When CEO Trudy Sullivan arrived at Talbots, from her previous position at casual apparel giant Liz Claiborne, she was startled by the absence of in-house design and product development departments. Ms Sullivan quickly addressed this through new hires to build a design team. An obvious place to start, right? But what set Ms Sullivan’s direction apart was her approach. She resisted the urge to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Instead of a total overhaul and an immediate call to arms to create new products, she organized a systematic review of best, and worst, sellers from the past sixty years! This re-examination of the foundations — the pearls, twin-sets, flats, trench coats — was not an exercise in finding old favourites to re-issue but to understand the core of Talbots’ business and the cachet of true American style.

Surely there can be no more enduring examples of American style than Katherine Hepburn, Jacqueline Onassis and Princess Grace of Monaco. Cleverly, Talbots has created three separate fits for jackets, each named after one of these iconic women. In total, there are 23 styles available on-line, each grouped according to fit, and with an accompanying video called — Meet the Ladies:

• Kate: Sexy, hourglass, fitted-at-the waist jackets for dressing up or down.
• Jackie: Cool, sophisticated and playful jackets. Great with jeans and skirts.
• Grace: Classic, slightly fitted jackets — feminine and ladylike.

Jackets are a big-ticket item, rarely an impulse purchase. This technique of “romancing the merchandise” carries with it the promise of boosted sales. Who could resist exploring these enticingly different looks? I don’t want to second-guess Ms Sullivan or the design group but the implications for this brand within a brand are intriguing and filled with possibility.

Equally as audacious was Ms Sullivan’s willingness to take on denim. From its modest, missy-fitting past, Talbots has emerged as a leader in the denim category. Again, there’s the new signature emphasis on multiple fits, plus, an assortment of silhouettes and finishes or “washes” to ensure every woman finds her dream jean.

It’s clear to me that Talbots is a work in progress. The holiday collection proposes “re-imagined offerings” and from what I’ve seen so far, only the edgiest vintage details will be reinvented or the source of inspiration. Simple, traditional pearl necklaces have evolved into dramatic, glamorous multi-strand showpieces. It wouldn’t surprise me if Michelle Obama shows up for a Christmas party in one of these beauties.

But 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. What a coup! Félicitations for creating the cachet that is Talbots today.

Executive Presence is, indeed, complex. Do you have executive presence? What about your team? Download your Executive Presence Scorecard

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As Liz candidly shared her Personal Journey, we watched her evolve from the strained stance of the Before image to her effortless sense of poise in the After picture. She embarked on her journey as an attractive, clever young woman but emerged transformed by self-assurance; I also want to point out the wonderful gift of self-esteem bestowed on Liz as she discovered her own style. When you present yourself well dressed, well accessorized, well groomed, it’s pleasing to the eye, displays harmony, demonstrates respect for others — and causes people to be more receptive. 

Today, we enthusiastically embrace professional help on a vast range of subjects. With this series I wanted to make the point that to look our best, we can all use some help. We all have a unique look and physical assets. What we do with what we have often conceals the real beauty; our liabilities govern, not our assets.

During the past few years, we’ve been inundated with extreme, some would say excessive makeovers and in the parlance of the reality shows, reveal after reveal. We’ve watched as medical wizards reconfigured every part of a woman’s anatomy and the equally bizarre effects of media doctors retouching a young model’s torso.

Here, in this series — the reality show called life — what you see is what you get. No retouching — no slimming nor trimming, no eye brightening nor teeth whitening, no fine-tuning — simply put, no photoshopping. Just pure Liz!

Liz has some final thoughts:
“I told Diane, at the end of our final session, that I feel like an entirely different person, more confident  — and it shows.  My look has been transformed dramatically and now I look like a young professional. Throughout the process, I’ve received compliments from my friends and coworkers and both my manager and director commented on my new image.  My director feels very strongly about the importance of image and presentation. His positive comments confirm that I’ve achieved my goal to project a capable and confident image. I’m fortunate that I met Diane and had the opportunity to go through her Image Enhancement Programme at this early stage in my career.  It will undoubtedly have a profound effect on my career development.  I highly recommend this programme. Thank you so much Diane!”

Stay tuned!   (Note that you can now have our blog posts delivered to your Inbox by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right side of this page.)

