Are you familiar with Feng Shui?  It is about making choices based on a 4000 year old system.  How to bring good CHI or energy into your home using the 5 elements of Earth, Water, Fire , Metal and Wood.  Feng Shui has grown in popularity because the general population is discovering it incorporates ways  to activate certain areas of your home  to increase your health, your wealth, your relationships, your business and your  connection to spirit.

Well , the same can be  done through Fashion Feng Shui.  Clothes act as an indicator of where we are in life.  They are tools for transformation and when applied to your lifestyle, they help you resolve issues you think you have.

Clothes are energy and people connect first at an energetic level whether they realize it or not.  Since clothes hold energy, when you have a cluttered closet full of clothes that you aren’t wearing, they take up space and energy in your life.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:  How does my closet relate to my business? My life?

Are there a lot of  ”shoulds”  in my life?

Are my clothes working for me?    Is my business working for me?

Here is a story about a client who attended a recent Fashion Feng Shui presentation I gave.  First , I asked how her closet looked.  She replied it is very organized, all items are organized and lined up by colour.  When I asked  how that related to her business she said,” Oh maybe I should get more organized in my business!”  However, I know she puts action and organization into her business already.  So I asked if there was excitement in getting dressed every morning. ” Do you love getting dressed for the day?  Her answer was a resounding , “NO!  There is no excitement in my clothes and  I see that I am in a plateau in my business.”  She realized she needs to be SEEN and her business needs to be  SEEN.   She needs to bring another Element into her wardobe so  others can see her excitement  and her passion for what she brings to the world.

Fashion Feng Shui assures that you dress your whole person-mind, body and spirit. It guides you to make authentic and attractive clothing choices that:  Honour your Essence, so everything you wear is Fulfilling.  Enhance Your Appearance, so everything you wear is Flattering.  Affirm your Intention, so everything you wear is Functional and Fortifying.

Fashion Feng Shui teaches you how to empower yourself through your personal appearance. What you wear and how you feel is symbolic of the quality of your life.

To enjoy another glimpse into why it is important to have a wardrobe that Fulfills,  Flatters , Fortifies  and is Functional  for you, please click on the link to watch the F-Words Movie!   (You may have to cut and paste it into your browser.)                                          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1LoLFP0qKE

If you would like to look and feel fabulous everyday, I would love to help you get there!

Isn’t it wonderful seeing the fresh green grass, the new leaves coming out on the trees, daffodils and hyacinths?  These are colours we notice every year in Spring.  Mother Nature brings us these delights to cheer us after winter and yet,  I feel we sometimes take them for granted.

Just as Mother Nature knows how to mix and match to make a colourful spring palette, our skin tone  and natural hair colour give us clues to what colour of clothes suit us to look radiant, healthy and youthful too!  Mixing and matching clothes in your colour palette can give you a plethora of options in your wardrobe using very few clothes.

For those of you who are in the ‘Spring Palette’ category, now is the time for you to make the most of shopping for your colour basics. I was at Liz Claiborne in Cookstown with a client during the week and most of the clothing on the displays were in the spring hues.  Peach, coral, beige, kelly green.

You will notice floral prints are in, ethnic prints too which would look good in a top, skirt or a scarf  if you don’t want a piece of clothing in it.  Dresses are coming with a rush in one of my favourites, polka dots, as well as floral.

Colours of green, cream and blue in a floral print dress

I am happy to see feminity coming in to the fashion styles. Ruffles are included in many items either in a big dose or small ruffles around a neckline, as you see in the coral blouse below.  They are soft and very flattering, or they may be bigger as the ruffles cascade down the front of a dress.  If you don’t want ruffles on your body try them on a handbag to add a touch of romance and femininity.

Yesterday I attended a wonderful seminar called “Empowering Women.” It was in support of Belinda’s House,  a women’s shelter that is being built in Newmarket. There is no shelter for women in Newmarket and last year 500 women were turned away from receiving help because there was no place for them.

I have been looking for a place that I resonated with to “give back.”  Those of you who know me well, know I do not give or support charities that are negative or support  more illness, which is how I view “the war against cancer.”  Whatever we focus on expands and  reinforcing  our WAR against things makes them stronger, as we see cancer growing and growing, heart attacks growing and growing, obesity is now epidemic. However, EMPOWERING WOMEN, definitely has a positive ring to it and is something I am very passionate about.

Yesterday  I had my first introduction to Dr. Jean Augustine. What a beautiful, powerful, inspiring lady!  In 1993 she was the first black woman in the House of Commons.

