Necessities for your wardrobe depend on so many things: the activities you are going to be doing, the type of clothing that is designed for that activity, and your personal preference. Now is a good time to go through your wardrobe and find the clothing that you no longer need because you are not including that activity in your schedule or life right now and find those garments new homes.

Closet refreshing, so you have the appropriate clothing for the activities you choose to have in your life, is an ongoing process and one that needs to be put on the schedule several times a year. You can find some great tips at http://www.workingwardrobesystem.com to help you with ideas for changing your closet as well as organizing it and all of the things that you might need to have like hangers, shelves, organizing baskets and items to change your closet into one you could only dream about in the past but now is within reach.

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Beauty and fashion trends update frequently during the year so to be in the know you can get all of the latest information without spending hours every month from the insider secrets from the groups that set the trends and forecast the colors. Check here for all of the information about how to be in on the latest information.

Be informed before the trends hit the marketplace so you can experience  fashion breakthroughs and get a shortcuts to style information.

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Looking gorgeous: What women won’t give up
Written on the 1st of February 2009 by Heidi Brown and Jenna Goudreau, Forbes.com
Extract: Forbes.com
Most shoppers have cut way back. Those who, before the downturn, bought so-called “aspirational” brands–Gucci purses, say–are paring down and making items last longer. But even in tough times, there are some things a girl just won’t give up.
We all want to keep ourselves looking good–for professional and personal reasons. Plus, it’s just fun to indulge, even if it’s in something little like a luscious Chanel lipstick.
“During the Depression, we saw the ‘Lipstick Effect,’” says Northeastern University professor of marketing Nancy Upton of the increase in cosmetic sales, particularly lipstick, despite buyers’ financial hardship. “We see people making economically irrational decisions to lift their mood.”
Because the price point is lower for many women, “cosmetics offer immediate gratification,” explains Upton.
Susan Blond, president of Susan Blond, Inc., an entertainment public relations firm, feels that looking good is essential to her job and keeps her spirits high. Though she’s cut back her beauty regime – giving up pedicures, making fewer trips to the hair salon and “reinventing” old Chanel suits–she still makes the occasional splurge.
“I must confess, I did splurge on a MAC lipstick and gloss at Henri Bendel,” Blond says, “but in my business you have to feel confident and look fabulous.”
As for bigger-ticket items, women are opting for traditional rather than trendy. “Women are not as focused on the ‘it’ bag now,” explains Milton Pedraza, who heads the Luxury Institute, which conducts research on the high-end market. “They’re buying the classics – Akris suits, Birkin bags, Chanel.”
In other words, they’re looking for enduring styles and quality materials, bucking trends and mediocre craftsmanship.
“In this new economy, it’s critical to choose investment pieces wisely,” says Niki Leondakis, COO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. She prefers high-quality bags that “don’t scream a year or season,” like Bottega Veneta, Nancy Gonzalez and Coach. She chooses classically cut jackets and timeless fabrics like cashmere as staples of her wardrobe and pulls together outfits with less expensive accessories.
“I’m still buying luxury brands,” admits Leondakis, “but definitely fewer items and with a newfound discipline to hold out for a sale.”
Leondakis is not alone. Across the country, women from every income bracket are spending less, forcing companies to adapt. The windows of Fifth Avenue stores in Manhattan now display 75 percent discount signs and many beauty lines are offering more for the dollar.
Frederic Fekkai unveiled a $30 at-home hair coloring kit (now on sale) a considerable savings from an in-salon color treatment that can run about $400, and skin-care line Terralina provides complimentary home delivery and sales to encourage customers to buy consistently.
Brands like Eva Scrivo and Chantecaille don’t want to lose their luxury status by slashing prices, so instead are offering customer rewards: on-the-house spa days, facials and private color consultations with renowned hair and makeup artists.
While professional women are booking fewer vacations and buying less for their homes, they’re not likely to scale down to inferior beauty brands. “These women say price is not a factor,” says Karen Grant, a vice president at NPD Research and a global beauty expert. “They may buy less and shop less frequently, but they’re not as apt to switch to a lower-priced brand.”
Since looking good on the job is often critical for women, beauty and style items tend to trump other luxuries. Kate Wilkinson, account executive at MS&L Worldwide, now skips Starbucks but can’t give up her bi-weekly mani/pedis.
And Ashley Castro, an account executive at Quinn & Co., gave up her treasured massages but continues to get manicures and professional hair color.
When it comes to cosmetic surgery, women are still opting in–partly to remain competitive in the workplace – though less frequently than a year ago.
Steven J. Pearlman, M.D., FACS, a Columbia professor and former president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, still sees a steady stream of women at his private practice, but observes that many are changing their habits.
Money restraints caused a spike in nonsurgical wrinkle reducers like Botox and fillers, which produce quick results at a fraction of the price of a facelift. But even among those women regularly receiving injections, Pearlman says they are coming back only when they absolutely need to, increasingly a month or more later than is recommended.
Tight budgets are also forcing tough choices. Says Pearlman: “What they’re doing now is picking and choosing one region of Botox instead of two. They have to decide between their crows’ feet or the wrinkle between the brow line.

