Eight leading international Image Consultants
reveal the secrets of looking fabulous,
no matter what your shape, size or age

Alison Bird Sydney Australia	Anne Noonan Brisbane Australia	Audrey Beaulac Seattle, USA	Candy Jensen Orlando, USA
Chris Fulkerson Louisville, USA	Karen Brunger Ontario Canada	Li-Kin Pang Singapore	Sarah Hathorne Duluth, USA

Step 1 - Love Who You Are

Many people ignore the fact that the idealised body images that surround us are just that - idealised - and don't represent what the majority of us are really like. Many of us find ourselves in a relentless pursuit of the elusive perfect figure - leaving us chronically dissatisfied with our appearance. This often results in low self-esteem and a lack of confidence.

The truth is, the vast majority of people don't have (and won't ever have) "perfect" bodies.

Most of us are much more likely to talk and get to know somebody who is friendly and approachable rather than a more physically attractive self-centred person. Our personality and behaviour count for a lot. We need to accept ourselves for who we are and what we're meant to look like.

Recognise your attributes and make the most of them rather than dwelling on imperfections. Your attitude towards yourself makes a big difference. Lack of confidence in your appearance can lead you to behave in defensive ways that appear unfriendly and aloof, and this behaviour is likely to put people off rather than your appearance.

Believing in yourself and feeling good about the way you look will help to automatically send off more positive signals about the person you really are. So don't waste any more time trying to be a second class somebody else and get on with being a first class you!

Step 2 - Learn How to Flatter Your Body Shape

Firstly you need to identify your body shape.  There are basically six common body shapes, and a couple of vertical variations.  However please remember, that you may not completely conform to one of the shapes.  You may be a combination of a couple of shapes.

By recognising your assets you can choose clothes to flatter them and camouflage parts you don't want to emphasize.  Here's a few simple tips from our image stylists.  There's many more to come . . .

If you have the classic triangle shape, you will want to balance your hips by widening your shoulders. There's also several rules you need to follow for top and jacket lengths, and skirt and pant styles.

If you've an inverted triangle frame, with wide shoulders, perhaps a big bust and narrow hips, you'll need to widen your hips.  Choosing pants and skirts in the right colour, fabric and style will have a big impact on your overall look.  There's also certain types of top styles and dress styles you need to avoid so your shoulders don't look even wider.

A diamond body shape is characterised by narrow shoulders and a small bust and back, with most of the weight distributed through the midriff and waist area. If you have a diamond shape you should avoid anything overly fitted, patterned, contrasting or tailored through the waist.

step 3 - choose colors which suit you

Your skin tone and hair color can make a big impact on how your clothes look on you. Every woman should know what colors are becoming to her, and know her own seasonal palette. Color can then be the used as the guide for:

• Purchasing clothes
• Choosing make-up to enchance your skin tone
• Choosing a new hair color or highlights
  

Many fashion consultants and stylists use the season pallette system to classify a woman's coloring, which is determined from her hair, skin and eye color.

Autumn: Look good in rich, warm, golden colors, light and dark in tones both muted and vivid, particularly camel and most shades of the browns

Winter: No woman can wear a Pure White as beautifully Winter can. They also look great in dark, vivid, and bright colors.

Spring: Look good in colors which are bright and daring and definitely not all shy pastels. 

Summer: Look best in soft colors and all the pastels, plus some muted dark colors.

Step 4 - Shape your body with
good underwear

Take time to find bras that fit and provide the support that you need.  It is well worth the time and effort to get properly fitted, as most women choose the wrong size and end up with bulges or sags in the wrong places.  Your bust can be your greatest asset, or your worst, depending on your underwear.

Same with your knickers. There's nothing worse than a defined panty line under a nice pair of jeans or dressy pants or skirt.  If you are prone to saddle bags or cellulite, then try some of the fabulous new shapewear. It's a long way from the uncomfortable girdles our grandmothers use to wear and can take you down a size or two and give you a wonderful silhouette without the cost of plastic surgery.

     bad fit

     good fit

STEP 5 - Choose the right accessories

You can change the mood and impression of an outfit with accessories. However it is important to choose the right ones for your shape and size.  Long necklaces only accentuate a large bust.  Choker necklaces are wrong if you have a short neck.  If you have sallow skin or bags under your eyes, don't wear black close to your face.  Add a bright scarf or necklace to enhance your skin color.