She spoke on the power of women raising their hand, to speak out, to disagree even if you were the only person in the room with a different viewpoint.  That is very difficult to do and takes courage. Also, putting your hand up to give support to someone who is courageous enough to take a stand, and who would value you on their side.

Dr. Augustine referred to many “C” words in her speech. Commitment, good Causes, Community, Citizen, Courage, Confidence and Conviction.

I  experienced yesterday, again, the lack of commitment we seem to have in our society. There were maybe 25 women in attendance, with about 60 having registered. Some of the excuses given for cancelling out were, “I have housework to do.  I have to make lunch for my family.”  Why not just say up front, “No, I am not attending because it is a Saturday.”

As women we have this guilt about saying no, then we end up letting someone down because we don’t show up, or we call at the last minute to give some excuse .  I have experienced this over and over again.  First when I was selling Fifth Avenue Jewelry.  The hostess would clean her house, get food ready only to have a few friends show up.  The phone would be ringing when I was there with women cancelling.

Yesterday, Maddie  organized the event with amazing speakers giving up their Saturday, to be there to speak.  In fact, Catherine Fife, came from Waterloo, on her daughter’s birthday, to be part of the panel, and was crossing her fingers that her husband was able to get all the preparations done  before she returned in time for dinner.  Food for 60 participants was ordered in.  The room was rented. Only to have 1/3 of the registants show up!

Yesterday gave me just the inspiration I needed after worrying about my youngest sister going through chemo treatments for leukemia, my daughter-in-law’s father  battling throat cancer and  my partner in the hospital with severe gall bladder pain. Sure, I had plenty of excuses to ‘cancel’ out too, but after  hearing Dr. Augustine say ” Give 100% to each day and go to sleep knowing you gave 100%. “  “Value when we gather together.” and “YES, YOU CAN GIRL! “   I was so happy I had chosen to keep my commitment to being there and supporting an event to empower women!

I will end with another quote I heard yesterday, “The hand that rocks the cradle, needs to rock the boat.”

I hope I have rocked your boat a little and have you asking how committed you are in all aspects of your life.

I am so excited!  Another dream of mine was fulfilled! I completed a Fashion Feng Shui course in Fort Lauderdale, over the March Break.  I bought Evana Maggiore’s book about 2 years ago and have wanted to meet her and become a certified Fashion Feng Shui consultant since then and the opportunity came up for me this March.

Evana says,” Clothes are tools for transformation. You are what you wear and you can become what you wear.”  Her four “F” words are, Fulfill, Flatter, Function and Fortify.

I met 6 other wonderful women also taking the class and we bonded immediately. It was an intensive  three days of  taking in information and working with clients. 

We dress the body to create visual harmony ( as I teach in my Dress For your Body Type and Details workshops), because that is what people see on the outside. Fashion Feng Shui teaches you how to dress for the energy beneath the  surface that addresses the spirit and mind. So it reaches far deeper than we realize. When people first meet they connect energetically, whether they realize it or not. So why not dress with intention and to attract in what you want?

My big  ‘AHA ‘ moment occurred when I realized I have been hiding my FIRE element . This is needed to show others the passion I have for my Image business  and to make it more visible.

I loved Fort Lauderdale and the beautiful scenery with the canals and palms. It was another side of life I have not experienced.

A personal view of a backyard in Fort Lauderdale.

My home away from home for 5 days.

I am looking forward to bringing my knowledge to new and former Image Clients. 

I am proud to say I am  the ONLY licensed Fashion Feng Shui consultant in Ontario!!

“Wishing you were someone else is a waste of who you are.”

Don’t we as women spend a lot of time wishing we could change our bodies for something else?  We wish we had longer legs, smaller waist, bigger breasts, smaller breasts, be taller… yadda, yadda, yadda.

Well how about working with what you have and learning to appreciate the body you were given?  Enhance your postives!

Yesterday at our workshop, we did just that. We looked at the positive parts and learned some tips for dressing the body we have.  The ladies had a lot of fun measuring their wrist for their bone structure. What does that have to do with anything?

Bone structure helps to determine what size of accessories to wear, the type of fabrics that best suit you and even the size of prints on clothes.

They learned what to look for in clothes if they are short, average or tall in height.

Most women cover up their beautiful curves in straight boxy clothing instead of in clothes that taper and have a flow to them. Show the curve in your waist, your sensual hips or beautiful legs. Designers need to start making clothes with more  CURVE  in them!

I think the biggest chuckle yesterday was learning about “Toe cleavage.” Yes, you heard me… toe cleavage. If you want to know more call  me:)

Measuring to determine Bone Structure

 

 Here I am making the only 2 measurements in this workshop. 1. Wrist measurement and 2. Leg measurement.

