The Great Closet(s) Cleanout!

Shop early!  Shop often!  All misses/women's sizes and many girl's sizes.  I'm turning over 100's of pieces of clothing, jewelry, shoes, and accessories from business sample pieces and my wardrobe.  All adult pieces are $5, children's $3.  There are many new and like-new pieces, and the "good stuff" is definitely going to go fast!  Call 610-998-9210 or email beth@bethstrange.com for a shopping appointment! 

All proceeds benefit the DAS Piano Scholarship Fund.  Sale ends when most items are gone; remainder will be donated to charity.

A Campaign Image Makeover

Ah! I love the political campaign season. Who wouldn't love watching successful, intelligent adults act like undisciplined middle schoolers? What I want to know is: When did civility get ostracized from the political process? And who was the genius who decided that mudslinging was a good strategy? Here's my position, from an image management perspective, for reforming campaigning.

First, any self-respecting advertising professional can tell you that name recognition is crucial to selling a product. That's why candidates spend beaucoup bucks on placards that say SCHMEDLAP FOR CONGRESS. When we enter the voting booth, the name SCHMEDLAP is theoretically echoing in our brains. So-why is it in a typical slinging commercial that the slinging candidate's name is usually only mentioned once or twice, but the slingee's name is shouted out five to ten times? Whose name will be ringing in our ears on election day?

But in a negative way, you say.

But I say campaigning has become so negative that, like media violence, it rolls off our backs to some extent.

Here's an image principle: As Ms. Strange says, speaking ill of others makes us look ugly, less credible, and distinctly untrustworthy. Whether it's in the office, on the playground, or at home, consciously or subconsciously we know that people who talk badly of others will inevitably turn on us as well. Look at the Primary. SCHMEDLAP is apparently running against his fellow party member, SATAN. Then, when the Primaries are over, SCHMEDLAP and SATAN suddenly can only think of wonderful things to say about one another. Two months ago, SATAN was trying to destroy America, and now he's a "truly great American."

The biggest problem I see with this kind of campaigning is that it's eroding our faith in our political leaders. Apparently they are all scuzzbags (noun: An offensive term for a person that is stuck-up, very mean, stupid, and only caring for themselves. A sleazy, unethical person. [urbandictionary.com]), incompetent, and in league with the enemy-whomever that might be.

What an image makeover it would be for a candidate to carry out a sling-free campaign! I don't know about you, but a candidate like that would grab my attention--and maybe even my vote.

~Fairchild

Meet My Driver!

My name is Fairchild--just Fairchild. We chauffeurs do not have first names--that's why we became chauffeurs. Here's something you may not know about my kind; we're some of the best educated people in the world. "Education." If I've heard Ms. Strange say that word once, I've heard her say it a thousand times. While driving (fetching and toting also) for an image consultant who likes to talk about and knows her stuff, one thing I'm getting is an education. Once I realized that, I started listening, and then I started observing, and then I stared forming some of my own opinions. Not that I don't agree with Ms. Strange on almost everything--after all she is the pro, but if you decide to follow these blogs posts of mine, you will see that working for an image consultant sure makes one think.

First image thoughts coming soon.

Beth Yvette Strange Selected As A “Top-Idea Maven” by The Woman’s Advantage Entrepreneur’s Advice

Beth Yvette Strange
Two Penn Center, Suite 200
Philadelphia, PA 19102
215.854.6324
beth@bethstrange.com

For Immediate Release Contact: Beth Y. Strange, 215.854.6324

Beth Yvette Strange Selected As
A “Top-Idea Maven” by The Woman’s Advantage
Entrepreneur’s Advice Featured in 2011 Woman’s Advantage Calendar

Philadelphia, PA – Beth Yvette Strange, President of Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting was selected from over 5,000 submissions to be featured in The 2011 Woman’s Advantage Shared Wisdom Calendar. The calendar provides advice for women business owners from influential women leaders across the US and Canada.

Mary Cantando, Growth Expert of The Woman’s Advantage, today announced that Strange’s advice has been included in the calendar which was released on October 1.

