Your Total Image

Professional Appearance Does Matter

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:59:42 +0000

With today’s economy we find that there are many people who are unemployed. I know this comes of no surprise to you. Many major corporations are downsizing, consolidating and finding ways to become more efficient with less people. These factors make the job market very competitive. Those who are job seekers or looking to advance in their current roles must make sure that they are doing everything they can to have a competitive edge.

When most people think of being competitive, they think in terms of education, skills and ability. Don’t get me wrong, all of these things are important but your image is just as important.

I have recently read several articles related to employers hiring people who look good. I don’t mean having a supermodel look but I do mean those who look like they care about their appearance. A recent Career Builder survey indicates that 41% of employers state that the people who dress better or more professionally tend to be promoted more often than others in their organization.

Financial services industries tend to place alot of emphasis on professional dress. While the organization overall may have a more casual dress code, how you dress can have an impact on how others perceive you. Dressing professionally can project a motivated and dedicated image.

You do not have to go out and purchase a new wardrobe but you should have a few few basic versatile pieces; look neat and clean; dress as if you are going to work and not a ball game; and try looking the part for the role you want. It is often said that you should not dress for the job that you currently have but for the job you want.

Don’t let your appearance keep you from reaching your potential.

Is this something that you are struggling with? I would love to show you how to be comfortable while remaining professional in order to help you land the job of your dreams.

Don’t let your image hold you back from opportunities.

Style Secrets 7-9

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 02:09:26 +0000

At last, we are at the end of our Style Secrets. I hope that I haven’t kept you waiting too long to receive these last 3 Style Secrets. These are a bit different than the first six but are definitely things we need to remember that will help you on our journey to becoming “the Stylish You.”

7. Learn the secrets of Fabulous Grooming: Grooming is one of the most essential and important rules of all. Your hands and nails should be clean and neat whenever you go out and present yourself. Although summer is almost over, it is important to remember our feet. Feet should be clean, moisturized, toe nails trimmed and if polish is used make sure it is not chipping. You would not believe how many people pay attention to our feet. Makeup is also a part of the grooming process. These days the trend is “less is more.” The right makeup can take years off your look.

8. Be Gracious, Well Mannered and Charming: We talk about feeling and looking self confident. We must go that extra step and also behave in a “stylish” manner. This completes the entire picture. Some things may seem to be common sense but believe me, not everyone has a clue. For instance, do you know the correct etiquette for introducing people or even for mobile phone usage in public? Knowing a few social graces never hurts. They say beauty is only skin deep. True grace and style takes alot more effort but this is what people will remember and respect.

9. Get Professional Advice: It’s not always easy to know how to be confident and stylish, how to enhance your appearance through the right clothing or how to use proper etiquette in the right situations. This is a process of continual learning. We should all strive to improve ourselves and sometimes the best way to do this is to seek professional help. Always know that I am here to help you with your image needs.

I hope you have enjoyed the 9 Style Secrets mini series. You might need to go back and review secrets 1-6 as a refresher. Keep them handy if you need a reminder. It was actually good for me to revisit some of these tips. If you’ve been following along you know that these came to me in the midst of a basketball tournament. Well, summer basketball is over so I will need to find new avenues of inspiration for writing ideas.

Until next time

About the Author: Valerie Hatcher, owner of Your Total Image works with professional women who enjoy clothing and understand the importance of their image to their success. She teaches them how to dress for success-enabling them to look fashionable, stylish and confident. Visit Your Total Image at www.yourtotalimage.net and sign up for the monthly newsletter filled with tips.

Will your jeans work at work?

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 01:19:27 +0000

Today I went back to school shopping with my son. While in the mall I took advantage of the time to check out all the different styles of jeans that are on display for the fall season. I say for the fall because with our over 100 degree days not many people are trying to wear jeans right now, at least not in Fort Worth, Texas.

As I looked at the styles on the mannequins, I noticed that some would be very work appropriate while others, not so much. With that in mind, here are 3 things to consider when selecting jeans for work.

1. The Wash- a dark rinse is polished enough for most settings

2. The Fit-body skimming, but not too tight, looks pulled together

3. The Style-the office isn’t the place to rock your trendier pairs of jeans. Stick to classic jeans without embellishments.

For a good pair of jeans that look very nice for the workplace, try a pair of trouser jeans. They are my favorite!

J.Crew Lightweight Stretch Trouser Jeans

Style Secrets 4-6

admin — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:05:48 +0000

A couple of postings ago I was at a basketball tournament and began my list of nine style secrets. I wrote about the first 3 and thought it is now time to revisit the next three. These come on the heels of another basketball tournament weekend. I really do some of my best mental work at basketball tournaments. I have a lot of time to people watch and there are a lot of people to watch.

