Make Sure to Take Care of the Back of Your Head – Tip #17

How does the back of your head look? Does it look finished, smooth, managed? Or does it look like you spend most of the time on the front of your body and not the back.

A few pointers.

• People do look at the back of your head, so if need be, get a mirror to see what’s going on.
• Some people think it’s okay not to wash their hair or shower every day. For most, this is a definite mistake. Fluff that mane all you want, chances are you still have bed head…and it’s in the spot you’d least likely notice it…the back of your head. Add to that the odor (that you may not notice, because you’re used to your own scent) that steams off your head and possibly offends others. Take the time to shower and clean up; people who don’t aren’t fooling anyone.
• If you feel that this will damage your hair, look at alternatives to always blowing drying it.
• Don’t pull your hair forward if you’ve got long hair. It makes your hair in the back look like it’s got a part down the center. Your hair is supposed to flow down the back and over your shoulders.
  

The other day I sat behind a woman who obviously had hair extensions. I guess she liked the length but did not consider what the rest of her head looked like. At first, I thought she had bugs in her hair. Then after a closer look, I realized all the metal clips were showing. (See above photo.)

A few minutes could do wonders.

Purchasing a Bra – Tip #16 An answer to one of your questions.

Julie asked me this question after the last posting on bras, and since I’ve had at a ton of emails asking the same question, I thought I’d move this to the front page.

Julie,

Let me first give you the name and location of the #1 place to get a bra fitting in the US. It’s The Town Shop in NYC. They’ve literally worked with hundreds of thousands of woman since Samuel Koch opened the store in 1888. This is my first choice, and when women travel to learn how to shop with me in NYC, this is where we go.

Their address is

2273 Broadway (between 81st/82nd Sts.)
New York, NY 10024
Phone: (212) 787–2762
Email: townshop2@aol.com

The question I know you’re now asking is, “If I’m not going to be visiting New York City in the near future, what do I do?”

A more challenging question than you might believe given that I’ve witnessed some pretty pathetic attempts by other retailers to deliver the same quality fit.

So here are some choices.
#1 Try to do it yourself. Not the best approach but a start.

Start by tightly measuring yourself under your breast.
Then measure around your fullest part of your breast to get your cup size.

Calculate the difference, and if the difference is:
1″ you are an A cup
2″ you are an B cup
3″ you are a C cup
4″ you are a D cup
5″ you are a DD cup
6″ you are a DDD cup

You can already guess this is not the best technique, because each woman’s body and breast shape is different.

#2 You can try another store in your area such as Nordstrom’s or Saks. If these are not available, you could also try JC Penny’s or Macy’s as second tier.

Lastly, I would avoid using Victoria’s secret for your fitting. The staff are not well trained, their bra selection is limited, and the quality of bras offered does not compare to what is used in stores such as The Town Shop. Once you have the fitting, you can then shop where you’d like to shop with the new information and a feel for what fits right.

David

Fashionalysis 2: Short Length Garments

The next time you’re making choices about your skirt or dress length, throw out the rule that as you get older you need to go longer. Take a look at what you’re wearing and make your own choices. If you don’t like the condition of your legs, hosiery can cover a host of “evils,” so dress length doesn’t have to be your sole solution.

Always Have a “ONE ITEM” Attention Grabber – Tip #15

One suggestion I always advise women to do is to try to put on just one “attention grabber” when you get ready for the day.

What’s an attention grabber (or the ONE ITEM)? It’s that one item that stands out yet fits right in with everything else you’re wearing: a great broach, necklace, bangle, belt, shoe, hair piece, earring, dress, skirt, hat, etc. It could be your lipstick or your hair. It’s something that forces others’ eyes to gravitate to a particular item or in a certain direction. (I don’t consider a body part to be a one item.) It also could be something done in a certain combination that with other clothing is not the ONE ITEM but it is with a different combination.

Now I know you’re thinking, “I always try to find something that makes me look good.” No, I’m saying the ONE ITEM is your attention getter. It draws attention from other parts of your body to this one point where others will either take notice or comment. (Don’t confuse one item with two items or three items. It’s too much.)

I’ve seen necklaces capture the heart of an entire image, like a pair of shoes that just are so elegant that even a man will take notice. Lorrie has a pair of brownish shoes with fine silver stripes that always get at least one man to comment while the ladies also take notice. I take notice!

Madison Avenue marketing knows this. A great ad for a product pushes the eyes of the buyer towards the one item that’s being highlighted. Open up More, Self, or any other publication, and you’ll see the thought that went into the ONE ITEM.

You probably already have this in your closet or drawer. I’d also suggest that when you’re shopping in the future, you start looking for these items. Remember, “Buy In Preparation, Not Desperation.”

