Total Image Solutions Image insight blog - For the latest style advise

A little change can make a huge differnce!

30/8/2012

Recently I was fortunate to work with the lovely Jane Flynn from the popular blog “The Hesitant Housewife”. Janes day consist primarily of looking after her nearly two year old daughter and she felt like she had lost herself and no longer felt like a woman or her own person, just a wife and mother. You can head over to her blog by clicking on the link and read her three part account of the journey of transformation we went on but here are a few details of how we got there.

Being a stay home mum, Jane does not wear makeup. Unfortunately
though, many days she goes without moisturiser as well. I recommended a BB cream which acts as a moisturiser and also evens out the skin tone. I also suggested she have her eyelashes tinted to highlight her beautiful eyes without having to worry about putting on mascara every day. A bit of a trim and a semi permanent hair colour in a tone to match her colouring make a huge difference and now she can maintain it at home with little time and
expense.

My moto has always been if you feels comfortable in tracksuits thats fine, just make it the right shape and colour for you. For around $30.00 we got Jane out of her husbands baggy hoodie and into this great outfit that gives her shape but she is still comfy in. Covering up in baggy clothes is only going to make you feel bigger and more depressed.

For a total of $263.40 we managed to 18 pieces including 1 new bra and 2 new pairs of undies (not shown). From which we created 14 different outfits. All of which suits Janes body shape, colouring, age, lifestyle and mort importantly, inner personality. You do not have to spend a fortune to look great. Once you know what suits you, you can build a wardrobe of clothes that you look and feel fantastic in, everyday! Below are a few example of some of the outfits we put together.

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Total Image Solutions is now officially Mum approved!

30/7/2012

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When I first organised a time with Justine for a consultation I was
nervous.

I haven’t been thru my wardrobe in years, what will she think of my 4 seasons
ago clothes, not to mention the hidden stash of clothes that I wore when I was a
teenager and can’t seem to part with.

As well as those items that I’ve been keeping “just in case” they come back into fashion, I mean I’ve had them for 5years they should be fashionable anytime soon right??

As a mum of 3 I’m sure you understand that as mothers we always put ourselves second, third, last. I go to the shops and aim to buy a pair of jeans for myself yet lose my focus and ended up with clothes for my kids ….again.

But then I wonder is it because I’m not sure of what to wear or I love an outfit I see on a sales assistant yet when I try it on it looks nothing like what it did on her. So I was nervous yet excited I couldn’t wait for guidance in to what to wear for my body shape as I don’t fit into one exact category of size.

Amazing would be one word to describe my session with Justine, not only is my wardrobe half the size of what it was, it is decluttered and organised, I love to walk into it as I know that each item in there fits me, suits me and makes me happy.

Justine offered new ideas to refresh my wardrobe and wear existing items in a way I wouldn’t have thought of. There were alot of aha moments, she also suggested particular clothes for me to buy, that I never knew existed and I am now living in them! Knowing how to dress my body shape makes it easier to shop for me now, when looking at new tops as I know exactly what style to look for so it saved me time, instead of trying on many different styles.

This service is a fantastic investment in you, it will save you spending money on clothes that don’t suit you, refresh your current clothing and help you feel confident in how you present yourself. Justine’s suggestions and tips, have given me confidence and clarity into my shape and how to dress is to maximise my best assets. I would highly recommend every woman spend the money on yourself and invest in this service, it is valuable and you are worth it!

A little more on Justine Wratten, Total Image Solutions:

Justine Wratten from Total Image Solutions is a part time stylist and Image Consultant and full time mum. She helps other mums come to terms with their new body shape and teaches them inexpensive ways to disguise perceived problem areas. She can help with wardrobe organisation, body shape analysis, shopping on a budget, and determining your optimal colour
palette, but most importantly help with regaining your confidence.

Reviewed by Maya Giampa, Maya’s Healing Space:

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Plus Size dressing advise.

25/7/2012

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Here is a great article from Melbournes Herald Sun outlining essential items needed for plus size dressing. Mine along with other great stylists comments are quoted. Hope you enjoy and take inspiration.

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Bargain Jeans !

26/3/2012

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Welcome to the first of what will hopefully be weekly videos highlighting any great bargains or styles I have found in my travels. If there is anything you are looking from please let me know and I will keep you in mind while I am out and about! Enjoy. X

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Is your wardrobe a money pit ?

7/11/2011

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In these days of the ecomomic downturn we are all worrying about our investments, but do you ever stop and think about the investment you make in your clothes? Think about this, the majority of women wear 20% of their wardrobes 80% of the time, on average we have 100 significant pieces (shoes, pants, tops, jackets, skirts etc) that cost on average $50.00, thats on average $5000.00 you have invested in your wardrobe. If you are only wearing 20% of it, you have $4000.00 sitting there going to waste. Given we usually turn over our wardrobes every 6 years, thats $4000.00 you are throwing away every 6 years !!! Thats crazy, if you had an investment like that you would be quick to rectify it.

