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February 2013 Newsletter - Personal Style File or Look Book is Key to Art in Everyday Dress
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Conselle Fashion & Image Newsletter
From Image Expert,
Judith Rasband, AICI CIM
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| Greetings! | |
We've had snow on the ground for nearly two-and-a-half months now in Utah and I love it. But sometime soon I expect the advent of Spring.
Coats and heavy sweaters will come off as the temperature rises and the potential for new Spring clothes come to mind. With that in mind many people wonder if there will be anything in the stores for them. Anything? Something? Just the right thing? You don't need to buy a whole new wardrobe for every season. What you're looking for is a thing or two in the way of clothes that speak to you, to your personal style.
So what is your personal style? You may recognize it when you see it, but can you define it? Describe it? Picture it? Pictures are exactly what you need -- attractive, beautiful, wonderful pictures of the clothes that speak to you, to who you are, what you do, and what you want to be. Now, where do you find these pictures of clothes to consider for everyday dress, and what do you do with them? That's the topic of February's Newsletter topic, all about Conselle's Wardrobe Strategy # 2, Art In Everyday Dress.
Sincerely,
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Ask Judi | |
If you have an image issue that is getting in the way of accomplishing your goals, email me about it at judith@conselle.com. I'll do my best to get back to you with a solution that will help move you forward. Please include a contact phone number in case the answer is a bit long, so we can really talk it through. |
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Featured Article: Personal Style File or Look Book is Key to Art in Everyday Dress
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A terrific aid in developing your artistic ability and personal style in everyday dress is to keep a personal "style file" or "look book" that holds pictures of your favorite wardrobe items or outfits. Where do you find these pictures? You have lots of options. Fashion magazines of course, but a lot of fashion magazines offer little in the way of real clothes for real people with real lives. More realistic pictures are often found in clothing catalogs. It's likely some may already come to your home, but maybe not the ones that cater to your lifestyle or personal style and budget.
To acquaint you with the variety of fashion catalogs, tap into my Fashion Catalog Directory, created for just this need (see details below). When catalogs arrive in the mail, set aside some quiet time to take a look at what's available. Remind yourself, you're just looking for now, not buying. You're looking for pictures of clothes and accessories in styles you think you would like to wear. A third option is looking online to fashion sites or blogs and creating a virtual style file by bookmarking your favorite images on Pinterest. Here are 8 steps for creating your own functional style file.
- When you find something you love, neatly tear out the page -- or bookmark or "pin" it if you're creating a digital style file -- anything that really resonates with you, that gives you joy. Anything with the potential to take your breath away.
- Identify your favorite item(s) and make notes to remind yourself what you liked about it to begin with, such as "Great fit," "versatile," "fantastic color," "easy care fabric," and so on.
- Put these pictures into a folder, file, box, or pin board on Pinterest for future reference. Group similar types of garments together -- blouses and shirts together, jackets together, skirts together, pants together, jewelry together, and so on.
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 Periodically sort through your style file. Look for commonalities among the garments and accessories and make more notes about what you find. Commonalities may include "durable tapestry fabric," "flared skirts easy fit," "wedge canvas shoes" and so on. You may begin to see a pattern of things that appeal to you. - Discard pictures of styles that no longer appeal to you. There are sure to be some that you'll look at later and wonder, "Now why did I ever like that?" This is a great example of how your personal style evolves, sometimes imperceptibly, over time!
- Add to your style file continually. Gradually you'll accumulate a collection of pictured styles that represent your preferences and needs -- clothes you could really use. You'll begin to see the similarities emerge -- similar lines or shapes, repeated colors or patterns, a consistency in shoe styles, and so on.
- As you make plans for a cluster of clothes or consider additions to your wardrobe, your style file pictures will serve as a guide, a reminder of the preferences of your personal style.
- As you update your style file, keep a set of running notes on clothes you've acquired over the months and years. Which clothes do you wear over and over? What do they have in common? What do they communicate to you and others? Have fun as you see your personal style emerge and develop.
