Baltimore Wardrobe Makeover

Do You Feel like a Beauty or a Beast? Think of Yourself As An Unfinished Work of Art

June 4, 2011 by Nancy Goldblatt Leave a Comment

Nancy2-Original 4 — Nancy Goldblatt, "The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore,"

My friend Connie recently said to me. ” I used to be able to throw my clothes on, run a comb thru my hair, smear a little lipstick on and I was good to go. Now that I am older, I am afraid I will scare someone, if I don’t do more before I leave the house.”

Do you ever feel this way? You probably do if you are over a certain age.

One of my favorite anonymous sayings is “Young people are works of God and older people are works of art.”

Think of yourself as an unfinished work of art. Your frame is your clothes, hair and accessories like glasses, earrings, and other jewelry. For you to look visually pleasing your frame should look like its a natural extension of you.

You can start by repeating your eye color, skin color, and shades of your natural hair color. Our eyes automatically search for repetition of color, shape and proportions. When you create this repetition, preferably in odd not even numbers, so the eye keeps moving, you create visual balance and harmony. This visual harmony translates as “real beauty.” In addition to your body colors, most people can wear 40 to 90 other complimentary shades of color.

The colors you wear should not overpower you (be brighter than your natural body colors) and they should not be duller than your natural body colors.

Here is an exercise you can do to determine if a complimentary shade of color works for you.

Stand about 5 feet from a full length mirror in natural light (sunlight or full spectrum light). Close you eyes and Blink. When you open your eyes, if you see your face and the color you are wearing at the same time and the color makes your eyes sparkle and your skin glows then its a flattering shade for you. If you see the color first its probably too bright and if the colors you are wearing drain the color out of your skin it may not be bright enough. This takes a little practice

Before I became a Professional Image Consultant and knew the best colors to choose for makeup and clothing, I would look in the mirror and see this pale, tired looking face staring back at me. I can remember thinking even when I was a teenager that I looked tired all of the time. What I did not know then was what a difference the right color clothing, lipstick and blush could make in my appearance.

You too, can be transformed by the right colors. Find out more by reading Joanna Nicholson’s books “Dressing Smart for Women,” and “Dressing Smart for Men,” Joanna Nicholson is the co-founder of Color 1 Associates and I was trained by her.

You can get these books at the library, Amazon or from Leslie Stott, Color 1, CEO, Leslie@thecolorlady.com

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Nancy Goldblatt, “the Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore, is a professionally trained Personal Image Consultant. She is a Color 1 Associate, with over 20 years of experience helping women whose size and shape has changed to shop their closets. She is now offering online consulting to long distance customers. WWW.WardrobeWiz.com. 410-513-9496

Wardrobe Clutter: Why Do You Have So Many Unworn Clothes?

May 8, 2011 by Nancy Goldblatt 1 Comment

Why do you have so many unworn pieces of clothing? ( Part 1 of 2 parts)

When I was a little girl, I secretly believed I was a princess. I was very “sensitive,” and when the school librarian read, ‘The Princess and the Pea,’ to us, I knew I must be a princess in disguise.

When I was twenty years old, many years before I became an Image Consultant, that little girl part of me that still believed I was a princess in disguise finally found “the dress.” I was living in Chicago and I spotted the dress in Marshall Fields. I bought it thinking I would lose a few pounds and be transformed by the dress. I put it on many times, but when I looked in the mirror, I had to take it off. I was never able to wear it out of the house.

Maybe some of you can relate to this. I called it my princess dress because it reminded me of the dress Disney’s princess in the Sleeping Beauty movie wore. It was a dark blue velvet dress, with princess darts and a deep v neckline. “Princess Fiona,” from the movie Shrek wore a similar dress.

I loved that dress but it did not love me. In my “princess dress,” I looked more like the version of Princess Fiona after she kissed Shrek and turned into an Ogre.