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Experience has taught me that when I address the idea of a professional makeup artist for this last step, clients frequently call upon the same mental roadblock; it’s called The Natural Look. At some point iconic American designer, Calvin Klein, obviously encountered this kind of resistance because he coined the perfect phrase: “The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural”.  How right you are Mr. Klein!

Happily, Liz was enthusiastic about her planned makeup application and lesson with makeup artist Genny at The School of Pro Makeup Art. Together, we discussed Liz’s lifestyle, the new demands of her career and her comfort level with makeup and its application.

Liz had brought along her makeup bag and we began the elimination process. In comparison to some “collections” I’ve seen, Liz had a bare minimum. I was delighted. (So often over the years, I’ve seen makeup bags that were potential breeding grounds of bacteria: bits and pieces from cosmetic promotional gifts, hastily purchased lipsticks and shadows, old sponges, dried-up mascara wands, ancient pencils and worn-out brushes. Please, don’t hang on to tired, old products. There are very specific guidelines for how long a product is safe to use, e.g. no longer than 3 months for mascara.)

Once the editing process was complete, Genny began applying makeup to the right side of Liz’s face — explaining her product choices and techniques. Then, it was Liz’s turn to match the left side. While Genny guided her step-by-step, Liz learned to hold a brush, to gauge the amount pressure to apply and new techniques of stippling, feathering and the art of blending. True to form, Liz was a stellar student and was well on her way to applying makeup like a pro.

Here are 5 quick tips for finessing your makeup application:

1. Apply bronzer with a large fluffy brush on the forehead, nose, chin, cheeks, jaw line — all places the sun would hit — using large, circular strokes.  Add more to the area just below the cheekbones to create a chiseled contoured look.  Next, apply a pink shade of blush on the “apples” of cheeks for a healthy glow.
2. Line lips with a lip-coloured lip pencil and blend well to avoid a conspicuous, telltale line.
3. Fill in eyebrows with taupe eye shadow powder and a small, angled brush. Use short, hair-like strokes in sparse areas.
4. 4. Curl eyelashes using a rounded rubber eyelash curler to really open up the eyes, before applying mascara. Shu Uemura’s eyelash curlers are internationally praised — they were even mentioned in the movie, The Devil Wears Prada.
5. Apply 4 clusters of individual false eyelashes to outer corners of the eyes to add volume and look natural. Perfect for New Year’s Eve!

Here’s Liz with a recap of her session with Genny:
“I usually don’t wear very much makeup, probably because I’ve never been exceptional at applying it — but Genny from The School of Pro Makeup was an excellent teacher.  She went over the techniques at each step then she would let me try and provide feedback. Applying cake eyeliner was especially challenging — I actually got it in my eye! Over the last few days I’ve improved and now the process is pain free. I really wanted to learn the techniques for a good reason – the end result of my makeup lesson was transformational.  I was amazed by how Genny was able to balance my features using tiny touch ups. Between the makeup and the hair I feel gorgeous. My new look is very polished.  Thank you Diane, I’m thrilled. And just in time for the holidays!“      

Stay tuned!   (Note that you can now have our blog posts delivered to your Inbox by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right side of this page.)

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Simple truth #1
Eyewear is the most obvious accessory.

Simple truth #2
The right eyewear is crucial to the right look.

Simple truth #3
Eyewear is tricky.

The time had come to address this most obvious — and functional— accessory with Liz. No doubt about it, at Freda’s she received an “A” in Accessorizing, but picking the right glasses presents a real challenge. There are thousands of frames to choose from. The right choice enhances the appearance, while the wrong one becomes a costly mistake —rather like buying an expensive coat that doesn’t keep you warm.

My recommendation is to take a trusted friend to help with the selection process. It’s very difficult to be objective on your own and in my experience, many people rely on opticians. Trained to determine the right kind of lenses for your prescription, few opticians understand face shapes and the nuances of skin colouring — important factors when it comes to choosing frames.

Let me explain:

• Your face shape is the starting point — square, round, triangle or oval. Say for example, that your face is square; you’ll want to avoid square-shaped frames that mimic your face shape and choose instead oval or round glasses. In other words, try frames that contrast or “contradict” your face shape.
• The size of your face and features play a critical role. Delicate features disappear with frames that look amazing on a larger face with stronger features.
• Same story with the nose — slender and small takes a different bridge than long and prominent or short and broad.
• Moving on to the eyes — close-set versus wide-set, drooping or tipped, dark circles or crow’s feet, there are so many considerations.
• Cool or warm skin tone and eye colour can make the difference between whether to choose anodized metal, “tortoiseshell” or even gold or silver trim.
• And then there’s the entire issue of personal style. Which category do you fall into: dramatic, classic, natural, romantic, gamin or ingénue?

