Illustra Image Consulting Blog

6 Ways to Spice Up Your Outfit With Accessories – Part 2

Last week I revealed the first 3 ways to spice up your ensembles with accessories. This week I want to continue our second part of this series, starting with tip #4  to continue to talk about ways to incorporate accessories into your wardrobe with a few more principles.

 4). Accentuate Your Facial Features

If you like you’re almond or round shaped eyes or your perfectly curved lips, accentuate these features by repeating them by wearing teardrop or round shaped earrings. You might add a great curved pin on a jacket lapel to accentuate your curved lips. You will want to keep the accent piece around the same size as the feature you are trying to highlight, but this is a great technique to pull attention up to your face.

 5). Repeat a Design or Detail in Your Clothing

One way to pull a total look together is to repeat a design or detail of your garment. When you repeat a paisley pattern in a blouse by wearing a paisley shaped earring or necklace it look harmonious. Try to add accent touches by repeating a detail in your jacket like a round, nautical button. When you add a pair of round nautical pin or earrings to this ensemble, it shows unison and balance.

 6). Use Accent Pieces to Attract Attention Elsewhere

One of the most creative things you can do with accessories is to draw attention away from a feature that you do not want people to notice. For example, if you have a triangle figure type with large hips, you will want to draw attention up to your upper body. By using a scarf, pin or coordinating necklace and earrings, people’s eye will automatically focus on those focal points and this will de-emphasize your wide hips. There are many camouflage techniques you can create with the art of accessorizing.

 Begin by using a few of these accessory techniques to begin to add some magic to your outfits. You will see that with a few of these tips, you will begin to update your existing garments and make them unique and special for you. Once you start to incorporate these 6 ways dressing each day, you will create your own signature look, and learn to express that great sense of panache and style.

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You may, as long as you include this complete bio with it:

Illustra Image Consulting – Perception is Reality

Copyright © 2009, Sarah Hathorn AICI CIP, CPBS

Professional Image & Brand Strategist

678-528-1239

www.illustraimageconsulting.com

sarah@illustraimageconsulting.com

 

6 Ways to Spice Up Your Outfit With Accessories – Part I

This week and next I am writing a two part series in sharing with you 6 ways to give your outfit magic with the use of accessories. Most people do not spend much time on accessorizing their outfits to add flair to their ensemble and express their individuality. You can always tell the person who has that total “put together” look that articulates a great sense of style with perfect accessories. When you purchase a new outfit, it is the coordinating accessories that provides the impression of great style and makes it unique just for you.  This week review the first 3 ways to spice up your outfit with accessories and you will never leave home without the right accessories to highlight your look.

1). The Art of Accessorizing

With accessories you can expand your wardrobe options by adding your own individuality to an outfit, keeping your garments current with seasonal trends, and attracting attention to a specific feature. A great guideline we use in the image industry is to spend about 30% of your clothing budget on accessories. You want to be careful to add enough accessories that you create spice and pizzazz to your outfit, but not too many which can become distracting.

 2). Accessorize with your Unique Style

Your accessories should express your unique personal style personality. If you are a romantic, you will probably enjoy wearing pearls, antique jewelry, and floral scarves. The sporty woman will wear minimal accessories, perhaps a small gold earring, comfortable flats, or natural stone necklaces. Classic-elegant individuals will feel at home in classic tailored pumps, a designer handbag, or semi-precious jewelry. Creative types are the ones who wear the artistic one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, and can mix new and unusual combinations. Ones with dramatic personalities enjoy wearing bold, unusual shoes, large dramatic drop earrings and always are sporting the latest in fashionable accessories.

 3). Scale is Important

Your body scale is critical when you are choosing your accessories. If you are small boned, you will want to keep your jewelry, handbags, and shoes small in proportion. People who fall in to the medium category can wear medium sized accent pieces. Large boned women have the ability to wear big, bold jewelry, and carry the large tote and handbags because they would look out of proportion with tiny, delicate accessories. Wearing the right accessory size that correlates to your body scale will make you look in proportioned and balanced to your overall appearance.

Be sure to stay tuned next week, when I reveal the last three ways to spice up your outfit with accessories.

Do you want to use this blog article?

You may, as long as you include this complete bio with it:

Illustra Image Consulting – Perception is Reality

Copyright © 2009, Sarah Hathorn, AICI, CIP, CPBS

Professional Image & Brand Strategist

678-528-1239

www.illustraiageconsulting.com

sarah@illustraimageconsulting.com

 

Summer Sunglass Selections: Choose The Right Styles for You

This summer every professional woman needs to find the right pair of sunglasses to express her personal style. In eyewear you want to take into consideration some of the latest trends to look modern, yet the most important factors to consider are really your personality style and the shape of your face.