The dress was my size, but even after I toned up with exercise, I never looked good in it. It hung in my closet for several years unworn. Finally, I gave it to a friend who was the same height and weight as me. The minute she pulled it over her head she looked fabulous in it. She looked like a ” true princess,” in the dress.

Why did it look so wonderful on her and so terrible on me?

Let me help you answer this. The answer is shape. The dress was shaped like my friend who had a small waist and wide hips. I have narrow hips and a wide rib cage. Even at my thinnest, because of the structure of my bones, my waist was never small. The dress hid my narrow parts and emphasized my wide parts. The dress complimented my friends shape because it was shaped like her.

Here is a simple but important rule to remember. Buy clothing that widens where you widen and narrows where you narrow. (This rule can also be applied to buying shoes.)

Most women wear only 20 % of what they own. So how many items do you own that you do not wear? Do you find yourself putting something on and taking it off ?

Why can’t you wear it? There are 7 reasons why you can’t wear it. to find out see part 2 “Why Do You Have So Many Unworn Clothes?” and discover some possible solutions.

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Nancy Goldblatt, Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore, is a Color 1 Associate. For over twenty years, she has been helping women whose size and shape has changed, to shop their closets.

She specializes in color analysis , and face and body shape analysis. After a client works with “The Wardrobe Wizard”, she will have a pared down closet with “mix and match pieces,” and the ability to put her own best looks together.

Nancy works with clients in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area as well as long distance customers. She can now do online consults. To find out more: Contact the Wardrobe Wizard at nancy@wardrobewiz.com/ or call 410-513-9496 for a complimentary, no obligation 20 minute telephone consultation to discover your fashion personality and find out what “The Wardrobe Wizard,” can do for you.

Do You Have Gremlins, That Prevent You From Following Your Dreams? I Did

February 25, 2011 by Nancy Goldblatt 4 Comments

Do you have dreams of things you want to do but your automatic negative thoughts have prevented you from following through?

I call these automatic negative thoughts, gremlins. For over 10 years I thought about becoming an Image Consultant and my “gremlins,” almost prevented me from following my dream.

Here is the story of how I overcame (my gremlins) those negative beliefs we all have, that prevent us from following our dreams.

Perhaps my story will encourage you to become aware of, and tame the gremlins that are preventing you from following your dreams.

My passion has always been to help people make the most of their strengths and overcome their challenges.

My challenge, since I was a little girl, was feeling self-conscious about my appearance.

I believe this was related to my mother being very critical of herself and me, her oldest daughter. Maybe some of you can relate to this.

The way I dealt with my challenge, was to seek information in self-help books.

I devoured psychology books on self esteem and books on improving how I looked.

In the early 1980’s I thought I found a “pot of gold,” when I learned wearing the right colors could make me appear more attractive and make it easier to shop. I read about various color analysis systems, but they all seemed too difficult for me to understand and the trainings were expensive and too far away.

The more I read about appearance and its effects on self esteem, the more I thought about becoming an image consultant.

But a little voice inside kept repeating,” You can’t be an image consultant, because you are not tall, or thin and you don’t look like a model.”

The first time I read Joanna Nicholson’s book “Color Wonderful,” I did not fully understand the Color 1 system of color analysis.

When I took this book out of the library a second time, I read it more thoroughly and the “Color 1 ” approach began making sense to me.

I found a 1-800 number at the end of the book and discovered “Color 1” was located only one hour away from me and a training was scheduled in a few weeks.

This was in 1990. I had been working with psychiatric patients at a half-way house for over 9 years.

Just as I was starting to feel “burnt out,” I got laid off. While I was trying to determine how I could use my skills in a new career, I joined a “Master-Mind Group.”

I had been telling the Master-Mind group about my “ideal career.” I told them,” I don’t want to just sell makeup, or just be a personal shopper, I want to do it all.”

I wanted to use all my skills, from my 3 previous careers as a teacher, photographer and social worker to become a “holistic image consultant” and help my clients to learn to love how they looked.