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Leverage your Professional Profile
Written on the 20th of September 2009 by Rachel Quilty, Personal Brand Strategist
In a competitive world it’s very important that you try to make sure your name gets out there. You want people to notice you and you want to add as much as possible to your resume. The big question though, is how exactly do you do it? Whatever field you are in you likely know that there is stiff competition. When trying to get your name out there you have to do quite a few things, and you have to contend with all of the others who are trying to promote their skills along with you. One reason that you might want to get your name out there is so that you are more reputable, and therefore more hire able for a certain job.
So how exactly do you make yourself more noticeable? One thing that you can do is volunteer for many different public service positions. Generally you will want to make sure that anything you get yourself into is volunteer work, and by doing this you will ensure that people will start talking about you. This is a good way to establish yourself as a decent person who will do good acts for others without requiring any sort of compensation. This is something that will put you in a good light and is therefore necessary.
Public events will also be a plus for your public image as you will be able to speak if given the opportunity. In doing so people will begin to say “Who is that person?” and when they find out, perhaps they will want to know a lot more about you. If you continue speaking then your voice will travel near and far, and more people will know your name than you could have ever imagined.
Another great way to spread your name is by writing articles. Since you don’t have much to write about yourself it would be best to start writing articles that others need done. There are many websites out there that have calls for content on specific subjects and you can actually write on those topics, submit your articles, and your name will be on those articles. It really does seem like a pretty fair deal even though you won’t get paid too much for these articles.
By doing that you will build an online presence. When someone says your name online others will automatically know exactly who they’re talking about because they’ve seen the work that you have done in the past. This will definitely help to get your name out there and will ensure that others know your name.
Finally you want to make as many friends as you possibly can, and make sure that they are people who can help you make your way in the professional world. This is called networking, and it is what will help you make it big and be a success.
Leveraging your professional profile is very important. You’ll meet new people, go to new places, and overall become the success that you’ve always dreamed of. Start working on these steps today!
? Rachel Quilty, Professional Image and Personal Brand Strategist as well as an internationally certified Professional Image Consultant, speaker and author believes, ?Building your profile is as simple as developing a strong personal brand and a striking personal image.? Rachel encourages Jump the Q clients to think strategically when developing a professional image to get that job offer, gain that promotion or win that client. Take control of the decisions others are making of you. Start with these simple strategies, in our free ebook ?Make Your Mark? available at www.jumptheq.com.au.
Creating an impact with your image to leverage your abilities and sky rocket your success is easy with Jump the Q?s advice on:
- Your Personal Brand Strategy
- Your Signature Style
- Your personal best colours
- Styles that suit your body shape
- Wardrobe and travel planning
- Simple stylish hair and make up
- Savvy shopping for your shape
Jump the Q today!?