“Beth Strange’s quote was selected because it was powerful yet easy to understand. Her idea is relevant to almost every woman in business today.” says Cantando. “Women business owners and those who dream of starting a business will learn so much from the advice provided by Beth and the other successful women quoted in the calendar.”

The Woman’s Advantage 2011 Calendar provides sound bites of advice on key business issues including: organization, promotion, sales, and human resources.

About Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting, LLC
Beth Strange is the president of Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting, LLC. Beth is the only Association of Image Consultants International (AICI)-certified, full-service image consultant in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, region. She assists individual men and women, groups, and corporations to refine their image and be their very best by applying proven principles in dress, grooming, verbal and nonverbal communication, and etiquette and protocol. Beth’s education-based image management programs are highly sought after by business, professional, and academic institutions. Her clients range from high-profile to emerging individuals and companies. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, Beth earned a B.A. in Linguistics. She employs her language education plus her experience as an editor, a language teacher, and public speaker to help her clients become more comfortable and capable communicators in the public domain. Because Beth believes that image management is a serious endeavor, she graduated from the Conselle Institute of Image Management, will achieve Certified Image Professional status in AICI, participates regularly in continuing education, served as a board member for the Ohio/Pennsylvania Chapter of AICI, and serves on AICI’s International Publication Staff.

About Mary Cantando:
Mary Cantando is a nationally-recognized expert on women business owners. She is the developer of the successful Woman’s Advantage line of products, geared specifically to women entrepreneurs. A member of the National Speakers’ Association, Cantando provides keynotes and workshops for women who want to grow their businesses.

About The Woman’s Advantage:
The Woman’s Advantage is a line of information products, including books, workbooks, audio CDs, and calendars designed exclusively for successful women business owners. For more information, call 919-841-0401 or visit http://www.WomansAdvantage.biz

News Facts:
• Beth Yvette Strange was selected as a “Top-Idea Maven” by The Woman’s Advantage. Her quote appears in the 2011 Woman’s Advantage Calendar.
• The Woman’s Advantage Calendar provides daily advice on key business issues including: organization, promotion, sales, and human resources.
Keywords:
Beth Yvette Strange, Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting, LLC, Women Business Owners, Woman Business Owner, Women Entrepreneurs, The Woman’s Advantage, Entrepreneurs, Mary Cantando, The Woman’s Advantage Shared Wisdom Calendar

10 (Free) Ways to Improve Your Image, Part I

Whether you are interviewing for a new job, trying to move ahead in your career, or hoping to impress or influence someone, an effective personal image is key. In these tough economic times, nearly everyone is trying to save a buck here or there, so here are the first 5 of 10 ways you can improve your image without spending a dime. Take my word for it, the effort you put into these activities will start paying immediate benefits for you.

1. Sharpen up your manners. So you think manners are no longer relevant? Think again. According to a recent industry study, good manners play an important role in moving up the corporate ladder. According to NFI Research, two-thirds of senior executives believe that good manners are “extremely important” in career advancement (Why Manners Matter, Management–Issues). Rude behavior in the work place is deadly to team building, loyalty, and collegiality. Socially, overt rudeness and even an innocent lack of knowledge about proper etiquette demonstrates a lack of respect both for others and for settings or events that others might hold dear. Many people immediately lose respect for men who neglect to remove their hats when indoors or especially during the playing of the National Anthem. Who wants to spend time with that guy who talks throughout the entire movie?

2. Shine your shoes. OK. So I couldn't find a study to support the fact that a well-shined pair of shoes is an important aspect in gaining credibility and social acceptance. Nonetheless, it is true. Your footwear says a lot about your attention to detail. That will definitely earn points with your boss and may be high on the list of that certain someone you would like to know better. So whether it’s on the job or on a date, well-shined and maintained shoes say that you care about details and about the opinion of those with whom you are associating. (Please don’t email me to remind me that it costs about 2 cents to shine a pair of shoes!)