But those little gremlins in my head kept saying to me,”Who do you think you are. You are short, plump and too old to become an image consultant.”

(I was in my forties by this time) “How can you help others to love the way they look, when you don’t even love the way you look.”

I felt defeated by my inner gremlins. I decided I would give up my dream of becoming an image consultant. I would not be signing up for the “Color 1” training.

Fortunately, my “Master-Mind” group had been listening to me and they were ready to tame my gremlins.

They reminded me of what I had been telling them. “The Color 1 training sounds exactly like what you have been telling us you want to do, and you have the time and money to do it now. If you don’t do it now, when will you do it.“

That last sentence still echos in my head now, when I put off doing something I really want.“If you don’t do it now, when will you do it.” My gremlins were outnumbered and the rest is history.

154149_184121214935656_100000133373032_708038_5965564_n — Wardrobe Wizard doing a makeover at On Purpose Networking, Dec 2010

It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. An amazing transformation took place both inside and outside of me, when I took the “Color 1,” training and learned that I didn’t have to be tall, young or thin to look good.

Looking good is about looking visually balanced. This is done by understanding how to combine your best color clarities, choosing flattering styles of clothing for your shape and using accessories in a way that makes your head and body look balanced.

As I learned to make the most of my own appearance, and learned to like how I looked, my self consciousness slowly began to disappear.

I have been able to say goodbye to the panic of those “nothing to wear moments,” and I have helped hundreds of women over the last 20 years to do the same.

How do I work with clients now? The first thing I do is try to understand a clients fashion personality and their figure or size challenges. I also take into consideration budget, lifestyle and age. So I can reach out to more women, I have been writing a blog. Now I am able to do image consulting over the internet.

Want more information about the Color 1 approach?

Purchase Joanna Nicholson’s most recent books, “Dressing Smart for Women,” and “Dressing Smart for Men,” from Leslie Stott, the color lady at Leslie@thecolorlady.com

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Think you might be ready for a virtual makeover? It doesn’t matter where you live. Nancy is now able to do makeovers virtually. Contact her at 410-513-9496 or write to her at Nancy@wardrobewiz.com for more information.

Nancy Goldblatt, “The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore,”and Color 1 Associate, specializes in working with mid-life women whose size or shape has changed and who have lots of clothes and nothing to wear. She also works with younger women, as well as men. Contact her at Nancy@wardrobewiz.com or 410-513-9496, her website is WWW.WardrobeWiz.com

Personal Image Consultation,from the Wardrobe Wizard, What Happens During the Consult

February 17, 2011 by Nancy Goldblatt Leave a Comment

Just out of shower, hair still wet, no makeup

Monica In Her Uniform Looking Radiant At End of Consult , (her skin is less pink in person)

What exactly does “The Wardrobe Wizard,” do during a consult?

Who do I work with, and how long does it take?

This is the first of a series explaining what I do by using real life examples.

Yesterday I met with Monica, a young woman who is in her late twenties.

Monica contacted me after seeing some u-tube videos on”color analysis”. She wanted a color analysis because she always feels she looks too pale.

As an Air-force mechanic she has to wear a uniform when she is at work.

She had been stationed in Japan and was coming to Baltimore for a few days before going to a new assignment, so we met in her hotel room.

IMG_0541-2 — Fabric Color Too Bright for Monica’s Body Color’s

After draping her with prints and solid fabrics in natural light, I was able to determine her color type.

I struggled a little to determine her color type (because she is a combination of two color types.)

I put together a “Smart Chart,” for her after draping her with various colors and prints and determining her color type.

The smart chart is a wallet of 40 to 50 best shades plus skin and hair colors. She got a written and verbal explanation on how to shop with her colors. I also did a face and body shape analysis and gave her a fashion personality test.

I usually spend 3 or more hours with clients but because Monica did not have a closet to go through and she did not need much makeup advice I spent less than 3 hours.