Shoes also have a big impact on your overall look.  Pointed toes will make your legs look longer.  When wearing pants, wear shoes in the same tonal color to extend your leg length.

Purses and handbags can make or break an outfit.  There's casual choices, corporate choices, evening choices.  The colour, fabric and style of your bag is important, as is functionality.

Step 6 - give your wardrobe a makeover

This does not necessarily mean tossing everything and spending a fortune on new clothes.  Most of us have numerous items that we can still wear, but we may need to team and accessorise them differently.  It's a case of ensuring you have a few core essential items - like well fitted flattering jeans, a well tailored suit and a classic dress - and mixing and matching jackets, shoes, tops and accessories to provide a range of looks for all sorts of occasions.

Step 7 - get grooming

Probably the most essential rule of all is your grooming. 

Your hands and nails must be clean and neat whenever you step outside the front door. 

Your feet need to be moisturised and toenails trimmed and finished with gloss varnish (or buffed) every time you expose them in open toed shoes.  Your legs should be hairless and your skin soft and non-flaky. 

Your hair should be clean, combed and cut in a style to suit your face, neckline, age and body shape. Your hairs style and color can have a significant impact on your overall look and apparent age.

The trend with make-up these days is less is more, but there are still a few guidelines to follow for accentuating eyes, lips and cheekbones and camouflaging spots and scars.

Step 8 - get the right advice

Do you want to know how to look fantastic now?  Do you want to wear clothes and accessories which really flatter you? Do you want to look slimmer, taller, sexier, more stylish?

Then the time has come to get more expert advice from our image consultants. 

These eight talented ladies have transformed thousands around the world into gorgeous stylish women. 

Now it's your turn.

How we are perceived by others

It’s a sad fact of life that people judge us on the way we look.  There’s about 2 seconds in the first look and the instant judgment. 

• What if your prospective boss makes a judgment about you which is totally wrong? They may think you ’re frumpy, tarty, mousy, nerdy, motherly, too old, too young.  Whatever. You know it's not true.
  
  
• We've all had the experience of being attracted to a man who doesn't seem to be attracted back. What does he really think about you?  Are you giving him the wrong impression about you?  If only he'd take the time to find out what a great person you are!
  
  
• You know what it's like when you're at a function and someone walks into room and they seem to "own" it.  They have a presence, a style, a charisma.  Heads follow them.  People gravitate toward them. Wouldn't it be great if that person was you?

The thing to remember is that everyone has an impression about you. And it's their impression and their perception.  If their first impression of you is wrong, you need the opportunity to do a lot of talking to turn things. Sometimes we don't even get that chance.

You can't change all the first impressions you given up until now, but you can from now on.

It is far better to make sure that people have the right perception about you . . .
first time, every time.

So how do you give yourself a makeover?

Do you need new clothes?  Maybe yes, maybe not. 

Maybe all you need to do is look at what you have with fresh eyes and dress it up with a new jacket, top or accessories.  Do you have the right shoes for your outfits and body shape?  Do you know what jewellery to wear?  Which handbag? 

If you look stylish – you will feel confident. 

If you feel confident, you will act confident. You will be giving out positive signals.  People will take notice of you. You will take notice of you!

How are you going to magically transform yourself into a stylish sensation overnight?

1. Well you could read the latest fashion magazines.  Great – everything is aimed at teenagers with perfect little bodies.  Not much good if you’re the other side of 30 with a real woman’s figure.
   
   
2. You could trawl the shops and buy something new.  Good idea – but you know what is likely to happen.  You’ll fall in love with something which magically transforms into the outfit from hell when you get it home.  The colour seems to make you look insipid, or it has somehow shrunk in the car on the way home.
   
   
3. You could go through your wardrobe – there must be something there!  Well there is.  Lots of somethings.  But they’ve not really made you look stylish yet, so how are they going to magically transform you now?

 

The answer is to get professional advice. 

New international best seller "How to Look Stylish" is transforming women's lives.

The book has helped me understand what I need to wear to look good in a business setting and that has helped me get a much coveted internship with Rolls Royce. After all, you need to be able to look the part to play the part. Right? S Choo, Singapore

 

Read this special message from author Annette Welsford, Brisbane, Australia.

"Dear real woman

As I get older (and bigger!) deciding what to wear has become a real challenge.  I've got a wardrobe full of clothes which don't fit, don't suit or accentuate parts I'd rather remain hidden. I hate going shopping these days as I can't find anything which makes me look good, and I don't trust the sales assistants one bit.

