For most women, image is important. With few exceptions, nobody tries <\/i>to leave home looking sloppy, inappropriate, or overdone. <\/i>However, as you know if you\u2019ve spent a little time people-watching in a public location, those efforts don\u2019t always succeed. And there\u2019s a good reason for it.<\/p>\n
One of the many things I have learned as an image consultant is that it\u2019s fairly easy to provide constructive feedback on another person\u2019s look\u2014but that task becomes much more complicated when you\u2019re looking at yourself in the mirror. No one can look at themselves in a completely objective manner. We all have literal and metaphorical blind spots when it comes to our appearances and how we approach constructing an image in general.<\/p>\n
I most often find that my clients are 80 or 90 percent \u201cthere\u201d with their looks when we begin working together. After we focus in on correcting a few misconceptions and making specific improvements, these women (and men!) typically feel that their looks and <\/i>self-confidence have been kicked up multiple notches.<\/p>\n
When it comes to your image, knowledge really is power. Once you are aware of what might be keeping your look at \u201caverage\u201d instead of \u201camazing,\u201d you\u2019ll be well on your way to smoothing out those wrinkles. Here are eight things that may be keeping you from maximizing your image potential:<\/p>\n
*Your clothes don\u2019t flatter your body type. <\/b>Not all styles are created equal. What flatters a petite woman won\u2019t have the same effect on a taller frame, for example, even if it makes the first woman look like a million bucks. It\u2019s worth your time to research basic style parameters for your body type. Many fashion magazines and websites offer this type of advice\u2014and a good friend or image consultant will definitely be able to help you zero in on what does and doesn\u2019t work for you. I would also recommend that you get in the habit of regularly visiting a tailor. A well-tailored $100 jacket can look like a $600 jacket, for example\u2014and vice versa.<\/p>\n
*You focus too much on comfort. <\/b>In a world of five-inch stilettos, scratchy fabrics, and constricting cuts, it\u2019s no surprise that many women gravitate toward comfort when they\u2019re off the clock. However, running errands looking like you\u2019ve just rolled out of bed sends a clear message about you to other people\u2014and it\u2019s probably not the one you want <\/i>them to receive. The truth is, a broken-in pair of jeans, fitted cotton tee-shirt, and soft leather loafers or ballet flats can feel just as nice as gym clothes, but look much <\/i>more put-together.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s one current comfort-oriented trend that I want to highlight in particular: leggings<\/i>. At a recent Giants football game, my husband and I were walking behind a woman whose leggings were so thin I could see through them\u2014not<\/i> a sight I wanted to encounter. And in general, I\u2019ve observed more and more leggings on the streets. When worn with a longer top, tunic, or dress that covers \u201cstrategic\u201d areas, leggings can look very nice\u2014but too often, that isn\u2019t the case. Please, don\u2019t make the mistake of dressing as though leggings are pants! Your comfortable bottoms might be revealing more than you really want them to.<\/p>\n
*You overaccessorize. <\/b>Who doesn\u2019t love a fabulous multi-strand necklace, sparkly chandelier earrings, or a brightly colored chunky bracelet? While the fashion world is full of great accessories, wearing too many of them at once can be overwhelming. Think of statement pieces as divas who don\u2019t like to share the stage. Limit yourself to one standout accessory per outfit, and you\u2019ll get more of the right kind of attention. Your goal is to be dazzling, not blinding.<\/p>\n
*You\u2019re too trendy. <\/b>There\u2019s nothing wrong with trying to stay in style, but when you\u2019re too much of a slave to fashion, it\u2019s easy to veer into unflattering territory. You can unwittingly put together ensembles that aren\u2019t age-appropriate or that (again) don\u2019t flatter your body type. Plus, if you switch styles every season, you can send others the message that you\u2019re inconsistent and don\u2019t have a firmly established sense of self. No matter what is being worn on the runways, strive to develop and express a personal sense of style that is strategically supplemented by trendy pieces.<\/p>\n
*Your undergarments are making an unwanted appearance. <\/b>The dreaded panty line. The errant bra strap. The not-so-mysterious back bulges. <\/b>What makes these fashion faux-pas so insidious is that they emerge without our knowledge, often in hard-to-see spots on our bodies. And to make things worse, undergarments tend to draw others\u2019 eyes like magnets. Here\u2019s the solution: Suck it up and get help stocking your underwear drawer. Get fitted for bras. Ask sales associates and image consultants for professional opinions on what\u2019s most likely to stay hidden while providing you with the shape and support you want. And if you don\u2019t have a spouse or roommate around to give you an honest once-over before you leave the house, make sure to pause (and pose) in front of a full-length mirror.<\/p>\n
*You stay neutral. <\/b>The great thing about neutrals is that they\u2019re easy<\/i>. For that reason, some women pack their closets with blacks, grays, browns, beiges, whites, and other muted tones. While there\u2019s nothing inherently wrong with neutrals, you don\u2019t want to constantly wear camouflage that causes you to disappear into the urban jungle. Even a small pop, like a scarf, a handbag, a belt, or a piece of jewelry, can go a long way in making you more memorable. And finally, remember that there is <\/i>a time and a place for neutrals. Nobody can deny the classic appeal of a \u201clittle black dress,\u201d for example.<\/p>\n
*You\u2019re stuck on size. <\/b>I\u2019m a size X<\/i>, you think, so that\u2019s what you purchase. However, buying clothes based primarily on size is a rut in which you don\u2019t want to get stuck. Whenever possible, try on pieces before <\/i>buying them, and be honest about your body\u2019s dimensions. Don\u2019t walk around with a muffin top because your pride won\u2019t let you go up a pant size\u2026and on the flip side, don\u2019t walk around in a tent because you\u2019re so used to buying larges that you don\u2019t even consider trying on a medium instead. Remember, others see only how you look in your clothes, not the sizes on their tags.<\/p>\n
*You\u2019re living in the past. <\/b>I often work with women (and men, too) who think <\/i>that they\u2019re in style. And they would be\u2014if it were five or ten years ago! Every once in a while, I recommend asking a trusted friend for a constructive critique on your look to make sure you haven\u2019t fallen behind. Better yet, hire an image consultant who can suggest strategic pieces to buy that will help the rest of your closet transition gracefully into the 21st<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n No matter who you are, what your body type is, or what kinds of clothes you like to wear, I have one final piece of advice that I urge you to take to heart: A full-length mirror is a must-have accessory<\/i>. If you don\u2019t own one already, make the investment\u2014and use it every day. Checking your head-to-toe reflection from several different angles can help you to avoid many fashion missteps. And when it comes to looking great, seeing really is believing. When you know<\/i> your image is what you want it to be, you\u2019ll feel more confident and positive all day long.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For most women, image is important. With few exceptions, nobody tries to leave home looking sloppy, inappropriate, or overdone. However, as you know if you\u2019ve spent a little time people-watching in a public location, those efforts don\u2019t always succeed. And there\u2019s a good reason for it. One of the many things I have learned as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,15,47,28,49],"tags":[103,83,114,96,116],"class_list":["post-187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-confidence","category-fashion","category-image","category-quick-tips","category-style","tag-confidence","tag-fashion","tag-image","tag-quick-tips","tag-style","wpbf-post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=187"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":188,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187\/revisions\/188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}