· Sleeve Length Long sleeves on a shirt should stop just below your wrist bone. If you are wearing a jacket or blazer the sleeve should stop right in the middle of the meaty part of your thumb.
· Sloppy Shoulders Shoulder seams on a garment should be AT your shoulder. A common fit problem is a shoulder seam that hits below the shoulder, causing a sloppy ill fitting look.
· Jacket Length If the fit of your jacket is the wrong length it can distort the way your body looks. For example, a jacket that is too long will make your legs look shorter, making you look shorter. A good rule of thumb is for your jackets to be no longer than a few inches below your hip bone.
· Shirt Gaps A button front shirt should not pull or gap. If you have a larger chest this is probably a common fit problem for you. Buy the size that fits your chest. If the rest of the shirt is too big, a tailor can size it down for you.
· Pant Length Hem your pants to be ¾ of an inch from the ground helping give you a long and lean leg line.
· Waistband Gap This is a very common problem for curvy women. The gap in the back of your waistband can be taken in by your tailor. Buy your pants to fit the widest part of you and take in the waist.
· Mind Your Rise The fit of the crotch, or rise, of a pant can make or break your look. If you get a lot of pulling and wrinkling across your crotch, your pants are too small. If you get a lot of excess fabric around the crotch area your pants are too big.
· Uneven Skirt Hem Your skirt should have the same length hem all the way around. The curve of our bum can hike up the back of a skirt. Make sure you look at yourself in a mirror from front and behind to combat this fit problem. Consult your tailor and discuss letting the hem out in the back of the skirt or shortening the front.
Remember that great fit is the first step to having great style. Everyone has one fit challenge so discover how to combat yours. For help determining proper fit for your body contact Charleston Style Concierge.
Do you envy the woman who always looks stylish and put together no matter what? You know the woman, the one who looks like she spent hours getting ready with a stylist and tailor at the ready. You will be surprised to find out that many of your style icons (I’m talking real world style icons. Your co-worker, the neighbor, your best friend.) are able to get dressed in minutes with minimal effort, and look fabulous.
A Perfect Fit. Without fit you have no style. A trendy blazer that is too big will look shlumpy and outdated. The same blazer too small makes appears as if you are trying too hard, and will remove the chic sophistication from an outfit. Learn about your body type and dress it appropriately. It is sometimes hard to see our bodies for how they really are. Get advice from a personal stylist or ask a trusted friend to help you examine the fit of your clothing.
Embrace Your Personal Style. Stylish women own their look and exude confidence because of it. Take note of the style and type of clothing that makes you feel like you can conquer the world. This is your personal style. If the trendy item of the month doesn’t fit your personal style, it will just look silly on you. Find a style that makes you feel sexy, confident, and proud. Then embrace it, that’s your style, and what makes you unique.
Flaunt your Assets. The put-together women of the world know what their best and worst body features are. Nobody is perfect, and everyone has at least one hang up about their body. Stop dwelling on the parts you don’t like and flaunt the parts you do. As you study how to play up certain assets you will learn how to downplay you least favorite body parts, and stop worrying about them.
Create a Versatile Wardrobe. French women are a great example of how chic a versatile wardrobe can be. Walk the streets of Paris and you will find women who put together fabulous outfits with fewer pieces than hang on your husband’s side of the closet. Examine your lifestyle and then purchase wardrobe pieces that can be mixed and matched to make different outfits.
Accessorize. Accessories are one of the most important parts of your outfit. The right accessory is the missing link between you and your style icon. Learn to accessorize with unique pieces that compliment an outfit. Add pizzazz to a boring outfit with a colored shoe. Carry a handbag in a pseudo-neutral color like purple, pink, or burgundy. It goes with everything and will save you time from changing back and forth.
Effortless style isn’t just for celebrities. Change how long it takes you to get dressed and feel good every time you walk out the door. For help creating your effortless style contact the Charleston Style Concierge.
Every day the media paints a bleak picture of the economy. Not everything is bleak. Now is the time to get out there and shop! Many retailers are offering huge discounts to encourage people to shop with them. These sales are an opportunity for you to save money or treat yourself to something you ordinarily couldn’t justify or afford. Not to mention you are putting money back into the economy.
Spend some time examining your current wardrobe and lifestyle. What do you need? What would help make your current wardrobe more versatile? Make some notes about items that would help you make outfits and solve the problem of never having anything to wear. If you need help determining how to get more use out of what you already own hire a personal stylist. The knowledge you learn is an investment and will save you money in the long run.
When you hit the stores only buy things that fit, work for your lifestyle, and compliment your personal style. Even the best deal isn’t a deal if it won’t help you solve your morning crisis of having nothing to wear.
If you shop with your style goals in mind you will walk away with a great deal and an idea of what to wear to work the next day!
For help discovering how to get the best deals on clothing that makes you feel stylish and confident, contact the Charleston Style Concierge. We can help you feel confident about your style while showing you that great style doesn’t take a lot of time or effort.