I would have spent more time with her, but she had invited one of her long time friends and her four year old daughter over to go swimming in the hotel pool.

Monica’s fashion personality is “romantic, timeless-classic,” and she likes to be comfortable.

Her clothes are not dramatic or trendy.

She loves to wear perfume and she wears small delicate jewelry. The perfume and jewelry are her “romantic signatures.”

I encouraged her to wear essential oils as a scent, rather than perfume because she is concerned about staying healthy and perfumes can have hundreds of chemicals in them, that may not be so safe for us.

The first thing I noticed when I met with her was she had no color in her cheeks.

When she first called me, she told me she wears nothing on her face except mascara and sunscreen.

She has beautiful full lips,but her lower lip is much darker than her upper lip. (I suggested she use a colored lip-gloss so her lips are the same color.

Monica had brown low lights put back into her hair recently because her hairdresser had made her ash brown hair too blonde. Her decision to go less blonde was the right decision, because when she went too blond, she appeared even paler than usual.

Also, a whole head of blonde hair would have not looked balanced with her strong, dark brown eye-brows.

Monica is a Light-Bright, Gentle Color type in the Color One system.

This means she has a light and bright look, but because of the pink undertones in her skin, she needs to wear colors that are slightly toned down.

The “light bright,” part of her color type indicates how she will combine her colors.

Monica needs to wear prints that are small or medium in size or if she wears a larger print it needs to have a light back ground and the print needs to look blended. Print of her uniform jacket (see above picture) fits this criteria but the color is a little too “toned down. Not quite bright enough.

Monica with right colors and better print size, she should not go any bigger than this size print

This large bright print overpowers Monica, the print is wearing her.

(Note in some pictures her skin looks pinker than it did in-person.)

The most important color you wear is the color nearest your face.

If you have to wear a uniform, and it’s not your best color, you can open up a few buttons and by showing a little skin, you are giving yourself a “color break.”

I gave Monica line drawings of some of her best styles.

Monica has an angular face and a curvy body, so she looks best in necklines, and jewelry and glasses that have more straightness than curves.

She has a defined waistline, so she can wear belts and clothing with defined waistlines.

I showed her examples of angular earrings and lapel pins. She was wearing a delicate silver necklace with an angular motif that stopped at her short balance point. This piece of jewelry was perfect for her

She also had a wonderful pair of angular sunglasses that covered her eyebrows and were the perfect size for her face.

Monica does own some scarves, but like lots of women she did not know how to wear them.

I showed her three ways to tie a scarf that flattered her angular face. She especially liked the “banditto,” style scarf tie.

Makeup

I only did a few things, since Monica is not used to wearing makeup and does not really need much makeup.

I showed Monica how to choose lipstick and blush colors with her color chart.

Then I showed her a good blush color, a toned down pink, and where to apply it. I had her blend the blush with a loose translucent powder and I had her put lipstick on her upper lip, to match her bottom lip color.

At first she said the lipstick felt uncomfortable, A few minutes later she told me she could see the difference it made and planned on finding a colored lip gloss or translucent lipstick that would feel more comfortable than a mat lipstick.

For three months after I do a consult, I will check any new purchases my client makes at NO CHARGE. I can do this over the internet with digital pictures or a web-cam.

Wow! See for yourself the difference in her face.

Her face was lovely before, but she did look pale, and tired from her 24 hour airplane flight. In the after picture taken about one hour later, with no extra sleep, she looks radiant. Frequently, even I am surprised at the transformation that occurs with the right colors.

IMG_0544(4) — Monica, Looking radiant with powder, lipstick and blush and her Airforce Tee Shirt

In the future I will take more pictures of each step and if my client gives permission, I will put these photos and my comments on this blog for my readers to see.

Up until now I have only done in- person color consults. I plan to begin doing on-line color consults.

Monica has given me permission to share the pictures from her Color Analysis.