3. Focus on others. I just got off the phone with someone who was calling me to ask for help with her image and then she spent 90% of the time bragging about herself. When we head to an event, I usually tell my family to try to get others to talk about themselves. People, generally, love to talk about themselves, and if you let them, they will go away thinking that you are a brilliant conversationalist. According to author Roxanne Khamsi, “A Texas corporation ‘aiming to improve productivity,’ told its employees to look in the mirror and say 'I am beautiful' 100 times before coming to work. In contrast, a Japanese supermarket instructed its employees to begin their day by telling each other 'you are beautiful' " (qtd. in Tina Vasquez, Common Traits of the Self-Centered Person, Lifescript: Healthy Living For Women). So which employee would you rather run into first thing in the morning?

4. Look them in the eyes. Few aspects of body language have been studied more than eye contact. E-writer Michael Lee, sums up the research: “You must make eye contact around 70% of the time if you want to convey your sincerity and respect. Avoiding eye contact unconsciously gives the impression of dishonesty, shyness, anxiety, or humiliation” (Eye Body Language - How to Use Eye Body Language to Build Trust and Be Liked, Ezine Articles). I guess if you want to give one of those impressions, you could avoid this tip.

5. Develop your handshake. Study up on this one because your handshake speaks volumes about you. The dead fish, the on top position, the sandwich. Each one conveys a message that you probably do not want to send to someone you hope to influence. According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), prospective employers were more influenced by the caliber of a candidate’s handshake than by either tattoos or body piercing. And a recent University of Iowa study found that “good handshakers are seen as being more extroverted and, eventually, more hirable. Women with strong handshakes have an advantage over men because their grips are more memorable” (Donald Trump, The Importance of a Good Handshake, Evan Carmichael).

Check your next newsletter for 10 (Free) Ways to Improve Your Image, Part II

MEN'S IMAGE PACKAGES

Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting

Announces New

Men's Image Packages

MEN'S ESSENTIAL IMAGE PACKAGE

*Men’s Essential Image Package Includes:

• Personal Image Profile--2 hrs
• Personal/Professional Style and Body Type Evaluation--1 hr
• Color Profile--1 hr
• Skin Care/Grooming Evaluation and Plan--1 hr
• Hairstyle Evaluation/ Appointment--1 hr
• Closet Audit--1 hr
• Wardrobe Evaluation--1 hr
• Action Plan--30 mins
• 47-Page Workbook

The Essential Image Package for Men begins with an in-depth interview to examine your lifestyle, values, personality traits, physical traits, clothing preferences, as well as your image challenges, needs, and goals.

We will conduct a color evaluation to create your Color Profile. We will evaluate your hair style and color and help you make an appointment with one of Beth’s hairstylists of choice. We will assess your skin care and grooming needs and suggest a skin care routine and products to create a healthy, well-groomed look. We will perform a closet audit of your wardrobe and accessories and evaluate their effectiveness for your personal and professional style.

At the end of your Essential Image experience, you will be armed with an Action Plan to help you accomplish your image improvement goals and create a positive first and lasting impression of yourself and your abilities.

MEN'S EXECUTIVE IMAGE PACKAGE

*Men’s Executive Image Package Includes:

• Personal Image Profile--2 hrs
• Personal/Professional Style and Body Type Evaluation--1 hr
• Executive Color Profile--1.5 hrs
• Executive Hair Evaluation, Appointment, and Accompaniment to Stylist--1.5 hrs
• Executive Skin Care and Grooming Evaluation--2 hrs
• Closet Audit, Cleanout and Reorganization--1 hr
• Wardrobe Evaluation--1 hr Personal Shopping Trip--3 hrs
• Action Plan--30 mins
• 62-Page Workbook

The Executive Image Package for Men is for the man who is ready to take a serious approach to improving his personal and professional image. The first step is an in-depth interview during which you will be asked essential questions to examine your lifestyle, values, personality traits, physical traits, clothing preferences, as well as your image challenges, needs, and goals. Your answers will be recorded on your Personal Image Profile. You will then be armed with the information that can help you accomplish your image improvement goals and objectives.

