And many of these resolutionists are so unschooled at working out it’s scary. Excessive weights, pathetic posture on the Stairmaster and high-speed reps are all common infractions. But with a mindset of overcoming holiday splurging, poorly executed sit-ups and crunches are positively epidemic.

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.

I guess before I met Christine, like most people I thought of osteoporosis (if I thought of it, at all) as a disease of very old people. Not so. This year, an estimated 1.5 million Canadians over 40 years of age and older will be diagnosed with osteoporosis. Startling. And this is what makes Christine’s book so important. Far more than the story of her personal evolution as she unraveled the challenges of osteoporosis, Unbreakable is a guide for anyone concerned about brittle bones — from pain management to calcium supplements and their much needed additive, Vitamin D, to bone density tests and stretching techniques. It’s all here, exercises to avoid — the infamous sit-up — and exercises to embrace: get in the pool! This is the ultimate resource on living with osteoporosis.

Here’s an excerpt from Unbreakable that traces Christine’s reasons for contacting me —and the happy outcome:

“Fractures affect the figure! The loss of height and curvature of my spine made me more compact and thickened my waist because the distance between my underarms and waist, and my waist to my hips was less than it used to be. Clothes that used to look lovely no longer fit very well and shopping was frustrating.

Diane Craig was kind and confident as she helped me build a wardrobe. We chose current fashions that fit my personal taste and flattered my new physique. Picking the right wardrobe helped me to accept what I cannot change about my body. It helped rebuild a positive self-image despite the consequences of my fractures. Through a figure and style analysis, I became more aware and more accepting of my body’s proportions and learned secrets to enhance my overall appearance by selecting correct lines and designs. This was and continues to be one of my greatest investments in healing my emotional wounds and lifting my spirits.”

Merci Christine. Bonne année et bonne santé!

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Life in downtown Toronto is fast-paced. Perhaps not by New York City standards, but more oil and gas companies are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange than any other exchange in the world. Just stand in the underground walkway beneath the financial district at lunchtime to get a taste of the energy that defines this city. My work is very much a part of this intense and exciting atmosphere. Every day I meet new people. New connections are made, new alliances formed. And although corporate associations last for years — my private consultations are usually one-offs. I work with these clients on a very intense basis for a short period of time and then poof — mission accomplished and time to move on.

Such is the case with Pamelia. I will never forget the day she walked into my office. Tall. Blonde. Great presence, tons of positive energy and a radiant smile. She was about to turn fifty and wanted to update her look. It was obvious from the first few minutes that we were going to work well together. We made a date to meet at her place for a thorough closet run-through.

The big day arrived and before we tackled the tough editing process — there are always more discards than “keepers” — Pamelia showed me her beautifully appointed home. She had high praise for her neighbour, Mel, a deft hand at constructing numerous enhancements throughout the house and explained that since retiring, his accomplished skill-set had worked many small miracles.

Then, it was time to get to work. We started with the bedroom closet and were making great progress when Pamelia opened her armoire. I stopped in my tracks. There, in front of me, on the inside door panels, all Pamelia’s jewellery was beautifully arranged and hanging from a series of hooks mounted on large boards. This was simply the most brilliant jewellery storage system I had ever seen. Courtesy, once again, of gifted Mel. Forget the usual tangle of necklaces and jumble sale of earrings. I nicknamed it “accessories central” and immediately filed away the concept for my own armoire.

But Pamelia was a step ahead of me. While I organized and sorted her clothes into groups, she quietly slipped away. Of course, at the time, I wasn’t really paying attention but about a week later the whole picture became clear. The day of our final official meeting arrived and as Pamelia welcomed me at the front door, her radiant smile was replaced with a mild-wide grin. “For you,” she said, “from Mel,” as she presented two beautiful Tiffany-blue jewellery boards. My very own accessories central!

I knew offering payment was off-limits — Pamelia had told me Mel’s projects were his pleasure — so a few days later I delivered a bottle of bubbly. Their generous gesture still has me smiling. Working with positive people is, indeed,
a blessing; they bring joy and brighten the day. It’s like a gift of sunshine. I’ve thought long and hard about how to share this sentiment with Pamelia and Mel and finally decided. I’ll send them this blog to simply say it was wonderful to meet you … Mes chers amis, merci bien pour tout.

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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.)

———————————————————————————————

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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Last week I was asked to explain the difference between a “fashion victim” and a “fashionista.” Bottom line, the former aspires to be the latter — but has taken things too far! The fashionista follows trends closely and may even work in fashion’s inner sanctum, as a designer or promoter.

The fashion victim is her own worst enemy and often, her biggest stumbling block is colour. Magenta, for example, is a so-called “hot- trend” colour this holiday season but it’s extremely tough to wear head-to-toe. The fashion victim will select a magenta, cocktail dress, regardless of her colouring — skintone, hair, eyes. The fashionista, on the other hand, knows which colours suit her best and her dress will reflect this. Now here’s where the fashionista’s cleverness comes into play; she’ll accessorize with magenta — a jewelled magenta cuff and magenta satin party-shoes or maybe one of the new tiny handbags.

The point is that once you know which colours suit you best, you’ll resist the temptation of making costly wardrobe mistakes — like becoming a magenta party-dress victim! Your best colours, or palette, determine not only your best clothing choices, but also your makeup —everything from foundation to blusher, lipstick, even eye shadow — and your hair colour, including highlights and lowlights.

Our fashion victim could choose to accessorize her magenta dress with matching lipstick, maybe hair extensions, even eye shadow. Our fashionista, on the other hand, is holding firm with her magenta minimalism — strictly cuff and shoes — or the tiny perfect bag. (Let me be perfectly clear that the shoes could have five-inch heels and the cuff could be what our grandmothers would call “over the top” and the bag is probably too small for anything more than a lipstick. Fashionistas are not known for understatement.)

When I hear comments like:
• My makeup doesn’t seem to work 
• My lipstick colour is off 
• My hair colour isn’t right 
• Sometimes I look blotchy or sallow.
• Every time I wear this top, dark circles appear under my eyes
 
Experience tells me colour is the root cause of these problems. Let’s examine a couple of all-too-familiar situations:

A woman with warm-coloured eyes, hair and skin tone purchases a cool-coloured lipstick; it’s a very close match to her new suit. Unhappy with the outcome, it’s back to the makeup counter for another lipstick. No luck. Next step, a new necklace and earrings —thinking they’ll do the trick. But all she’s doing is compounding her suit mistake. Doesn’t matter if the suit is the most flattering shape in the world, wrong colour cancels out the benefits of cut.

Another woman — with cool-coloured eyes, hair and skin tone — has her hair coloured and highlighted — an expensive undertaking.  At first glance, it’s perfect; with a warm base and red highlights, it’s exactly like the magazine picture she brought to the salon. As she re-applies her lipstick, she suddenly realizes that this wonderful new hair colour is looking brassy and that it clashes with her makeup. Her solution? New foundation and blusher and eye shadow and pencil and lipstick and liner and gloss — that in the end don’t remedy the problem.

So much time, effort, energy and money wasted. Around and around in circles, hair and makeup and clothing are connected. The absolute starting point is determining if you’re cool or warm. See how vibrant and alive Liz looks in the cool palette, versus the draining aspects of the warm colours.

 Thoughts from Liz
“I knew that I was a ‘winter’ but it was interesting to see how drastically my look changed as Diane held different colour palettes against my skin. I also discovered colours I didn’t know were part of the cool palette that works for me. This process definitely made me aware of my best colour choices and opened my eyes to a new, expanded palette. Thank you Diane — now I can’t wait to go shopping!”

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!

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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.)

———————————————————————————————

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