No More Excuses!

When I meet potential new clients I often hear the same thing. Women are very interested in what I do and how I can help. Then they proceed to tell me how interested they are but continue with a list of excuses that most likely will not come as a total surprise.

·         …after I lose some weight. (This is the most popular excuse.)

·         …when I have some extra money to spend on clothes.

·         …when things calm down and I have some time.

Let’s quickly tackle these excuses. So many women feel uncomfortable about their weight. Many of us are constantly working towards losing weight. We put aspects of our lives on hold until we reach that elusive weight goal we made for ourselves… realistic or not. But what if we don’t wait? What if we start being more accepting of ourselves? What if start dressing the body that we have?

Our bodies change over time. We have babies, gravity takes over, things shift… we gain weight and we lose weight. We might still fit into the dress we wore 20 years ago but I guarantee it’s not likely to fit you the same way it did before. We need to adjust how we dress for our changing bodies. Find the clothes that fit the body you have now. I guarantee that once you find clothes that fit you properly and you’re able to dress the bod you have comfortably, you will feel lighter, brighter and much more confident.

But what about all that money you need to spend on new clothes? Budgets are tight, I get that. Out closet might not be the first place you want to spend your extra cash. But what if you didn’t have to spend a fortune on a new wardrobe? We’re not talking about a shopping trip to Saks. Depending on how your clothes fit, you might benefit from a simple tailoring fix. Buying new clothes doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Every retail store has sales and deep discounts especially this time of year.  You want to know how to dress your body and once you do, you can buy clothes at almost any price point that will fit you. We focus on style not price point.

I have two young boys and a husband who travels for work. I don’t expect life to calm down for many years to come. And I don’t want to put my life on hold until then. Making time is a challenge. I completely understand. But I have also found that if I make a point of planning something and prioritize its importance in my life, I can make room for the things that I thought I wouldn’t be able to address. It’s natural not to put ourselves first. But when you feel good about yourself, you’re a better mom, sister, wife, daughter, co-worker and friend.

So now that we’ve put our excuses to rest, it’s time to dress confidently and feel good about you. Walk tall and conquer your day ladies!

Your budget wardrobe doesn't have to look cheap

You don’t have to spend a fortune to look like you have an expensive wardrobe. The key is to look “put together”. What does that mean? Well, I would say that you want a clean, wrinkle-free, well fitting and coordinated outfit. Well-fitting means that the clothes are fit to your body type. Coordinated means that the pieces look like they go together, this includes your clothing items as well as accessories.

I’ve always been an advocate for dressing the body that you have. This is absolutely key to looking your best. Clothes that fit will flatter your body no matter your size. Wearing an oversized piece of clothing will most likely not flatter you. You want to find clothing that fits properly. This may require that you visit a seamstress to get the best fit for your body type.  Be open to different styles and try on a variety of style to find what works best for you.

Our bodies change over time. We can’t the same thing in our 30s that we wore in our 20s. Nevermind what happens when we get to our 40s! We need to try on different styles to see how they fit. We need to try on the items we have in our closet to see how they fit! We have to embrace the idea that our bodies will look different in the clothes we own over time. If we’re willing to be objective about this, we can try different styles and find what works best and flatters most.

Once we have the right pieces, how do we pull the outfit together? A coordinated outfit requires that we pull together a “look”. We need the clothing items to be paired with accessories that make an outfit. This is where your personal style has an impact. You want to use your accessories to style your “look”. Let’s say that you prefer a more classic preppy style. Perhaps you like to keep your outfits simple. You’ve chosen to wear a black midi wrap dress with nude pumps. This is simple and straightforward from a style perspective. But you could pair this with a turquoise statement earing, a bright orange clutch and colorful bracelets when heading to dinner with your friends. Or you could pair this with a pair of pearl earring and head off to work. Start with a simple base and add depending on your preferred style.

Finally I want to go back to clean and wrinkle-free for a moment. Sounds so simple and straightforward, right? I can’t tell you how many people I’ve seen in clothes that could use an iron and a trip to the cleaners. Please don’t think that maybe others won’t notice…. they will. Keep your clothes in good shape by following care instructions printed on the label. If you care for your clothes, they will last longer and look better.

This is how you can achieve a “put together” look - so that even a girl on a budget, can make a statement. How much you spend on the clothing items isn’t as important as how you look in them. Find items that work for you… for your body type, your style, and your budget!

 See a few items below that won’t break your bank account and might contribute to your style goals!

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H&M Ruffle-trimmed Wrap Dress

H&M Dress with Ruffles

H&M Linen Dress

Loft Flutter Tie Back Dress

Loft Striped Ruffle Henley Shell

J. Crew Factory Cropped Jacket with Pom Poms

Joie Elline Floral Printed Short Sleeve Blouse

Parker Dot Pattern Ruffle V-Neck Blouse

What's holding you back?

I talk to women all the time who say “I want you to come help me but before I call you I want to (insert a variety of reasons here).” The reasons can vary. Most often they revolve around losing weight. We don’t seem to want to invest in a wardrobe that we consider to be only temporary. We would rather wait until we achieve our ideal body and then invest in dressing it. I can understand that. It can be frustrating to have clothes that you love that turn out to be too big from one season to the next. Then you have to start over.

But the truth is that you still have to get dressed in the morning. Between now and whenever you get to your ideal frame, you still have places to go and need clothes to wear. Do you know how to dress that evolving body? Do you know how to buy clothes that can potentially last even as you lose the weight? Can you spot clothing that can be easily altered so you’re not buying a whole new wardrobe every few months? This can be done. You might just need a few insider tips on how to make your wardrobe go further. But don’t feel like you have to put your style on pause for this reason.

It can be hard to dress a new body. Suddenly things fit differently. You might be in between sizes. You may have to change styles and don’t really know what would look best. This can be a result of weight loss, weight gain, pregnancy, surgery, illness, aging and the list goes on. Our bodies are ever changing. We might have a special piece that has been with us for years but chances are even if it still fits, it may not fit the same way it used to.

So when we look at that closet full of clothes every morning and think, I have nothing to wear, maybe we’re not crazy. Maybe all the clothes sitting in that closet don’t fit the body we have today the way we wish they would. Ok, maybe this does not apply to everything in that closet. But it might feel that way.

Instead of waiting for things to settle or for the body of your dreams to be your reality, we should be dressing the body we have now. Because we have to. How much better would you or do you feel when you look in the mirror in the morning and feel satisfied with what you see? This can be a reality. You don’t have to settle. You just have to know how to dress the body you have now.

So what’s holding you back?