 Dressing well is an art form that depends on thought and direction. Keep track of your fashion inspiration. Don't limit yourself to fashion photos. If you see a color scheme or pattern in a building, a piece of artwork, or specific room décor that inspires you, pull the page or bookmark the site and add it to your style file under color, pattern, and styling. All of these things can help you define your style. A style file is a fantastic way to document your personal style as it evolves over time. Having a firm sense of your own personal style will help guide you, so before you go shopping, review your style file to remind yourself of what you like and what you're looking for. Take it with you if need be to show the sales associate what you're looking for. Your confidence will soar when you have what you need in your closet, ready to go wherever you go. To order my Fashion Catalog Directory at the February special $23.00, (regularly $30) plus shipping, call 801-224-1207 and order directly through Kathy. Included are instructions on how to make catalog shopping work for you. You'll learn what demograph each catalog is intended for, the approximate cost of the clothes, the sizes available, the personal style and lifestyle occasions they cater to. Study the catalogs that come to you as a free learning tool. You can see classic and contemporary ways of mixing the pieces in an outfit. If you read the captions, you learn style and fabric names, cost and care. If you can't find what works for you in your local stores, shipping costs for ordering online or from a catalog are well worth getting what you need. To read more information about the art of fashion and image, with instructions and examples regarding people just like you, order Conselle's Wardrobe Strategy Book #2, Art In Everyday Dress for $27.97. You'll find charts that will summarize the information and simplify your learning and application. Order through Conselle's Store or call 801-224-1207 and order directly through Kathy. Order Art In Everyday Dress! Photo: Pinterest via Vogue.ru | Pinterest via Inspired Design | Pinterest via J. Crew | Pinterest via GreenStreetBlog
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Timeless Truth
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Design includes everything created intentionally by humankind -- be it good design or bad design. Design is two things, both an active process and a finished product. As a process, design involves planning and organizing the lines and shapes, colors, textures and patterns to meet a goal, then creating or carrying out those plans according to a particular purpose. As a product, design is the end result, an intended arrangement that is the outcome of that process or plan. The steps and order of the design process are essentially the same, regardless of the end result or product -- be it a shirt, boat, vase, shoes, house, car, or belt.
We each function as the designer of our outfits as we plan what garment styles, colors, textures, and patterns we are going to put together for a certain occasion. This is a daily process, and it may be more than once a day depending on how involved our lives are. The finished outfit is the end result or product. If you will allow yourself to think of yourself as the designer, the person in the driver's seat with full creative license, you will make better plans, better decisions, and better outfits. You'll have a lot more fun too!
Photo: Pinterest via Lookbook.nu
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Consumer's Corner
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How many hats do you wear in your life? How many occasions do you have in your day, your life? I recently had the lovely experience of touring the Biltmore House & Gardens in Ashville, North Carolina, built by the amazing George Vanderbilt and opened in 1895. His lovely wife Edith Vanderbilt was very involved with life on the estate and in the community. It is said she might have changed her clothes as often as eight times a day, adjusting herself in harmony with the mood of the occasions. Now I'm certainly not suggesting we change our clothes eight times a day, but how about twice a day?
I have students and clients who work in an office most of the day, dressed in a sharp, professional manner. I advise them at the end of the day to power down at the office then figuratively let their hair down when they get home. Make a to-do list for the next day before leaving the office, then leave the office behind. Once you get home, change your clothes to something softer, more relaxed but still nice-looking. By dressing in a more approachable and relatable way, it will do wonders for your relationship with your family.
I also have students and some clients who lament about being bored with life and feeling depressed. Most of these people are going many places in their day, but they tend to go all day and into evening in plain and boring clothes. Many in plain T-shirts and jeans -- often faded, stretched and saggy or shrunken denim. May I suggest a skirt or pants and woven shirt with a collar, in a great color, with plenty of ease in the fit. The lift these clothes can give is worth a little planning. I receive fun little notes from the people who wear them with terrific results in their professional and personal lives.
