When you open your closet door, how do you feel? Hopeful? Excited? Uninspired? Overwhelmed? A sense of delight or a sense of deep discouragement? Watch this 7-minute video and/or read the full article (with photos) below. Getting dressed is something you do every day…often before your day gets fully up and running. You want that experience to feel uplifting or at least productive and satisfying, right? Whatever you feel when you open your closet, it can spill over into the rest of your day. There are many reasons why your wardrobe can be draining your energy. Let’s look at three possibilities ..read more

Giving back to women in need is one of the things I love most about working with Cabi and one of those ways is through ‘Love Local’ events supporting women in need. On May 1, I had the honor of a being part of a Cabi ‘Love Local’ event in Lynn, Massachusetts (where I live). Cabi sent new clothing to Amirah, Inc. whose sole mission is to provide exit and aftercare services to women who have experienced sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. 25-30 women attended at a lovely support house* and Cabi sent enough clothing for each woman to choose 5 pieces she loved! We had so much fun ..read more

We’ve seen the lists… 10 Wardrobe Essentials to Make the Most of Your Closet 16 Clothing Essentials that Belong in Every Closet Why Every Closet Should Have These 17 Basic Items 11 Wardrobe Essentials that Will Always Make You Look Classy There are an endless number of articles out there telling women what items they ‘should’ have in their wardrobe. The titles listed above are just a few of the hundreds, even thousands, available. I often look at them and roll my eyes. Rarely do these lists fit with what I actually have in my wardrobe and I’m pretty happy with my wardrobe. I can say with co ..read more

Wedding preparation season is in full swing and, as a result, I have been busily shopping and advising clients on what to wear as a mother of the bride or groom – and even as guests to these weddings. You’d think it would be a breeze to find a beautiful dress to wear, but, sadly, that’s rarely the case. Stores often have fewer options than we’d like or, especially at this time of year, prom dresses usurp the space that used to house dresses for the rest of us. The color options are also often limited. If you want to wear navy blue, you’re probably in luck. Otherwise, it can feel harder to find ..read more

It’s spring and that alone, especially after the dreary, cloudy winter we’ve had in the northeast, is enough to make one smile! As we edge toward the warmer weather, it’s time to think about what you’ll wear. You probably have your favorite standbys from last summer and it can feel exciting to pull those out. It can also be fun to know what’s on trend for this upcoming season and look at what you might want to add to your wardrobe in the next couple of months. Perhaps you’ve been eagerly awaiting this report so you can see my catalogue of over 150 favorites (be sure to click on the photos to t ..read more

Nearly 20 years ago, when I felt compelled to go vegan, I soon learned that not only did being vegan influence the food I ate, but also the fabrics I wore—silk being one of them. The interesting thing is that when I looked in my closet to see how many silk garments I owned, I actually didn’t have anything. I had found silk to require special maintenance and with 6 cats in my house, it wasn’t particularly practical! That said, there is a much more pressing reason that I do not wear silk and that’s first of all, the horrors the silk worms endure as well as the dreadful environmental impact and m ..read more

When I started my business well over 30 years ago, color analysis was at the heart of it and that really hasn’t changed. But HOW I do color analysis HAS changed. Here are 6 reasons why I do custom color analysis (with a fun backstory and lots of pictures!): Your palette is a one-of-a-kind work of art created ESPECIALLY for you. The ONLY colors in your palette are the ones that look GREAT on you. The palette customization not only includes a full range of accent colors that look gorgeous on you, but it also includes color strips matching YOUR hair, eyes and skin color as well as your personal ..read more

Do you worry that when shopping online the clothing colors the retailers show are not accurate? I do massive amounts of online shopping both for my clients and myself and share my take on this in a recent Front Porch Catwalk! I’d love to hear your experience with color resolution while shopping online – your go-to stores and the ones that don’t measure up! The post Online Shopping: Are Retailers Showing Colors Accurately? appeared first on Total Image Consultants ..read more

Do you ever feel as if from the moment you put your feet on the floor, you’re pulled in a million directions? It’s only 8 am and yet it feels like a full day has passed…and you haven’t gotten dressed yet! I’m sure you have pressing things to deal with in your day and the last thing you want is even just a tiny thought niggling at the back of your mind questioning what you’re wearing. When you feel good in your clothes, it becomes a non-issue and you can put your entire focus on all the things that are more important. If you’re nodding your head, yes, but you realize you have no idea how to ge ..read more

Twice a year I switch over my wardrobe so I have only the things I will wear now in my active closet. This saves me from having to filter through too many things every time I get dressed just to find what is appropriate for the weather. And it keeps my clothes from looking all squished and congested in my closet which feels more peaceful. If you also live in a climate where you have distinct seasons, I suspect you do the same thing whether you move them from one closet to another or shift them around within your closet. While I’m moving things, I also have a chance to assess whether something ..read more