I've been involved with colour, make up, textiles and fashion since the early 80's...thankfully I've kept up with the times and won't make you wear shoulder pads or dress like Bananarama though! 

 

My skills, knowledge and experience have been honed over 30+ years...but more than that I'm compassionate and approachable. 

 

I am not the fashion police and I'm not into giving someone a makeover so they look nice for that day but can't replicate it for everyday life - I like to teach my tips and tricks around colour and style so you look good and feel fab every day. 

 

I do...help my clients define and refine their personal style/image so they feel fabulous and are truly expressing their identity; confident in the knowledge that they are still themselves but an upgraded version. 

I met a lady one time called Kate who was presenting at a conference I was at. She’s a very successful businesswoman in her field and is an inspirational author and speaker. She refers to herself as a fat lass with a laptop and a pack of tarot cards – it’s tongue in cheek, I don’t sense any confidence issues. (But who knows?) 

 

Anyway, she told me that one time when she was presenting somewhere an image consultant had approached her at the end of her talk and said something like ‘You know what would suit you better? A wrap dress.’ I would call this uninvited ‘style advice’ downright rude! She knows how to ingratiate herself with people – not. This is the type of person that gives colour and image consultants a bad reputation as being judgemental fashion police types. 

 

Being kind, I would like to think that this woman thought she was being helpful by sharing some of her styling knowledge and passing on free advice. She was giving away something that she would normally charge for and I expect she was keen to demonstrate and share her expertise with a view to gaining a new client. In truth I think this was quite presumptuous. 

To some people in business that I’ve met it’s about being known for wearing a particular colour, always wearing yellow socks or dressing to match their logo. This is all well and good, it might help you be remembered and gets you known within your network. It will say something about you and affect how you are perceived. 

 

To marketers personal branding means something completely different; to a graphic designer it may be more about choosing one font and colour over another because of the psychology and what that particular sans serif says compared to that one.  

 

What we would all agree on is that personal branding is about keeping your message cohesive. 

 

To me, in my profession as a colour and image consultant it’s about looking the part – whatever the part means to you. 

 

I deliver a talk about it. My talk is called “If it looks like a duck…” 

 

There’s a saying “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.” 

(A) Colour analysis (in person) 

(B) 5 steps workshop (twice)  

3 x 21 day online style challenges 

 

2. What actually happens?  

(A) Lisa chatted to me about what I do, my social/leisure as well as work, why I felt I wanted my colours done, what I felt I might get out of the process, what wardrobe challenges I had or issues with clothes, how I felt about my clothes & whether I liked shopping for clothes, where I shopped etc. 

 

3. How did you feel before?  

(A) A bit nervous. I had met Lisa before through networking but I was really keen to know more about what she did & how she could help me. 

 

(A) Relaxed & we had a few laughs too 

 

5. How did you feel afterwards?  

(A) Amazed & enlightened. Much more confident that the clothes we had edited for my wardrobe were suited to my colour palette. NB Further work in  

(B) helped me understand my Own Style & why some of these 'me colour' clothes still didn't feel right on me! This has been a gradual education process & I am still learning all the time. 

 

 

It is said we wear 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time. I have no idea who said it or even who made the statistic up but I reckon it’s pretty accurate amongst the women I come across as an Image and Colour Consultant. 

 

Quite often my clients have got a wardrobe stuffed full of clothes but only ever wear the same few items. Sound familiar? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. It’s very easy to get stuck in a rut and to wear the same old clothes week in, week out. 

 

The other thing that happens is that you’ll maybe buy something while you’re out shopping just because it catches your eye. You get it home but then don’t know what to wear it with. It’s quite easy to end up with a wardrobe full of clothes this way but still feel like you have nothing to wear. 

 

You’ve got a night out with your mates planned and it sends you into a state of panic because you have no idea what you are going to wear. It’s stressful. So what do you do? You go shopping and buy something in a panic, an impulse buy. And this then adds to already stuffed wardrobe of clothes… 

 

It doesn’t have to be like this and if you’re ready for change there are a few steps that you can follow to help you take the stress out of getting dressed. Following my tips will help you avoid the despair of standing in front of your wardrobe that’s rammed with clothes and thinking ‘I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!’ 

 

She’s got all kinds of boots and shoes too and more handbags than you can shake a stick at. She absolutely CANNOT resist a bargain. 