While outside of San Diego, I walked a community flea market of art and jewelery and finally selected a hand-made glass pendant out of hundreds. The cost was only a few dollars, because it did not come out perfect for the artist. When I showed the other women I was with at the event, they all wanted me to help them find one just like it. I did not buy anything else. I had found the ONE ITEM. (Lorrie put it on today with a black scoop neck top. Killer!)

So the next time you get dressed, ask yourself, “What is my ONE ITEM attention grabber?” If you don’t see one, go back and find something, and I’ll bet your day will be different.

NOTE: This tip is not about shorts that ride up to show the cheek of your backside, garments that let your chest hang out, and clothing that puts you on the fringe of the style you’ve selected. (If you like a Gothic look then you should try to have ONE GOTHIC ITEM that makes you stand out in this style.) This is about one item that no matter what your style, it’s still a great addition to the outfit.

KnickerPicker.com Website with Real Woman Modeling

While looking for site design ideas for Creatingyourpersonalstyle.com, I ran across this interesting site based in Europe called KnickerPicker.com

The designers of the site have taken the time to offer a unique appoach to choosing your clothing. They allow you to choose between several different shaped models as a basis for your search, and then when you pick on a certain garment, the woman walks into the screen wearing the item. This allows you to see the item of your choice as it would appear on your body before you make the purchase.

If that were not enough, you can turn her around and look at what others might see from the rear.

This is an interesting approach that I like. However, there is one flaw that must be avoided. You must have a real sense about what you look like. The old self awareness. Too often I find women who don’t understand that from the front they look great, but from the back they need to make style adjustments to upgrade their overall look.

Those Who Sell Don’t Always Know – Tip #14

Here’s a real-life scenario that I experienced while doing some research for a David’s Fashion NY in a high-end clothing store.

A saleswoman in a department store was considering purchasing a particular top and bottom outfit (along with a blouse that matched perfectly) from the store where she worked.  She was a newly divorced woman and single-mother of one child. She had a figure to die for and face that could easily be in magazines. This particular outfit was way out off her price range–like by a small mortgage amount– and we found ourselves in a discussion about what she should purchase if she could only purchase one item in the set.

If you were in a similar situation, which of the following options would be your smartest investment?

A. The jacket top: an Armani in what I believe is the Blue Bold Diamer pattern. A fitted cut that would make you look like you’re worth a million dollars.

B. The blouse: a white fitted, smooth silky top that would go well with any item you put on.

C. The skirt: made of the same Bold Diamer pattern that flows and helps to give you that well-put-together womanly feel.

Do you have your choice?

Now let me tell you first what the salesperson suggested.: She chose the jacket top.

For me, this is not the right choice.

This is what I told her, and again, she knows how to dress, looks incredible, and advises others on making purchasing decisions.

Don’t buy the jacket. If you’re lucky, you could wear this item 3 times in the next year or two and each time everyone will notice it’s the same garment. (If she traveled for a living and did not see the same people all the time, I would advise differently.)

Besides, did this woman have the $1200 to spend on a jacket? From our conversation and her situation, NO.

Don’t buy the blouse. Blouses are always going on sale and spending money on the Armani would have been overkill for her. She could carry a $39-$99 blouse without any trouble and still look great. The price in her department was $400.

The skirt, if she were to purchase anything, was the item she should take home.

There are several reasons. The skirt was cut beautifully and highlighted her figure. The skirt could also be worn with white, red, blue, and black shoes of a high heal or low heal, a pump or open toe or open back. Just the shoes would change the look. Add a thin belt, a fat belt. A white, yellow, or pink shirt. Sleeveless or long sleeve. And she could make the skirt the highlight of the outfit or just an accessory to a larger picture.

The skirt was the most versatile of all the garments.

When I finished, she stood there for a minute and then said, “I never would have purchased the skirt, but now I see it as the best item on the rack, especially in my situation. Besides the $400 skirt I can pick up for $200 using my discount.”

So the next time you’re faced with a decision, make sure you’re thinking for yourself. It’s not that the advice of salespeople are all wrong; it’s that not all salespeople see the big picture or know what looks best on you. Besides, they don’t know your wallet, your closet, or your life style.

How to Get the Best Deals When Shopping! – Tip #13

People ask, “What should I buy now?” There’s no magic time to shop. Every season has its sales, deals, and discounts. Every year has its trends, fads, colors, and patterns. So I recommend a different approach that can work during any season.

Begin with a methodology to shopping even before you start.

STEP 1A. It’s always fun to shop the trends. And although new trends are ushered in every season, they don’t change drastically from one year to another…usually. That’s great news to the discount shopper.

To get great deals, buy ahead. That means that if you want to update your Summer 2009 wardrobe, buy at the end of the Summer 2008 season. Retailers need to move product quickly at the end of their seasons to make room for the next season’s merchandise. And who doesn’t love to get 70% off something in mid-August that will take you through September and will still be fresh next April when the new Spring season arrives!

