Tag Archives: dressing

Business casual, Business Dress, Wardrobe, Women

How to Make Your Bust Look Bigger!

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Unlike the woman I met on the plane to Raleigh (who by the way, I am still jealous of), some of us would give… almost anything for a bigger bust. Fortunately there are some painless things you can choose to wear that will visually increase your bust size instantly: 

  • Fabrics with texture for your tops, sweaters and blouses
  • Loose flowing fabrics or fabrics that don’t cling
  • Extra bodice details such as Breast pockets, ruffles, tucks, pleats, scallops and yokes
  • Double breasted jackets
  • Collars that draw attention away from the bust area
  • Prints and patterns
  • A padded bra
Business casual, Business Dress, Casual dress, Wardrobe, Women

How to Make Your Bust Look Smaller!

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Yes, we women come in all shapes and sizes. I was recently on a plane to Raleigh, North Carolina and there was a woman sitting beside me. She was close to my age, petite like me and she even had short hair like I do. However, there was one really obvious difference… unlike me, she had a slim hourglass figure with a well proportioned bust (or so I thought). I have to admit, at that moment… I was really jealous. We started chatting for a while about our businesses and then she got up to go to the bathroom. As she got up, she looked down at her chest and said, “I wish I could cut these off.” Wow! Was I surprised! Then I thought about it more and realized, that even a fuller bust can have its problems. If you want your bust to look smaller, stay away from small round necklines, fitted turtlenecks and choose the following instead: 

  • Lightweight fabrics that don’t cling
  • V necks and open collars
  • Clean simple bodices without pockets, ruffles or detailing near the bust area
  • Darker coloured tops, sweaters and blouses
  • Single breasted jackets
  • Collars that draw attention away from the bust area
  • A supporting bra
Business Dress, Men, Networking, Wardrobe, Women

Your Personal Image Should Emphasize Your Corporate Brand

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Many of my corporate clients ask why it matters what they wear to work. Here is one good reason: 

Most companies spend a lot of money developing and maintaining the company image, and as a representative of your company it’s up to you to reinforce this image by presenting yourself in a way that is consistent with the company brand. Let’s face it, when we meet someone for the first time, we instantly form an impression about that person and if their image matches what they’re trying to communicate, we’re more likely to trust them. Once the trust is established, it’s easier to build rapport and strong business relationships with that person and their company.

Business Dress, Men, Wardrobe, Women

Scuffed Shoes Image Faux Pas

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One of the most noticed image faux pas is dirty, scuffed shoes or those that are in poor condition. It is also one of those things that people forget about most before leaving the house. The condition of your shoes, are an indicator of your personality and how well you take care of things, no matter what they cost.

Business Dress, Colour, Men, Wardrobe, Women

How to Choose Your Stocking or Sock Colour

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Many of my clients ask me how to choose socks and stockings and the answer is that as the trends change the answer may be different. However, if your goal is for a coordinated look, a classic look or you want your legs to look longer there are some rules:

For a classic men’s wear look socks should be toned to the hemline of the pants. For an even more coordinated look ideally the socks will have a subtle pattern that will coordinate the pant colour and the shoe colour.

To make your legs look longer, tone socks or stockings to the colour of your pant or skirt hemline. This will make the legs look like a column of colour and elongate them.

Stockings can also be toned to the colour of your shoes. This will coordinate the stockings with the shoes. This works best when you are wearing an accessory such as a scarf or another garment in your stocking colour to draw attention towards your face and create more harmony.

Men, Wardrobe, Women

Dressing Your Lifestyle

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Our lifestyle represents the way we live and because of this we need to make sure our clothing helps us to function well in our living environments. It also needs to function well in the lifestyle environments that represent our goals. As our lifestyle changes so will our clothing needs. The key is to constantly evaluate our clothing needs and don’t get stuck in a clothing rut that may be holding you back.

Business Dress, Men, Wardrobe, Women

How to Draw Attention to Your Face

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When mingling socially or for business the initial purpose is to meet people and carry on a conversation. However, sometimes meeting people can be difficult. A great way to attract attention is with great accessories. For men this could include a tie, braces or cufflinks. For women this could be a belt, bracelet, earrings, scarf, necklace or a broach. However, because the accessory also creates a focal point, the placement should be strategic. To focus attention on the conversation and keeping it there requires focal points close to your face. Use accessories such as a great tie or braces for men and scarves, necklaces and earrings for women to add interest and keep the focus on your face and the conversation.

Colour, Look Younger, Make up, Women

Prepare Your Face for Make-up

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A flawless make-up application requires a bit of prep. Start with a clean face using products designed for your skin type.  If your skin is flakey, exfoliate as part of the skincare process. Finish with a moisturizer designed for your skin type. Let the moisturizer absorb for about 15 minutes prior to your foundation application. Moisturizer will create the perfect canvas for your make-up masterpiece.

Business Dress, Look Younger, Wardrobe, Women

The Wrong Underwear

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You know, we have all seen it… the sagging or bumpy breasts, jiggling rear ends and the underwear straps that show. These are all examples of the wrong underwear. Although, the wrong undergarments will sabotage your image in any situation, it is even more of an issue at work. Why? If the desired focus is your product or service and you want to appear credible in your presentation of that product or service, then the focus should be on that product or service. The wrong underwear is not only distracting, it can make others uncomfortable. In other words, when at work, do you want people to be thinking about your underwear or what a great job you and your company can do for them? The right underwear will keep everything in place and help keep attention focused on what’s important at the time. Your silhouette will appear smoother and you will look slimmer.

Business Dress, Colour, Men, Wardrobe, Women

Do Socks Really Matter?

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In the Vancouver City Hall Protocol Manual for the 2010 Olympics one of the clothing details that were addressed was wearing the right socks. Although, this may seem very basic or even unnecessary to some, you would be surprised how many of us get it wrong. When choosing your socks consider the following:

  • Coordinate your sock colour to the hem of your pants. For men, neutral tones work best.
  • The thicker the sock the more casual the look. This style works best with casual clothing and casual shoes; the thinner the sock the more dressy the look. Always wear thinner socks when dressed in trousers or slacks and thin soled shoes. 
  • Avoid sport socks for work
  • When worn with pants, socks should cover the shins. This way it is unlikely your shins will show when sitting with your legs crossed, unless your pants are too short. (a later blog post).
  • Never wear socks with sandals.