Tag Archives: personal image

Dining Etiquette, Etiquette

Cutlery Etiquette How to Make a Great Impression

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I have travelled quite a bit over the past few years and one of the things I have noticed is that many restaurants have moved away from traditional place settings at the dining table. Although I suspect that this is part of their branding efforts to be seen as upbeat and unique, it can also be confusing and occasionally embarrassing for their patrons. This makes it more important than ever to familiarize yourself with various types of cutlery and know how to use them.
If the table is set traditionally, utensils are used starting from outside the place setting, and working in. If it isn’t use the appropriate utensil.
When holding a knife the fork is always held in the left hand. When in the left hand, the fork is held with the tines facing down. The knife is held in the right hand with the index finger on top. When eating American style after cutting the food, the knife is placed on the upper right corner of the plate and the fork is transferred to the right hand with the tines facing up for eating.

Here are a few more tips:

  • Only begin eating when everyone has been served.  The host picks up his or her cutlery first.
  • Once a piece of cutlery is picked up, it is never put back on the table.  It lies on the plate with the handle resting on the rim.
  • When taking butter, use the butter knife or serving utensil to place it on your bread plate. Then use your butter knife (spreader) to butter your bread.
  • Leave spoons on the service plate or saucer. An exception is made if the soup plate or soup cup has no service plate.

If you want to take a break, but don’t want your plate taken away, signal this by placing the fork and knife at right angles on the plate, tines facing down.

  • When dining American Style, hands go in the lap. Wrists, arms and elbows stay off the table.
  • When eating European Style, keep hands and wrists above the table at all times.

With either style the elbows stay off the table until the meal has ended.

When the meal is finished, place your fork and knife on the plate diagonally like the 10:20 clock position. The knife sits above the fork with the blade facing toward it. Napkin goes to the left of the plate… never on it. In some regions it is the custom to place the fork and knife vertically in the centre of the plate instead of the 10:20 position.

Business Dress, Men, Wardrobe, Women

Packing Light for the Stylish Traveller

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For business or pleasure travelling can be exciting and adventurous. However, packing to suit all possible situations can be tricky; especially now with weight and carry on restrictions. This can make packing and travel frustrating, even for the experienced traveller. As an Image Consultant,  I have found that these packing tips help my clients lighten their load and maintain their style.

Choose a Color Palette
Pick two main wardrobe colors.  At least one of your two main colors should be a neutral: black, brown, taupe, tan, or navy. While white is a great neutral, especially for summer, it may not be the best choice for travel because it gets dirty so quickly. All of your basic clothing pieces should be one of the two main colors. Next choose one accent colour that can be worn with either of the two main wardrobe colours. This way all of the clothing in your suitcase can be mixed and matched to look great together.

Stick to Three Pairs of Shoes
A casual pair of shoes, such as sneakers that are comfortable for walking is a good idea if you plan to go sightseeing. Dress shoes in a basic style are ideal for business or a dinner out with friends or family. If you are near the beach or plan to enjoy some warm weather, sandals can look nice and still let your feet breathe. There really should be no need for more pairs of shoes. If you go with neutral colors that coordinate with your basic wardrobe colours, the three pairs that you bring will match anything in your travel wardrobe.

Pack Lots of Accessories
Ties, scarves, earrings, necklaces and belts take up very little room in your suitcase, yet can change your look in seconds. For women, a pair of dangly earrings will dress up a basic shirt or blouse for daytime. A set of pearl earrings and choker turn that same blouse into the perfect evening wear. Bring a couple of different belts and scarves as well, since these can dramatically change how an outfit looks on you. Men can instantly change the look of an outfit by adding, removing or changing a tie. Sunglasses are also an important accessory to pack, particularly if your eyes tend to look a little dark after a long trip.

Go Reversible
Reversible clothing is a great option for traveling. It gives you twice the look without taking up extra space. Jackets, skirts and shorts are ideal for this type of treatment. Using a reversible bag lets you have two looks in one, as well. When purchasing reversible clothes make sure both colors and, of course, the overall style is flattering to your colouring and body shape.

Bring Sample Sizes
Instead of bringing full sized toiletries and cosmetic items, transfer small amounts into travel containers. Travelling is also a great opportunity to use those ‘Gift with Purchases’ and cosmetic samples that may be accumulating in your bathroom vanity. This will save space in your luggage, and lighten your load while travelling.

Follow these tips before your next trip and you will be sure to look stylish wherever you travel.

Men, Wardrobe, Women

How to Pack to Look Great While Travelling

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For many men and women, vacation packing consists of throwing shorts, t-shirts and a couple of bathing suits into a suitcase. However, this can get you into trouble when something unexpected comes up that requires a bit more finesse. Before you travel for work or pleasure, ask yourself a few simple questions. The answers will guide you towards packing right for every occasion.

