If you are NOT aware of Lands’ End Canvas, you will be soon.  In my humble opinion, FALL will be “to die for” at this up and coming shop.  I see it targeting J. Crew which I have always loved as chic classic apparel.  If you haven’t been to Lands’ End for awhile, you may not know that it was bought by Sears several years ago.

Initially a strategic move, I am sure the economic slump has put a damper on its movement into mainstream retail, but don’t let this stop you from going online or stopping by your nearest Sears to check it out.

It’s young and hip and from what I have seen the quality is what you have come to love with Lands’ End.  Keep it up LE.  I am looking forward to tweeting, exposing you on FaceBook and blogging.  Bring on the season!

Watch us as we update you on the latest makeover with Kathy.  She starts her process at StyleCAMP June 19th!  It’s going to be exciting.  Until then,

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

I’ll be there cheering all the hard work of the students.  Kristal, our intern this year will also be there.

I hope to see you there!

As could be expected, each entry was heartfelt and sincere-each deserving to win.    “Crowning” Kathy as the winner was a unanimous decision by each judge in a silent poll.

It has been my experience that it is unusual for someone who is as young as Kathy to connect so deeply with herself and we all felt a common bond her story.  BUT, because this was supposed to be FUN for everyone and wanted to honor each individual submission.  Everyone who submitted an essay will win a  “Sofie Made Me Do It” Package that includes:

Scholarship to Style Camp,  Brow and Nail Package, Summer Survival Kit, and Soul Coaching to get them started on their style journey!

My special thanks go to the panel of judges who didn’t know what they were getting themselves into!  You are all awesome.  Please visit their website and learn more about what they do!

Susan Cadley, LPC, CSC, Certified Soul Coach, Owner of Living From Within, LLC
Alyson Hoag, CEO, Authentic Beauty, LLC
Kyle Young, CEO, Kyle Young Inc.-Effective Ideas and Multi-TaskingWoman.com

For now, I hope you will enjoy Kathy’s submission and I look forward to posting all summer long as we continue to journal and video her progress in her personal  Journey to Style. Read on and remember:

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

Dear Sofie,

I did it. In March 2009, I realized that I wasn’t happy with me: how I looked, how I held myself or how I treated myself, so I decided I needed to take control and set a goal to lose weight and revitalize my self esteem. Knowing that slow and steady determination would win the race, I sought support and set to work changing habits. Now, 14 months later at 27 years old, I’ve gone from a size 14 to a size 6. I have energy and muscle definition. I’ve made a commitment to allow myself to take pride in my accomplishments and have embraced my spiritual side and faith to help build me up.

I feel like a new person, but my outside shell is still the woman I was before. The majority of my clothes are size 10 or 12, so my new inner strength is drowning in an over sized, sloppy-looking exterior. I’ve bought some smaller-sized clothes, but on top of losing weight, I’ve also lost any sense of what my style should be or what’s best for my current body. After losing a full cup size and gaining shoulder muscle, I have no idea how to dress my new torso. The shirts I have were designed to hide my tummy and accent my chest, but both seem to have disappeared! I get excited about a smaller size and find myself chasing the lowest number, regardless of how the pants fit. I end up wearing clothes that are either old and too big, or new and too tight, because in my head the smaller the clothes, the smaller I look.

Part of my personal transformation during this past year has been growing into my career. I discovered my passion for nonprofit organizations in college and ever since, have thrown myself into creating, promoting and assisting programs & organizations. I’ve always considered myself a pseudo-professional. I was (and really, still am) a young adult working for small, meaningful organizations on very little money. I’m feeling the inward transition from the worker bee mentee to embracing the expertise I have and stepping up to be a leader in my field. Working for charities and ministries has not been a good influence on my wardrobe. My work spaces have been casual and my budget tight, but as I take my career to the next level, working with larger organizations and starting to do consulting on the side, I need to learn how to best utilize my limited funds with items that fit me and are appropriate for the setting so I can drop the pseudo and confidently present myself as a true professional.

I want this makeover because I’ve been building my confidence from the inside out. It’s time for the outside layer, my wardrobe, to catch up!

Sincerely,

Kathy!

I took a picture of this pine frond to encourage all you allergy sufferers out there that you are almost done! See, there are only a few pods left on the frond…

What is causing your misery in the closet? What is it that you are suffering from?

