Dating, Confidence, Dressing to Impress

“Confidence is the sexiest thing a woman can have. It’s much sexier than any body part” Oprah Winfrey

As a Stylist it is so important that you give the right impression when you want to meet that special person. Unfortunately you are judged on what you wear, as this is the first thing people see. Many women out for the evening often think that showing all their body will get a man.  Don’t get me wrong it probably will but not the one you really want to take you seriously.  

One of my clients hadn’t been on a date for five years as she had been through a very messy divorce, lost confidence and let her dressing standards really slip.  She was once loved shopping for clothes and was a social butterfly, most weekends she would be trying different social activities where she would meet new people.  This life was something of the past.  At the time of our meeting all her routine consisted of was going to work, lounging at home on the sofa, looking after her children and the gym occasionally.  The highlight of her week was the weekly food shopping trip around the local supermarket. In fact she had let her appearance slip, wearing loads of black boring clothes and at weekends she would be seen in a tracksuit, hair pulled into a ponytail and no make-up.  Not very attractive!  Unknown to her she had built up an invisible wall, keeping people away from her.

At our first meeting over coffee she admitted to me that she was fed up being lonely, wanted to be more social but most of all get her old fun personality back.  The divorce had thrown her confidence out of the window.  She was frightened to meet new people as she was constantly told by her ex-partner that she was no longer attractive.  He would often belittle her by saying that ‘she was ugly and anyway who would want her now after having two children’.  She admitted that when they had met fifteen years ago she was slim with a flat stomach and having children had left with small bulge in the stomach area that she had tried to get rid off but found it impossible.

As we sat and talked I could see a broken woman that desperately needed help. She was beautiful both inside and out. 

We met several times and together we worked on her Personal Style and building her confidence. As part of the Concierge service I offer, I introduced her to a Life Coach and a Personal Trainer.  The Personal Trainer not only tailored a fitness programme for her but also a healthy eating plan – no quick fix diet just a simple good eating plan.  Together we transformed her into something that when she first looked in the mirror she was amazed at how different she looked. Her confidence was sky high, I am sure she could touch the clouds if she tried.

Over a six week period her body shaped changed; of course she needed a makeover. Following a Styling Consultation, then wardrobe management which revealed that she had not brought any clothes for a number of years. The content of her wardrobe consisted of work clothes, a few tracksuits and lots of short dresses that if she was to wear them on a date or going out looking it would be give the wrong impression.  We went shopping and I explained that she doesn’t have to have everything out on display for all to see to attract a man.  Basically, it is about showing enough skin, like the shoulders while remaining sophisticated but also keeping his interest in your personality and the conversation.  It is important to dress more sophisticated, as you will look and feel confident.  When walking into a room people will look at you for all the right reasons and will want to talk to you.  Being confident boosts self-esteem, confidence is sexier than you think.

Something as simple as how you dress could affect your attitude and self-esteem and self-confidence.  When we are dressed well and look good we automatically feel better.

A few tips

Dressing well isn’t just about creating impressions, it is also instilling in yourself with a sense of confidence when you walk into a public space. The three elements of boosting confidence with clothing and knowing the occasion, the audience, your comfort level and style.

Don't wear anything too tight. You will end up fiddling with your outfit all night and won't be able to eat anything which will only make you look nervous and uncomfortable.

Keep it subtle, too much cleavage or flesh is the wrong impression to give.  Keep it classy and sophisticated .

Make sure your outfit fits properly. There's nothing worse than your straps falling off all the time or your skirt riding up. Make sure you will feel comfortable and confident in your outfit no matter what you do.

Remember:

Partners and friends who make you feel worthless they are the type of people that you need to stay away from.  They will sap all your energy and want you to be like them.  My advice is surround yourself with positive people.

For more information about my services or just to know more about me www.clothes4realwomen.com email viv@clothes4realwomen.com follow me on twitter MsVee1304

Why you should invest in yourself

Why you should invest in yourself

RETURN 

ON 

INVESTMENT

 

Too often we believe that it is not necessary to invest in ourselves, spend the money elsewhere and forget about our external appearance. There is a saying ‘do not judge a book by its cover’ but first impressions always count. 

Many people say does it really matter how we dress? Many get up in the morning, grab the nearest item and then go off to work. People don’t really judge us by our clothes, or do they?

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but people do judge you based on the clothes you wear. Whether you’re walking down the street, or sitting in a business meeting; people are constantly looking at what you’re wearing. The way you dress and style yourself is a direct extension of who you are.

There is a huge ROI (return on investment) in wearing stylish, well-fitting clothes…especially in the business world.

The early years

One of my clients didn’t really pay attention to what she wore whenever she went out to networking events. Of course, her clothes were clean and ironed, but slightly mismatched with no sense of style. She wasn’t interested in spending money on clothes or a decent haircut and colour. When I asked her why, her response was ‘I’ve got a good product and that’s what people are buying, not me.’

The problem she encountered, when she walked into meetings or went to a conference, was that people wouldn’t really give her the time of the day, until they got to know her. She just blended into the crowd. Once she was standing at the cloakroom and someone asked her to pass them their coat! Once she started to talk to people, they were willing to listen and, potentially, look at offering her future work. The issue was, she didn’t catch people’s attention immediately and, often, when she went up to join a group of people, it took them a while to warm to her and engage her in the conversation. People just don’t want to waste their time talking with someone who doesn’t look ‘businesslike’.

