Style Harmony

So, I am guessing that, like me, you have received about 145 million emails since the day before Thanksgiving with the BEST SALE OF THE YEAR in the subject! On Black Friday, I opened my email and bulk deleted about 50 emails thinking I was through...then in popped another 50 brand new, unread emails. The hardest part is that is is all so tempting.  And before you know it, your credit card is smoking from all the sales.  It is a really great time to buy things you have been wanting, but that is the key:  buying things you have been wanting. Because the sales are just SO good, it's easy to see something on sale that you don't really need and think it's just makes sense to buy it because it's such a "good deal".  The problem with that thinking is that buying things you don't need is NEVER a good deal! Since retailers are going to continue to offer up sales through the rest of the year to entice you to buy, I wanted to offer up some suggestions that will hop...

 No one regulates sizing when it comes to fashion.  Unlike the drug industry, which for obvious reasons, has a system to regulate medicines you ingest, that is not available in the fashion industry.  You may be saying, "Yes, Michelle, but drugs and clothes are different."  While this is VERY true, one of the things that clothing impacts more than anything for women is their self-confidence.  I see it in my job every time I work with a Client.  It's no WONDER shopping for clothes is an experience many women dread and try to avoid! Did you know that the average clothing size for an American woman is between a size 16 and a size 18.  Per a Time article, 67% of women wear a size 14 or higher. Yet, once you have reached a 16, you are considered "Plus size" and it's more difficult to find clothes that fit well.  In a study done by a company called Quartz, they found that a woman with a size 31 inch waist can go home with a pair of pants ranging anywhere...

 One of the biggest trends of the season is a really seemingly simple one.  It's called Quiet Luxury, aka "Stealth Wealth".  Back in the day, showing off the brands you were wearing and highlighting when you had on something luxury was the thing to do.  Today, that is very passe. Wearing logos and showing brands is very dated. The idea of Quiet Luxury is to dress in a very understated way.  It's a quiet elegance and a focus on quality rather than showing off a logo.  It's a quite refined minimalistic take on fashion where crisp, sharp, clean pieces are at the forefront. I am OBSESSED with the Television show "Succession" on Max.  Have you seen it?  The style on this show is the epitome of Quiet Luxury. The style on this show doesn't scream, but instead simply oozes subtle and luxurious.  You can tell that the fabrics are refined, the styling is very classic. And if you know anything about the Roy family, they would sneer down their noses at y...

Imagine effortlessly turning heads, making a statement, and radiating confidence wherever you go. It's all within your reach, and it begins with one simple concept: You MUST stay engaged. Let's talk about style for a minute. Style is a constantly evolving, living, ever-changing thing. Style is also language. It is instant communication. Before you open your mouth, as you approach someone, what do they notice when you do this? They see your body language, how you hold yourself. They see your face, your hair, and they see what you are wearing. From these simple things, an initial impression is made about you. Like it or not, it is FACT. Every single time you walk out the door and are seen by a person, you are communicating SOMETHING. Are you communicating who you are in a way that you are comfortable and happy with? Let's explore for a moment style as a language . We all bring our own personality, life experiences, and unique views into our style. You and I could ...

 What do you wear when you wake up and go to work these days?  For many women,  at least half of the days each week are spent inside of a home office (or kitchen table, kitchen counter, bed, etc.).  It makes it REALLY easy to just roll out of bed, get kids out the door, and sit down in front of the computer.   If this is you, I'm pretty sure you haven't considered the very real impact that this has on your mindset, your energy, the voice you are speaking, and even the way in which you think.  I will go so far as to say that if you are trying to get a promotion at work and you aren't considering the clothes you put on your body even when you are working from home, you will be less likely to be considered for the promotion. Dress for Success:  How Your Outfit Sets the Tone for Your Day The way we dress affects the way we think, the way we feel, the way we act, and the way others react to us. ~  Judith Rasband It's important to start your day wi...

 I am starting right off by letting you know that I am now offering a program called the  5-Day Style Challenge:  Discover Your Closet's Potential .  At the time I am writing this blog, this is a free style challenge.  Once this challenge closes down on October 21st, 2023, it will be available for purchase . What is the 5-Day Style Challenge?  If you struggle inside of your closet and wear the same outfits over and over, this challenge is for you!  Did you know that studies show that most women wear only 20% of what is in their closet 80% of the time?!  That's a lot of wasted real estate!  Inside of this challenge, I am encouraging you with simple ideas that will help you create BRAND NEW Outfits with the clothes you already own!  Yes, please! This challenge is going to give you ideas and fresh eyes when you look at your closet.  Training your eye is a key to getting dressed in a creative way and this challenge does just that....

How many times have you walked in your closet and looked at all of the clothes and thought, "Today I am going to wear something new" but after about 10 minutes of trying to put together a new outfit, you just gave up and put on one of your "tried and true" outfits? This is a common problem.  Between living a busy life, not allowing ourselves enough time to be creative in our closet each morning, and not understanding the rules of style, the closet becomes a place of frustration for women.   Many times there is also a lot of guilt women have inside their closet because they see that their closets are full of clothes, but they only wear a fraction of them.  In fact, studies have shown that women wear only 20% of their closet 80% of the time.  This leads to feeling very stale in their style.  As a Style Coach™, I help guide women to create a wardrobe that they love by working with them to strategically identify their vision and to learn what to look for and ho...

 We live in an increasingly busy world.  It's a BIT subjective based upon what cycle of life you are living (with young kids, older kids, empty nester), but in a post-pandemic world things have really picked up in terms of what is on our list of "to do's". As women, specifically, what tends to happen in all of this busy-ness is that we put ourselves LAST.  By nature, women are nurturers.  We nurture and make sure our family and friends are taken care of and most of the time, that leaves no time, energy, or monetary investment for ourselves.  However,  doing such compassionate acts for others leaves you vulnerable to depression, illness, and a lower self-worth.  In the end, when you don't take care of yourself, you are at risk of putting yourself into a situation where you can take care of and help absolutely no one! Put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others Truth!  If you have ever been on an airplane, you have heard them say this du...

 Last week #OTB, I shared some of the most pervasive and key Style Habits that I want women to pay attention to and break free from.  It is easy to fall into a "stuck" feeling with style.  Because it is a living thing and is always evolving, one day we turn around and feel very dated.  It is common.  I liken it to technology.  If you don't keep up with what is happening, one day you wake up and have NO CLUE how to use it.  As a Stylist I'm here to help!  (And if you would like to go back and read last week's blog, it is linked here ). Because I love my readers, I didn't want to drop in and say "Hey!  You have lots of style bad habits.  Good luck with that!", so as promised, this week I want to discuss HOW you can break the hold that these bad habits have on you.  Whether you see yourself in one or multiple of these bad habits, you CAN break the chains of them! HOW to Break Free Just like with ANY habit that you want to break, the fi...

Evolution.  This has come up as a recurring theme for me personally recently.  Between launching my business and my self-growth journey to a changing body and a changing dynamic inside of my family, the one commonality is EVOLUTION.   We all go through it at different times and my journey of evolution will be different than yours with 100% certainty.  The one thing that is certainly assured for all of us is that where we are today will be different in many ways from where we are a year from now.  That is LIFE.  It changes, it evolves and we can't stop the fact that change will happen, even if we want to. This week, I want to embrace taking the reigns in the evolution we are experiencing when it comes to style, specifically.  If you have been with me for awhile, you know that I wholeheartedly believe that your style (or lack thereof) says a LOT about you and who you are.  I don't mean it in an icky way, but truly, it is how we are first seen a...