• It is too many t-shirts?
• Pants that don’t fit?
• Can’t find any dresses that you like for spring and summer.
• Do you even know what looks good on you?
• Are you in a style funk?

Any one of these could be the simple cause of your misery and unlike pollen this cannot go away until you learn the source and understand how to fix it.

You have a chance, one chance this summer to “fix it” or at the very least get a great start to understanding your style misery.

Come to StyleCAMP, June 19th.

We are busy working on new educational opportunities for you so if you have always wanted to come, don’t wait any longer.  The next learning opportunity won’t be until the fall!

Discover the cause of your misery and you’ll learn how to :

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

I have seen a lot of confusion I have seen at weddings recently.  No one really knows what to wear.  Either that or they don’t care.

I want you to care, I want you to look your best because if you look your best you’ll feel your best and have the best time!  We’ve talked about Afternoon Weddings and Evening Weddings.  Now let’s talk about destination weddings.

I’ve heard about weddings on Cruise Ships, the Beach, a Remote Island, even Italy.  They all sound very romantic and fun, but I believe that it does create some confusion when planning for the occasion.

So, if you are the bride or groom and are planning a destination wedding, please do your guests a favor and let them know how you would like them to be attired.

Having said that here are a few of my suggestions on everything from dresses to footwear for a destination wedding.

Think “business casual” not “weekend casual”.  Even though you are much more casual, you still want to be dressed up, not sloppy.

So, even if you are wearing your jeans, make sure they are your dress-jeans and not your “cleaning the yard” jeans.  Pay close attention to detail if you are traveling to another country.

Pay attention to their cultural mores and what is acceptable in the country.  There may be special attributes about wedding attire that is different from what you are used to seeing.  If there is something unique about the country, try and embrace the culture and go with it!

Beach:

• Sundresses
• Jeans (o.k. if specified on invitation)
• Khakis
• Linen Sports coat
• Lightweight gauze or linen dresses or slacks
• Bermuda shorts (guys)
• Flip-flops, sandals or no shoes (ladies)
• Flip-flops, Docksiders, no shoes, loafers w/no socks (guys)

Cruise:

• Same as above for clothing (if not specified by invitation)
• Shoes-sandals, Docksiders, loafers w/no socks

Other Country:

• Dress denim (men)
• Linen blazer (men)
• Silk shirt (men)
• Silk dresses (women)
• Heeled sandals and pumps (women)
• Colorful patterns (men and women)

The bottom line is to simply think about the event and plan for it.  Enjoy the opportunity to do something different and you’ll

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

What to Wear to an Evening Wedding

What to Wear to an Afternoon Wedding

I photographed this gentleman because he was dressed up!  His smile said it all…He was there to celebrate and have fun.  Was it over the top for an afternoon wedding?  I say NO, was it necessary to dress up this much?  Again, I say NO, but the key here is that it WAS O.K. to wear a suit and dress up.

The biggest challenge dressing for a wedding comes not when the wedding is at 3 PM but as the day turns into evening.  What do you wear to an evening wedding?  One hopes that there is instruction on your invitation, letting the guests know if it is a 6:00 wedding the formality of it.  Again, we are talking about a Church Wedding.  It will be completely different for a “Destination” or “Beach” Wedding.

An evening wedding, one that is from 6PM on, is considered a more formal event and should require more formal attire.  I have been invited to a 6PM Formal Wedding and having spoken to the bride’s mother, I know that there will be many long gowns worn to this event.  Here are a few suggestions on your attire for an evening wedding:

Ladies:

Long or a short dress is o.k.  If you choose to wear a short dress, select a festive, perhaps a cocktail dress.  Dress it up with a wrap and very nice shoes and a clutch.  A cotton sundress is not going to cut it for this event no matter how you dress it up!  So grab a dress with great drape and a fabric that is beautiful on you.

Guys:
It’s a bit more straightforward for you!  Your options are simple. Choose either a suit or a tuxedo.  If you don’t have a tuxedo, a black suit is certainly appropriate.

• Note that a 2-button suit is more formal.
• Wear a white shirt and a festive tie.
• Polished LACE UP shoes and a smooth leather belt.
• Your fashion missteps come in the way of bad shoe, belt, tie and pocket scarf selections, so choose wisely.
• Never match your pocket scarf to your tie!  Always remember that the smoother the leather the more formal the look.  AND the narrower the sole on your shoe the more elegant the look.
• Stay away from a rubber sole for this event.

