes. I also like to advise my clients to make sure that most of their classics are also basics. Basics are pieces that are relatively simple without a lot of design details. They combine easily with the highly styled garments and allow you to (Read more...)