A final checklist:
 Replace your frames at least every four years.
 Check yourself in a full-length mirror before finalizing your frame choice — you want to be certain the proportion is right.
 When in doubt about the right frame, look for an almost universally flattering oval shape.

Liz has a few thoughts:
“My old glasses will need to be replaced this spring and although Diane approved of the shape, she showed me how to choose a colour more becoming to my eyes and complexion. She also walked me through the initial frame selection process and showed me how to avoid the wrong shapes. Thank you Diane, another mission accomplished!”

Stay tuned!   (Note that you can now have our blog posts delivered to your Inbox by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right side of this page.)

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It was going to be a long day. Extensive editing left Liz with a minimal wardrobe; we were starting from scratch. Experience told me that Liz — like many clients — could be overwhelmed by the great number of choices. I reassured her that I did, indeed, have a plan.

More than a shopping spree, this was going to be a hands-on learning experience. Liz would make endless changes as she tried on all the various colours and styles we had discussed. Her budget was limited so my first stop at Freda’s was the sale rack— just in case a hidden treasure lurked there, waiting to be discovered. I reminded Liz that regardless of how tempting the price was; a bargain didn’t qualify for consideration unless it met all the criteria:
• Item on the wardrobe plan
• Right style and colour
• Quality fabric and workmanship

Liz remained calm throughout the entire process and changed from one outfit to another as we discussed the finer points of tailoring, fit, mixing and matching. I stressed the importance of good accessories — sacrifice quality and the art of accessorizing is lost.

When the day was finally over and the shopping bags filled, I was delighted to realize — Liz discovered she loves to shop!

“I usually find business attire uncomfortable (I don’t think I’m alone on this!) and although everything I tried on at Freda’s wasn’t as comfortable as my ‘lululemons’ — most things paired fashion and comfort brilliantly.

I immediately saw the difference in quality between what I typically wore in the past, and the new standards Diane has instilled in me. She had me try on some things that weren’t particularly flattering — not my favourite part of the day, but a necessary evil and terrific learning experience.

Each outfit Diane developed was finished with accessories.  She found an amazing suit and paired it with a large silver necklace for a gorgeous, classic look. Then she gave the suit a dramatic edge that I love, with a tortoise shell belt and a pair of industrial earrings — what a transformation! This exercise showed me how important it is to use accessories to set the tone of my outfit and achieve my desired look. Before I wore belts for practical reasons but now they’re my new favourite accessories!

Although I’m far more confident about shopping, I’ll take along the Personal Style Guide Diane prepared. In the meantime, I can’t wait to show off the new me.”

A final note: I’m always looking for the optimum suppliers for my clients. I need to feel confident that when my consultations are over, they’re in good hands as they continue to build their wardrobes. My standards are high:  I look for knowledgeable staff, impeccable service, tremendous variety, excellent fitting and alteration capabilities. Freda’s is the perfect problem-solver! All the must-have elements are there. This remarkable store carries designs by Freda, manufactured on site, and numerous other designers. Every category is covered from fun casual wear to business attire — even cocktail clothes and evening gowns. There’s a wonderful, varied selection.

One of Freda’s unique features is the large and sophisticated in-house manufacturing facility. Imagine you’ve spotted the perfect suit, but want a special colour — or great dress but want a lighter fabric. No worries! Because all the designing, sewing and finishing are completed upstairs. This makes shopping a dream come true for anyone with “challenging” body proportions. At Freda’s, the possibilities are endless.  www.fredas.com

Stay tuned!   (Note that you can now have our blog posts delivered to your Inbox by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right side of this page.)

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These are the same folks who would mark the map to Mount-Magical-Skiing with gas stations and highlight the best tapas bars in Barcelona — but off they go on a shopping spree, minus a plan.

Wardrobe planning is done systematically and strategically. Before beginning to build a client’s wardrobe plan, there needs to be a strong foundation in place. The starting point is the client’s body proportions, personal style and colour palette.