Many women are sometimes nervous about attending Body Type  workshops with a group of women because they think that all of their body measurements will be taken and that can be nerve wracking.  Be at ease… I assure you I can give you a lot of advice and information on how to dress, just from knowing your height and wrist measurement, face shape and body shape.

Take a look at the pictures below, with  me modelling 3 sizes of purses. What suits me best? One is great, one too small and one too big. I want to wear my purse, not have the purse wear ME.

I know the participants from today will be able to make better choices when shopping, because they now know what to look for  in clothing that will enhance their body shape.

Some of the comments from the workshop were:” Wow! Wow! ABC’s on how to dress! You were so helpful!” A.W.

“Thank you for a pleasant, fun, informative and creative day. I have learned more  from you about myself and my body. If I didn’t come to these I wouldn’t be introduced to so many different things.” A.R.

The next workshop in the series will be on Sunday Feb. 28 from 1:30 to 4pm. It is “Creating Wardrobe Modules.”

Come out and join us to learn how to shop your closet for clothes and how to mix and match successfully.

Make Lingerie Your Friend

 What does it matter what’s under your clothes if you’re sitting in a board meeting looking totally professional and in charge? It matters because the right lingerie next to your skin can make you feel better-than-great, confident and put together. You don’t have a lingerie wardrobe or wouldn’t even know where to start putting one together? No worries! I’m here to help.

Have any of these thoughts stopped you from having great lingerie?

• “No one sees my underwear so why bother buying anything special?”
• “Lingerie is for young people with perfect bodies and that’s not me.”
• “It’s against my religion.”
• “Only trashy girls wear stuff like that.”

 How about we get past those thoughts and give you some alternatives that will get you enjoying lingerie. We all have to wear clothes that are appropriate for our lifestyle or our work environment. But what we wear underneath these clothes is completely our choice. No one needs to see it but us. So why not take a part of your personality, express it fully in lingerie and be reminded of it all day long!

 A stereotype of lingerie is that it’s worn only for sexy purposes but lingerie can express so much more. Lingerie can be cute, sporty, fun, playful, colorful, sophisticated, sexy, bold, or simple. Details such as bows, buttons, zippers, ruffles, prints, and textures can offer another layer of self-expression. If your favorite color is teal, find a matching bra and panty set in that color and you’ll love slipping into it. If you want something sensual, find a fabric that feels divine against your skin. If you want your undergarments to be simple and practical, find them in a soft satin texture in a hue that you love. If you prefer something sexier, find a luxurious lace or a flirty ruffle set.

 Another stereotype of lingerie is that it’s ill fitting, scratchy, uncomfortable, and only meant to stay on the body for five minutes before it comes off. Sure, that type of lingerie exists, but there’s so much more out there. Modern technology has totally redefined the possibilities for comfort. Now you can wear lingerie that not only looks great but also feels great next to the skin.

 The next thing to pay attention to is fit. When you have great fitting undergarments, nothing gets in the way of you making your best impression. Realize that fit may vary as you get older. Changing your bra style may be the update you need. Going up a size in underwear may be the key to the smooth lines that make you look thinner and more fit.

 Look into exploring small lingerie boutiques and asking for personal help from their sales people. This is their specialty and they will get you into the lingerie you’ll feel great in. These smaller shops also tend to have high quality and unique pieces.

 Dressing in great lingerie is first and foremost something you do for yourself. Whether or not anyone else gets to benefit from seeing you in it is secondary. With so many beautiful colors and fabrics to choose from, this is a safe place for you to express your creativity and sensuality.

 As an image consultant I can help you find a lingerie wardrobe that flatters your body and fits your personality. Just give me a call and we’ll set up a time to shop.

Another great time was had by all at our very colourful afternoon! We started off by recapping some of the ruts we experience as we move along through life, fashion trends, changes in lifestyle and changes in our body. Ann gave us a good chuckle by bringing in a “dated” sweater from the ‘Dynasty’ era. It was black knit with dangly sequins on the shoulders. I can remember seeing  Joan Collins and Linda Evans wearing the big shoulder clothing  on the T.V. series. That brought in a deja vue moment!

I went on to explain the importance of colour in our world, how it affects our energy and the energy of those around us. You can make yourself approachable wearing soft shades or scream “danger, back off”, by wearing a combination of yellow and black together. Nature has all these systems in place… just think of the power that little bee has.

Just as Mother Nature harmonizes colour, so should we. We start off that way. Our skin tone, our hair colour and our eye colour all harmonize together and when we wear colours that compliment our skin undertone and pick up our eye colour, we often hear , “Wow you look great!”  Then we start to listen to outside voices like friends, or a spouse and even bigger- THE MEDIA- and we tend to go off track and lose ourselves in the fashion trends. That’s when we hear, “Are you feeling Ok? You look a little tired.” Or we have ‘nothing’ in our closet that goes together!

