Often the terms style consultant and personal image consultant are thought of in relation to pop stars, politicians and other rich and famous folk. They are regarded as needing a stylist as they are in the public eye. But these days more and more "ordinary" people are turning to a style consultant for help.
Those in the job market realise that image matters, those already in jobs are often wishing to make sure they look their best in order to get promotion or even to keep their jobs in these tough times. However, there is another group of people that I would urge to consider getting advice from a style consultant or personal image consultant - the full time mums.
How sad I feel when I hear a member of this group say, 'Oh, I’m just a mum'. Having made the decision to leave my job and stay at home with my children for the first few years of their lives, I know that there is no more important job on the planet. But I also know that when you are "just a mum" it’s very easy to lose your self esteem and confidence. It’s very easy to go out clothes shopping for yourself and come back with bags full for the kids and nothing for yourself! With the drop in income you tell yourself that it’s not important how you look and you just pick up the odd t-shirt now and then on your way around the supermarket. Accessories become a thing of the past, your clothes tend to become more shapeless to hide any post-baby weight and black in colour - it stays clean longer! Before you know it, you feel dowdy and frumpy and anything but stylish and sexy!
Being a mum is a hard job and you need to make sure you look after yourself as well as your children. So what can a personal image consultant do for you?
1. Inject some colour
A style consultant will be able to show you the colours that work best with your own colouring. In the right colours you will look young and fresh even when you haven’t had enough sleep. In colours that work against your colouring you’ll tend to look older and more tired which can get you down. Even if it is a supermarket t-shirt you are wearing, the right colour will make you look and feel better about yourself. If your budget is tight, your personal image consultant will be able to show you how to shop wisely to buy fewer items that mix and match easily, meaning more combinations. They will also show you how to change the look of an outfit easily with different accessories so that if you do get the chance of a night out with the girls you can dress up an outfit without it costing the earth.
2. Help you stay stylish
A good style consultant will understand that your clothes need to be practical. They won’t try to put you into clothes that make you look as if you just stepped off the catwalk in Milan, but they will help you to add touches to your practical clothes that will keep you feeling confident in the way you look. For instance, a colourful belt or bag can change the look of an ordinary pair of jeans and t-shirt.
You may be feeling less than happy with your post-baby figure. Some people are very lucky and go back to the figure they had before but for many their shape will have changed and may never go back to how it was. Your personal image consultant will be able to advise you on the most flattering styles for your body shape and also on the right underwear. Getting you foundations right will make a big difference to how your clothes hang and how you feel about your body.
Your style consultant will be able to advise you on one or two more special outfits for your wardrobe. After all, most of it will need to be practical but there should still be times when you dress up and feel good and go out without the children.
3. Provide you with a quick and easy make-up return
Whether you were a make-up wearer or not before the children, make-up will really give your confidence a boost as it highlights all your best features. By making time to spend five minutes on yourself doing this each day you will give yourself time to just look in the mirror, pay yourself a compliment and boost your confidence and self-worth. Your style consultant will be able to show you which make-up steps will make the most difference for you.
In the first few years of your children’s life, it is important not to 'let yourself go' as when it comes for the time to start the school run your confidence will have got up and left and you’ll be feeling as if you can’t compete with the school yummy mummies. Again, your personal image consultant will be able to show you how to look stylish (not over the top) but practical when you pick up your kids so that they’ll be proud of how you look too!
So go on, contact your local style consultant or personal image consultant today and start feeling good about yourself again - you deserve it!