 For summer 2009 you will find the latest sunglasses in styles like Ray Ban’s Aviator, oversized, rimless and retro-style chic. Frames will be in your traditional black and tortoise frames but don’t be afraid to venture out and select one of the colorful pair for your leisure life.  This season you will find them sunglass frames in great shades of blue, red, purple and yellow.

Here are some quick tips on selecting the right pair of sunglasses for your face shape:

 

1). Oval Faces

This is the ideal shaped face because it is balanced and in proportion. This shape tends to look like an upside down egg. The chin tends to be slightly narrower than the forehead and high cheekbones tend to be the widest part of the face.

Best Sunglass Frames For Oval Faces

·     Because of facial proportions, you can wear most any style of frames

·     Select frames that are as wide or wider than the broadest part of your face

·     Keep the frames in balance with your facial proportions and your bone structure.

2). Round Faces

Faces that are round in shape tend to be round and soft without any angles. This shape is basically as narrow as it is wide. This face needs to be lengthened with eyewear so it appears more oval.

Best Sunglass Frames For Round Faces

·     Select frames with some angles in them that will help to lengthen the face

·     Avoid more round shapes, which will only accentuate your rounded facial structure

3). Square Faces

Individuals with this face shape have jaw lines that are broad and square. The forehead, cheekbones and jaw line tend to fall vertically into one straight line.

Best Sunglass Frames for Square Faces

·     Choose frames that are oval in shape to add some roundness to your features

·     A gently and narrow curved style will help to minimize the square lines.

4). Oblong/Rectangle Faces

This shape of face is noticeably longer than it is wide and the objective is to shorten the face shape.

Best Sunglass Frames for Oblong/Rectangle Faces

·     Look for frames that have a deep shape vertically but you want it to be wider than your face to shorten the length of your long face.

Have some fun this summer whether it is a professional and elegant style you are seeking or a fun pair to sport at the beach, there is a pair for everyone this year.

 

Britain’s Got Talent: Susan Boyle

On April 11^th, 2009 Susan Boyle, an unemployed 47-year-old plain and frumpy woman appeared on the TV show Britain’s Got Talent and shocked the world with her extraordinary voice. When she first walked onto the stage and Simon Cowell was asking her his preliminary questions, you could see the non-verbal expressions of people’s faces saying, “ she’s a frumpy old woman who is going to embarrass herself.”

Susan’s appearance did communicate to me as an image consultant that she was dealing with some self-esteem issues and no one had every really taught her how to highlight her best features and create a personal brand that communicates what type of professional singer she dreams of being. For her first public appearance on the show her image showed grayish, hair that had no style and barely looked like it had been combed, large bushy eyebrows, no make-up, a cream straight dress  (that didn’t flatter her figure) and black hose and light cream shoes. She appeared to be rumpled in her personal grooming and matronly looking.

People’s image is a reflection of their inner self. You project on the outside how you feel on the inside. As we have gotten to know Susan, she claims that she had some issues growing up and was teased and bullied all the time as a child. She has never had a boyfriend or even been kissed. She lives a very lonely life with her cat, pebbles. It’s not surprising to me that she has no confidence about her self after living a lonely life with people constantly making fun of her. 

I guarantee you Susan does have an authentic style. She may not know what that style and is needs to do some introspective work to discover who she really is. Once she finds that look that she feels comfortable wearing and it is easy and stylish, she will be glad she took the image journey.  With being on the show I do hope that she takes advantage of the image coaching she will get on her appearance.It was significantly raise her confidence level which will enhance her vocal ability to an even greater level. Although I agree she has an amazing voice, people do make judgments about you based on your scale of attractiveness and your appearance. She needs to keep her authentic style of who she is but enhance that style and personal brand through her appearance. I know she is beginning the new makeover to become a Cinderella, I just hope that she is true to herself in evolving into this wonderful entertainer.

Here are a few tips I would have given to Susan before she arrived on the first show:

1). Invest in a great stylish hairstyle that is chic and modern

2). Have your eyebrows professionally groomed. Your eyebrows are a main focal point of your face and frame your eyes. This would open up her eye area to look younger.

3). She definitely needs some make-up. Her skin is very ruddy looking. A light foundation, blush, lipstick, and light eye definition would have given her some color and make her appear more youthful.

4). Wear a more complimentary dress silhouette that flatters your figure type. The pale cream dress was too straight for her body. A dress with a flirty skirt made out of some refined fabric would have looked great on her.

5). With her sloping shoulders, I would look for constructed fabrics to build up her shoulders to not allow her to look so dowdy.

6). Give up the black hose and cream-colored shoes. This paired with the light pale dress screamed frumpy. Perhaps a nude colored hose and a great colored peep-toe shoe or pump would have looked more stylish and modern. 

