Changing Image Diary

August 21, 2009 at 10:17 am (New Image)
Tags: designer clothes; Image; style

Changing your image is not a thing to do lightly but if you know that you havent yet reached your potential stylewise then it is never to late to start see my page on my journey and compare the difference.

Finally, decided at 46 to have my colours, make up and image assessed and redressed. I wasn’t ready for the impact just having the first two step of this process would make.  This blog will record in photos and words the events and emotions of the journey into the new me.

Firstly the reason I started this journey was discontentment at how I look and appear, plus Ian proposed to me and I don’t want to get married and regret how I looked on the day.  I had been considering for some time an image makeover and had looked for and image consultant, when my friend and tutor had her’s done and passed the details on to me.  The effect on her was astounding.

I phoned and made an appointment with Sue of House of Colours in Nottingham and was very nervous about the whole thing and at £220 I wondered if it was all a con and a waste of money.  On a bright and sunny Sunday morning I met with Sue at her flat and with another lady who was having her colours done as well.  The day was leisurely and included refreshments and lunch, in addition to Sue assessing our colour schemes.  I turned out to be Blue Autumn and the difference to my appearance the complimnetary colours made took years off me instantly however the wrong colours did the opposite and I was reminded of my own mother.  At the end of the session we touched on make colours for our colour group and both myself and the other lady looked like different people.

For my next session which was make up I was on my own with Sue and we went through all the skincare routine and I was ashamed to admit to myself that I had for years neglected my skin.  After the skin care Sue selected the make up colours and created 5 looks for me ranging from a “sultry night out look ” to a “walking in the Peak District” look.  I went home with my “evening look” make up onand was greeted by Ian with “you look thinner and younger” .

That was nearly three weeks ago and I have worn my make up everyday, I have rid my wardrobe of all colours not in my range and kept only a few items for emotional withdrawal reasons.  The comments and looks I have had from people I know and people I don’t is bringing about a change in attitude, I am taking far more care of myself and even wore my make up whilst on site in my hard hat and overalls.

I have the image day on 1st August and can’t wait I will add pictures as I go along and compare the before and afters, to show how I started and how I end up.

29 July 2009

Getting closer to the image consultation today and have an appointment with the Plastic Surgery Clinic tonight to discuss possible face lift,  have an appointment next week to see about having my front bottom teeth replaced by implants as they have deteriorated beyond belief years of neglect and having children has taken its toll.

I am very excited about the image conultation and have to take along my wardrobe for review for style, shape, etc .  Already the people at work have noticed a big difference and keep commenting on how much better I am looking.

2nd August 2009

Had my image consultation yesterday and I have come out as “Natural” I now have a selection of diagrams of suit, dresses, coats, trousers, skirts and “entriails” that suit me and my body shape. I also have a list of shops that stock clothes for my style these include Max Mara,   Paul Costello, Monsoon, Kew, Hobbs, Coast etc. My first shopping trip is 15th August with Sharon and I can’t wait .  This is so exciting! I will scan and post the shapes of my clothes and some pictures of things I like at a later date.

I am a “soft square” which means roughly hips and shoulders same width, so clothes need to be casual but smart as these examples below show the styles.

Soft Draped fabrics that give the item shape rather than fitted clothes

August 4th

A little nervous about my first purchases but ran them past Sue my consultant who gently guided me in the right direction, so here are todays purchases. In addition to the images below I have bought some fantastic t shirts in my colours from Kettlewells and from Artigiano I bought the trousers to go with the suit jacket.  Stockists used are Artigiano, (I bought through Quidco.co.uk and got £18 back off my purchase), Peruvian Connections, Kettlewells Colours.

This was too big so went back

This is one dress as part of the Capsule wardrobe.  This looks great on

Fell in love with this.  Is absolutely lovely

Dress for a special event another Peruvian Connections outfit.  Looked like a sack on me no shape

Benjamin  took some photos of me after work today so here is the begining of the new me.

New look

5th August    New clothes arrived from Kettlewells and I can’t believe the difference the colours make the photos below give some idea of the difference. Ian commented in the car on the way to Tha Chi that he had a picture of me with Danielle last year and how different I am now looking so here are the two pictures.Ready For Tha Chi

Which photo do I weigh the least in????

Would you believe I am the same weight in both.

Some more examples of clothes in my style and that I like

Top From Jasper Conran is lovely and fits really well

This is good just needs an iron and somewhere to wear it

6th August Wore this top today in the colour below it, am begingin to be more confident in the colours and choices I make.

Kettlewells Colours lovely quality and

colour is lovely

These are my other colours . Some I can Wear 100% ie coat or dress

others are only 75% ie top or skirt.

August 7th

Off on a camping trip this should be a challenged keeping my image together, have make up packed and clothes in the right colours not sure about the baseball cap but need to shelter from the sun, or rain and my honcho is just for warmth.

August 8th

Glorious hot day met up with loads of people we know and lots of comments on my dress style. So here I am managed to score a 10 today which isnt bad.

Geocaching on way to End of headland and weather is hot

Geocaching on Brean Downs weather is hot I have tried to keep to my colours and styles so have added brown neck scarf, bracelet, rings, watch, blouse with tucks make up and 3/4 length trousers, need a tan on my legs.

9th August

Mega event in Weston Supermare and a shopping trip to Mountain Warehouse now have new waterproof coat, fleece and t shirts plus neck tube  in my correct colours and style.

New walking jacket in one of my colours

Looks better on me

10th August new dress and suit arrived suit is too big but dress looks great.

11th August Posted new picture on Facebook and with in minutes had comments about how good i am looking and had i lost weight.  Wore my red slash neck top from Kettlewells today it is lovely. Cape and dress from Peruvian Connections arrived cape is great but dress doesnt work so its going back and back to the drawing board for shopping.

