5 Things You Can Do NOW to Improve Your Professional Image and Personal Style
If you’re like me, I start getting bored with my wardrobe towards the end of the season. It’s the end of July, and I’m pretty sure everyone in Denver has seen me wear pretty much every summer outfit I own. What are some things you and I can do to switch things up and keep it fresh?
Here are five ideas for improving your professional image and personal style when you feel stuck in a rut:
1. Wear lipstick
You wouldn’t believe how much of an impression lipstick can make! On other people, but more importantly, on yourself. It's an instant mood-booster! I have a friend who wears lipstick almost every time I see her, and I’m always so captivated by the way it brightens her face. If you asked me what she was wearing, I wouldn't be able to tell you (and that’s coming from a personal stylist!), but I distinctly remember how pulled-together she looked with just a swipe of color on her face.
2. The 2 out of 3 rule
Ever feel overwhelmed with how long it takes to get ready in the morning? The 2 out of 3 rule helps me when I don’t want to spend an hour on my appearance every day. The rule represents three categories - hair, makeup, and clothing. If you can spend time on 2 out of the 3 categories, you’re doing good! I personally enjoy makeup and clothing the most because (Lord knows) I don’t enjoy styling my hair (eek).
3. The tight vs. baggy rule
I talk about this rule with every Style Shop Denver client! No matter your body type, pairing two baggy items together will only make you feel frumpy. Think about wearing a form-fitting top with a loose-fitting short, or a blousy top with a form-fitting skinny jean or ankle pant. Trust me, you’ll feel 100% better once you start using this trick!
4. Accentuate your waistline
The Style Shop by Sandi Mele’s Instagram account harps on this concept regularly. Most of my clients are revolutionized by the idea! The majority of Style Shop Denver clients have children, which means they’ve been through physical transitions over the years and don’t feel comfortable drawing attention to their midsection. But accentuating your belly and accentuating your waistline are two different things! No matter your size or body type, you want to showcase your feminine curves with styles that draw the eye to the smallest part of your waist. Here are three examples of The Style Shop by Sandi Mele clients who didn’t love the idea of accentuating their waistline during our initial closet cleaning session, but utilize this transformative concept now after our time together (each client has had more than one baby, by the way!):
5. Use color and pattern to your advantage
If there’s an area of your body you LOVE, PLAY IT UP with bright colors and patterns! On the other hand, if there’s an area of your body you don’t love, downplay it with solids in dark colors. Use big and small patterns strategically - BIG patterns create volume and SMALL patterns comparatively downplay an area (comparatively is key - stick with solids and dark colors before a pattern if you want to downplay an area).