I think the problem is that I really have no clue what sort of clothes and accessories to choose!

So I decided it's about time I did something about it, because I wanted to go forward and achieve a huge list of goals, and I knew that if I looked stylish my confidence level would soar and success would be more likely. I needed to know what not to wear.

Let's face it, we all know women who always look stylish and have a charismatic presence.  Well I want to be like that too!  Don't you?

I want to ignore the ridiculous noises made by shop assistants who tell us we look fabulous in anything, just to make a sale.  You know what it's like, you get home and try on the new outfit and you can tell straight away from the look on other people's faces that you've just wasted more money.

What Women Want

We want the knowledge to know what to do to be stylish and confident no matter where we are or who we're with. We may want a new image for our new job or role, we may want to go out and find a new partner, or we just want to look our best wherever we go.

We want to accept our bodies the way they are and feel good about ourselves, because until we achieve this, we will never truly relax and focus our attention externally. Looking good gives you great self confidence; it changes your whole attitude towards life.

How I Found Out What to Do

I set out to find out as much as I could about body shapes, style, colours and how it all works.  I discovered that there are eight basic body shapes, so with help from a number of people I contacted a team of experts and asked them to share their knowledge.

You'll meet eight wonderful volunteers - who made the commitment to undergo self analysis and change. Despite their differences- where they live, their body shapes, their ages and their lifestyles, they all have a common goal.  They want to make the most of themselves.  They know that looking stylish will help them to start achieving their dreams.

You'll also meet a superb team of international image consultants who give the volunteers a makeover and provide a wealth of fantastic advice and tips.

I urge you to start your quest for a new stylish you today.  You will be soooooo pleased you did when your life starts to turn around, as mine has.

Cheers, Annette Welsford "

Who will benefit from this book?

- Anyone who wants to know what not to wear - Ladies who wear plus sizes - Ladies with a small frame but wide shoulders - Ladies who have wide hips or saddlebags - Full breasted ladies - Flat chested ladies - Ladies with long legs and short torso - Ladies with long torso and short legs - Petite sizes - Tall ladies - Anyone who wants to be more stylish

 

HOW YOU WILL BE TRANSFORMED overnight

	You'll learn how to recognise your body shape.  Are you an oval, an hourglass, a rectangle, a triangle or an inverted triangle?  Do you have a short body and long legs or a long body and short legs? Understanding your body shape is the first important step, because then you will learn what style of clothes will best suit you.
	You'll learn how to camouflage your worst bits and highlight your best features.
	You'll understand the fashion do’s and don’ts for each body shape.  How to look thinner, how to balance big shoulders, how to cover up a big butt, how to make your legs look longer and much much more . . .
	You'll find out what your color style is.  Do you have blonde hair and blue eyes?  Do you have dark hair and dark eyes? Red hair and green eyes?  What about your skin colour?  What colour clothes will flatter you the most?
	You'll also learn how to critically review your wardrobe – what you should keep and what you should toss.
	You'll find out how to change one outfit and create totally new looks just with accessories.
	You'll get up to date advice from world leading stylists without having to pay the hundreds of dollars often charged for an image consultation.  These exceptionally talented ladies will show you how to give yourself a makeover and create your new signature style.

If you’re ready to take charge of your image, then you need How to Look Stylish now.  Within minutes you’ll be taking the first steps towards the new you. 

 

HOW WILL THIS BOOK HELP YOU?

You’ll learn how to take control of your dreams when you meet eight brave volunteers who’ve put themselves first and decided to take action.

Since I have a weight problem, I have a tendency to want to cover up as much as possible.  Your suggestions about the fact that showing more skin has a tendency to make one look younger and thinner was helpful and has caused me to be freerer in making my clothing choices. Jean W, Texas, USA

You’ll meet eight professional image stylists who provide a wealth of valuable advice and tips to help you start your personal makeover.

	You’ll get an international perspective on style – from the US, Canada, Australia and Singapore.
	You’ll start saving money straight away by not wasting any more dollars on clothes and accessories which do nothing for you.
	You’ll walk into your job interview or social event and make the right first impression.

Your advice has really helped me with my work wardrobe.  My co-workers have even commented on how great I look.  Thanks so much! C Moths , Texas, USA

Everyone around you will take notice of the new stylish, confident you.