We will conduct an extensive color evaluation to create your Color Profile. In partnership with a professional hairstylist, we will evaluate your hair cut and color. If you choose to make a change in your hair style, Beth will manage your appointment with a premier stylist and accompany you to the appointment to ensure you get the right cut for you. We will assess your skin care and grooming needs and suggest a skin care routine and products to create a healthy, more youthful look. We will perform a closet audit and reorganization of your wardrobe and accessories, while evaluating their effectiveness for your personal and professional style and image goals.
Armed with a personalized Action Plan, you and Beth will conclude your Executive Image Package by shopping together for those items you need to enhance your new image.

HOW TO CHOOSE AN IMAGE MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL

Choices! Some are fun, some are unnerving, some have significant financial and personal consequences, as in April's Question of the Month.

QUESTION: When someone is ready to consider an image consultant, what should they look for? A lot of people out there call themselves image consultants. Is there a distinction between image consultant, and stylist, and personal shopper?

ANSWER: There are many highly qualified image professionals offering valuable services. Unfortunately, there are many people who have titled themselves image consultants or stylists who have very little substance. The hallmarks of a qualified image professional are first, education; second, continuing education; third, experience; fourth, genuine integrity; and fifth, an investment in the well-being and success of the client.

First, education and training of the image consultant is paramount. Image management is a complex field of study and work. It simply is not enough to have a love for clothing and shopping. Image management is so much more than having fun with fashion. Credible image consultants are highly—and continually—trained in the four Universal Elements of Image: Dress, Grooming, Body Language, and Etiquette & Protocol. We have to treat the whole person, not just their clothing. It is a significant red flag to hear an image representative say that a client should wear or do whatever feels good and comfortable to them. There are proven principles of design in dress, cues that we give in our grooming, proper etiquette and protocol practices, and intricacies in the clues we give through our verbal and non-verbal communication. The knowledge of these principles cannot be acquired through instinct or passion alone.

The second qualification to look for is ongoing education in the image field. Continuing education at qualified image institutes will allow the consultant to keep abreast of current trends and image practices. Here is a good place to mention certifications and professional affiliations. Those seeking the services of a qualified image professional should look closely at what certifications are held, what associations the consultant is affiliated with, and where they have served in the image industry. If the professional is lacking in these areas, image services may be more of a hobby than a serious profession. When the image professional shows a pattern of continuing education and advancing certification, the client can feel that they are in credible hands. The Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) is the leading and largest professional association of personal and corporate image consultants worldwide. A consultant’s membership in AICI is a good start, and certification from AICI is an indication of the image professional’s commitment to education and excellence in image work.

Third, discussing the experience of the image consultant will help a prospective client to discern the consultant’s level of work and whether the consultant is working in an area of image that will fill the needs of the client. I would suggest looking at a past and current client list if possible. For example a C-Level executive would benefit less when working with a consultant whose client base is primarily stay-at-home parents.

Fourth, sadly, there are unqualified people setting up image practices. A list of references and a look at the history of integrity in the consultant’s practice will save a potential client from making a potentially costly and unpleasant mistake.

Fifth, and a little more difficult to assess, is the consultant’s commitment to the well-being and success of the client. An initial consultation and discussions with references will allow you to determine that the image consultant has a practice of investing in the client.

Careful research and personal initial consultation with a prospective consultant will help you make the best choice of an image management professional to meet your particular image goals.

SPEAK UP!

Experts tell us that many people are more afraid of public speaking than they are of death. Whether it’s delivering a sales pitch to one perspective client or customer or delivering the keynote address to a crowd of several hundred total strangers at a conference, talking in public can be intimidating, even terrifying.

Conversely, for some, any opportunity to take the stage can be a signal to get on their soapbox or take an advertising opportunity for their company. This fear of, or over-exuberance for, speaking in public can, unfortunately, even extend to asking questions of the speaker during question and answer times during or at the end of presentations.