I do wish Susan the best of luck in the show. I think that if she can get a make-over that exudes her personal brand and authentic style she will realize that life long dream of being a professional singer. 

If you have not seen Susan's appearance on Utube here it is and definitely worth watching:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Newly Released Image Power Book

Image Power: The Ultimate Image Resource Guide for Women      

Image Power is a comprehensive guide that shows you how to re-energize your personal image - not only in appearance, but also through your attitude and communication skills. 

Full of 20 fabulous chapters on ways to implement an "image makeover", Image Power is the ultimate guide for updating and enhancing how you present yourself. 

In her chapter, Sarah Hathorn share with you her winning secrets to creating an influential professional image in today's business environment. She defines the various levels of business casual style, and when to wear each level so that you are always appropriately dressed for each and every occasion, leveraging your presentation into increasing career success. 

A powerful image is the key ingredient to building confidence, making a great impression and creating the best version of you. More savvy and sophistication are yours with the insider secrets and tips of the nation's top twenty image experts who are the co-authors of this authoriative resource. 

You will find doable advice on  personal style, body shape, color, wardrobe, shopping, fit, accessories, communication skills and many more chapters. 

To find more information and order your copy today visit  www.illustraimageconsulting.com/products.htm

 

To purchase a copy today, click Buy Now

 

Image Consultants New Book Entitled, Image Power

Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIP along with 19 other image experts got together to write this new book for women. Image Power is the key ingredient to building confidence, making a good impression and getting what you want every time. More savvy and sophistication are yours with the insider insights of top image experts. With Image Power you can be our best everyday.

Here is a sneak peak at just a few of the chapters in the Table of Contents:

Find Your Unique Personal Style
Embrace Your Body Shape to Enhance Your Image
Master the Power of Color
Creating A Winning Wardrobe
Shop Like A Pro and Look Like A Million Bucks!
Accessories: The Frosting of Fashion
Unleash Your Career with Business Casual Style
Camouflage for the Curvaceous!
Fifty is the New Forty

Click here to find out more about this book and place your pre-order. This book is only $20 plus tax and shipping. The books are expected to be out in October! Get yours today by going to my site and fax me you order or contact me at sarah@illustraimageconsuting.com 678-58-1239.

The Perfect Fit: Ignore the Size

After spending years working for Federated Department Stores as a Store Manager, I can tell you that various vendors size their clothing in different ways. Some vendors actually add a few inches to their clothing so that when a woman tries the garment on, she believes that she is wearing a smaller size than she actually is, which truly is a new retailing strategy. Don't pay attention to what size the tag reads on the back of the garment. You are the only one who will see and know the size. If the size bothers you, clip it off when they get home so they won't be reminded of it. When people look at you they notice how the garment is fitting you, not the size. For the ideal fit, your clothes should just skim over your natural silhouette with no clinging, or stretching of the fabric. Be careful not to wear your clothes too baggy, as this will make you appear heavier than you are. If you wear your clothes too tight, you will look overweight, as this will make you appear as though you gained a few pounds and accentuate the very areas you are trying to conceal. Most ready-to-wear clothes purchased off the rack really aren't always ready to wear. I can take two different clients shopping who wear a size 12 dress and on the two of them, the garment won't hang the same way due to their specific body build. If your clothes don't fit you off the racks, make it a habit to visit your favorite tailor to get the perfect fit. It does take a few extra dollars to have your clothes altered, but you will feel more confident in clothes when you wear them and feel like a million bucks wearing them in public. I always tell my clients that I would rather them buy fewer clothes that fit and flatter their silhouette than purchasing many clothes off the rack that haven't had a nip or tuck to highlight their figure type. Alterations like shortening pants, shortening or lengthening sleeves on a jacket, or taking in the sides of a skirt or jacket are simple alterations that don't really change the garment silhouette. Although most drycleaners can do these simple alterations, I recommend that every woman find a great tailor that she trusts. This will become a great resource for you as you lose weight, or fall in love with an item that needs a few alterations. It's well worth the investment to get an item altered, if it makes you feel confident and look fabulous!

Sizzling Hairstyles for Spring/Summer 2008

This season you will see a lot of new hairstyles, which are complementary to many face shapes. Here are a few of my favorite celebrity hairstyles for spring 2008. I think sometimes it is difficult to find a modern version of short or longer styles. Use this chart as a guide to help you change your hairstyle slightly to reflect the trend of the season. A modern haircut better compliments the trendy styles you will be wearing for spring and summer.

Shorter Hairstyles
This season you will see versions of the bob from the angled-bob, the curly bob and the straight edged bob. Below you see Katie Holmes in a straight diagonal cut bob, which is very modern. Hilary Swank has a more traditional bob style where it is cut straight across below her chin area.