Liz had reached this stage on her journey and was ready to move forward. In preparation for our third meeting, I gave Liz a copy of my comprehensive Wardrobe Planning Guide. Although some client’s prefer that I make a “house-call” for this part of the consultation, Liz expressed a newfound confidence about what worked for her; she was ready to tackle her closet.

The following week, she arrived back at the office with her suitcase and my editing process began:

• Group 1: Keepers
• Group 2: Alterations Department
• Group 3: Pass-alongs for her sister
• Group 4: Goodwill donations

Liz’s wardrobe was minimal, so we had to build a plan that would allow her to introduce new pieces on a monthly basis. Since Liz and her partner are saving for a house, it was imperative that her foundation pieces be:

• Versatile — appropriate for varied situations
• Easy to mix and match
• Simple, understated — so she could use accessories to change their looks and moods.

The actual plan would be quite compact, but before committing it to paper we discussed a few basic guidelines:

• Discipline — and the importance of sticking to the plan
• Focus — find key pieces, accept no substitutes
• Impulse purchases — strictly off-limits
• Trend management — avoiding fads
• Splurging — when it makes sense
• Last minute shopping — past history
• Bargains — are they or aren’t they?

Soon, it would be time to put the plan to work, but before we hit the stores, Liz had a few words:

“I really didn’t want to show Diane my wardrobe. After going through my closet I was embarrassed — most items didn’t look like they belonged to a young professional. Once I got past my initial feelings, I buckled down and concentrated on understanding how to select the essential building blocks that would form the core, or as Diane calls it my ‘survival wardrobe.’ The best part is, I’m enjoying the process — it really is a journey.”

Stay tuned!   (Note that you can now have our blog posts delivered to your Inbox by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right side of this page.)

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How Is Your Personal and Professional Image? 
Is your style congruent with your brand? Are you confused about what suits YOU best, how to manage trends, dress age appropriate?

Join me for my FREE, 55 minute pre-training class:  Style for Women Virtual 4-part course where I will share tips on how to create your own look of success!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 3:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Pacific

Register Now!

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I explained to Liz, that this stage of her journey would take at least three and a half hours. We had a lot to accomplish.

First step, to address her body proportions:
   •  Sloping or straight shoulders, narrow or broad?
   •  High bust or low?
   •  Full hips or narrow?
   •  Short legs or long?

These are just a few of the measurements that would ultimately determine the most successful looks for Liz. The best skirt length, the right pant silhouette, the most flattering jacket, a turtleneck or cowl, wide belts or narrow — all these issues, plus, so many more, would be resolved, once I knew her body proportions. As many of you know, my background is haute couture and there is no better training for understanding the challenges of dressing the female figure!

Part two of the Style Analysis takes an in depth look at the client’s style or clothing “personality.” This is strongly influenced by body proportions. Let me give you some examples: Dolly Parton could never wear Audrey Hepburn’s streamlined looks, nor could Nicole Kidman carry Jennifer Lopez’s signature sense of style.   Once you know, understand and accept your body shape — regardless of weight gains or losses —you’ll know your best look.

It was essential that Liz understood her figure as it actually is, that she knew her assets and not focus on her limitations, before our first shopping spree. The entire personality becomes self-evident, once the client understands her body proportions and Liz was quick to grasp the nuances.

There was still a lot to review. I gave Liz our Figure and Style Analysis Manual and we went through a final checklist including her best:
   •  fit and “hang” of garments
   •  collar styles
   •  sleeve styles
   •  shape of shoulders on a garment
   •  lengths for skirts, pants —even sleeves
   •  pocket styles

Well, you get the general idea. Comprehensive is an understatement!

And before we move on to our Colour Analysis session, next Tuesday, here’s what Liz had to say.

“During this session, Diane measured my body proportions to determine what styles of clothing work best with my body to achieve my desired image. She just didn’t tell me what to wear; she took the time to teach me WHY certain styles work best for me. Thankfully, Diane recorded this information in a style guide —I’d never be able to remember everything and it’s perfect to take with me when I go shopping. Thank you, Diane I’m looking forward to our next session on colour.”

Stay tuned!   (Note that you can now have our blog posts delivered to your Inbox by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right side of this page.)

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How Is Your Personal and Professional Image? 
Is your style congruent with your brand? Are you confused about what suits YOU best, how to manage trends, dress age appropriate?