If you have ever felt hesitant to raise your hand and ask your question in public, here are a few hints that will help you to be more relaxed, appropriate, and confident:

Form Your Question in Your Mind

1. Be sure that you know exactly what you want to ask before raising your hand.
2. Remember that good etiquette requires that you ask only one question.
3. Try to keep the question as short and uncomplicated as possible.
4. Remember, this is not the time for you to give a speech, so get right to the question.
5. Avoid asking questions that may embarrass the speaker or the audience. Unless you are an investigative reporter, that is simply rude.

When the Speaker Acknowledges You

6. After the speaker calls on you, stand, take a deep breath, and make eye contact with the speaker.
7. Be sure the audience is quiet before starting to speak.
8. In a large audience, there may be a microphone, so wait for it before asking your question.

Asking Your Question

9. Start with, “Thank you for taking my question.””
10. Introduce yourself briefly, “I’m Beth Strange from Beth Strange Image Consulting. I would like to ask . . .””
11. Speak loudly enough for not only the speaker but the other members of the audience to hear.
12. After asking your question, sit down and listen to the answer. This is not the time for a dialogue with the speaker.

Following these simple guidelines will allow you to ask your pertinent question appropriately, receive valuable information, and be respected by your business colleagues.

Join Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting at Bent Creek Country Club

Who? Women @ Work Express Chapter—Bent Creek
What? The Power of Personal Presentation: How Image Works
When? Tuesday, March 16, 2010 11:30am—1:00pm
Where? Bent Creek Country Club, Fruitville Pike Lititz, PA 17543
Why? Networking and Education

Cost? $25 Non-members, $2o ABWA Members

National Association for Female Executives

Join us Tuesday, 30 March 2010, 11:30 a.m.
Program and Lunch at Lacroix at the Rittenhouse Hotel

FASHION AND FINANCE: CASHING IN ON DRESSING UP

Is your image costing you? Is your image costing you clients, income, relationships, or confidence? How can proper image management lead to greater personal and professional success and happiness? The concept of image management applies to anyone who has ever needed to improve self-image, self-esteem, self-confidence, capability, and credibility. It applies to anyone who has ever wanted to express an idea or to influence opinion or action–whether in business, the home, school, or community. Proper image management creates an authentic, appropriate, attractive, and affordable image. Regardless of age, position, body type, or education, image management can give you the personal and professional presence you need to be more successful.

Just as image management is imperative for personal and professional success, so too is financial planning. Because our financial situations, goals, interests, and aspirations are individualized, our financial road maps should also be personally customized.

Beth Yvette Strange
Beth is President of Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting LLC. Beth provides a wide range of personal and professional image management services, from image and wardrobe evaluation to business and social protocol training. She offers a variety of image clinics, workshops, and consultations in the Oxford studio, as well as in private homes and corporate locations. A graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, she holds a B.A. in Linguistics as well as a variety of certifications and trainings within the field of Image Management. Beth sits on the Ohio/Pennsylvania Chapter Board of Directors for the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI) as VP of Membership.

Dana Zamrik
Dana is a Financial Advisor and Financial Planning Associate with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. In her role as a Financial Advisor, Dana spends the time to understand her clients’ financial concerns and work in partnership with them to develop customized investment programs that can best meet their needs. As the relationship builds over time, she is able to anticipate her clients’ changing circumstances and advise them on appropriate investment strategies. She holds an undergraduate degree from Hofstra University, an MBA from Iona College, and an MSW from Boston College.

Non NAFE Members Welcome!

Program and Lunch: $24 (plus tax & gratuity for lunch)

RSVP to Alexandra T. Townsend
atownsend@rittenhousehotel.com
215 790 2530

Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting on the Radio!

Hear my radio interview with Dr. Joyce Knudsen on The Image Maker Presents show! Dr. Joyce conducts a stimulating and thought-provoking interview about image management and the world of image consulting. Just click on my photo at http://www.theimagemakerpresents.com/ and enjoy!

