Fredericksburg Style Show Re-Cap

I could not have been more pleased with the time that I spent in Fredericksburg, Texas putting on a style show for the local women.  My husband and I arrived late in the afternoon on Friday and I was able to hit a couple of the local boutiques after checking into our amazing B&B, the Roadrunner Inn.  I spent all of Saturday morning exploring the shops around Fredericksburg (without letting any of the store owners know who I was!)  We also made a trip to the Alamo Springs Cafe and Becker Vineyards.  Over all, the food in Fredericksburg was impeccable! 

After doing some solid scouting of the local boutiques over the weekend, I was ready to pull for the style show early Monday morning.  I drove from shop to shop loading clothing, shoes, and accessories into my car and then taking them to the style show site, Hoffman Haus, which is another amazing place to stay!  A total of seven local boutiques participated in the show: Root, Parts Unknown, The Secret Garden, Hill Country Outfitters, Remember Me Too, Haberdashery, and Madlyn’s.  I greatly appreciate their participation and willingness to lend me their products. 

The style show began at about 10:30am on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2011.  I displayed a total of six mannequins during the style show and varied them according to personal style, color, and social occasion and by incorporating several of the stores’ products into each mannequin.  My goals were to 1) entertain my audience with new and fresh spring fashion information, 2) inspire the women to shop locally and support the small businesses of Fredericksburg, and 3) provide tips for dressing in a way that accentuates a woman’s favorite features and distracts from any area of the body that might make them feel less than flawless (and we all have those areas)!

Here are some fun photos from my Fredericksburg style show.  I hope to make the show a part of my seasonal style show tour!

A very big thanks to the lovely Maggie Sauer (below with me to the right) who coordinating and hosted the style show!  It was truly a wonderful experience, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to get to know so many amazing women.

Facing the Facts

Today is finally the day.  I face my fear of grey hair head-on (no pun intended!) and start the dreaded coloring process.  It started with a grey sprig here, a grey sprig there, and now it has grown into a grey colony.  I quickly realized that I am not the type of person to allow my hair to stay natural and embrace my grey.  Instead, I have found a way to solve it (glorious hair dye!) and to get back to feeling like the person with non-grey hair that I used to see in the bathroom mirror. 

My grey hair dilemma got me thinking.  As women, how often do we allow our least favorite physical areas to get us down.  We dwell on them and stress over them, but a lot of times we don’t take measures to make our peace with them.  To me, there are two options when we identify an “image area of concern.”  1) We can make our peace with the change, embrace what could be perceived by us as a flaw, and move on, or 2) We find a way to adjust, or even correct, the concern.  But if we do not choose between option 1 or 2, as women, that is when we really start beating ourselves up. 

In my years as working as a wardrobe consultant and certified image consultant, I have helped my clients face and re-direction their concerns over weight-gain, brown spots, wrinkles, and, yes, grey hair.  Whether they choose option 1 or 2, that is up to them.  But, my goal is to let them know that they are lovely and that I am happy to help in any way that I can.  

What are your appearance related concerns in 2011?  Have you chosen between option 1 or 2?  I know that when you do, you really will feel flawless!  Don’t forget to think of me this afternoon as I take my hair color plunge!

Confined To My Comfies

In our house, we have a special word for our casual, just around the house, never in public clothing: our comfies.  We are now day four into the winter deathland (really just a little snow and wintery mix!), and wearing my comfies has started to not feel so great.  Even as a wardrobe consultant, there are times that I just don’t feel like dressing up.  So when our deathland hit, I was overjoyed to slip into my comfies with a warm cup of coffee and spend the day with my paperwork.  Cut to day four, and I hate my comfies and feel somewhat disgusting.  I’m sure you know exactly what I am talking about…

It made me think about the importance of purchasing comfies that make you feel good about yourself even if you have zero plan for leaving the house.  Here is the criteria I created for myself and my clients the next time that I go on a comfies shopping trip:

1) Purchase a wide-range of comfies.  I have made the mistake of having the same pair of knit pants in several colors.  This gets very boring very fast.  Instead, mix up your comfy ensemble with leggings and a statement t-shirt one and day and wide-leg yoga pants and a hoodie the next (or whatever your favorite comfy style may be).

2) Select comfies in colors that make you feel and look great.  If you are sitting around the house in your comfies all day, the chances are that you aren’t applying some much needed makeup either…at least I’m not!  Wearing my husband’s old grey fleece does nothing but bring the under-eye circles out.  Hello Scary!  You are better off selecting a shade that is fun and flattering.  For me this might be teal, purple, or green.

3) Hunt for comfies that show off your figure instead of doubling it.  My opinion is that when you wear clothing that doesn’t fit, it makes you feel the freedom to eat everything in the pantry.  Afterall, there isn’t a waistband telling you when you are (or should be) full!  Plus, wearing clothing that flatters your waistline will help you remember how lovely you are, even when you are shivering by the fireplace.

Now get out there and hunt some new comfies…well, as soon as the deathland vanishes!