Join me for my FREE, 55 minute pre-training class:  Style for Women Virtual 4-part course where I will share tips on how to create your own look of success!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 3:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Pacific

Register Now!

Subscribe to our FREE monthly newsletter

After graduating with a Bachelor of Computing Science, Liz began her career as a Business Analyst in the tele-communications industry with a large, international organization and was placed into their Leadership Development Program.  Recently, Liz was appointed Process Improvement Lead.  Her new position involves day-to-day meetings with senior directors and vice-presidents and this level of interaction prompted Liz to contact Corporate Class for help with her image.

I immediately assured Liz that she had already taken her first big step by recognizing that appearance conveys a critical social message —
to play the role you must dress the part.  And I’m delighted to announce that Liz decided to share her journey of self-discovery.  Her motivation?   Liz says it best.

“The morning of my first meeting with Diane I was very excited and arrived confident that this experience would give me a valuable edge at work — and prepare me for my new role — in a way traditional classes and books could not.

But to really understand, you need to know where I was a year ago.  I was very overweight and took no pride in my appearance.  I frequently wore jeans and a hoodie to the office.  My self-image had deteriorated; it was affecting my confidence and as a result, my ability to excel.

Then, last November, I took control and joined a gym.  With self- discipline and coaching from a personal trainer I lost 40 pounds to reach a healthy weight and this helped me recapture confidence — in both my physical self and my ability to take on challenges.  I’ve changed my physique but not my image and although the confidence is there, it isn’t shining through.  Now, in my new position, I’m facilitating meetings with people far more experienced — I need to appear capable and confident.

Diane immediately put me at ease.  She explained that image is an investment you make in yourself — no different than my commitment to working out.  Now, I can’t wait to get started and I hope you’ll join me on this journey. Maybe you too, will decide it’s time to enhance your image, your confidence and your competitive edge!”

During the next 5-weeks showcasing Liz as her look of success unfolds, we’ll be busy — here’s an outline of our blog schedule:

• Style Analysis   Nov 19
• Colour Analysis   Nov 24
• Wardrobe Planning  Nov 26
• Shopping: Step 1  Dec 1
• Shopping: Step 2   Dec 3
• Shopping: Glasses  Dec 8
• Hair     Dec 10
• Make-up    Dec15
• Grand Finale   Dec 17

Stay tuned!   (Note that you can now have our blog posts delivered to your Inbox by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right side of this page.)

———————————————————————————————

How Is Your Personal and Professional Image? 
Is your style congruent with your brand? Are you confused about what suits YOU best, how to manage trends, dress age appropriate?

Join me for my FREE, 55 minute pre-training class:  Style for Women Virtual 4-part course where I will share tips on how to create your own look of success!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 3:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Pacific

Register Now!

Subscribe to our FREE monthly newsletter

And although it may take some readers by surprise, I know my way around the aisles of the local thrift store called Double Take which offers good, clean, used clothing and household items and training and employment opportunities for street youths.

Last year, I was asked to be keynote speaker for the Yonge Street Mission breakfast held at Toronto’s Design Exchange, in the heart of the financial district.

The “Mission,” a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring all people to achieve their full potential, asked me to do a makeover on two street youths.  The goal was makeovers of a sufficiently high standard that one young woman and one young man could apply for positions at clothing stores in Toronto’s prestigious office towers.   My budget? Less than $40.00 for both candidates.

All my shopping was done at Double Take, where the emphasis is on affordable clothing for people, like my makeover candidates, working towards a new career.  Fitting indeed, considering Goodwill’s founding philosophy was “a hand-up, not a hand-out.”  I regularly drop off parcels at Double Take and encourage everyone to support local thrift stores.  When you go, take a peak.  Maybe you’ll find a hidden gem in your size, see a celebrity, or spot a trend on the cusp of discovery.

Watch:  Video of the makeover

Read: New York Times style columnist Ruth La Ferla’s article:
“Look Who’s Shopping Goodwill”

Learn more about Yonge Street Mission:
http://www.ysm.ca/

Find a Goodwill Store near you:
http://locator.goodwill.org/

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Sign up for my FREE teleseminar- How to Create a Professional and Personal Image Plan on Tuesday July 28th 12-1pm Eastern Standard Time- Check your time zone! * You will learn how to create a plan that includes- all of the topics you should be familiar with to get the professional and personal image you want to project.  Register Now

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