Networking Spectacular!

Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Time: 6:30-8:30 PM
Place: Faunbrook Bed & Breakfast, West Chester, PA
Cost: $5 Includes food, drink, and valet parking.
RSVP: EventBrite
Pay: At door with cash or check, or online at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/563719099

Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting, Maria Novak, Marketing Solutions & Business Development, and Janet & Jenn from At Your Service invite you to a NETWORKING SPECTACULAR!

The keynote address, "The Power of Personal Presentation," will be given by Beth Strange of Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting.

Please join us for networking, great food and drink, and lots of fun.
Bring your unused and broken jewelry and earn cash.

Thank you to our sponsors: Creative Image Associates and Lisa Monaco from Jockey Person-To-Person

We also thank eWomenNetwork, Ladies Who Launch, ELPS Private Detective Agency, Dove Chocolates, Tastefully Simple, and Cynthia Goch from Tastes & Time

Professional Headshot Special!

Professional Photo Headshot Special!

Optional Makeup and Wardrobe Services

Saturday, 24 April 2010

Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting and Taylor Strange Photography are joining for one day to offer professional photographic headshots, with optional professional makeup application and wardrobe choice assistance.

DETAILS:

*Receive 2 professional headshots of your choice, edited, on CD to take with you.
*Optional professional photographic makeup application and wardrobe assistance.
*Optional assistance with hair appointment at Jillian Grace Salon
*Appointments on the hour from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
*Payment must be made in full to reserve your appointment.
*Payments are non-refundable.

FEES:

*Two professional, edited headshots on CD $90 (regularly $125)
*Makeup Application and Wardrobe Assistance $30 (regularly $45)
*Makeup Application FREE with $55 Skin Care and/or Makeup Purchase

Please email Beth or call 610-998-9210 to book your appointment. Payment accepted by cash, check, or Pay Pal. With the great interest we already have, times will book quickly, so call soon!

*Photo Preparation Tips Coming in Your Spring Image*

4 Days Left to Save!

"It's not money that makes you well dressed; it is understanding." ~Christian Dior

4 Days Left to Save!

Image Clinics and Services Specials
Book dates and services of your choice.

Pay in Full by Monday, February 15th.

How fantastic would it feel to:

*Get dressed every day knowing you're dressed in your very best colors, style, and fit for your roles and goals of the day?
*Have your skin be its healthiest and your makeup applied in the most flattering way?
*Be aware of and control your non-verbal communication?
*Know that your knowledge of appropriate etiquette and protocol will take you confidently and successfully through any professional or social engagement?

Snow is on the rise, but Spring is right around the corner! Now is the perfect time to invest in yourself and in an image clinic or service to refine your professional and personal presentation. There are three fantastic ways to save:


Save 10% off a ColorSense Clinic or Wardrobe Evaluation Clinic when booked and paid in full by 15 February 2010.

Save 15% off a Premiere, Total, or Ultimate Image Package when booked and paid in full by 15 February 2010.

Save 20% each off a MakeUp MakeOver and Skin Care Clinic when you book together with a friend and each pay in full by 15 February 2010.

Please email Beth or call 610-998-9210 to book your appointment. Payment accepted by cash, check, or Pay Pal.

Your Winter Skin Care and MakeUp Needs

Winter skin! It is critically important to take correct care of your skin and wear makeup appropriate for your skin and the cold, dry air we are exposed to this time of year.

See the Image Clinics and Services Specials at Beth Yvette Strange Image Consulting to save 10% on a MakeUp Makeover and Skin Care Clinic.

While we anxiously await the launch of Beth Yvette Skin Care and Makeup Line, you may order all of your skin care and makeup products through my BeautiControl link at BeautiControl page.
Products will be conveniently shipped to your home! Please call 610-998-9210 or email Beth with any questions.

