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Makeovers: Climbing Out of Your Fashion Rut
By Marian Rothschild
Photos by Dana Rogers
When you look good, you feel good. You hear that every day in countless subtle and not-so-subtle ways—after all, the multibillion-dollar fashion and beauty industry is built on that exact principle. Conversely, neglect of hygiene and appearance is a classic symptom of depression. And any style expert would agree that overlooking your image has a negative affect on your self-esteem and the way you carry yourself. It can detract from your business and relationships, your personal and professional branding.
People who get stuck in a fashion rut often complain of feeling frumpy, boring, invisible or even depressed about themselves and the image they present to the world. As a professional image consultant, I get such comments constantly from both women and men who are frustrated with their same old clothes, hairstyle and general look. Without knowing quite what to do about it, they realize that “This is Boulder” is not an excuse for shuffling around town in worn-out sneakers and wrinkled duds that look like you’re about to clean the garage. The old adage “Clothes make the man” (or woman) rings just as true in Boulder County as it does in L.A. or New York City.
Confidence is where style begins; you don’t need to be beautiful, young or rich. Knowing and accepting who you are—your tastes and your attributes—can catapult you on your way to a healthy relationship with your image. Boulder psychotherapist Dr. Jessica Higgins puts it like this: “Taking care of your appearance in a particular way can be an expression of an intention. Who are you expressing yourself to be? It helps to know your values and the message that you would like to convey to others.”
Take Stock
Wouldn’t it be refreshing to express your authentic self by looking as if you care about yourself, and wearing what makes you feel attractive, every day? Self-knowledge, inspiration and honesty will help you understand your most flattering wardrobe options. Learning what styles you love, your most flattering colors and your best physical features can be more valuable than any fancy designer label.
Finding the right inspiration can ease the confusion of putting outfits together. Magazines and catalogues are great resources to start with. Their pictures will help you understand what styles of clothing, hair and makeup you feel best express your tastes and personality. Many fashion magazines, such as Lucky and InStyle, show outfits put together in wonderful ways, combining a variety of styles.
When you see an ad or fashion layout of an outfit or look that you love, whether it’s for work, play, daytime or evening, cut it out. From different sources, collect photos of styles that speak to you and arouse some excitement. Tack these pictures up on a bulletin board that hangs in or near your closet, and use them as inspiration to create your desired look.
"Your appearance sends a message loud and clear about your personality, your style, and how you feel about yourself. Is your message saying what you’d like it to say?"
Before you shop for even one item, edit your current wardrobe. Be brutal. Purge your closet and drawers of anything you haven’t worn in a couple of years. Donate or consign those things if they’re in decent shape.
How do you determine what you actually should be wearing? First, ask yourself what colors look best on you. If you have warm skin tones and brown hair, earth tones will flatter you. If you have a rosy complexion and light or gray hair, pastels will suit you. If you have high contrast between your hair and skin color, by all means wear strong colors. Some people look washed-out in white or black, but everyone looks good in some shade of aqua and coral.
Next, honestly assess the shape of your torso. A man’s optimal shape is the inverted triangle; for women, it’s the hourglass. But in reality, the human torso has five basic shapes: rectangle, triangle, inverted triangle, oval and hourglass. The more truthful you are regarding your actual shape, the more successful you’ll be at dressing to flatter your figure.
Now, Go Shopping
The fun starts when you learn how to choose becoming shapes and silhouettes of clothing. Again, honestly evaluate whether the shapes and fabrics you wear make you look more or less feminine if you’re a woman, more or less masculine if you’re a guy. What shape is the jacket? Is that the shape you want, or not? There’s your answer.
For a slimming effect, wear dark colors on an area of your body you want to look smaller, and lighter or brighter colors where you want an area to stand out. To look long and lean, wear a dark-colored jacket with a light shirt underneath. Or drape a bright scarf or interesting necklace down the center of your body to draw the eye inward. Vertical lines on the body can help you appear trim, whereas horizontal lines will chop, chop, chop.
When considering whether to buy a certain item, ask yourself these three important questions: Does it fit me? Does it flatter me? Do I love it? If the answer to any of those questions is no, move on.
When a jacket, shirt or sweater fits well, the shoulder seams will line up with your shoulder. The seams shouldn’t droop off to the side or creep up toward your neck. On any kind of top, there should be no more than two inches of extra fabric around your midsection. Buttons and snaps should be able to close, even if you think you’ll always wear the garment open. Pants should skim the body, not cling or droop. If it’s not comfortable, it’s not the right size or cut for you. Try another. Or you may need to tailor some clothes. Yes, it takes time.
A word about makeup for the ladies. After the age of 40, we simply look better with some color that accentuates our features. It doesn’t need to be a lot. Cosmetics that have been properly applied in flattering colors can have an extraordinary impact not only on how you look, but on how you feel. When your lips and cheeks are tinted with a blush color, your eyes have some mascara and a soft liner, and your skin has been smoothed with well-matched foundation and concealer, you will look and feel more beautiful, period.
Marian Rothschild is a professional image consultant and personal shopper with Look Good Now in Boulder.
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