Don’t wait for sales. Take advantage of the sales that are currently running. Remember, it’s easier to buy in preparation than in desperation. You get what you want instead of settling for what you can scrounge up. The other benefit to shopping when the time is right is that you can stretch your wardrobe budget!

That said,

STEP 1. I alway recommend to start clothing shopping by walking the store quickly to get a lay of the land as to what is available. The quick scan maximizes time when you’re on the hunt for the inventory that’s on sale. To me, no matter how much you have, if there is great merchandise on sale, why not pick these items up first so you can add more to the items that matter most or you can use the money for some other worthwhile living experiences since shopping is not the end all.

I remember a great find at DSW’s sale rack where I found for Lorrie the shoe pictured. It’s perfect to wear with a pair of boot-cut jeans as it looks like a boot with a big surprise under the pant. Every time she takes a step, the medallion-type “flower” pops out. When she sits down, it’s completely visable. She looks great wearing them and for US$14, you can’t go wrong.

For myself, I’ve purchased a pair of US$120 pants for $4.69 off the on sale rack. When I brought it to the register, the person behind me said he couldn’t buy a beer for that price. The woman he was with just could not believe the price.

Last year I found a leather jacket that was marked down several times from $450 to what I thought was $60. An absolute great find. At the register, I was told the price was wrong, it was $30.

I found a $1200 suit for $399, bangles for $10, jackets for $40, handbags for $60.

Shoes, accessories, clothing, bathing suits…the item does not matter. I always go to the back of the shop or check the sales first.

STEP 2. Shop to fill a space in your wardrobe and not just to look around. If you’re just looking, you’ll buy. Not good. If you approach shopping like going to an auction and sticking to a limit on an item, you’ll only buy what you need.

Need a pair of shoes? Take several accessories with you to buy the shoes. Then start with the sale rack and move forward to the front for current goods.

STEP 3. Walk the store keeping in mind you have certain criteria that fit your shape and style. Don’t waste your time looking at everything. Use the principles of shopping to filter out where you travel. In essence, don’t shop the store, you shop what works. If you find an item, walk with it and continue looking, don’t just throw it on unless it’s something that fits over your existing standard wardrobe we’ve talked about. You’ll find that shortly thereafter, you’ll typically find something else you like better. Then put the other one down and keep on walking.

STEP 4. Try on what you like and then in the mirror, take a picture of yourself using your cell phone or camera. If you still like it, take a picture of the garment close up so you can remember it. Depending on the store and the inventory, ask if they can hold it until the end of the day. If they can’t, do the “misfile-hide” trick. Put the item where you can return to find it.

Don’t buy unless your’re absolutley in love with the items or they fit like a glove.

My belief is that if you really love the item and it fits your closet, you’ll come back for it after you’ve done your walking. If you decide it’s not worth the effort to return to the store, what are you telling yourself….IT’S NOT WORTH IT.

STEP 5. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask if there are any specials or discounts you can take advantage of while making your purchases.

* behind the counter coupons could take $100 off your bill.
* commissioned sales staff can drop 5% without batting an eye.
* buy 1 get 1 free deals may have been advertised or are to be advertaised that can be used.

*if you buy something today, and it goes on sale next week, many stores allow you to return with your receipt only. Submit the receipt, and they’ll re-ring your items, refunding the savings from their current sales prices.

A few weeks ago, a guy in front of me came in to buy two pairs of shoes and left with five! If he’d entered the store with a strategy, he may have left with two pairs of shoes he loved, saving himself money, instead of storing three extra pairs in the closet that might collect dust.

This type of shopping works all year long and is not specific to a season. It’s more practical and keeps your closet free of extras.

What to do about all the shoes you need to pack? – Tip #12

Beth asks me….”As a woman I’ve got so many shoes to pack, and airlines keep charging for extra bags just to bring my shoes with me. What can I do?”

Beth, first off let’s take a look at packing smart. Packing is not about shoes but about creating a look that works for you. If you’re a traveler, this is an extremely important first step. The reason is that travelers need to stick to a narrower range of colors so that when they pack, every piece becomes part of a combination machine.

Let me give you the strategy I use and one that’s easily transferable to anyone’s closet.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the process where people are categorized by seasons of the year, depending on what colors look good on them. Your skin color and tones, your natural hair color, and your eye color help the color consultant determine whether you look best in the warm, neutral colors of autumn or the cool, clear, brights of summer. I’m a winter. This means I can wear certain dark colors including certain grays, blacks and blues. Brown works, however, not as easily. Knowing that I only have so much space in my overnight bag, and ALL my business is out of town, I stick with only the blues, grays and blacks. This means my shoes also remain black. If I take one brown garment I must immediately bring a pair of brown shoes, and to me, it’s not worth the effort.