If you will remember that it is about the Bride and Groom and dress for the occasion, you will:

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

What to Wear to an Afternoon Wedding

Next…What to Wear to a Destination Wedding

I attended a 3 pm church wedding in April recently and what I observed was all over the board. It was either party wear or weekend casual, hanging out wear. So here’s a note to the bride and groom:

• If you care what your guests wear, please have a dress code on the invitation
• Understand what a dress code means by today’s standards
• If you don’t know what to suggest, please solicit the advice of a wedding planner

Here’s what to wear if there are no instructions on the invitation AND you will be attending an afternoon Church wedding. Minimally, please consider the following and remember that you’ll never go wrong dressing up:

• Ladies, I suggest you wear a dress or skirt with a nice blouse (no denim please)
• If you are going to wear sandals or shoes with no hosiery, please make sure that your toes are polished and feet groomed.
• Make sure you have heels on your shoes and they are not worn off so you are clicking up the isle or sidewalk
• Definitely NO FLIP-FLOPS to a Church Wedding
• Carry a nice simple clutch and not your every day satchel

• Gentlemen, I suggest you wear a pair of dress slacks or khakis (pressed please) a long sleeve dress shirt (ironed)
• A sports coat is not required but a nice touch and doesn’t require a tie
• If you wear a tie, please put a coat on with it
• Shoes guys are just as important, even if you are not wearing a sports coat.  NO tennis, athletic or Docksiders please.  I’d like to see a polished loafer or lace up shoe to finish out your look.

It doesn’t have to be hard to get dressed for the wedding and you don’t always have to find something new.  Consider it a time for celebrating and “dress-up”.  You’ll find that dressing up will put you in a festive mood and you’ll actually have more fun!  You’ll let go a little knowing that you are dress just right for the occasion and you’ll:

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

Next, What to Wear to an Evening Wedding

I went to a wedding this past weekend. It was a spectacular day for a wedding-not a cloud in the sky and a gentle breeze kept the day light and comfortable.  The time of the wedding was 3pm.

It’s been a while since I’ve attended a wedding and as I thought about what I was going to wear since there wasn’t  “dress code’ on the invitation, I thought that “Sunday Dress” was appropriate.  Now days, “Sunday Dress’ means anything goes to most…. Anything from shorts and denim to sundresses and day suits.  So I was anxious to see what the day presented.

I took my dad and being from the “old school”, didn’t have to suggest what he should wear.  When I picked him up he had a  sports coat, tie and casual dress slacks on.  Good, I thought, no worries.  We left early since neither of us knew where we were going and wanted to get there in time to be seated comfortably.  Well, as luck would have it we arrived very early.  So early in fact that we just sat in the car and watched as everyone arrived.  It provided much inspiration for this post.

The first group to get out of their car was a young boy and his mother.  He was about 8 or 9.  He leapt from the car in  pair of khaki shorts (o.k. I thought), white polo untucked and OH NO, flip-flops.  Ish, bad news….We aren’t at the beach.  Then his mother got out of the car and she had on an outfit of black (yes black) washed cotton-something you’d wear on the beach- and ooops rubber flip-flops…Honestly she looked as if she just came from shopping at Wal-Mart or the grocery store or perhaps really didn’t want to be there.  Just threw something on because she “had to be there”.

OMG…..please don’t tell me these people are going to the wedding????  Lighten up I’m telling myself..It’s not about “you”…But that’s exactly the problem…It ISN”T about you, it’s about the Bride and Groom…

I’m not trying to be difficult here, but seriously it is about celebrating a momentous event in the lives of two people.  Celebrating and showing respect for all the work that they have put into this event.  It’s not about your comfort.  It is about the comfort of the bride and groom.  Why wouldn’t you WANT to dress up to show your support?  I just don’t get it.

So, in honor of kicking off “Wedding Season”, I’m going to spend the next couple of posts suggesting what is appropriate to wear to a wedding should you be honored with an invitation this season.  We’ll talk about what to wear to an Afternoon Wedding, what to wear to an Evening Wedding, and what to wear to the other types, Destination, Beach, Garden, etc.