 

She can’t leave it there for the price and because it’s in the sale or TK Maxx she feels that it’s a bargain. She is lured by the ‘WAS’ numbers on the price tag i.e. was £113 now £27. She impulse buys and because she can’t resist a bargain it’s compounded by the ‘it might not be here next time I come’ mentally. Her shopping focus is on how much she’s saved not how much she’s spent on stuff she didn’t need. Ring any bells??? 

 

This means that she might buy things that don’t even fit - unless she loses half a stone or has the leg length shortened. (But she never gets around to doing either of these things.) So the bargain price isn’t so much of a bargain anymore because it’s £113 worth of a pair of trousers that Bev only paid £27 for to just gather dust in the wardrobe. 

 

The trouble is with Bargain Bev she never has a plan when she goes shopping. She doesn’t think about the stuff she already has and what she might need to fill a gap. (She probably doesn’t even remember half the stuff she has.) This is why she still never has anything to wear despite the massive amount of stuff in her wardrobe(s). For example, it might be that by adding a navy blue jacket to her collection of clothes she’d all of a sudden be able to wear it with several other items and they all then become outfits suitable for work. 

What is acceptable to wear to the office or to meet clients? 

 

Here are my tips for dressing professionally even when it is scorchio… 

 

1) wear lighter neutrals – white, tan, taupe, grey or a crisp white and navy combo 

 

2) wear nude underwear if you are wearing light colours – it does not show through clothes as much as white 

 

3) keep your fabrics light weight but not too lightweight or floaty 

 

4) cotton, linen and silk are good, linen blended with something will crease less 

 

5) the more skin you show, the more casual you will look 

 

6) think light layers if you are going from heat outside to cool air con (nippy is not good) 

 

7) only go without hosiery if it’s appropriate 

 

If you are looking for swimwear, the shops are starting to get stock in for the summer, buy early as they tend to sell out quickly especially online, in my experience. Here are a few tips for you… 

• Invest in bra sized swimwear if you are well endowed 

• Solid colour side panels give the illusion of a smaller middle 

• Mix and match tops and bottoms to suit your body shape 

• Shorts styles can make your legs look shorter/wider 

• Strapless and bandeau styles are best for smaller boobs and shoulders 

• Wide straps will make your shoulders look smaller 

• Heavily patterned tankini tops disguise spare tyres 

• Swim dresses are good for creating balance if your shoulders are wide 

• Triangle bikini tops and halter necks are good for column shapes 

• Brief skirts (all in one) are good if you are conscious of your hips/thighs 

 

When you fail to apply enough, your outfit can look a little boring and Ordinary Olive - let's have a look at how to create the perfect combination. 

 

When it comes to choosing accessories, it isn’t simply about numbers; it has a lot to do with creating an overall look that is well balanced. To achieve this, it is a good idea to take a leaf out of the interior design book. 

 

In the world of interior design, designers are advised to choose one focal point in the room. Other aspects of the room are supposed to support the focal point, rather than compete for attention. These rules also apply to any outfit. 

 

If your outfit already has a focal point, for example a dress with a sequined bodice, the rest of your accessories should tie in with your bodice in a low key way.  

 

For example, a pair of diamond studs and simple nude court shoes would most likely be complimentary. In contrast, a chunky necklace, three bangles up the arm, and contrasting coloured shoes, would most likely be overpowering. 

It’s important, as a glasses wearer, that you are happy with your choice. Especially if you need to wear them all the time. They need to suit you, your colouring, face shape, features and personality all need to be taken into consideration. There are so many styles to choose from its difficult to know where to start. 

 

I often get asked about how to choose glasses so I thought I’d share a few tips to help you next time you need a new pair. It does really can make a massive difference to your image and say a lot about your personality. 

 

 

1) Colour – choose to suit your colouring. A good tip is to pick out the colour of your eyes. Choose silver frames or cool colours if your skin has cool undertones (pinkish hue). Gold, tortoiseshell or warm colours if you have warm undertones to your skin. Think about the type of clothes you like to wear, do you prefer bright or muted colours in your wardrobe? Your specs will look better if they are harmonious.  

 

Also, consider light or dark frames, when you try them on are you wearing them or is the frame wearing you? If you have delicate, pretty features and light hair a pair of Harry Hill style glasses would be far too overpowering.