Stop, Yield, Glam: Is Your Style Signpost Costing You or Growing Your Business
by Liz Pabón

Signposts.  They serve as indicators of where we’ve been and where we’re going.  They offer us direction and information about the best choices to make.

Take for instance a stop sign.  We know that a red octagonal sign with white lettering is our queue to stop what we’re doing.  Or when we see an inverted triangle we know we’re being cautioned to stop if necessary.

In business, the signs aren’t as obviously posted but they do exist.

Like the unspoken sign that says underpinnings should be well concealed.  A bra strap that’s slipped off the shoulder can be viewed as quietly seductive or blatantly careless.

Or the play wear is for playtime sign.  If you wear it on days off to pick up the kids, the mail or the dogs, it may be best not to wear it in a work setting.  This is one of those instances where work and play don’t mix.

And then there’s the no Mimi Bobeck zone which basically says if it looks, sounds or smells like a costume, it’s best to reserve it for a more festive occasion or on-stage performance.  In a work setting too much can be viewed as well, too much.

It takes something like 3-seconds for a prospective client to decide if you’re in or if you’re out so how you present yourself is important to your bottom line success.

Jacket shapes and color palettes aside, there are a few important questions and principles to consider as you’re dressing for a work setting:

1. After putting yourself in your audiences shoes, will how you’re presenting yourself instill confidence?  You may believe your expensive LuLu Lemon yoga pants are stylish but they may be perceived as much too playful and you as not taking your job (and their needs) seriously.  Managing perceptions is key.
2. How are you expected to look?  As a tie-in to #1, if you’re not sure what your audience expects from you it’s possible you don’t know your audience well yet.  Keep working on understanding even their most subtle nuances in order to know what they need and expect from you.  And if you find their expectations too tall an order, you might have an audience mismatch.
3. Is your appearance elevated 1-2 notches above or below them?  Ideally, strive to style yourself 1-2 notches above your audience.  They will look at what you’re wearing and how you’re wearing it and decide if you represent what they want to achieve (it’s human nature to want to rise to a higher level) so give them a reason to choose you as their fairy glam mother (or father).

Express yourself, be creative and remember that your style signpost indicates to others what direction they should take and what they should expect from you.  You won’t get any fashion police citations or fees for not following these principles but you could lose potential business.

Set yourself up for success and happy styling!

About the Author: When not scouring stores for great books, limited edition makeup, or the perfect sexy boot, Liz is hard at work on her blog www.mybeautyblackbook.com. Stop by for a visit!

Pink is in this season! What’s your favorite shade?

If you were to look in my closet you’d see that I was “Tickled Pink”. It’s one of my favorite colors and from the looks of the runways it’s more fashionable now than ever. Flip through any magazine and you will see hot pink dresses, magenta hats, fuchsia stilettos, rose quartz encrusted jewels, mauve handbags and even sunglasses are trimmed in pink.

What color pink are you going to wear this season? It’s time to get out of your closet & be “Tickled Pink” about you!

That’s right if you’re striving for a spectacular life you have to be “Tickled Pink” inside/out!

To be “Tickled Pink” means to be delighted (ecstatic) about something (strive for everything), or to be in a state of excitement & joy (let’s go for 24/7), e.g., “She was tickled pink about her $10,000 contract.” It has nothing to do with being pink. It’s just the idiom that’s used.

Rose  Fuchsia Salmon Coral Cherry Blossom

Hawaiian Punch Mauve Fandango Carnation Magenta

So let’s look at your life and see what you can do to improve the hue! There’s always room for improvement! Just like there are many shades of pink, there are many facets to you too! You can be calm & cool. You can be warm too! Some days you might feel light and airy. Accept them all and stop holding yourself back. Be bold, be you, and let all of your colors shine from head to toe, inside/out!

Like last season’s trends, say good-bye to the bland shades that aren’t serving you. You have to commit to the things that you’ll be “Tickled Pink” about.  What do you like? What do you love to do? Who motivates you? What is the one thing that you’ve always wanted to do? Then strive to live in that state everyday i.e. morning, noon and night.

Don’t be timid, it’s your life and you can paint the canvas whatever way you’d like. Put forth the effort to produce a work of art! Think about it, you create the picture. You control the brushes. You can always work to perfect it but it starts by putting out all of your best colors.

Stop letting others dictate what colors you should choose.  You can definitely change what colors work best for you and always look to improve!

Don’t you want your life to be the perfect hue!

Do you feel stuck right now, building your Beauty/Fashion business? Would you like more support, referrals & resources?  If you want to work in the Glamorous beauty industry, own a profitable business or begin a career in the exciting field of fashion it starts with a plan, a plan to learn how to effectively market your products and services and increase your sales so your brand stands out in style! Today is the day to makeover your business and re-design your life. I invite you to experience a Business Curriculum like none other via my Hot & Sexy Mentorship for the Female Entrepreneur who wants to look sexy, feel beautiful and increase their bank account. I want to mentor you & show you how to make jaw-dropping leaps in your life & business NOW! Stop the drama, running around in circles (not cute!) & work with me so you can obtain the success you deserve. Step into your true feminine power & live “The Glamorous Life”. The Business coach for Fashionistas has arrived www.BillionairessCoaching.com!

