As an Indiana Image Consultant, I find I get to know my clients (both men and women) quite well. This is especially true if we do the entire range of services I offer: Color Analysis, Style/Shape Analysis, Closet Cleanse, Personal Shopping, Ongoing Shopping, and Style Help. I have worked with some of the clients for more than four years! I love this because I have watched them take fashion risks and learn to love their look.
I have been there during job changes, major life changes, and even job promotions. It’s so rewarding to know I’ve had some small part in that. It’s even better as a men’s and women’s Indiana Image Consultant to get a note that says, “Thank you for helping me with my style and shaping my image all these years!”
How an Indiana Image Consultant Can Help
Knowing my clients the way I do, as an Indiana Image Consultant and just being cognizant of human nature, I know all of us have certain areas of our wardrobe that we neglect or put on the back burner.
It’s true it’s sexier to focus on that holiday look or date night sizzle than our underwear and foundation garments, as well as bra fittings.
I cannot tell you how often I am working with someone and notice these issues:
Guys that do not wear undershirts.
Thus their dress shirts have massive perspiration stains that often do not come out.
Problem solved: Wear an undershirt of 100 percent cotton and wear it all the time. The cotton in it will trap the sweat and save your shirts. Also launder your shirts in a detergent, not water, and treat the underarm stain with a heavy-duty stain remover such as OxyClean or Shout. When they turn grey or have holes–replace them!
Women often delay getting bra fittings.
It’s the one question I always ask in the first style appointment. Why? A great bra can improve posture and even make someone look leaner and even taller. Many women tell me how much better than feel and look with a bra fitting.
Problem solved: Have a bra fitting once a year; if it’s hard to remember, do it the same month as your mammogram. Make sure you get a professional bra fitter to measure each time. I like to go to Barbara’s New Beginnings, Soma, or Victoria’s Secret. Nordstrom and Saks also have good bra-fitting professionals. We have a professional bra fitter in our Association of Image Consultants International (Chicago Midwest Chapter) who did a two-hour presentation on this. I could not believe how much she knows and how many details go into a bra fitting. So don’t neglect it.
Another basic I find clients often neglect is underwear: men and women!
If it’s old, has holes, has faded, or no longer fits (tight or even baggy), it’s time to replace it.
Problem solved: January is a good time to look at underwear and purchase new pieces. Look at size charts to make sure you have a good fit. Ladies, don’t forget to find some underwear without lines. There are many “invisible” panties out there now. Rhianna has a good one, and it’s very popular on Amazon.
Keep it sassy, Indy!
Beth Divine
MA, AICI-CIC, Indiana Image Consultant, &Personal Stylist