A few days each week, plan to go somewhere just a little special and change clothes for the occasion. OK, so maybe some occasions you wouldn't call "special" but they may put you into a different situation that's out of the ordinary. So dress for it. Exercising often calls for a change in clothes. Maybe it's the parent-teacher conference or a committee meeting. You'll be surprised by how much better the conference or meeting goes if you dress like you mean business! Visit a shut-in or volunteer at a community center and lift their day by looking like they're special to you. And don't forget a dressier date-night or evening occasion. When you change your role and change your clothes, you change your life. It works!
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| Consultant's Corner |
 It's fascinating to me to know and associate with many image consultants from around the world. We are actually more alike than we are different, nearly all focused on bettering the life of our clients. But there is something else I notice the same about many image professionals. They nearly all wear classic business suits and focus on business clothes for clients. While professional clothes are important for career development and advancement, I'd like to suggest image consultants expand their business focus to include the whole life of the individual client. We need to expand our awareness of the different Yin-Yang personal style types and combinations of types, then expand our services to include at-home clothes, community clothes, vacation clothes, and so on. If we can connect our clients with the different facets of themselves according to their occasions, and then with affordable clothing sources, we'll benefit both our clients and ourselves. We'll have more work and clients will have more success in all of their roles, not just professional roles. And that's a win-win situation for all!
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In Closing
We're just getting in on Pinterest and are working on getting some nice visuals together to share with you on my Pinterest page. Whether you're looking for things to add to your style file in catalogs or online, I hope you enjoy an evening of armchair "window shopping" to give you inspiration for your style file.
Best Regards,
Judith Rasband
Conselle Institute of Image Management
801-224-1207
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Conselle Educational-Training for Image Consultants
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Attend Conselle's 15-Day Educational-Training to become a certified image consultant.
Receive comprehensive image education and materials to
launch a full-service image business.
A great image education is an investment you can never lose!
Next Session
March 9 - 23, 2013
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Seating is limited, reserve your place today!
Rave Reviews for Conselle's Educational-Training:
"Required or not, learning from and working with Judith Rasband has always been high on my list. The curriculum developed by Judith is by far the most comprehensive educational program in the industry. Having trained with several of the world's best known image professionals, no other course delivers the same depth of knowledge as the one offered through the Conselle Institute of Image Management."
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Click here for detailed information or call 801-224-1207 and talk to Kathy
*If you would like to make arrangements to attend an Educational-Training sooner, please contact Conselle and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
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| Style For Life Retreat: An Image Enhancement Experience |
 In the Style For Life Retreat, we have put together the ultimate experience that is educational, entertaining, and empowering. During this exciting 6-day retreat in the beautiful mountainlands of Utah, you will learn image strategies and skills you'll use for the rest of your life.
Next Session:
April 15-20, 2013
"It was amazing. What I learned [on day one] exceeded all expectations for the whole Retreat. I am so glad I came."
Brenda Mack, Ohio
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Conselle "Fabulous Fit" Retreat
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 Women whose passion is fashion sewing to achieve a custom and fabulous fit are invited to an exceptional 6-Day hands-on retreat. Spend high value, personalized time with our Master Fitters! Each brings her own unique sphere of interest and expertise to the fitting and fashion makeover experience. Learn revolutionary new methods in fitting and alteration, taking home custom-fitted bodice, shirt, and pant patterns that fit!
Next "Fabulous Fit" Retreat
Watch for more dates in
Spring 2013
Rave Reviews for Conselle's "Fabulous Fit" Retreat:
"This was a fantastic experience. These women really know how to teach fitting and altering the pattern. I got a fitted bodice, skirt and pant. I learned so much, ate at many good restaurants and made new friends. Conselle is everything they claim to be and more. Worth every dollar I spent. I now have slopers that I can use to fit any pattern. Don't hesitate, go if you want to really learn about fitting yourself and others."
Mary
"I also attended this Conselle Fit Retreat. I too was totally impressed with this group of ladies. They are masters at their skills. ... They send you home with the information you need to choose, fit, and alter your patterns and clothing forever after. The books written by the instructors, Fabulous Fit, Fitting Alteration, and Measuring Made Easy are the perfect information and reference sources. I highly recommend this retreat."
Mary Jo
For detailed information and testimonials go to Fit Retreat Information or call 801-224-1207 and talk to Kathy.
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