(CNN) – The presidential inauguration party tops the list of formal affairs next January, and President-elect Barack Obama is rumored to be preparing for his big event: He’s believed to have ordered a simple and classic black tuxedo by the union-friendly suburban Illinois-designer Hart Schaffner Marx, a stylist to which the president-elect is said to be faithful, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Read the full article
It’s a new year. Don’t settle, make a change.
This morning I saw this bumper sticker. Give it some thought.
“If we don’t change direction we will end up where we are going.”
Get inspirational and stylish quotes sent to you each week with Charleston Style Concierge‘s Style Solution. Sign up now.
It’s that time again. The holidays. The time of year that’s packed with parties, concerts, shopping, dinners, parades, and the list goes on. With so much on your plate, the last thing you should have to worry about is what to wear and what not to wear.
Are you sick of running out to the nearest mall at the last minute to find an outfit you’ll wear only once? Hoping people won’t remember you wore the same dress to the last party? Worried you won’t be wearing the appropriate attire?
Have fun this holiday season instead of worrying about your style.
On Wednesday, December 3, 2008, at 8 pm ET, my friend Michelle Salater will host a free, hour-long call with me, Lee Heyward, personal stylist and owner of Charleston Style Concierge, to discuss tips on how to survive the holidays in style.
Don’t miss this call. Click here now to reserve your spot for the F*R*E*E call, Wednesday, December 3, at 8pm Eastern / 5pm Pacific.
On this call, you’ll discover . . .
Topic: How to Survive the Holidays with Style
Date: Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Time: 8 pm Eastern / 5 pm Pacific
Registration: www.marketingonlinebootcamp.com/holidaycall.html
Listen Now: http://marketingonlinebootcamp.com/audio/holidaystylecall12308.mp3
If you can’t join us for the live call December 3rd, the call will be recorded, but you must register to receive the recording. If you are new to telecalls, it is easy. All you have to do is sign up. You will receive an email with the phone number. Call the number and join us for a fun hour of style tips sure to get you through the holidays in style.
If you want to stress less over what you’re wearing this holiday season, make it a point to be on this call. Don’t miss this call. Click here now to reserve your spot.
To learn more about the Charleston Style Concierge and our styling services visit us on the web at www.charlestonstyleconcierge.com. Sign up for our newsletter for great style tips and information on future style telecalls.
The first step in creating a versatile wardrobe is to decide what style you desire. To put it another way, you need to figure out what you should be wearing to create the look you desire.
As you think about the style you desire, don’t worry whether or not you can pull off a particular style or outfit. Once you figure out what you like, you can find ways to wear the style of clothes so that they are appropriate for your body shape and lifestyle.
It’s impossible to create a versatile wardrobe when you have no direction or goal in mind. What you get is a closet full of clothes that you don’t want to wear and that won’t make different outfits. And clothes that still have tags on them.
We can all use a reality style check. It is very easy to end up with a style that makes you no longer feel good about yourself. The young professional whose wardrobe reflects who she was at twenty-two, not who she is at twenty-nine. The man who has lost a significant amount of weight, yet still buys baggy, unflattering clothes. Or the mother who has focused so much energy on her family that she’s forgotten herself, only to wake up one day and wonder why she is so unhappy with herself.
Whatever your situation, creating style goals is easy. Simply decide how you want to look and what you need to wear in order to create the style you desire.
Tips on how to discover your style goals:
· Observe what people are wearing when you think to yourself, “Wow! They look great!” Do you notice a pattern in what you like? If so, you’re onto something.
· Notice if you gravitate toward a particular style or look. Are you constantly drawn to classic sophisticate, bohemian chic, or preppy? Make note of this.
· Ask yourself if you want to look younger, more modern, more professional, more put together. Then ask yourself why.
· Pretend you live in a perfect world with none of your lifestyle and body constraints. Now, how would you like to dress?
· Cut out images in fashion magazines to narrow down what you really like. Don’t focus on what you think you can wear. Focus on the style you like.
Take some time to answer the above questions. Write down you answers and refer back to them as you develop a versatile wardrobe that fits your personal style.
This is an excerpt from our Style Guide: 5 Steps to a Stress-Free and Versatile Wardrobe. To view the entire style guide for FREE logon to our website and sign up for our mailing list. Once you have signed up for our mailing list the link will be emailed to you.
For more help creating style goals contact the Charleston Style Concierge. We can help you develop a unique personal style that fits your budget and lifestyle.
Take the stress out of this party season and brush up on your party etiquette. Discover what to bring, when to arrive, and other great etiquette tips from our friends at Southern Protocol, an etiquette company that believes you should always be gracious, stylish, and charming.
Is arriving fashionably late really fashionable?
There is no such thing as fashionably late. Guests are expected to arrive no later than 5-10 minutes after the arrival time listed on the invitation. In most cases 15 minutes is acceptable. If you are going to be any later than 15 minutes, you should call the host/hostess to let them know. Don’t expect the party/dinner to wait on you. NEVER show up to a party early unless asked to do so by the host/hostess.
Should I always bring a hostess gift?