Nancy Goldblatt, “The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore,” specializes in working with mid-life women whose size and shape has changed and who have too many clothes and “nothing to wear.”

She also works with younger women and is available to work with men.

She was trained by Joanna Nicholson, founder of Color One Associates an International Image & Style Company.

Say goodbye to those “Nothing to wear moments.”

Reach her at Nancy@wardrobewiz.com or 410-513-9496.

Want to save lots of money?

To far away to meet in person. Get an online-consult. E-mail to set up a Complimentary 25 minute telephone consult.

Free Beauty Products Reviews,from the Cosmetics Cop, Paula Begoun

January 4, 2011 by Nancy Goldblatt Leave a Comment

“Beautiful young people are works of nature, beautiful old people are works of art.” author unknown

A friend of mine recently said, ” It takes more time and effort to put myself together before I leave the house. When I was younger I could just throw any outfit on and run a brush through my hair and I was good to go. I can’t do that anymore, unless I want to scare someone.”

Have you ever felt like my friend?

As you get older it may take longer and you may need more aids to look good. Hopefully, you also are wiser about the clothing and makeup choices you make. Here is a great resource that will increase your wisdom. It will help you save money and help you make make wiser less impulsive choices about cosmetics and skin care products

It’s called Beautypedia, from Paula Begoun, “the Cosmetics Cop”. www.Beautypedia.com/

It used to cost $24.95 for one year online but now its totally FREE online. It will keep you from impulsively buying cosmetic and skin care products that are a waste of money.

Unlimited access to a huge database of product reviews

Ongoing updates featuring new brands and new products

Ability to create your own list of products via My Faves
Access to the best products for your budget and needs

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“No matter what your age, size or shape you can create an attractive, ” visually pleasing appearance.” by wearing flattering colors and flattering styles of clothing.”

Nancy Goldblatt, Personal Image Consultant & The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore, Maryland is a Color 1 Associate with over 20 years of experience. She is available to do your colors if you live in the Baltimore, Washington corridor. Contact her at 410-235-5325 or nrgoldblatt@gmail.com (Learn to shop your closet and eliminate what doesn’t work, learn to mix and match in new ways and find out what you need to fill in your wardrobe gaps).

Lipstick, How To Choose A Flattering Color

January 4, 2011 by Nancy Goldblatt Leave a Comment

bobbibrown_hollywoodred001 — Bright red lipstick from Bobbi Brown

I recently ran into a longtime client of mine. I noticed she looked tired. She was wearing her best clothing colors and I wondered if she had been sick. I looked at her more carefully and realized why she did not look so good.

It was her lipstick color. She told me she could not get her favorite colored lip pencil anymore and settled for something that was similar. She thought it was similar, but it was much too brown and much too dark.

I told her that the brown lip color did not flatter her. It made her teeth look yellow and her lips looked more wrinkled.

I asked her to try an experiment and put on a lipstick I had sold her previously. This lipstick was a more of a” toned down red”. When she put this flattering lip color on, she immediately got her sparkle back.

"toned down red lipstick" — toned down red lipstick

Brown lipstick will not look good on your unless your lips are naturally brown and your teeth are very white. Cindy Crawford, a Victoria’s Secret Model from the 1990’s, is an example of someone who does look good in brown lipstick.

The makeup industry has been promoting fire engine red lipstick and most recently I have seen ads showing nude color lipstick.

If you look good in “fire engine red lipstick,” you will probably not look good in nude or brown lipstick and visa versa.

With so many choices of lipstick colors, how do you choose a flattering color?

Look at the inside color of your bottom lip. How bright or dull a red or pink is it? You can use this color as a guide when you choose a lipstick. You can go one or two shades darker than this color. Do not go lighter than this color, or more brown or brighter or duller than your inner lip color.

When you choose a color that is an extension of your natural lip color, this color will always be flattering. This will make you look “visually balanced.” When you look “visually balanced,” you appear more attractive. Research has shown that more attractive people are automatically assumed to be intelligent, and honest. When we feel attractive its easier to feel and act confident.