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Build Your Professional Image
Written on the 20th of October 2009 by Rachel Quilty, Personal Brand Strategist @ Jump the Q
Your online image isn’t something to ignore. What you look like on the Internet and what people think about you are extremely important if you’re going to operate a business, whether the business itself is online or offline. Many people don’t think that others can track what they do on the Internet, but this is a huge mistake. Let’s take a look at what you need to do to build your professional profile image online, without running into problems.
Everything you say and do is going to have an effect on how people perceive your business, even if it’s in a non-business forum. Each time you get involved in a forum flamewar, are rude to a customer, or take your time getting your site updated, you’re making an impression, and it isn’t a good one.
On the other hand, every time you go that extra mile to help a customer, send a thank you note, or let rude comments pass you by, you’re making another kind of impression – the kind that will have your customers recommending you to their friends and family.
It’s important to make sure that everyone you encounter online has a good experience with you, if at all possible. There will always be some unreasonable people, of course, and you’ll have to set limits on how much you’re willing to do. Just don’t let it get personal. Be firm and polite at all times, and you’ll be surprised at the quality of response. Remember – it’s hard to be anonymous on the Internet, and it’s especially hard to be anonymous as a businessperson. You’re going to be associated with your company, whether you like it or not.
So, what can you do if your professional profile is a little bit tarnished? Maybe you’ve made some mistakes in the past that have resulted in an image that’s not as good as you’d like, but you want to change things. The first thing to do is start acting like it. Get out of any entanglements that aren’t good for your image (are there disreputable sites linking to you, or have you spammed forums trying to get traffic?) and take the high road from now on.
Be polite and professional, and don’t use any underhanded tactics, even if they’re advertised as being sure ways to drive traffic to you or bring in customers. Most people are smarter than this, and they’re not going to appreciate it. You need to be willing to treat your customers and everyone you deal with in a respectful way if you’re going to clean up your image. After a while, even the people who disagree with you will start saying that you’re not so bad, after all.
The last thing you should do if you don’t have an image you’re proud of is to clam up. After all, nothing ever goes away on the Internet, and discussions or other situations that make you look bad will be out there for everyone to see – even people who might become customers. Clean up your website and make it more navigable and easier for search engines to find. Show up in forums, blogs and other informative sites and behave yourself well. That’ll push those black marks off the search engine charts, so that the information that turns up about you makes up a much more attractive professional image.
Everyone wants to look their best when it comes to the professional world, and the Internet is a huge part of that. Behave yourself appropriately online, and take steps to make sure you and your product or services get noticed, and you’ll have a profile you can be proud of. It can be easy to slip, but even the worst reputation can be cleared up if you know what you’re doing and take the time to change things. It doesn’t have to be all that hard. Never forget – on the Internet, everyone is watching. You can have a great professional profile, as long as you’re willing to conduct yourself as a professional at all times. It’s that simple.
? Rachel Quilty, Professional Image and Personal Brand Strategist as well as an internationally certified Professional Image Consultant, speaker and author of professional development must- have book ?Brand Yourself? . Rachel believes, ?Building your profile is as simple as developing a strong personal brand and a striking personal image.? Rachel encourages Jump the Q clients to think strategically when developing a professional image to get that job offer, gain that promotion or win that client. Take control of the decisions others are making of you. Start with these simple strategies, in our free ebook ?Make Your Mark? available at www.jumptheq.com.au.
Creating an impact with your image to leverage your abilities and sky rocket your success is easy with Jump the Q?s advice on:
- Your Personal Brand Strategy
- Your Signature Style
- Your personal best colors
- Styles that suit your body shape
- Wardrobe and travel planning
- Simple stylish hair and make up
- Savvy shopping for your shape
Jump the Q today!

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As a professional image consultant I always advise my male clients to be sure to dress to accentuate their attributes and downplay any challenging areas. A lot of men have the impression that dressing for your body type only applies to women – but that’s not true.

Here are my answers to some recently asked questions that will help any top level professional dress more powerfully for his particular body type while following the perplexing button rule:

Suit-Up with Power and Strong, Silent Messages
Many men in high-powered positions or aspiring mid-level executives who want to get promoted to the C-suite need to understand the power messages of the suit. Whether you are interviewing for a senior level position or attending an evening philanthropic event, chances are you need to be wearing a suit that commands authority. The suit is considered the professional corporate uniform, but today every man needs a suit from time to time – to attend an evening event, a wedding, a funeral, or to make an appearance in court. But regardless of where or why you put on a suit, the key silent messages that the suit conveys are power, sophistication, and elegance.