Where are you going?
I know this may seem redundant (of course you know where you are going). But the reality is, often we don’t really think this through prior to travel. Even if we are spending all of our time at a resort and your objective is to relax, often there are dress codes for restaurants, golf courses and local attractions. Research the local customs and resort expectations ahead of time to learn about the do’s and taboos.

What is the climate like?
Different climates require different fabrics for comfort. Does the temperature change or remain fairly constant? If the temperature changes during the day or at night, layers can add warmth and allow you to add and remove as needed. If the climate is humid natural fibres and looser silhouettes will help keep you cool. Keep synthetics such as fleece for dryer and moderate climates unless they are guaranteed to breath.

Who are you traveling with?
Children, friends and family may have different ideas about the ideal travelling wardrobe. Dressing out of sync with your travel party can leave you and others feeling unprepared and uncomfortable. Know who you are likely to spend time with while travelling and how they intend to dress before you leave home.

How are you getting there?
Is it a boat, a plane, or a car? Different modes of travel require different clothing, different packing requirements and volume restrictions. This can weigh heavily on how much and what you pack. Consider carefully the comfort, convenience and speed of travel. Keep toiletries and a change of clothes handy for easy access… just in case.

How long will you be there?
Short trips have their advantages because you can usually pack enough without being concerned about laundry and dry-cleaning. However, for longer trips you need to determine ahead of time how this will be handled. Although some hotels and resorts provide laundry facilities or service, many do not. Decide in advance how you will keep your clothing fresh and clean.

Once you know the answers to these questions, pack accordingly. This will help to keep your vacation or business travel stress-free and more enjoyable.

View our next post for tips on how to pack light and still look stylish!

Look Younger, Make up

How to Apply Make-up to Look Younger – Part 1

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I love make-up. Whether you apply a little or a lot it can totally change a women’s appearance. It can make you appear younger, older, more glamorous or sexy. It can also hide imperfections or enhance any feature. The sad thing is that as we age, a make-up application that once looked natural and brought out our features can now appear harsh and bring out the lines and wrinkles instead. Because of this it is important to adjust our make-up application as we age.

Focus on making your skin look healthy and evenly toned instead of adding more colour. A good skin-care regiment can work wonders. Always use a moisturizer on the skin before applying foundation. This will help the foundation blend easier onto the skin. I also recommend using an eye cream as well, especially if the eye area is dry.

For a more youthful look, choose a foundation formula that is light-reflecting but does not have a sheen. I would also advise staying away from a matte finish foundation. Both can draw attention to lines. There are also great formulas that help to diminish lines on the skin.

Choose a foundation that is as close as possible to the colour of your skin at the jaw line. Test a few colours at a time and choose the one that blends the best with your skin tone. When using a concealer choose one in the same undertone as your foundation and blends with the colour of the skin or foundation next to where it is applied.

By choosing the right products you can create the perfect canvas for a younger looking masterpiece.

View our next Post to learn tips for looking younger with make-up…

For more make-up tips and application instruction see ‘Masterful Make-up in Minutes’

Look Younger, Wardrobe, Women

How to Look 10 Years Younger Without Going Under a Knife

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All my life I have been told that I look young for my age. Although I really appreciate it now, when I was young I spent a lot of time and energy trying to make myself appear older or at least my age. Now that I am in my mid 40’s maintaining a youthful look has become a primary concern. I know… it’s impossible to make me happy.

Some people say that I was blessed with good genes. And although I know this is true, it also takes work. The following suggestions are inexpensive fixes that will instantly make you look younger.

Hair that is too long or outdated – Shorter styles above the shoulder will draw the eye up and make you appear younger. Hair with a side part, slightly layered around the face and with a little volume is usually more flattering and youthful than straight hair in one length.

Hair that is too grey or the wrong colour – Gray hair is automatically perceived as older. However, when hair is coloured too dark, the wrong colour or when it appears all one colour it can make us appear older as well. Choose a colour that will compliment your softened features or use a combination of colour and highlights to add natural looking highlights to the hair.

Yellowed teeth – Over time our teeth become more yellow and stained. For whiter more youthful looking teeth, use an over the counter whitener like Crest Whitestrips to lighten your teeth or have them professionally whitened.

Sagging bust- As we age our torso gradually shrinks. This along with gravity taking it’s toll will make us appear older. A good fitting bra will instantly give you a lift and make you appear younger. Many independent lingerie stores and department stores like Sears and the Bay have certified bra fitters.

Slouching – Good posture makes all the difference. Your clothes will fit better. You will appear slimmer and more youthful.

