Last month, a series of conversations recorded in 1964 between Jacqueline Kennedy and Arthur Schlesinger Jr., a former Kennedy aide, was published into the latest book on the legendary first lady – and one of my favourite 20th-century style icons – titled Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy. During these conversations, Jackie speaks her mind – sometimes controversially so – sharing her opinions on political figures, musing on life in the spotlight, reminiscing on past times with JFK. Though her words in these conversations can be raw, from them emerges a new perspective on Jackie’s life from the woman herself – and it serves to remind me what a strong and unforgettable woman she was.
Posted on October 30th, 2011 by Diane
Filed under: Body Language, Celebrities, Fashion, Image, Womenswear | No Comments »
Most women are guided by a simple shopping rule: If the shoe fits, buy it. Even when they know the tortuous work called “breaking them in” lies ahead, they’re on shoe-purchase-auto-pilot. I know. As the saying goes – been there, done that. Recently something happened to make me toss out the old adage about simply settling for a shoe that fits.
I discovered shoes so alluring, so glamorous, stylish and comfortable, my first reaction was shock. Did I mention High-Heels with a capital H?
Posted on September 25th, 2011 by Diane
Filed under: Accessories, Dress, Fashion, shopping, Womenswear | No Comments »
Nothing short of a power outage could have kept me from a pre-dawn awakening this morning. The so-called “wedding of the century” was finally about to unfold and I was primed.
Although I’d read that two billion viewers were expected to watch, the actual London turnout signaled this was going to be a real celebration. And it was. Impeccably timed, perfectly rehearsed —everything went smoothly but with such a sense of joy, this was modern pageantry at its finest. You just knew that everyone from the cheering crowds to the wedding guests was enjoying the entire spectacle.
Posted on April 29th, 2011 by Diane
Filed under: Fashion, Image, Special Events, Weddings, Womenswear | No Comments »
I have always known that form is all when it comes to these core workouts but never realized that sit-ups are absolutely off-limits for some people, until I read Unbreakable: A woman’s triumph over osteoporosis, by Christine Thomas. I met Christine five years ago when she booked an image consultation. But she had embarked on her journey in 2001 as a 42-year old new mom who had just been diagnosed with osteoporosis. After fracturing her spine in five places, even the simple act of lifting her newborn daughter was too much for her fragile and compromised skeletal system.
Posted on January 6th, 2011 by Diane
Filed under: Body Image, Diane's Reflections, Dress, Image, Self-esteem, Womenswear | No Comments »
the real measure of Ms Sullivan’s Executive Presence is surely her grace under fire. The rebranding took place during extraordinarily challenging financial pressure: plummeting stock prices, selling off the men’s and kid’s divisions; criticism for overpaying for recently purchased casual retailer J. Jill. Throughout all this public scrutiny, Ms Sullivan and her team rolled out the rebranding and never lost their poise or their vision.
Posted on October 14th, 2010 by Diane
Filed under: Celebrities, Dress, Fashion, Image, Menswear, shopping, Womenswear | No Comments »
Creating the right image is a powerful tool for success. This is as true for corporations as it is for individuals. Over the last few months, I’ve been fascinated to watch as traditional retailer Talbots re-branded itself from a chain for conservative, some would say stodgy, sixty-somethings to a destination store for younger, hipper, edgier, career women.
Posted on October 5th, 2010 by Diane
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When it comes to air travel, anything more than a carry-on is counter productive. It’s not just the lost-luggage-factor that has most women wheeling, not carrying, a single bag onboard. The hassle, the time lost, and often our travel partners, with little or no patience for hanging around carousels, have conditioned even the most passionate [...]
Posted on September 8th, 2010 by Diane
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In fitting rooms across the planet, “Does it make me look fat?” — is without a doubt the pivotal issue that makes or breaks a clothing sale. Ultimately, it’s a rhetorical question because the woman doing the trying-on will make the call herself. If she has even the slightest uncertainty that the garment doesn’t shave [...]
Posted on August 31st, 2010 by Diane
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In my book, eavesdropping is snooping. It may be accepted behaviour in spy novels and British mystery programs but unless your name is Inspector Poirot, eavesdropping is a no-no. Last week, I admit, I had an Inspector Poirot moment. Really. I couldn’t help myself because as I was having lunch outside at a local restaurant, [...]
Posted on August 12th, 2010 by Diane
Filed under: Accessories, Body Image, Business Etiquette, Dress, Fashion, Image, Womenswear | No Comments »
My profession brings a constant parade of diverse clients. From one week to the next, I’m constantly surprised and delighted by the stream of people arriving at my virtual doorstep. Variety is, indeed, the spice of my life. It keeps me primed for a fast-paced — make that high-octane — life. A case in point [...]
Posted on July 6th, 2010 by Diane
Filed under: Accessories, Celebrities, Dress, Fashion, Social Etiquette, Special Events, Womenswear | 2 Comments »