12th August Hair colour now in the correct tones and looking good watch this space for more contrast photos of before after and during.

14th August Shopping with Sharon Cant wait Charity shop and dress agency shopping.  The trip down to London to help my daughter move. Have ordered the following in a quest to create my capsule wardrobe.

15th August THE BIG SHOP

Today is the day I meet up with Sharon, who had her colours done first and we are out shopping together fortunately she is a Blue Spring and I am a blue Autumn so we shouldnt fight as out colours are different.

The first shop we came to i had a glance at the shoes and moved on to scarves, Sharon spotted some Cotton trader Sandals in pink Sharon loved them but i had to rescue her frm making an unwise choice as the colour was mine not hers after some deliberation we agreed they were my pink not hers, Sharon hates me now (lol). The colour is coral the sandal iin the back ground is nearer the correct colour.

Next I spotted a scarf in my colours again the colours are replicated correctly as the lighting in the hotel affects the camera.

My next find was a Monsoon scarf in olive

Other purchases today included a cream Monsoon jacket in my colours.

Then i bought a beige wrap withcammi attached by Coast

Then I bought new shoes by KG and an new vanity case by Samsonite to replace my aging one RRP 80 Froxs price 18 bargain.

Next we moved on to another Beetroot Tree for lunch and her I purchased some designer jewellery.

After a delightful lunch another shop to visit and here I bought a gorgeous cream lace dress, a red top, Armani handbag suede and brown. a cream jacket cant remember makes but here they are Principles jacket

Armani bag

Total coast for the entire trip was 327.00 excluding the jewellery was 243.  which for the amount and quality of items bought is a steel.

A good shopping trip and now i have to wait for Sue’s verdict and watch this space for the new photos of the new outfits and looks  oh yes in addition i bought a skirt which i will photo graph on me not flat on the bed.

20th August trip to Lichfield to the charity shops and saved a fortune although there were lots of good quality items they were either not my colour or not my shape.  I called in at CC and frm the Viyella section bought a red wrap top reduced from £80 to £13.50.

A few days ago whilst out with Ian he told me he didnt recognise me as he was looking for someone more dowdy like I used to be he really likes the new me, which is good because so do I.

Here are some of the recent photos since the image change,

Wearing Monsoon Jacket, necklace and earing from Beetroot Tree, and coral Kettlewell Colours top. Hair is now a darker shade.  Lots of comments coming in and capsule wardrobe is now more or less complete no suit as yet and I have cleared out yet  more items from my wardrobe.  Off to town tomorrow for new underwear and to see what items i can collect for my winter wardrobe.

21st August Drove to Sutton Coldfield on the way home from work with the intention of going to a dress agency, I didnt find it but found a charity shop with some good quality items in but didnt buy anything.

22nd August Ian and I went and bought the new painting for the Lounge and then i went to Froxs who were closed for refurbishment, went into to town for new undie and met the two boys to buy them some clothes.  Intimas had a sale on so bought new undies and some gorgeous pjs in my colour.  After dispatching the boys I visited several charity shops but bought only a lime green top, In looking for the dress agency in Derby I spotted that Emily Brigdens had a sale on so went for a moouch, some lovely items in my colour and style but not my size, though I did try a Navy and white trim Gerry Weber top, a Betty Barclay pair of Linen trousers and a Olsen pullover that is unusual.

After shopping in town i went for a massage and manicure before going home to find my Wrap catalogue had arrived so had a flick through and ordered my must have items.  My delivery from Lands End had also arrived so I now have two swmming costumes in the correct colour.

Swimsuits are coral and Peacock, Lime green and Navy image colours are out compared to outfit.  I also bought some green cropped trousers for active wear.

Here are the items I ordered from Wrap 

The start of my Winter capsule wardrobe, I have found that as new stuff arrives old stuff I had hung onto gets thrown out so yet another bag of clothes to go to the charity shop or  Honduras Charity we work with.

25th August New images of the new look, obviously whilst cycling it is difficult to maintain a decent hair style and as any cyclist knows you end up with helmet hair.

cheese

new navy top and scarf

6th September 2009Back from a weeks holiday where i met up wth my daughter we did a lot of girlie things including teaching her how to use make up now i know how.  Had a days charity shop and dress agency shopping in Swansea and the Mumbles got some nice items. D now has heels jewellery and a dress.

Top of a very blowy hill caching, the middle pic is me having just negotiated a blustery headland and brambles. the right hand side is our trip to woebley castle

Geocaching Prissen Tor what wind, we also had hail and were 500 foot above sea level

Above new items bought whilst on holiday

Despite mostly wet weather we did get out caching and cycling and I did wear something in my colours and my make up every day.  still finding it all exciting and am still wanting to shop till i drop.

One lady in one of the charity shops asked if Danielle and I were sisters.  Danielle has phoned me today to report that she is wearing her make up every day and that people are commenting, she has also started wearing a necklace and bracelet every day.  What has Sue started?

12th September Peter and Julie’s wedding next weekend and I have my oufits sorted out cant’t wait. Also visited the hair dresser this wekk to have the colour changed and discovered a nice effect with my PJ’s of an evening .  So its all happening and the wardrobes are filling nicely with good quality things.  Looked at and Armani suit today but the jacket was a little on the short side, so I will keep looking.

Monday 21st September Day after the wedding weekend and there are a few pictures of the event, wasnt happy with how the cream dress looked but the red one was fine.  Bought some winter tops from Kettlewells in different colours and they again are fast at delivering, good quality and wash well

The Other Happy Couple