Let’s get started. Feel free to look back at the previous post if you need a reminder of Style Secrets 1-3.

4. Define your shape with fitted underwear. This is such an important step that many people miss. Take time to find bras that fit and provide the support that you need. It is well worth the time, effort and money to get properly fitted, as most women choose the wrong size and end up with bulges or sags in the wrong places. Breast can be your greatest asset or your worst, depending on what you use as shapewear. Did you know that over 90% of women wear the wrong bra size? Don’t be part of the statistic. Most major department stores such as Nordstrom’s, Sak’s, Macy’s and Victoria’s Secret offer free fittings.

5. Choose the right accessories. You can change the look of an outfit with the right accessories but you need to know what looks good for your shape and size. Some necklaces accentuate a large bust while others may not look too good on someone with a short neck. Shoes can also impact your look. The right shoe can make short legs look longer. Purses and handbags are also an important part of an outfit. There are styles for casual outings, corporate choices and evening outings. You should also consider color, fabric, style and functionality when selecting a handbag.

6. Give your wardrobe a makeover. This doesn’t mean acting out a “What Not to Wear” episode by throwing out all of your current clothes. Most of us have numerous items that we still wear but maybe we need to update them with different accessories. Your wardrobe should have a few core essential items such as a good pair of fitted jeans, a well tailored suit and a classic dress. With these core items you can mix and match jackets, shoes and tops to spice up your look.

Follow these quick and easy Style Secrets and you will be on your way to looking fashionable, stylish and confident.

About the Author: Valerie Hatcher of Your Total Image works with professional women who enjoy clothing and understand the importance of their image to their success. She teaches them how to dress for success-enabling them to look fashionable, stylish and confident. Visit Your Total Image at www.yourtotalimage.net and sign up for the monthly newsletter filled with tips.

Subliminal Impression Components

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:55:36 +0000

We hear alot about the importance of making a good impression. Did you know that the impression you make on others can be broken down into 4 basic components? Each is judged subliminally and by degrees. Not only will you be judged as trustworthy or not but how trustworthy you appear will also be determined.

The four basic components are:

Your Credibility: Your level of believability, apparent qualifications, level of intelligence, competence, honesty and sincerity.
Your Likeability: How likeable, emotionally expressive and sociable you appear to be and how much you are like them as shown through your dress, behavior, voice, etc.
Your Personal Attractiveness: Not how slim, young or fashionable you are but how well you manage and present yourself as you are. Great grooming and dress sense says much about your level of self esteem, self respect and confidence.
Your Confidence: Your apparent level of power, ability personal assuredness and authority.

Keep these in mind and next time you see someone see if you find yourself subliminally making conclusions about their image.

Style Secrets 1-3

admin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:55:51 +0000

I have been at a basketball tournament all weekend. I really take pleasure in people watching and use this as my opportunity to think of articles to write. Today I played a little game in my mind called “Style Secrets.” As I looked around, I thought of a few secrets that I wanted to share with others. As a matter of fact, thus far I have come up with nine. While it may not have been appropriate to share my secrets with strangers, I have decided to share them with you, the readers.

Because I am in between basketball games I am going to share three with you now and you will need to stay tuned for the others.

#1 Be Confident with who you are: Many people spend alot of time wishing they looked like someone else who has the ideal body image. One thing to remember is this really is just an ”idealized image” and does not represent what the majority of us are really like. It is important to recognize your attributes rather than concentrating on the imperfections. Believing in yourself will automatically send positive signals about the person you really are.

#2 Dress to flatter your body shape: You first need to know your body shape. If you need help determining your body shape, here is a link to one of my newsletters that might be helpful. http://community.icontact.com/p/yourtotalimage/newsletters/december2/posts/dressing-your-body As you will see, there are basically 6 common body shapes. By knowing your body shape, you can choose clothes that flatter your body and camouflage the parts that you don’t want to emphasize.

#3 Buy colors that look good on you: Wearing the wrong color can make you look sick. Wearing the right color can have a great impact on your self confidence and your behavior. When you know your colors you know what clothing, accessories and make up to buy. Color is very powerful. It can direct or divert the eye and communicate emotion.

About the Author: Valerie Hatcher of Your Total Image teaches women how to dress for success-enabling them to look fashionable, stylish and confident. She shows them how to build an effective personal brand to achieve social and professional success. Visit Your Total Image at www.yourtotalimage.net and sign up for the monthly newsletter filled with tips.

