I absolutely love light blue with red!  When I first spied the combination on a mannequin in the window of Garbarini, it was too early in the season to start thinking about it. (And if you read my blog post about red jeans, you might be interested to know I haven’t found them yet. Really need to get on that!) Now I'm inspired! Usually when we think of light blue clothing, we’re thinking of pastels, a bit grandmotherly. Most of my clients make note on their personal  style homework that they dislike pastels; however this jacket shown, although pastel, is pretty intense…almost aqua. (I also like the retro/sailor vibe of the outfit shown!) If you love the color scheme but aren’t sure about red pants, the look could also work with white pants or jeans or even a skirt. Fabulous shoes and accessories would be the key to punching up the look. Here are a few other ideas for wearing red/white/light blue: A white bottom, red jacket/cardigan, light blue top (print, stripe or solid) Light blue skirt, white top, red accessories Red skirt or pants, red jacket (perhaps a suit?), light blue top, white accessories. We all know (Read more...)

TLC’s What Not to Wear hosts, Stacy London and Clinton Kelly, insist you should always be able to button your jackets. While I love Stacy and Clinton, I completely disagree! I never button my jackets…ever! It’s not my personal style, nor do I like the uber-constricting way it feels. Typically a size 8 jacket fits me well. Because I have a wide torso and back, if I wanted to button my jacket, I would need to purchase a size 10 and have many costly alterations made. It just doesn’t make sense to do this, as I’m just not a buttoner. Are you a buttoner or a non-buttoner? As an image consultant, I  always like to find out if my clients prefer to button their jackets or leave them open, as it will many times determine our choices. Whether you’re a buttoner, a part time buttoner, or a non-buttoner, here are a few considerations:

• If you button your jackets, even part time, you should never have any pulling across your back or at the buttons. When pulling occurs, you will need to buy a size larger and have the jacket tailored

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You’re familiar with this scenario. The weather forecast calls for 65º and sunny. Your new spring outfit complete with accessories is steamed and ready to go for tomorrow. Then you wake up to cloudy skies and SNOW! Panic attack! What are you going to wear? Never underestimate the power of mid-weight basics in neutral colors. Also consider a few garments such as jackets or sweaters in mid-weight to slightly warmer fabrics in bright colors. It’s a great way to keep your sunny, spring outlook without freezing. Yes, this situation is fresh in my mind, because it’s exactly what happened last week. Since I wasn’t able my new spring dress, I was ready to go with my black Kenneth Cole, poly/rayon blend pencil skirt, my Adea micro-fiber tank, topped off with my Azalea pink cotton twill blazer. Bare legs certainly weren’t going to work, so I opted for black patterned tights. The pattern felt so much lighter in mood than opaques. Ever optimistic I first grabbed my black slingbacks, but realizing the ground was pretty mucky, I opted for high black boots. (They’re way more comfortable anyway!) The variations on this snowy, spring day uniform are endless. Of course pants can replace the skirt (Read more...)

Recently several clients and friends have asked me how to deal with dressing in the summer with the vastly varying temperatures either going from: -Arctic office conditions to sweltering desert heat outside or -Starting the day off at a cool 65°F in the morning with the mercury rising to 95°F in the afternoon. While we’ve all heard that layering is crucial especially in Colorado, it can often be a bit of a nebulous concept that usually brings winter sports to mind versus dressing for an office day, out and about seeing clients, or even keeping up with the kids. In this post I’ll give you a few ideas for layering in the office. In my next post, we’ll talk about layering for business casual and casual environments. If your office is extremely frigid due to air conditioning that just won’t quit, (why they can’t get a handle on this in 2010 I’ll never know,) start each day with either a camisole or tank top. These aren’t your weekend/work out pieces, because depending on how insanely hot it is outside you may be stripping down to this layer at some point. (Keeping this in mind, always be conscious of your bra straps.) Next add a cotton or (Read more...)

Let's face it; winter is a long season in Colorado. You probably have some great pieces in your closet, but you're sick of your outfits. Versus going out and buying for the sake of buying, my solution is for you to shop in your closet. Here are a few tips: 1. Break up your suits. Many suits that are bought together aren't meant to be separated, but most are easily separated. Pair your pinstriped pants with a solid jacket. Wear your glen plaid jacket with a solid skirt. Play with layering in new ways. Instead of your usual shell under a jacket, try a belted, lightweight cardigan. 2. Mix prints. If you feel like your outfits are bland, mix it up! Combine that pinstripe suit with a geometric print blouse. For a more subtle look, pair your tweeds with prints. The trick to mixing prints and patterns is to make sure one print is dominant an the other is subordinate. Also, there should be at least one common color in all pieces. 3. Soften menswear with feminine pieces. This is one of my favorite looks, unexpected and (Read more...)

Studies show that people start forming impressions of us within mere seconds of first seeing us. In other words, your image speaks well before you ever get the chance to open your mouth. Without getting too technical, it’s all a matter of non-verbal communication. The good news is that you can control the impressions you make or the non-verbal messages you’re sending out. In professional situations such as an interview, sales call or important business negotiation, your professional appearance and non-verbal messages can help get you the job, sale or seal the deal. Here are a few general tips. -First and foremost, remember everything counts! Making sure every detail of your appearance is taken care of sends a non-verbal message that you pay attention to details. Employers like that! -People really notice shoes. Ensure your shoes are clean, well polished and don’t show any signs of wear. Again, it’s the attention to details. Also, if you’re wearing a skirt, you need to be wearing heels at least two inches high. If you can’t wear heels, it’s better to wear pants. -Make sure your clothing, accessories (Read more...)

In just a few mere days, all of the Fall Fashion Preview issues of the fashion magazines will be hitting the newsstands! Admittedly, it's a pretty exciting time of year for me. Although the magazines have been giving small glimpses of fall for most of the summer, September is when the big, thick, "bibles" hit. You may be wondering why I'm talking about this. It's simple, one word, okay well two: Wardrobe Planning! By seeing the new trends and designer offerings, you can begin to get a good feel for what you need to update and complete your wardrobe. (Read more...)