Image consultant?

Has anyone worked with an Image Consultant during their journey? A friend of mine is one and I have reached out to hear to start working with her. I want to define my target style as I lose. She's really excited for me. I think we'll start with color analysis, but not sure where we will go from there, as her usual "shop the closet" is sort of moot.

If you've done this, when did you find the best time was to engage this person?

Thanks,
Laurie

We had one of these come speak to our support group. I get it, but... I don't really have a style of my own and I kind of want the opportunity to discover that on my own first. But, if I needed help, I'd totally reach out to someone.

I hear ya. I have been cruising different style sites. I *think* I want to be a Ralph Lauren, classic American sort of girl, (not the ultra preppy variety of his stuff). Can I pull that off? I have no idea! I didn't trust my perspective of my body preop (see my response to Frisco's I see me post) and I have little confidence that I will be able to see who is truly in the mirror as I go along.

At work...I have been stuck in "frump" and/or "bad fitting suit" style modes for so long, that I fear I am jaded! I work for a consultancy in which men rule the roost, and I seriously feel that my weight has been a factor in my perceived glass ceiling. Nobody knows about my surgery, but I fully expect to be seen in a different light once I am at goal. I think the old adage of dressing for the position you want comes into play, here too.

I would love to hear how others navigated this. Candy, I know you are in a professional role as well. How have you gotten across this gap?

Obviously, this is all complex stuff I need to loop my therapist in on, as well. It won't be solved quickly, but it does feel good to be thinking about it.

I'm pretty lucky in that respect in that I only see clients and colleagues a few times per month - tops. I usually have a couple of "business" type outfits, but here in Austin that can even be jeans and a blouse. I own my own bookkeeping firm and work from my home office... so a little different than most, I suspect.

I have had a friend who used to work in retail come shopping with me, but so far I haven't paid anyone to help me shop.  I will admit that the number of stores that are now a possibility is kind of intimidating.  Still, I can't imagine spending money on that service when I'm basically replacing everything I own a couple of times in this process.  I am very fortunate that a friend who has also lost weight recently gave me all her size 16-12 clothing.  My sister and an OH friend just gifted me some size 10 (thanks Wildcat!).  My actual purchases have been pretty limited, though.  I am going back to work this fall but hesitate to buy a lot of stuff as I want to get used to the job first.  I'm generally pretty boring in what I wear, and until VSG I never believed I could "invest" in clothing because who knew what would fit from one year to the next.  Once I am at goal and maintain for a while, it seems more reasonable (to my cheap self) to invest in a consultant and in clothing pieces.

I didn't use an image consultant but I found lots of great help on the internet.  I particularly love www.youlookfab.com.  The feedback I've gotten there has really helped my find my new style.

Great site! Thanks!

I'd really like to meet with a professional when I get to a point where I'm done losing and I have the ability to actually have an entire wardrobe! I think it would be really cool. I was a tomboy when I was younger and thinner... and then by the time I actually started to care about things like hair, makeup, clothes... I was too big for clothes that other girls in their 20s were wearing and I just figured "what's the point?" when it came to the hair and makeup!

I"ve already taken a big step by ordering a dress online to wear to a wedding this weekend lol. My husband has seen me in ONE dress - a wedding dress! I just want to look nice on the outside now... because I'm feeling so much better on the inside... know what I mean?!

In the 80s, I ended up taking a class in this stuff! The group class was a lot cheaper than a 1-on-1 consultation would be. They did our colors 1-on-1 but the rest was in class. It was great.

So when I lost weight, I didn't feel like I needed anything else.

As for the sheer volume of stores being intimidating... hell, yeah!

What I did was make a list and start visiting them one by one. I then divided them into, Yes / No / Maybe.

I also tried to go into stores that were playing music I liked figuring they were probably catering to my style. I found out my style tends to sell Junior sizes, unfortunately. But I got to listen to some cool music. Heh heh.

I was thinking yesterday that I was lucky to already have a defined style- 1950's!  My whole closet is full of vintage reproductions and 50's inspired clothes.  That has actually been the hardest part about losing weight-  I am shrinking out of some pieces that I will never be able to find again. I am going through a bit of a mourning period with some of my clothes.  I worked at Bettie Page Clothing for a while and got a ton of dresses for nearly free.  Sad to say goodbye to them, but not to my gut!

I have been feeling a bit daunted by the idea that I can shop at whatever store I like.  Although I have decided that once I hit goal I am going to clean out Pinupgirlclothing.com's entire inventory.  Fortunately for me a few of my friends model for them and I can get a discount!  

Browse on pinterest, too!  Start a "my style" board and see what you like! 

 

Here is a pic of me dolled up for a wedding last weekend- my dress is from Bettie Page Clothing and my jewelry is vintage!