There is no real “rule” on when to or when not to take a hostess gift. Our general thinking is that if the party/dinner is hosted by a family with whom you frequently visit no gift is required. If it is a first time visit a small gift would be appropriate. Consider what you know about the host/hostess when deciding on a gift. It would be considered inappropriate to give someone who does not drink alcohol a bottle of wine, etc. If you are completely unsure of whether or not to take a gift – you could attend the party empty handed and get a feel from the other guests actions. If the majority of guests did bring a gift, a nice gesture would be to send flowers with a nice note of appreciation the day following the party.
How long should you stay at a party?
The typical “rule of thumb” is that it is respectful to stay for about an hour after dinner. The best way to know is to take clues from the people at the party/dinner. When the other guests begin to leave, you should follow suit unless asked to do otherwise by the host/hostess. If everyone is still at the party and the host/hostess start to drop clues about how late it is or how early their day tomorrow is going to be, don’t be afraid to be the first to go. Hopefully the other guests will follow.
How do I know if I can bring a guest?
You can only bring a guest if you have been told directly, either on the invitation or in person by the host/hostess that it is ok. You need to let the host/hostess know if you are bringing a guest prior to the party. NEVER ask the host/hostess if you can bring a guest. This “rule” is also true with children. If the children’s names are not on the invitation or have not been specifically invited by the host/hostess themselves – they are not invited.
Discover more etiquette tips and how to stress less about what to wear during this holiday party season, by joining my free teleclass on December 3, 2008. My friend Michelle Salater, owner of Michelle Salater Writing & Editorial, LLC, will host a free, hour-long call with me to discuss tips on how to survive the holidays in style. The holidays are packed with parties, concerts, shopping, dinners, parades and the list goes on. With so much on your plate, the last thing you should have to worry about is what to wear. Sign up now!
With a different dress code on every invitation, how are you supposed to know what to wear. Use this guide to decipher attire definitions, or when in doubt ask your host.
1. Black Tie indicates formal attire. Women wear cocktail, long dresses, or dressy evening separates. Men wear tuxedos.
2. Formal usually means the same as Black Tie. Men might wear a less traditional tux and women will dress as they would for a black tie event.
3. Black Tie Optional indicates a formal event. Women wear cocktail, long dresses, or dressy evening separates. Men may wear a tuxedo or a dark suit and tie.
4. White Tie is the most dressy of evening wear. Women wear long gowns. Men wear a dinner jacket with tails and white tie, vest, and shirt. White Tie is sometimes known as Ultra-formal.
5. Semi-Formal requires a cocktail or dressy dress for a woman and dark suit for a man.
6. Business Formal is the same as semi-formal with the exception that women will often wear a dressy suit.
7. Informal Attire calls for either semi-formal attire or a slightly less dressy version.
8. Cocktail Attire is one of the most fun dress codes. Women wear short, elegant dresses and men wear a dark suit.
9. Dressy Casual is just a dressier version of casual. For both men and women steer clear of jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and overall sloppy looks.
10. Festive Attire usually dictates a semi-formal or informal event, and is seen around the holidays. This is the time to add appropriate glitz and your holiday spirit.
For more help deciding what to wear to a party, contact the Charleston Style Concierge or sign up for our monthly ezine full of great style advice.
Being realistic about your lifestyle is one of the most important elements when creating a versatile wardrobe. Many of us buy clothing that we love, but that won’t work for our lifestyle. The result: gorgeous pieces that spend more time hanging in the closet than being worn and enjoyed. For instance, if you spend most of your time each week at a jean-free workplace, do you really need 50 pairs of jeans? No.
This is why it’s important to take inventory of your lifestyle needs.
Examining your lifestyle simply requires you to pay attention.
Yes, all you need to do is pay attention. Then, take inventory of your style needs with your lifestyle needs in mind.
I suggest keeping a notepad and pen near your closet or the area where you regularly dress. When you are getting dressed, keep the following questions in mind, and write down what you discover.
· On a typical day, where are you going and what are you doing? And what percentage of time is spent doing those things? Do you work a 60-hour-week corporate job? Do you divide your time between a part-time job and attending your children’s activities and games?
· Where are you going when you have problems with your wardrobe and become frustrated if you have nothing to wear? Is it when you’re getting ready for work, for a dinner party, for lunch with friends, to your son’s soccer game?
· When you’re getting dressed, where do you feel the most challenged? What are you lacking? Do you have plenty of shoes for the office, but nothing to wear for a night on the town? Are you lacking blouses and shirts to make more than one outfit with your dress slacks?
Writing down your answers will show you your wardrobe needs and challenges. This understanding is crucial when building a versatile wardrobe.
This is an excerpt from my latest style guide, 5 Steps to a Stress-Free and Versatile Wardrobe. To read more from this great guide sign up for our mailing list and download 5 Steps to a Stress-Free and Versatile Wardrobe for F*R*E*E.
More often than not, each piece of your brand image was created when you needed it, but not altogether in a strategic fashion. Your image may look fine, but does fine help you grow?
Eventually as you scale, your image foundation cracks, and the way your business presents itself no longer helps propel growth – costing you time and money to fix.
When you unlock your brand power, you get to pick and choose how people perceive you and your brand.
Our Image Mastery System™ takes the 5 key brand components that you already have and ties them together in a way that amplifies your results and achieves your vision.