A Suit Style for Every Man’s Physique
Every body type has its challenges and that is true for men, just as it is for women. There are tall men, short men, slender men, and heavy men. But if you dress correctly for your current body architecture you can use the illusion of correctly chosen clothing to look handsome and commanding. If you work with an image consultant, we will show you how to utilize the lines of suit design details to make you appear taller, thinner, or even heavier – if you happen to be a tall, slender fellow who needs to add some visual pounds.

Below I have listed all styles of men’s suits – and I’ve also included the double-breasted style, because it is a high fashion suit that goes in and out of fashion from time to time. So here are the highlights of the recommended styles of suits that work well with different kinds of body types:

The Heavy Man

Goal: With this body type, you want to create an illusion of appearing taller and thinner.

This man will want to wear vertical lines that draw the eye up and down his silhouette, but also attract the eye away from the waist area. The best suits for this body type are single-breasted, 2-button styles with a medium V stance. They provide slimming lines by creating a longer V in the upper chest section.

Avoid: 3-button coats or jackets with short, rolled collars. They make you look shorter and heavier.

The Slender Man

Goal: The slender man needs to increase breadth across his shoulder and chest area to add some weight on his narrow frame.

This physique will look best in single-breasted 2-button jackets. If you are on the shorter side, a 3-button jacket can give you some vertical lines to make you appear taller. You can also wear a double-breasted suit with lapels that roll below the waist to elongate your torso and give you some added fabric across the midsection.

Avoid: Pinstripe suits that can make you appear too thin.

The Tall Man

Goal: If you are over 6 feet tall you already have a tall, vertical frame, which means you can add some horizontal lines.

The man with this body type is very fortunate, because he can wear all styles of suits, but he will definitely need to wear a longer cut of jacket. You will look great in a 3-button single-breasted style jacket. A double-breasted coat works on the tall man, too, because he can look good with the horizontal lines of the buttons and front opening.

The Athletic Man

Goal: With your exaggerated V-shaped frame, you have the desired ideal shape. Your shoulders are broad but your waist is slim, creating an inverted triangle.

With this athletic build you will look best in single-breasted 2-button styles that will deemphasize a bit of your shoulder width. You may also need to look for “athletic cut” suits that provide a larger drop, which is the difference between your chest measurement and your waist size.

What’s the button-rule?

There is a rule to buttoning a man’s coat in order to project sophistication and elegance. But it is amazing to me to see sportscasters, TV reporters, and celebrities who don’t follow this rule because not doing so can sabotage their image immediately.

Here is a quick history of how the button rule came into existence:

Back years ago King Edward VII became so heavy that he was unable to button the bottom button of his vest. His followers did not want to embarrass him by buttoning their last button, so they began to take his lead and imitate his style – and that started a new fashion trend to leave the last button open. Today suits are designed to leave the bottom button open, and so are vests and sport coats. Here is a quick reference guide to when to button which button of your jacket:

* On a single-breasted 2-button jacket – button the top button only.
* On a single-breasted 3-button jacket – button the top two buttons only, unless the suit lapels tend to roll to the middle button. In that case you would not button the top button because of how the lapel would lay against your torso.
* A trendy, single-breasted 4-button jacket is often designed so that you wear all buttons closed or only the bottom button open. I always encourage my clients to button the last button unless they see a pull in the fabric around the 4th button. In that case you would leave it unbuttoned.

Here’s the button bottom line: Most jackets are designed to leave the bottom button undone. So if you button it then the fabric pulls and shows if you have a few extra pounds, which can undermine your great presence. We realize that when men gain weight, you tend to put the pounds in your lower midsection. So coats are made so that you have some ease for the coat to lay straight with no pulling or tugging – as long as you don’t use that bottom or last button.

I hope that regardless of your physique or title, you will find the right suit that fits you correctly and can emphasize your positive features. When you know the rules of buttoning the coat, it appears that you are a sharp, well-dressed man who understands how to get the most from his wardrobe.