Still unsure which lipstick colors flatter you? With a color analysis you can get a wallet with 40-50 of your most flattering colors from Nancy Goldblatt, Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore. This wallet includes several shades of your best lipstick and blush colors.

No matter what your age, size or shape you can create an attractive,” visually pleasing appearance.” by wearing flattering colors and flattering styles of clothing.

Looking Good In Cold Weather

December 17, 2010 by Nancy Goldblatt 3 Comments

Its the middle of December and its below zero and there is snow on the ground in Baltimore. I have seen lots of people so bundled up that only their eyes are showing.

If you care about your appearance but still want to stay warm when you venture out on very cold days, here are some guidelines that will enable you to still look visually pleasing.

1. Wear shoes or boots that repeats the color on your head. If you are wearing a hat, repeat your hat color or if you have lots of hair that shows, choose shoes or boots that are hair color. This will visually help you to look “pulled together.” Our eyes automatically search for repeated colors. When you wear a hat and shoes that are the same color the eye travels up and down to the repeated colors and this is relaxing to the eyes.

Here are a few examples: With a hat or hair that is dark brown wear boots or shoes that are dark brown. If you have a moss green hat, that you love, try to find moss green boots. If your hair is black and lots of hair shows even with your hat on, consider black boots or shoes.

2. Choose a coat color that is flattering to your skin. (Note : not everyone looks good in black). But if you already have a black coat choose a neck scarf that repeats your eye, or skin color. This will give you a “color break,”and the black coat will not look so harsh against your skin.

3. Unsure which colors are flattering to you? Get Joanna Nicholson’s books Dressing Smart for Women and Dressing Smart for Men at Amazon.

4. Consider getting a “Color Analysis,” from a Color 1 Associate. This is a very accurate “non-seasonal approach,” that allows you to wear every color in the right shade. To find a Color 1 Associate in your local area contact Joyce Harris at Color Style. Her e-mail is Joyce5001@aol.com. She also can sell you copies of Joanna Nicholson’s books.

Nancy Goldblatt, Personal Image Consultant & The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore is a Color 1 Associate with over 20 years of experience. She is available to do your colors if you live in the Baltimore, Washington corridor. Contact her at 410-235-5325 or nrgoldblatt@gmail.com (She can teach you how to shop your closet and eliminate what doesn’t work, mix and match in new ways and she’ll suggest what you need to fill in the gaps)

Shopping Tips for Fall: Using High & Low Tech Assistance

September 3, 2010 by Nancy Goldblatt Leave a Comment

I was recently talking to a client who had taken her ” Wardrobe Wizard Color Chart,” and her line drawings with her when she went shopping. She showed these to a sales person who knew the store stock well. The sales lady helped her pick out lots of separate pieces that really looked “cute together.” Unfortunately, by the time she got home she did not remember what went with what. The solution I suggested to her was to use her camera phone or digital camera next time she goes shopping. Here are some shopping tips that will make it easier for you to shop for clothes.

Tips when shopping for new items for your wardrobe:

Before you go shopping, shop your closet. Use your camera phone or a digital camera to take pictures of the clothing you wear most often. If you do not have another person to photograph you in your clothing, lay the pieces on your bed and take a picture of the different ways you mix and match your separates.

Load these picture on your computer, save them and print them out. Take these pictures with you when you go shopping. The process of shopping your closet and photographing what you wear should help you be more aware of the gaps in your wardrobe. Every time you buy something new photograph it and add it to your saved file. Eliminate photos of any clothing you eliminate from your wardrobe.

1. When you actually go shopping ask the sales person to take pictures of you ( with your camera phone or digital camera) wearing pieces you are considering purchasing.

This is especially helpful if you are unsure about purchasing the items. A picture will let you know if the clothing is really flattering.