Are You Presenting a Polished Image?

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 01:45:45 +0000

You know it is said that when you look good you become a people magnet. Studies have shown that people are drawn to an aesthetically pleasing appearance. I’m not saying that you have to be drop dead gorgeous but you do need to package yourself attractively.

If you take the time to groom yourself and wear flattering clothing that fits your body and is appropriate for the occasion, you are demonstrating that you care about your appearance and have confidence in yourself. Others will also have confidence in you, unless you give them reason not to.

On the flip side, if you look thrown together or have on clothes that do not fit or are outdated then you are communicating that you don’t care about your appearance, you are out of touch or even that you have low self esteem. Others will respond to you in like manner.

I know it isn’t fair but it is reality. Think about the goal that you are trying to accomplish. Is it to get the job that you have been seeking, to be taken seriously as a contender for a promotion or to get that committee chair position that you have hoped for? Whatever the goal is for you, dress yourself appropriately to meet that goal. A polished image is a powerful tool to have in your handy tool bag. Don’t leave home without it.

Cool Idea for Scarf Lovers

admin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 02:01:34 +0000

Yesterday I was reading a blog post that I received from one of my image consultant friends,Tracy Gringer, and wanted to share it with you as I thought it was a great tip. I love wearing scarves and if you do too, Tracy has a good idea to add a bit of flare to your look.

Stretch Ring

As everyone knows I am a diehard scarf lover. Since I strongly believe accessories are key to creating an outfit, scarves have become my go to styling tool. I want to share one of my newest ideas for wearing my summertime scarves. Have you seen the fashion rings out there with the elastic band? They not only look great on your finger but look amazingly cool on a scarf too! Just select a lightweight scarf and place around your neck. Grab your oversized elastic banded cocktail ring and pull both ends of the scarf through the ring. Either place to the side of your neck or in front. Cool, right? It’s just another great option to put a kick into your summertime look.

Summer Basics for Working Women

admin — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:22:46 +0000

Summer is really upon us. It’s hard to believe that we have already had days with temperatures of 100 degrees or more. When the temperature gets hot should our business clothes change? Sure they should! But, we still need to maintain our credibility. Remember, you can’t be taken seriously wearing a halter top and shorts.

Here are a few business wear items that will fit nicely in your warm weather wardrobe.

Lighter Jacket: Does your job call for a jacket or suit? If so, try a summer weight fabric like linen or silk. You’ll be able to look professional while remaining cool.

A-Line Skirt: A simple A-line skirt looks great on most body types and is much cooler than pants on hot days.

Collared Dress: Try a shirt dress or a wrap dress for a light, breezy and professional look.

Classic Sheath: This dress is acceptable in any season. For summer try one that is sleeveless. You can wear it with a light jacket in case you work in an environment where sleeveless is not appropriate.

Cropped Pants: These are great in a business casual environment. They can be dressed up with heels and a jacket or dressed down with nice sandals. Either way, they are a nice alternative.

Slingback Pumps: For those who must wear a closed toe shoe to work, these are a great alternative to the traditional pump.

Summer Bag or Briefcase: Try something light for the summer. How about a lighter colored leather bag, a straw tote or even a clutch?

Regardless of what you wear, the key to remember is that your goal is to keep cool while looking professional. We may be tempted to wear less during the summer season but do not risk your credibility by showing too much skin. Remember, maintaining a good image is very important to your career.

Job Search: Dress for Success

admin — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 03:57:29 +0000

In today’s economic turmoil many people are seeking jobs, the competition for jobs is very stiff. Think about it, you have people with advanced degrees competing with high school students for summer jobs.

Job seekers should make sure that they are presenting a polished look to compliment their skill based qualifications. With that being said, you need to consider what your look is saying about you. Yes, appearance does matter when looking for a job.

When was the last time you updated your hairstyle and wardrobe? If it’s been more than five years, it is probably time to take a trip to the hair salon or barber. Having a “dated” look makes employers wonder if your skills and ideas may be out dated as well.

Do you know what fashions are in style or are you still wearing the 80′s blazer with the big shoulder pads? If you are unsure whether or not what’s in your closet is still in style, spend some time flipping through magazines or go to your local mall and window shop. While you are there, look for bargains on classic business outfits that would be interview appropriate.

Now, back to the hair. Your hairstyle is one of the first things people notice about your appearance. A good haristylist can update your look.This isn’t just for women. Men, your look can be updated too. A barber or hair stylist can help groom unruly beards, sideburns and mustaches.

So, while job seeking, get ahead of the competition and let your appearance make a positive first impression.