This approach means that when shopping, I only stick to a certain color range and my closet is also only in this range. The result is it’s pretty easy to pack. When I pack to the extreme, I take two additional pair of shoes: one pair of relaxing shoes, and a pair of Nike sneakers that are paper thin and take up almost no room.

Remember, my three pairs of shoes can take up the space of at least 4 pairs of women’s shoes.

Now for you, consider your color and style. Even though you may want to wear more colors, you, too, can stick to a pallet to increase the ability to use a single pair of shoes in multiple ways. A 3-inch pump can be worn, with slacks that come down to the street so that the shoe is seldom seen. The same shoe can be worn casually with jeans. Bring the pants up some and you’ve now got a new look. Use the same shoe with a skirt while shifting the attention to your belt, and now you’ve got 4 different styles with the same shoes. Remember, depending on whether you’re in a conservative business climate or not, you can also easily slip a pair of strappy sandals in for an exciting night-time look.

The “idea” that women need to bring a lot of shoes is not a myth; women do need to spice up their look more than men in this department. What I’m taking about is being smart about your approach. Keeping in a range, making combinations, and the fact that the shoes may have less size/weight means that if this philosophy cut down on 1 or 2 pair on a trip, you’re winning.

What Make-Up Can Achieve – Tip #11

I remember a few years ago looking through a picture book of faces completely made over by the master of makeup application, the late Kevyn Aucoin. They were absolutely stunning. On each page he’d taken a celebrity and turned their face into someone else’s face that was famous throughout history by applying make up in such a way that each accent altered the individual’s appearance.
It’s what make-up can do in the hands of an expert.

Now I don’t expect you to be an expert, nor do I expect you to be able to put make-up on in such a way that you can look like someone else.

What I do believe is that for the average, typical woman, the concept of make-up is simple. You have two or possibly three faces. Face number one is you with some make-up. Possibly your everyday face. Face number two is you with more make-up. This is your business face. Face number three is more of the same make-up: your “going-out” look. It’s the same face three done three different times based upon the volume of make up used.

This is all wrong.

I believe that every woman should have at least three if not four different looks. And when I say looks, I mean that the face gives you options just like your shoes. Face number one might be softer. Face number two might be sporty. Number three elegant. Number four seductive/sexy. Each one requires a different set application approach and a different pallet.

The benefit in this, compared to men, is that you can choose your look to fit your mood AND your clothing.

Next time you’re in a cosmetics store, ask them to give you a fresh new face. One that fits any of the four suggested faces above. Once you find a new look, don’t use it all the time. Mix it up with another “face,” and you’ll start to have fun with what you can achieve.

Making the Right Color Choices with Color Charts – Tip #10

I’d like you to pause for a moment to think about all the other shoppers you’ve ever witnessed clothing shopping during your life time. Now, I’d like you to try to count the number of times you’ve seen someone walk around with a color chart in their hands.

Can you give me a number? Bet you could count the number of times you’ve seen this happen on just one hand.

Now let’s get personal. How about you? Do you carry a color chart when you’re shopping? If you’re like the rest of the world, you don’t. That’s because you fall into one of three categories: 1-You think you already know what’s good for you and don’t need a color chart, 2-You’ve never even thought about having one or have never heard of color chart for clothing, or 3-You’ve got one, but you leave it at home instead of storing it in your purse.

For those who haven’t seen a color chart before, it can range in size from a checkbook to an elongated deck of cards, and consists of fabric swatches in colors that suit the skin/hair/eyes of a person depending upon which color category they fall within.

Hey, “I look great in green and some blues.”

Yes, you may look great in green and a few blues, but what if I were to tell you you’d get that same fantastic look in 62 other colors. And, what if you knew which values of green and blue work the best with your skin, hair, and eyes. A color chart gives you a tool to follow when you walk into a store to shop and it can make all the difference in the world. If used properly, having the chart handy will:

• Make it easier when shopping, as you’ll avoid/turn away garment colors that don’t match.
• Force you to not purchase anything that does not fit within your color pallet.
• Help with color ranges, given that there are ranges that work best.

Here are the benefits.

• If you use the color chart properly, you can quite literally walk into a store and skip by any color that does not fit your color chart. This may seem insignificant and yet I’ve watched women walk a full store looking for items that might work for their body.
• If you eliminate color first, upwards of three quarters of the store may not work for you. If you’re going to spend a few hours shopping, the color chart could save you countless hours and a lot of walking.
• Your wardrobe will be more precise, given that the clothing you purchase will actually work with your look. If we used a quality color chart to organize your closet, we’d be chucking out several items, some you may even adore and yet, they are completely wrong for you.
• The chart will keep you not only on target with the right colors, it will give you limitations as to what will work and what is out of range. Again, we’re talking a quality color chart.

Yes, there are some people who are naturals at selecting the right colors, there are others who look good but not great, and there are those that have no clue. For everyone, a color chart is a great investment.

Next Page »