Every man needs at least one modern suit in his wardrobe to wear when the situation calls for a formal, sophisticated look. So next time you shop for suit, remember the importance that lines make in helping you create an illusion to appear more powerful, commanding, and elegant.

Sarah Hathorn is a professional image consultant, certified personal brand strategist, speaker, and author.
Her company, Illustra Image Consulting, works with high-achieving future leaders and large businesses by enhancing their corporate and personal brand image to take their businesses and careers to the next level.
Blog, Ezine & Website: http://www.illustraimageconsulting.com
Phone: 678-528-1239 Email: sarah@illustraimageconsulting.com Copyright 2009, Sarah Hathorn, AICI CIP, CPBS
This article may be reproduced only in its entirety, including the above bio.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Hathorn

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How to Look Slimmer without Exercise
Written on the 10th of September 2009 by Rachel Quilty
It is possible to look slimmer without diet, without exercise, without losing a single pound. The way that you dress, the way that you carry yourself and the accessories that you use can all create the effect that makes you appear slimmer than you really are. Try these strategies to create the illusion of a slimmer, sleeker you.
Try some Color. Yeah, dark colors like black and navy do work to make you look slimmer, but who wants to always dress as if they are going to a funeral? Splashes of color, bright blues, aquas, pink and red can draw the eye up to your face and away from your midsection in tops and draw attention to your legs in skirts.
Use Accessories. A pretty necklace or attractive earrings will draw the eye to the face or decolletage. Don’t opt for large or clunky pieces, but instead use pieces that are medium in size. You don’t want a piece that is too small either.
Avoid Spandex! Actually, avoid anything that is tight and accentuates rolls or bulges. Foods that are very tight don’t make you look smaller. In fact, they make you look larger, larger than you actually are. Your best bet is to avoid tight clothing and even clothing that is made to fit snug. It just doesn’t work to make you appear slimmer.
Wear Clothes that Fit. When you are shopping for clothing, don’t worry about the size. Your goal should be to get clothes that fit, not to cram your body into a certain size. Size is just a number and if you are a size 18, you will look much better in a size 18 than if you try to stuff yourself into a 16.
Pay Attention to Undergarments. Just you want your outerwear to fit properly, you also want your undergarments to fit properly as well. Panties that are too tight will cause visible panty lines which are most unattractive. A bra that is too tight will cause lines and bulges, making you look larger.
Monochrome Rocks. A monochrome look can really flatter your shape, making you look slimmer and your legs look longer. You achieve this look by wearing all the same color, top, skirt, hose and shoes. Black monochrome is a real classic. Baggy is Frumpy. You may think that you are hiding in your big, baggy clothing, but all you really get is a frumpy look. Baggy will not make you look slimmer, it will only make you look sloppy. Actually, neat clothes that fit like tailored suits and nice fitting dresses will do much more for your look.
Accentuate the Positive. Do you have great gams? Wear a skirt that shows them off. Do you have fantastic cleavage? Try a tastefully revealing top (but not too low). If you have nice eyes or a pretty face, wear a colored top that draws attention there. The idea is to draw attention away from the problem areas and accentuate your assets.
Stand up Straight. One of the best instant slimmers that you can do right now without even going to the clothing store is to stand up straight. Good posture will take inches off your waist and make you look pounds lighter. Straighten your spine, hold your head up and practice good posture. It is healthy and definitely works to make you look slimmer without exercise.
? Rachel Quilty, Professional Image and Personal Brand Strategist as well as an internationally certified Professional Image Consultant, speaker and author believes, ?Building your profile is as simple as developing a strong personal brand and a striking personal image.? Rachel encourages Jump the Q clients to think strategically when developing a professional image to get that job offer, gain that promotion or win that client.
Take control of the decisions others are making of you. Start with these simple strategies, in our free ebook ?Make Your Mark? available at www.jumptheq.com.au.
Creating an impact with your image to leverage your abilities and sky rocket your success is easy with Jump the Q?s advice on:
- Your Personal Brand Strategy
- Your Signature Style
- Your personal best colors
- Styles that suit your body shape
- Wardrobe and travel planning
- Simple stylish hair and make up
- Savvy shopping for your shape
Jump the Q today!

