Monday, March 14, 2011

How “Shopping” in Your Closet Saves You Money

In “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Captain Jack Sparrow battles ghosts
and the British Army to capture the hidden treasure of the cave.

Most of us want the treasure, but we don’t really want to resort to swordplay over it.

So, before going out to do battle on the malls, you might consider this.
Your cave (aka closet) probably has a few hidden treasures in it already.

Instead of fighting for your treasures, you only have to search for them.
And, you can save yourself a lot of money at the same time.

You can discover hidden gems by creating new combinations--instead of always wearing the same old white top with the same old black jacket, pants, and shoes. Spend a few hours some weekend afternoon trying on your clothes in new ways,and create some pizzazz!

Start with a KEY piece—pants or a skirt (the workhorses of your wardrobe), and find every possible top to go with it. Experiment! Try unusual color or style mixes. Add a jacket or sweater to each outfit—in case you need one. Hopefully, one wrap will work with several of your outfits.

Hold up accessory bundles (i.e. shoes, belt, bag, jewelry, etc.) that harmonize with each other and see if they work with each outfit, too. A unique piece of jewelry or a jazzy pair of shoes can add flair to your basic clothes.

Then, write down all the pieces to complete each outfit (or photograph it), so you’ll remember how to put it together. Otherwise, you’ll be battling your closet every morning trying to recall what went with what.

By mixing, matching, and creatively combining, you’ll discover you own more clothes than you thought you did. And you may not have to go shopping after all.

It’s like money in the bank.

Captain Jack should be envious.

Copyright© 2008, Leah Oman
All rights reserved.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

What Colors to Wear So You Don't Blow the Job Interview

It depends on the type of job you’re interviewing for.

Is it a conservative corporate position?
Or do you need to show how creative you are?

Colors not to wear:

Red gives the impression you’re not a team player.
You’re only concerned about yourself.

Brown can make you disappear into the woodwork.
It won’t cause you to attract attention.
It can seem safe and boring and a bit stodgy.
One caveat though—if it’s a particularly rich shade of
black-brown that matches your hair exactly,
the effect can be terrific.

Yellow makes you appear flighty, whimsical;
people won’t take you seriously. You’ll look somewhat
impulsive and possibly a poor risk.

Orange is a "declassifier."
You’ll appear less than classy. Orange is not good for
any business situation as it’s the least professional color.
It can look cheap no matter how expensive the garment.

Black and white are often suggested,
but the high contrast is highly authoritarian.
You may seem to be challenging the authority of the interviewer.
This may be a questionable choice even in a conservative arena.

Pink is passive. Good for gaining sympathy and
soft-hearted responses, but don’t count on it to make you
look competent or like future promotion material.

Colors to wear:

Navy carries authority without being overbearing.
Shades of blue, in general, imply all of the boy scout attributes:
brave, reverent, trustworthy, loyal, etc.

Gray makes you appear balanced, and unbiased.
It’s a calm, respectable, neutral color.
Wear it if you need to project a very conservative image.
Dark gray works best for this situation. Light gray will
virtually make you go unnoticed.

Green in dark,neutralized tones,like forest or hunter,
are acceptable. Green used to make you appear predictable and
backward thinking, so if you needed to look like the visionary
thinker, this wasn't the best choice. But now, with America
"going green," you may be seen as progressive.

Purple is a great alternative to navy or gray in
business situations where you need to project confidence and
individuality. Stick to neutralized medium to dark purples.
They’re professional and appropriate. Avoid purple if you need to
fit in rather than stick out.

Leah Oman, AICI, CIP, certified image professional, has been serving
the Denver Metro area since 2000. If you need help finding the perfect outfit for your job interview, call her at 303-471-7373.

Best of luck in your job search!

Copyright, August 2010
Leah R. Oman
www.thesmarterimage.com