Etiquette: Loose Language

"Profanity is the effort of a feeble mind to express itself forcibly." ~Spencer Kimball

While it is unnecessary to define "profanity" or make a list of acceptable and unacceptable words--we all know what it is and what they are--it seems a reminder is in order to watch one's language! I have become increasingly alarmed, even shocked, at some word choices I hear from individuals in professional settings.

James O'Conner, author of Cuss Control: The Complete Book on How to Curb Your Cussing says, "Since bad language has increased in our society, it has gradually worked its way into our work environment. "Companies need to deal with this not only as far as legal issues (are concerned), but also because it presents a bad image."

Studies show that swearing

• reduces respect people have for you


• gives a bad impression


• discloses a lack of character


• shows you lack control


• endangers your relationships


• is a tool for whiners and complainers


• is a sign of a bad attitude


• is a sign of immaturity


• reflects ignorance


• sets a bad example


• makes you unpleasant to be with

A good gauge for most is this: If you wouldn't use the word or phrase in a job interview, it is best eliminated from all professional settings and certain social settings, and, may I suggest, from your vocabulary entirely. And remember, "Profanity is the common crutch of the conversational cripple." ~David Keuck

Image Clinics and Services Specials: Book by 15 February 2010!

How fantastic would it feel to:

• Get dressed every day knowing you're dressed in your very best colors, style, and fit for your roles and goals of the day?



• Have your skin be its healthiest and your makeup applied in the most flattering way?



• Be aware of and control your non-verbal communication?



• Know that your knowledge of appropriate etiquette and protocol will take you confidently and successfully through any professional or social engagement?

Snow is on the rise, but Spring is right around the corner! Now is the perfect time to invest in yourself and in an image clinic or service to refine your professional and personal presentation. There are three fantastic ways to save:

Save 10% off a ColorSense Clinic or Wardrobe Evaluation Clinic when booked and paid in full by 15 February 2010.

Save 15% off a Premiere, Total, or Ultimate Image Package when booked and paid in full by 15 February 2010.

Save 20% each off a MakeUp MakeOver and Skin Care Clinic when you book together with a friend and each pay in full by 15 February 2010.

Please email Beth or call 610-998-9210 to book your appointment. Payment accepted by cash, check, or Pay Pal.

Through the Eyes of an Image Consultant's Husband

Editor's Note: An interesting read, even if the author has a more acerbic wit than I.

Ten Image Management Rules I Learned in Starbucks

by Michael R. Strange

1. If you are a young executive who is neatly and professionally dressed, try to avoid looking so frazzled. (For heaven’s sake what can make you so fidgety at Starbucks?) Button the top button of your shirt, pull your tie up, and comb your hair so that you do not have random clumps sticking out in various directions.


2. Avoid dressing like a sexy 20-something when you are actually a moderately unattractive 50-something. Neither the legs nor the chest are really that appealing anymore.


3. If you are 50-year old man and can afford it, kill the long-hair, college-days, pseudo-intellectual look. It’s time to grow up and give it up.


4. Do not read with your glasses on your forehead, especially if you are #1 above.


5. Do not wear khaki shorts when it’s 15 degrees outside. People will think you’re not very bright–because you aren’t–because you’re wearing shorts in the middle of winter. And by the way, you can’t claim an artistic exemption just because your dreadlocks cover your khakied bottom.


6. Get rid of the red sweatshirt with the HO HO HO Snowmen on the front–especially if you are over 9. And especially if you are #2 above.


7. If for some reason you are absolutely 100% compelled to get a tattoo, go with a stick-on or at least something small and discreet. Avoid getting your entire arm wallpapered. It’s there till the end of time, and trust me, the fascination will wear off but the tattoo will not. When you grow up and you want to get a real job, will you whip that baby out at the job interview and say, “Does this scream responsibility or what?”


8. Smile. It will go a long way in covering up any flaws in your appearance. On the other hand, loud and obnoxious laughter does not have the same effect.


9. Avoid wearing the extra pounds that come with the Megafat Latte and cream cheese Danish you are about to order. Don’t believe me? Google “success and weight.”


10. For a really good image education, spend an hour people-watching in Starbucks.