2. Bring items from your closet that are “orphans.” ” A closet orphan,” is anything you are unable to wear because you have nothing to wear it with.

3. Bring some straight pins shopping so you can see how the clothing you like will look when it is hemmed or altered in strategic places.

4. Bring the shoes that look good with pants if you are shopping for pants or shoes that look good with skirts if you are looking for skirts or dresses.

Nancy Goldblatt, “The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore,” is a Personal Image Consultant trained by Color 1 Associates. She specializes in working with midlife women whose shape or size has changed. She is available to work with individuals and groups in Baltimore, Md and surrounding areas. Her website is WWW.WardrobeWiz.com/

She hopes to soon be able to do “virtual image consulting.” This will mean she can work with individuals anywhere in the world. Watch this blog for more information to follow soon!

Secrets of Smart Clothes Shopping

August 6, 2010 by Nancy Goldblatt 1 Comment

How do you make a decision about what clothing items to buy? Besides the clothing fitting you and flattering your shape and body colors, what else should you consider?

Here are 9 secrets of smart clothes shopping from personal image consultant, Nancy Goldblatt, “The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore.”

1. Look at care tags, if it says “DRY CLEAN ONLY,” the item will be more costly to maintain. If item says dry clean without the word ONLY you can probably hand wash it or even machine wash on gentle cycle.

2. Squeeze fabric in your hand for 10 seconds to see how likely it is to wrinkle. If it bounces back with few or no wrinkles you probably will not have to spend time ironing it.

3. Can you wear it with 2 or 3 items you already own or can you wear it 2 or 3 different ways?

4. Try it on and sit down in it, raise your arms above you head, raise your arms to your chest with your fists together and elbows out. Then bend over and touch your toes. Does the clothing item move with you or restrict your movement?

5. Don’t expect items to fit perfectly. They will probably need to be altered. So bring some straight pins with you. The pins will enable you to see how the item will look after alterations.

6. If you have had “your colors done,” keep your color chart in your purse so you won’t be wasting your time trying on unflattering colors.

7. If you have had a face and body shape analysis and have line drawings of your best styles bring your line drawings with you.

8. If there is a two or three piece matching outfit get all of the pieces, if they are flattering.

9. If you are on a tight budget, get items that are solids and do not have decorative designs or embellishments. These will be easier to mix and match with your existing wardrobe.

Before I became an image consultant in 1990, I did not know what colors or styles looked good on me and I would spend many hours shopping and trying on things that looked awful on me. The more things I tried on that looked bad, the worse I felt about myself.

Now that I know my best colors and styles, when I go shopping, I can quickly skim over the aisles. I usually only have to try on items to see if they fit. This saves me lots of time and my self esteem remains intact.

Nancy Goldblatt, “The Wardrobe Wizard,” of Baltimore is a professionally trained, personal image consultant. She specializes in working with women who have lots of clothes and “nothing to wear.” (After you get a wallet of your best colors, and line drawings of your best styles, “The Wardrobe Wizard,” will teach you how to shop your own closet.) Nancy is available to work with groups as well as individuals. Contact her at www.WardrobeWiz.com

How to Choose Shoes that Fit & Flatter You

March 30, 2010 by Nancy Goldblatt 2 Comments

Do you have trouble finding comfortable, flattering shoes? If you are like me, you do.

When I find shoes that fit and flatter me, I have been known to purchase two or three pairs of the same style. My friend, Joy has teased me at times because all of my shoes are black or very dark brown, similar to my hair color. I can wear my shoes with all of my clothes because my shoes repeat my hair color and by repeating my hair color in my shoes, I am visually “pulled together.”

I only buy shoes in my hair color because if I bought shoes in other colors this would limit what I could wear the shoes with.

Recently in magazines the latest trend is “a pop of color,” with a bright shoe or handbag. Do you really want people to look at your feet first and continually look at your “pop of color,” shoes? This trend is a way to get you to go out and buy more shoes, you don’t need.