Here’s one big hint…Unless you are going to a “beach, on the sand wedding”….flip-flops are a no go! Come on here, let’s enjoy the event and

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

Interestingly enough, this little “project” of mine started out quite simply enough (don’t they all) and I am the one that has grown from it.

I started the month with inspiration because of how breast cancer has touched not only my life but so many of us.  Well intended, I wanted to show you how to wear color and build color into your life because I know how important it is.

Two things I want to leave you with:

Your donation to any “non-profit” has a huge impact but make sure that it is well placed by doing your research on the organization.  Some organizations are better at managing their money and therefore more funds are distributed to the proper parties.  Click here to see some of the websites I followed this month.  Breast Cancer Websites

The top 10 Things I Learned About Myself in the PINK!

1. Many Days I found myself BORING
2. Don’t dismiss ANY store as an opportunity for your wardrobe (I gave myself  permission to shop in places I never would have dreamed to have shopped just to see if they had any PINK.
3. My favorite colors ended up being the colors I took a chance on. (fuchsia and deep salmon PINK)
4. Variety was key (sweaters, tanks, T’s, shirts, bloused, etc)
5. When I had more accessories I didn’t always “feel” so PINK
6. I WON’T wear 3.5 – 4″ stilettos (bought a pair of pink suede and sent them back)
7. DON’T select a color for the season until you see what is “ON TREND”
8. Makeup is important too!  (I didn’t have enough PINK makeup in a shade that was complementary)
9. A PINK handbag would have worked wonders as would a PINK belt
10. I’m not as smart as I thought I was!

I’m glad that I can now begin to wear my favorite color  blue (tomorrow) but I think the best thing that I have taken away from this project is making myself work it.  As Tim Gunn would say “make it work”.

I do have some pink in my wardrobe now but the pinks that I like the very best are the more vibrant, deeper shades NOT the soft shades.  Can anyone say CONSIGNMENT?  Don’t forget your mammograms and if you are interested in helping others, why not Volunteer ?

Read the WHY?

“Look Good, Feel Great and Have FUN Doing It!”

Want to copy this article?  You must copy the entire article including the following information.  Karen C. Hughes, AICI CIP Image Assets, email:  Karen@ImageAssets.net, on the web: www.ImageAssets.net

Posted by: Karen Hughes, Founder of Image Assets, an Image Consulting Firm serving the Alpharetta and Metro Atlanta areas. As a seasoned certified image consultant, Karen follows a simple philosophy: educate, empower, and enrich the lives of her clients. Her philosophy is enmeshed throughout her practice and can be observed in her workshops, clinics, and one-on-one consultations. Her energetic and interactive style makes her a sought-after training resource for organizations and individuals alike. Even the most difficult topics seem effortless for Karen as she tackles such challenges as professional etiquette, business dress personal image and body shape.

It’s not just a “Style Camp Reunion”, it’s TRENDS w/FRIENDS!

Come help Karen Hughes with Image Assets, Kyle Young with Multi-Tasking Woman.com and Best Self Magazine kick it into high gear for the Fall 2009 Season.

• Join us, have some fun and do some good!
• Learn What’s New for Fall 2009
• Wear an Accessory that Shows your Style Personality AND
• Bring an Accessory to Donate!

This Season We’ll be Gathering Accessories (new and gently used-handbags, scarves, brooches, necklaces business shoes, etc) to Donate to Women in Transition who are getting ready for a New Job!

Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00PM
Location:   Atlanta Art Institute
6600 Peachtree Dunwoody Road
100 Embassy Row
Atlanta, GA  30328

Fee:               $25 (net proceeds will be donated to the season’s charity)

R.S.V.P. and Reservations Required!Register Now!

Want to copy this article?  You must copy the entire article including the following information.  Karen C. Hughes, AICI CIP Image Assets, email:  Karen@ImageAssets.net, on the web: www.ImageAssets.net

Posted by: Karen Hughes, Founder of Image Assets, an Image Consulting Firm serving the Alpharetta and Metro Atlanta areas. As a seasoned certified image consultant, Karen follows a simple philosophy: educate, empower, and enrich the lives of her clients. Her philosophy is enmeshed throughout her practice and can be observed in her workshops, clinics, and one-on-one consultations. Her energetic and interactive style makes her a sought-after training resource for organizations and individuals alike. Even the most difficult topics seem effortless for Karen as she tackles such challenges as professional etiquette, business dress personal image and body shape.