Over an 18-month period of going to many networking and business events, her business contacts had steadily grown but she wasn’t getting the big business opportunities, and even missed out on a couple of lucrative contracts. One day I bumped into her at an event and, as we got talking about my business, she explained that her business was struggling and that she needed more clients.

The caterpillar turns into a butterfly

The next day we met for a coffee and discussed investing in herself. Like many business owners, she believed that her product would sell itself and that her appearance wasn’t the problem. She was an entrepreneur, had been a stay-at-home  mum and felt that she didn’t have time to look after her children, run a business as well as ‘run around the shops and buy clothes’ and ‘get her hair cut and coloured’. Her priority was her family and the business – appearance wasn’t important.

A week later, after a couple of telephone conversations and a consultation, I put together a Bespoke Styling Package for her and we went shopping to start the makeover. She spent just over a thousand pounds, which included a great haircut and colour. And what a difference it made.

The turning point

With her new clothes and a decent haircut and colour, she looked ready for business. On the way to her first meeting after her makeover she got a few compliments and was asked where she got her cut. Never before had she experienced this type of attention. With her confidence soaring, she went to three events that week where she noticed people were more willing to talk to her, even approaching her first and also noticed that, during business meetings, people took her more seriously. People were eager to exchange business cards and even arranged meetings.

As the months went by, she stepped up her appearance as much as she could within her financial constraints. However, there was a huge ROI, but it was a much bigger difference than she had ever experienced. Business started to improve, potential clients became clients and within no time she went from struggling to get work to having more work than she ever expected. She even hired an intern to help with the administrative work.

By improving the way she dressed, she started to get noticed when she went to business functions, and business trebled as she got more contacts. When she went to present her business to potential businesses, she felt more confident. By dressing professionally her credibility went through the roof with other business owners.

Conclusion

Improving how you dress can help build your confidence and self-esteem naturally. It is a simple way to feel good and look fabulous. It is always important to dress to impress. Dressing to impress is dressing for success. You’ll get a confidence boost. If your budget doesn’t stretch to spend thousands of pounds on well-made clothing and accessories, you can still spend a few hundred pounds on something that looks just as good as a thousand-pound suit. No excuses are allowed!

For more information on the Personal Styling Concierge Services and see how I can help you improve your image www.clothes4realwomen.com

 

Figure Fixing Tips

      Forget the diet, just change how you dress

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Christmas is over and the diet adverts are on television and not forgetting the ‘celebrities’ flogging their fitness DVD’s. You will hear how they lost 3 stone just following the exercises shown on the DVD. Don’t be fooled by quick fix diets either. The bottom line is changing your lifestyle – exercise and eating healthy is the only way you will lose weight and keep it off. Nothing happens over night!

We are our worst enemies when it comes to our bodies. Never satisfied with what we have. Even women who have had cosmetic surgery want to have more.  The Botox, the fillers – the non-invasive surgery that takes place at lunch time – grab a sandwich too while you are out, are just a tip of what women are doing to ‘improve their looks’.

You are not alone, we all have bits we don’t like and wish could disappear without going under the knife or that dreaded word DIET.  Even some supermodels and celebrities suffer from body paranoia but with clever dressing they show off the bits they like, be it ankles, feet, breast, shoulders, arms, legs or waist.

Below are some simple tips that can boost your confidence and self-esteem even look slimmer without dieting….. more can be found in my forth coming eBook. 
 

Vertical stripes  - as well as making you look slimmer,  they help the body to appear much longer and taller

A fitted jacket -  it’s worth spending money on a as it gives you a  sharper, sleek and more defined silhouette and will always give the impression that you have a waist.

A low slung belt, particularly one with a fancy buckle will break up the bulge of a big tummy.

Dresses with all-over prints hide a multitude of sins and helps to camouflage any lumps and bumps.

The fit - make sure your clothes fit.  If necessary have things altered.  Gapping waistbands, shirts that pull at the bust and seams that are about to burst never make you look slimmer!

Large bust - If you have a, the worst thing you can wear is a polo neck or high round neck.  You may feel you’re making your bust look less conspicuous; it will end up looking like a rather large, long sausage or even a shelf. Need more convincing try on a deep V-neck or wrap top, you will see a transformation immediately, then look at yourself in the polo neck/high neck top. You are drawing unwanted attention to your bust! 

Petite frame - little jackets, waistcoats and boleros/shrugs work well.  They won’t overpower your features. It is important to have the sleeves shortened; you don’t want to look like a circus clown.

Hourglass figure - show it off with a high waisted skirt or a corset belt cinching the waist.  It will draw attention away from your hips and lengthen your legs.

Small cleavage - enhance it by wearing a padded lunge bra and/or add some chicken fillets.  Even some lingerie adverts use chicken fillets to give added cleavage. Apart from the amazing enhancing results your clothes will look better much better.

Pear shape - avoid tops that end at your widest point.  A more flattering length is one that finishes just above or below hip level.

Wide-leg - trousers balances out broad shoulders especially if you are full-figured or have toned legs from working out.

Wrong bra, bad silhouette? It is important to have a proper fitting—it’ll transform your shape in your clothes.  The dreaded double or even triple breast syndrome will be no more. Breast will be in the right place and not on your stomach. Even if your chest is on the small side, a good fitting bra will define and sculpt your shape.

Skinny jeans – they are not everyone’s friend. Straight leg or wide leg are more suitable for your shape if you carry more weight on your hips or your thighs.

Tunic tops/dress - if you are Tall you can wear these with legs or over skinny jeans.  You'll be surprised how good you'll look

 For more information on Personal Styling Concierge Service,

http://www.clothes4realwomen.com/