Long Layers of Wavy Hair
If you love long hair, don?t be afraid to let your wavy curls show off your hair texture for spring. In these photo's Kate Hudson and Ali Larter look sophisticated and romantic with their wavy tendrils falling over their shoulders.

Blunt Bangs Compliment Longer Hair
This season bangs return with a blunt cut to help add texture and interest to long hair. Misha Barton and Halle Berry look modern with their longer locks and blunt type bangs.

With all these great styles, I am confident you can find a style that reflects your personal style and is perfect for your lifestyle.

New Tele-class on "The Elements of Style"

Ever feel like you are in a fashion rut and wear the same old styles? Have you noticed that your body is changing and you can't wear the same savvy styles you wore when you were younger? Do you need an image update? If so, this tele-class is for you!

Sign up today for this new image tele-class on The Elements of Style to learn how to create a stylish look that is easy and affordable! When you learn these style solutions and tools to look your absolute best, you will feel more confident and develop your signature style. When you create a more polished image, more doors of opportunity will open for you in your personal and professional life.

Time: 6:00 P.M. Eastern Time and classes will be approximately 50 minutes in length Dates: 12 Week Course on Tuesdays - 4/8, 4/15, 4/22, 4/29, 5/6, 5/13, 5/27, 6/3, 6/10, 6/17, 6/24, 7/8/08 **Tele-classes will be recorded, so if you miss a class you can easily download the session!

The Elements of Style Topics:
12 Classic Wardrobe Essentials Every Woman Needs - to look elegant and modern
Finding the Right Swimsuit - styles to look for and what to avoid
Dress to Express Your Style - know which of the 7 signature styles you naturally are
Dress for Your Figure Type - dress to flatter your body silhouette
Business Casual or Casualty - Learn the four levels of business casual
Tailoring Tricks ? tips to ensure you get the perfect fit to slim your silhouette
Jeanology: Shop for that Perfect Style of Jeans - styles that flatter your body shape
Build a Mix & Match Wardrobe - learn to build capsules, get more versatility
Camouflage Techniques - tips to look taller & thinner
Learn to Shop like an Expert - discover how to shop to save time and money
The Final Pizzazz: Accessories - learn to add interest and magic to your ensembles
Closetology: The Art of Closet Organization - tips to organize your closet to dress with ease

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Call 678-528-1239 or email events@illustraimageconsulting.com to register.
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Visit my website at www.illustraconsulting.com for details!

Academy Awards 2008 Style

The actresses at the 80th Annual Academy Awards this year were wearing elegant gowns and old school glamour. We did see a lot of red this year on the red carpet, which was beautiful. Below I have critiqued what I liked about her of the star's dresses and how they are accentuating a positive feature. At the academy awards, you want the celebrities to wear the dress, not have the dress wearing them. Their dress must tie in with their coloring, figure type and signature style. I have always admired the stars that wore very classic and sophisticated lines in their dress silhouettes because the dress should never date back to a year, but remain timeless.

When Strutting On The Red Carpet ? You Might as well Wear Red!

       

Helen Mirren looked stunning in her royal red satin gown, which complemented her warm skin tone. The silhouette of this dress gave her waist the definition it needs as we age. Anne Hathaway wore a more neutral red draped in a goddess style with one shoulder bared and the dress silhouette draped on the diagonal. The ruffled section up by her face draws your eye upward to notice her great facial features. Katherine Heigl's dress really accentuates her hourglass figure and it was in a warm red with a Greek goddess style but with a longer drape to the hem of the dress. Heidi Klum wore a stunning dramatic red dress with a turned up collar, which accentuated her great neckline. This dress also accentuated her natural coloring in the warm hues of red. Being the fashion goddess that she is, very few people would feel at home in this much dress.

     

Nicole Kidman looks glamorous in black and barely pregnant she wears this very elegant, simple dress but pulls the attention upward with her silver necklace. Kate Blanchett appears glowing in this beautiful dark blue dress with the U-shaped neckline and detailing on the lower half of her gown. Jessica Alba looks great in this deep burgundy. The feather up at the bust line helps to bring your eye upward and accentuate her bust area and the drape of this dress falls easily over her body silhouette.

Sophisticated Ladies

     

Cameron Diaz looks wonderful in this peachy pink shade. With her light hair color and peach and cream complexion this color looks great on her. Since she has a small bust line, this added trim around the bust area makes it look more in proportion to her great figure. Jennifer Garner can wear this style of dress and the black accentuates her dark brown hair color. The horizontal draping of the dress is very flattering and she is tall enough to wear the ruffling which creates some drama at the lower part of the gown. Keri Russell looks very young and fresh in this light colored gown. With the great back detailing she is thin enough to have the back drape. This look is simple, young, and sophisticated. While Oscar night is always about the jewels, the jewelry must not take away from the dress but adorn the dress to add some level of sophistication and style.