©2011 Ungenita Beauty International, LLC.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: After spending 10+ years in Hollywood as an Actress/Dancer/Body Double Ungenita Katrina Prevost learned how to Perfect Her Potential™. Today she is the World’s First Beauty Empowerment Author & Speaker & named “The Tony Robbins of Beauty”. She helps female entrepreneurs bring structure back into their businesses and balance back into their lives by going from “Frazzled To Fabulous”, a simple, easy to implement system that gets results, ultimately improving their lives and businesses.

As a Certified Life Coach & Business Coach with more than 10 years combined experience in the Beauty, Fashion, Wellness and Entertainment Industry. Now fused today with savvy sales & marketing strategies. Ungenita is known as a “guru” who has an enviable reputation for having her finger on the pulse of who’s doing what, where and when in the world of glitz & glamour. She is one of the leading African American women in business today. She specializes in the unique needs of Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle professionals which she brilliantly titled “Beauty Makers”, get THE FRAZZLED TO FABULOUS FORMULA now at  www.TheFrazzledToFabulous.com

I am happily single and have been considering putting myself on the market. Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best choice of words. But, I think you get the point. Whenever I decide to go out on a date. There’s one question that always comes to mind. What should I wear? Can you relate? I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard or better yet, like I don’t care at all. I decided to ask my client who is an expert in this department. You might want to take notice. I’m certain you can benefit from the advice too!

What Not To Wear On A First, Second or Third Date…
By:Rachel Russo,MS, MFT
Dating/Relationship/Image Coach

As a teenager growing up just outside New York City, I sure used to spend a lot of time talking about 1.what to wear 2. boys. Mostly, I would chat with my friends about what to wear when dating boys! Fast forward to the present day, and I am still having conversations about labels and love—all the time. Clearly, the friends and clients of my adult years don’t have hours to spend discussing the ultimate question: what to wear on a first date.  However, they do realize the answer is just as relevant to their success in dating and relationships as it was decades ago.  In the spirit of service, here are a few quick tips that will help you make a stellar first impression on any first date. Here is what not to wear:

1.Anything that is “too” anything. Just say no to: too perfect, too done up, too comfortable, too sexy, and too tall.  In other words, this eliminates clothing and makeup that looks as if you are trying too hard,  resembles gym attire and sleep wear, includes jaw-dropping cleavage,  and heels that will make you four to five inches taller. (Yes, tall is beautiful, but comfort and the ability to walk properly in your shoes on a first date is priceless!)

2. Clothing that does not flatter you. The most important things to consider when purchasing garments is fit and color. This is where a lot of otherwise savvy women get into trouble. Clothing that is too tight is a major “dating don’t”.  Personally, I prefer loose-fitting shirts with comfortable but sexy jeans and cocktail dresses that I can breathe in for a dinner or drinks date. (Okay, maybe I should say clothes that I can eat in!) A lot of people underestimate the importance of color, but shades that match with your hair and skin tones can do so much for one’s image!

3. Something that doesn’t speak to who truly are. Perhaps one of the most important tips for a first date is to simply be you! There is a lot to consider when creating an image that will attract love–namely hair, makeup, clothing, and accessories. It must all be in line with your unique personality and sense of style. A first date is not the time to try out a drastic new look—or get a facial! If you choose a look that you are comfortable with–a tried and true outfit that makes you feel great every time you put it on—you will exude confidence. Nothing gets you a second date like confidence.

So there you have it!  Three things not to incorporate into your first date wardrobe. When it comes to finding a compatible match, knowing what you don’t want is just as important as knowing what you do want. Fashion and style are no different! Happy Dating!

Rachel Russo, MS, MFT is a NYC-based Dating, Relationship, & Image Coach who helps marriage-minded singles and couples makeover their attitudes, appearances, and love lives. To learn more about Rachel, please visit her website at www.RachelRusso.com.

To say I love High-Heels is an understatement. In fact I have a 3 inch minimum, so it wasn’t farfetched to come up with a way to make High-Heels a pre-requisite for women who want to be successful in business and stand in their true feminine power.

So when Alexis Wolfer, of The Beauty Bean, asked me to write 5 Reasons To Splurge on Stilettos, it was a no brainer.

If you’re ready to shop to you drop guilt free check out my tips…

http://thebeautybean.com/site/lust/5-reasons-to-splurge-on-stilettos-the-ones-were-lusting-for/

Do you want to be more confident in life and business?

Ungenita Prevost shows women how to increase their confidence and “Be You For A Living”.

For some of her savvy & trendy business tips… www.TheBillionDollarBeauty.com .