Here is a picture of me, on the left, holding up a colour  that is in my colour palette.

I always feel good in this, my eyes stand out and my smile appears brighter.

In the picture on the right, I am holding up a colour that is not in my palette. Notice how I am lost in the colour and my face even looks yellow. Lines and shadows stand out , ugh.

Do you find that winter has you wearing more drab colours? We tend to bundle up in black during the dark and cold days.

However, to counteract the cold weather I would think bright colours would add cheer and brightness to the days and to our mood.

Colour is the most significant aspect of visual image. An individual in colour harmony is a soothing sight to behold!Even an untrained eye can notice how wonderful a person looks in a certain colour and how the same colour on another person can look awful.

Colour is light and light is energy and we can feel different energies depending on the colour we wear. How do you feel when you wear red? How do you feel when you wear blue?

How do you feel when you look at a picture of the tropics, with its vibrant greens, pinks and turquoise? Nature has its way of harmonizing colours and we become very drawn to the picture. How many of you have stood enraptured looking at a sunset?

Nature also harmonized our colouring through our skin, eyes and hair colour. We tend to forget about harmonizing our colouring when we follow fashion trends instead of dressing in colours that accent our eyes or hair colour and most importantly … our skin undertone!

When we dress in harmony with our natural colouring, we take the leading role. We maximize our appearance !

To truly know what colours best suit you , it is best to professionally have a colour analysis.

This Sunday , January 31, from 1pm to 3:30pm, I am hosting a workshop on the “Power of Colour.” It is an indepth look at how colour affects us every day and how we can use colour to our advantage.

Take a look in your closet… what is the predominant colour ?  What colours are you frequently complimented on?

This week pay attention to the colours you wear and how you feel in them. Please post some comments pertaining to your colour selections and your perceptions of colours now that your awareness to colour has been heightened.

Here’s to a colourful week!

Karen

Well girls just want to have fun!  What fun we had! 

On Sunday January 17th we had our “How Not To Look Matronly” workshop.
After introductions we discussed some ruts that women tend to fall into such as:  buying the same style of clothes over and over, buying the same colours, dressing too conservatively and not knowing where to shop for clothes to fit a mature body. 

Some of the questions the ladies attending presented were:  How to dress casual?  How do I dress for my lifestyle?  Ideas for time management.  ie.  getting ready in the morning.   What stores do I shop in?  Where do I buy comfortable shoes that I can stand in all day and still look good?

I had fun showing the ladies some clothing looks that are out dated and matronly.  Items that would easily add ten years to a womens age.  Then we discussed different techniques using accessories and proper fit to make the look more flattering and up to date.

At the end of our workshop it was evident that the ladies felt more comfortable in identifying their next steps to updating their look.   Positive feedback was shared from all the ladies.  Here are some of the comments:

Please join us for our next workshop,  ”The Power of Colour”,  Sunday, January 31st from 1 -3:30 pm.
Call now and register so you too can discover the importance  of colour in your wardrobe!

Demonstraton of a matronly look.

Do Your Clothes Make You Look Matronly?

That is the topic of my seminar tomorrow and I am really excited about it.  The more I prepare for it, the more I learn about myself! I tell clients repeatedly that transformation doesn’t just happen in a day. It is a journey and I am walking proof!

Last evening I spent another hour in my closet getting rid of MORE clothes. I thought I had already done a pretty good job.  Now, I am looking at my clothes  with a different view, “What looks matronly? What am I holding onto and why?”

Out went a sweater my Mother had knit for me. It is lovely, but not in colours that flatter me and it had leaves on it. I was holding on to it because my Mother passed away and it was something she had made for me. Well, I still have another beautiful sweater she knit and … it is in colours that flatter my skin tone and is a print that is more up to date.

Then, out went sweat shirts. I don’t even wear sweat shirts , so why were they there?

Next, turtlenecks that are too bulky for my body type. (I have great tips on keeping warm during Canadian winters and they are more flattering.)

As I took those pieces out of the closet I felt more energetic and happier.

Tomorrow will be a fun filled afternoon with lots of laughs looking at some things that have been hiding in my closet, but worse… that I still see walking around the streets of towns and the halls of school! Best of all, the ladies attending will now be aware of culprits hiding in their closet that add years to their appearance,  instead of looks that say, “Wow, I love how you look!”

Here is a sample picture of what NOT to wear for maintaining a youthful look. This vest ONLY belongs in a Kindergarten classroom!

Karen