There is a solution, when you learn once and for all what suits you, you can then turn the statistics around. You will start looking at you purchases more carefully and stop throwing your money away. It just makes sense, but if you dont trust me ask your accountant, I am sure he will tell you how fiscally responsible you are being by seeing an image consultant and then tell your husband your accountant recommended it !

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Image and personality.

30/9/2011

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When it comes to your image, personality plays a huge role. For most people however their inner and outer style personalities do not match up. For most people their outer style personality i.e what we wear and how we are percieved takes on a functional role and conforms to those around us and the everyday situations we find ourselves in. Style personality can fall into many categories, is it classic, feminine, dramatic, natural, elegant, sexy or creative ?

For example most women who have kids find themselves dressing down because they feel uncomfotable doing the school pickup and "standing out" in something other than a tracksuit or the staple of jeans and a black top. But when you ask these women about how they feel about their style, they feel boring and drab. You know, when you hear the term "age appropriate" you usually think of someone older dressing too young but it does also apply to someone younger dressing too old. Many people in their thirties and forties who categorise themselves as a "school mum" have lost sight of their inner style personailty and that is the reason why the majority of these gorgeous women feel drab, tired, and somewhat miserable, they have fallen into a rut. When you are not being true to your inner self there is really no other possible outcome.

Now having said all that your inner style personality might fall into a category that is really not appropraite for your everyday situation. You may be a "school mum" whos sexy inner style personality is screaming to get out but wearing a so called sexy outfit to pick up the kids might raise a few eyebrows, so as much as I am an advocate for dressing for yourself and no one else, I am also an advocate of appropraite dressing. So heres what I recommend, in a situation like that you can add touches that make you feel sexy while staying "appropriate". Buy yourself a beautiful perfume to wear everyday, dont just reserve it for special occassions, paint your toe nails in a gorgeous bright colour that you would be to scared to buy clothes in. Try and find some underwear that you feel comfortable in but also makes you feels sexy and wear it everyday not just on special occassions.

Have a think about your true inner style personality and who is screaming to get out. If you dont feel comfortable totally over hauling your outer style personality to match your inner one, please try and let a bit of it out. You will feel so much better, trust m

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Investing in your image.

8/9/2011

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Some people may think the cost of having a style or colour consultation is out of their reach, but think about this, you will generally only do it once. When you look in your wardrobe and are faced with all the mistakes you have made, add up the cost of that. I can guarantee you it will by far out weigh the cost of hiring an image consultant. Once you know what styles and colours suit you, you will look and feel fantastic and will no longer make expensive mistakes. Before you go shopping for Spring/Summer and you make anymore mistakes come and see me.

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Stylist versus Image Consultant ?

26/8/2011

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I was watching Oprah the other day and they were doing makeovers on some very deserving women (just like all of you). At the end, the person in charge of their new look gave out his ten top list of essential items every woman must have in her wardrobe. A couple made perfect sense to me like a great pair of dark denim jeans, but the rest were just to generalised for my liking. One item in particular that he insisted every woman should have is a black turtleneck jumper, now I dont know about you but if I were to wear a black turtleneck, my face would look round and full and with black not being a good colour on me I would look tired and dull. Hence the difference between a stylist and an image consultant, a stylist is more likely to use items currently in fashion or easily accessible regardless of body type or colouring whereas an image consultant will analyse your best styles and colours and then work with current trends. We are about to be inundated with extremely bright colours for Spring/Summer which I for one will not look great in so I will stay current by using splashes of them in accessories. The moral of my story is that you need to be careful when watching and listening to styling advise on TV shows, everyone is different and more often than not the advise that is being dished out, if followed, will leave you looking like a fashion victim, a look we should try and avoid at all costs. So take the time to invest in yourself, find out whats works best for you.

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Shapewear - friend or foe ?

28/7/2011

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Have just been watching "How to look good naked", now don't get me wrong I love Gok Wan and what he ultimately is able to achieve. What I dont understand is why call the show "How to look good naked" when the first thing he wants to do is get everyone into firm fitting shape wear! In my opinion shape wear definately has its place but I couldn't think of anything worse than having to wear it everyday. I don't know how you can start to feel good naked without starting to accept your body the way it is. If you are going to a special event and have a gorgeous dress to wear shapewear can help smooth out any imperfections, but on a day to day basis it is too restrictive and uncomfortable. When you learn how to dress your body shape and make the best choices when it comes to colouring you can minimise your percieved flaws and accentuate you positive attributes. After a while of dressing your best you, you will notice a mind shift and looking (and feeling) good naked may not be that as far out of reach as you think.

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A little change can make a huge differnce!

Total Image Solutions is now officially Mum approved!

Plus Size dressing advise.

Bargain Jeans !

Is your wardrobe a money pit ?

Image and personality.

Investing in your image.

Stylist versus Image Consultant ?

Shapewear - friend or foe ?

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