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Five Tips to Remain Fabulously Stylish [Even in Tough Economic Times]
Written on the 1st of January 2009 by Rachel Quilty
Whether you?re a spender or a saving during an economic downturn, you still want to be fashionable. If you want to look fashionable, then a few trendy items in your wardrobe are a must. However, buy inexpensive items and buy only a few. Incorporating trendy accessories into your wardrobe is an inexpensive way to look fashionable without spending a lot.
Shopping on a budget is no problem when you follow these five great tips:

1. Enhance your assets: Find out what styles you should avoid and which styles accentuate.
2. Purchase carefully: Knowing items that will complement and co-ordinate with what you already have will stop impulse buying.
3. Shop with a Plan: Before you buy, consider if the item will go with three other items you own now, how long it will remain in style.
4. Systematic shopping: Instead of buying all of your clothes at once it’s better to have a shopping schedule. Add one or two items a month.
5. Remove and replace: Once you have built a workable wardrobe it is a good idea to continually remove and replace items you no longer wear.
Shopping will be a breeze when you book your Online Colour and Style consultation today! Email us or Ph 1300 655 755 to start the adventure today.
For additional shopping tips read our ‘ Classics at Bargain Prices’ or our ‘I hate Shopping’ article.
Copyright 2008 Jump the Q. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be copied or reproduced without the prior written permission of Jump the Q.

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Dressing_To_Look_Slimmer

Dressing to Look Slimmer
Written on the 26th of October 2009 by Rachel Quilty, Professional Image and Personal Brand Strategist @ Jump the Q
People everywhere are concerned about their weight and their appearances. However, dieting can be disastrous for your health if you do it wrong, and struggling with your weight for the sake of looks isn’t usually the best idea. While everyone should be healthy, there are quite a few things you can do with the way you dress to look slimmer without fighting the pounds. Even people at theoretically healthy weights don’t always look their best, because many of them don’t know how to dress. Here’s a look at a few strategies to help you look slimmer.
First, be realistic. There’s no dress trick that’s going to make a naturally round person look like a lanky teenage model. Having a good understanding of your body type and your best and worst features can go a long way toward helping you dress well. Don’t hold yourself to a physically impossible standard.
Next, start taking a look at what you like, as well as the features you’d like to emphasize and the ones you’d rather didn’t get noticed. Have your friends weigh in, too – many people have a distorted image of themselves, and the parts they don’t like look fine to other people.
Think about where you carry your weight. Does it end up mostly on your hips and thighs, on your belly, or in other areas? The strategies that help an apple shaped person, without much of a waistline, aren’t going to be as useful for a person with most of their weight on their legs.
Now, look at fit. Most people wear extremely poorly fitted clothing – too tight in one spot and too loose in another. It’s binding, uncomfortable, and unflattering, especially if you’re not rail thin. If you’ve been buying clothes that are extremely tight, to try to hold on to a clothing size you once wore, or because you believe tightness makes you look thinner, or if you tend to wear sacks to de-emphasize your body, stop. Both strategies will make you look a lot bigger. Tight clothes give the overall impression of a sausage about to burst its skin, while loose ones make you take up more space.
Go for a close, but not extremely tight fit. You might need to do a little alteration or enlist the help of a tailor to get this done. Have hems taken up if they’re too long. Have pants let out if they bite in at the waist. Choose tops that comfortably fit over your widest part without straining and without turning the rest of the garment into a tent. Have loose areas taken in for a better fit if you need to. Tailored clothes are often more flattering than stretch knits, but some bias cuts do look pretty good. Experiment and look at yourself critically in the mirror to decide if something really fits well.
You’ve probably heard rules about wearing black, avoiding horizontal stripes, or breaking up your shape. While horizontal lines do tend to be widening, and dark colors do tend to be slimming, these rules aren’t ironclad. If you hate black and navy blue, don’t wear them. You’ll seem slimmer if you’re happy, after all. If you find a horizontal stripe pattern that doesn’t look bad, don’t pass it by.
Dressing to look slimmer isn’t actually all that hard, if you’re willing to take a hard look at yourself and what you want. A good fit can do more for you than anything else. Make sure you’re willing to dress like you love yourself, and you’ll look and feel a whole lot better.
Learn how to look slimmer in minutes. Dress slimmer today!