Outdated or over the top clothing and accessories – Choose good quality, up-to-date clothing styles with simple details. Keep your look up-to-date with updated accessories that suit the size of your bone structure and personality. Use one main accessory to create a focal point drawing attention to itself or an area or you choice.

Wearing the wrong colours – The wrong colours will cause the skin to appear sallow, pale or grey. They will also make lines and age spots stand out. Choose colours that flatter you. They will make you appear more youthful and vibrant.

Business Dress, Men, Wardrobe, Women

What Does Your Clothing Imply About You?

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In my last blog post I talked about how grooming, certain clothing styles, combinations or the condition of your clothing will have a strong impact on the perceptions others have about you and how they can damage your credibility for business. However everything we wear and the way we groom ourselves not only have an impact in a business setting, they also have an impact on anyone who sees us no matter what the setting. If the garment fits the activity or setting, the garment will harmonize and we will look like we belong. If it doesn’t fit the activity or setting, it and us will be distracting and out of place.
What settings do you think the following items harmonize in?

  • Wrinkled or stained clothing
  • Yoga pants
  • Uncoordinated clothing and accessories
  • Clothing that needs repair
  • Basketball shoes
  • Novelty t-shirt that says, “Life is Hell.”
  • Delicate clothing with ruffles and tiers
  • Ski suit
  • Wool suit

Many of us would think the answers are obvious. A ski suit would be worn for skiing. A wool suit would be worn for business or at a conservative event. But what if the ski suit was worn to the beach on a hot August day? Although after thinking about it for a minute, most of us would question the person’s sanity, initially, most of us would consider the oddity of a ski suit at the beach among others in bathing suits and shorts. Now I know this is an extreme case and quite unlikely… I hope. But there are other situations similar to this that we see all the time. Basket ball shoes and yoga pants in fancy restaurants; Wrinkled and stained clothing while out on a date; or thread worn clothing or clothing with a fallen hem at a job interview.
As I mentioned before there is a time and place for everything. However, clothing that isn’t in-sync with its environment draws attention to itself and you and creates questions about your personality and lifestyle.  For Example: Dirty, stained or wrinkled clothing worn out on a date or at work, may imply that that you are lazy or don’t care about yourself.  However, when worn while working in the garden they might imply that you have been working hard or that you don’t want to ruin your good clothes. Or it may imply that you are lazy and don’t care about yourself. Remember, perception is always in the eye of the beholder.

Business Dress, Men, Wardrobe, Women

Looking the Part Isn’t Just for the Office

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When times are tough economically, the impulse to let go of the little things becomes greater. We may get up in the morning and throw on the first thing that looks comfortable, without giving it much consideration. Or we disregard our concerns thinking, “Oh well nobody will notice.” Or, “I am just running to the grocery store, nobody will see me anyway.” And then it happens. You run into that most important client or what might have been a potential employer. Unfortunately you never know where you will bump into someone important to your career. And although I truly believe that we all deserve time to let our hair down and to demonstrate our personal style, be aware that the impression we make, even during our personal time, can add or take away from our business success. I am not saying that you need to spend your weekends in business clothing. Every outfit has it’s time and place and casual clothing is expected in casual environments. However, certain items can be distracting, diminish your credibility and create a strong impression about you. During tough economic times, looking well groomed, coordinated and appropriate for the setting can be your strongest business asset. For a great business impression leave the following at home:

  • Wrinkled or stained clothing
  • Mismatched clothing and accessories (colours or styles)
  • Clothing and shoes that are worn out or in poor condition
  • Clothing that needs repair: missing buttons, fallen hems, spots, etc.
  • Garments that are too tight or too big
  • Body Baring Garments – Cleavage showing, midriff showing (unless at the beach or pool)
  • Mini Skirts (more than 3 inches above the knee)
  • See-through garments
  • Undergarments that show (but please wear some)
  • Brightly coloured hair or extreme styles
  • Extreme prints and patterns
  • Extreme Fads
  • Cutesy clothing and accessories
  • Shoes that are too high or throw you off your balance
  • Athletic shoes or clothing (unless in an athletic environment)
  • Digital watches (unless in a very casual or athletic environment)
  • Visible tattoos
  • Logos, slogans or novelty prints on clothing & accessories (except your companies apparel)

In other words… Anything that might be Distracting!

Uncategorized, Wardrobe, Women

4 Ways to Instantly Look Slimmer!

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This picture demonstrates 4 ways to look slimmer.

  • A non-descriptive print with no background can fool the eye, camouflaging the area. This print works particularly well. It forces the eye to look diagonally and vertically.
  • The crease up the centre of each leg on the pants creates vertical lines elongating and slimming the legs and body.
  • A broach draws attention, acting as a focal point close to the face and by-passing the figure challenges.
  • The tie on the shell creates a vertical line drawing the eye toward the face.