? Rachel Quilty, Professional Image and Personal Brand Strategist as well as an internationally certified Professional Image Consultant, speaker and author of professional development must- have book ?Brand Yourself? . Rachel believes, ?Building your profile is as simple as developing a strong personal brand and a striking personal image.? Rachel encourages Jump the Q clients to think strategically when developing a professional image to get that job offer, gain that promotion or win that client. Take control of the decisions others are making of you. Start with these simple strategies, in our free ebook ?Make Your Mark? available at www.jumptheq.com.au.

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Dressing to Look Slimmer
Written on the 26th of October 2009 by Rachel Quilty, Professional Image and Personal Brand Strategist @ Jump the Q
People everywhere are concerned about their weight and their appearances. However, dieting can be disastrous for your health if you do it wrong, and struggling with your weight for the sake of looks isn’t usually the best idea. While everyone should be healthy, there are quite a few things you can do with the way you dress to look slimmer without fighting the pounds. Even people at theoretically healthy weights don’t always look their best, because many of them don’t know how to dress. Here’s a look at a few strategies to help you look slimmer.
First, be realistic. There’s no dress trick that’s going to make a naturally round person look like a lanky teenage model. Having a good understanding of your body type and your best and worst features can go a long way toward helping you dress well. Don’t hold yourself to a physically impossible standard.
Next, start taking a look at what you like, as well as the features you’d like to emphasize and the ones you’d rather didn’t get noticed. Have your friends weigh in, too – many people have a distorted image of themselves, and the parts they don’t like look fine to other people.
Think about where you carry your weight. Does it end up mostly on your hips and thighs, on your belly, or in other areas? The strategies that help an apple shaped person, without much of a waistline, aren’t going to be as useful for a person with most of their weight on their legs.
Now, look at fit. Most people wear extremely poorly fitted clothing – too tight in one spot and too loose in another. It’s binding, uncomfortable, and unflattering, especially if you’re not rail thin. If you’ve been buying clothes that are extremely tight, to try to hold on to a clothing size you once wore, or because you believe tightness makes you look thinner, or if you tend to wear sacks to de-emphasize your body, stop. Both strategies will make you look a lot bigger. Tight clothes give the overall impression of a sausage about to burst its skin, while loose ones make you take up more space.
Go for a close, but not extremely tight fit. You might need to do a little alteration or enlist the help of a tailor to get this done. Have hems taken up if they’re too long. Have pants let out if they bite in at the waist. Choose tops that comfortably fit over your widest part without straining and without turning the rest of the garment into a tent. Have loose areas taken in for a better fit if you need to. Tailored clothes are often more flattering than stretch knits, but some bias cuts do look pretty good. Experiment and look at yourself critically in the mirror to decide if something really fits well.
You’ve probably heard rules about wearing black, avoiding horizontal stripes, or breaking up your shape. While horizontal lines do tend to be widening, and dark colors do tend to be slimming, these rules aren’t ironclad. If you hate black and navy blue, don’t wear them. You’ll seem slimmer if you’re happy, after all. If you find a horizontal stripe pattern that doesn’t look bad, don’t pass it by.
Dressing to look slimmer isn’t actually all that hard, if you’re willing to take a hard look at yourself and what you want. A good fit can do more for you than anything else. Make sure you’re willing to dress like you love yourself, and you’ll look and feel a whole lot better.
Learn how to look slimmer in minutes. Dress slimmer today!

? Rachel Quilty, Professional Image and Personal Brand Strategist as well as an internationally certified Professional Image Consultant, speaker and author of professional development must- have book ?Brand Yourself? . Rachel believes, ?Building your profile is as simple as developing a strong personal brand and a striking personal image.? Rachel encourages Jump the Q clients to think strategically when developing a professional image to get that job offer, gain that promotion or win that client. Take control of the decisions others are making of you. Start with these simple strategies, in our free ebook ?Make Your Mark? available at www.jumptheq.com.au.

Bookmark This Post:

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