Splash of blue color at feet pulls the focus down to the feet. — The wrong way to wear a splash of color. The blue color at feet pulls the focus down to the feet and away from your face.

Before you go shoe shopping, I have an exercise for you to do that will enable you to streamline how you shop for shoes and become a better shoe shopper.

This exercise will help you to develop a list of shoe buying criteria that will save you time and money.

You will need paper and either a pen, pencil or magic marker.

You can use 8 1/2 by 11 paper if you have a small foot or if your foot is larger you can tape two pieces of paper together or even use a newspaper. If you don’t have paper and magic marker nearby, get them now.

You will be tracing the outlines of both of your feet. Next carefully label your foot outlines indicating left and right feet.

Now, lets go shopping in your closet . I want you to choose shoes you actually wear now, not shoes from several years ago waiting to be worn again or shoes you have never worn.

Start with a pair of shoes that looks and feels good, maybe even the ones you are wearing today.

What do you notice after you lay the shoes on the outlines? Is there a discrepancy between the outline of your foot and your shoe? Look at both right and left shoes.

The outline of your foot should not be wider than your shoe. Note the shoe heel height, and color. You now have buying criteria. You can write on your foot pattern your ideal heel height, color etc.

Choose another pair that is not so comfortable. Follow the same routine by placing the shoes on top of your foot outline.

What do you notice about differences in the shape of your foot and your shoe, and or the heel height compared to your comfortable shoes. This may give you a clue as to what to avoid. You can write in red or colored ink what to avoid on the foot outline.

You may have to redo your foot outline when pregnant, after pregnancy, or with a gain or loss of 15 or more pounds because your foot can change size and sometimes shape at these times.

When you go shopping for shoes, take your foot silouettes with you. You can copy it on cardboard so it will hold up longer or laminate it.

Hold the outline up to the shoes you like. If the shape of the shoe is significantly wider or narrower than your foot’s shape you can skip trying it on, because it will not feel comfortable.

If you like the looks of the shoe, it fits your criteria for color and heel height and the shoe widens where your foot shape widens and narrows and curves where your foot shape narrows and curves it’s worth trying on.

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Here are a few more tips that can make your hunt for the right shoes easier.

Try Them On:

Be sure to try both shoes on and walk around to see how the shoes feel.

If they feel tight or pinch, they will not get more comfortable, so do not purchase them. Also, its a good idea to try shoes on at the end of the day, because your feet tend to swell at the end of the day.

Style:

If you have a short or broad foot and are wearing a skirt or dress a low vamp will be more flattering than a high vamp. If you have a long narrow foot a higher vamp or strap can shorten the look of your foot.

My friend Joy has great legs but her ankles are thick. She calls her ankles “cankles,” because there is not much definition between her ankles and calves. If you have “cankles,” or wide feet, avoid horizontal straps high up on your shoe or ankle because this will focus the eye on your cankles.

Toe Cleavage:

There is a recent trend of very low cut vamps that show the indentations between your toes. This is supposed to be a “sexy look,” but if you have a high arch this shoe style may not stay on your foot.

Heel height:

The shorter you are, the lower your heel should be. You didn’t read that last sentence wrong. It’s about proportion. In my twenties I tried to wear very high heels. I am short and I looked like “Minnie Mouse,” in those heels. Also, the higher your heel height the more it throws you off balance. A two inch heel should look good and not throw your balance off too much.

Another recent trend in womens shoes is heels that are stacked under the ball of the foot by 2 or 3 inches and narrow heels that are about 6 inches high. I call these “ankle breakers.” These are very bad for your back, knees and ankles because they throw the whole body out of balance.

Here is a quick summary of shoe tips.

* Choose a shade of your hair color if you want to wear your shoes with all of your clothes.

* Choose a two inch heel height for comfort and balance.

* Make outlines of both feet and take the outlines with you shopping .

* If you want to follow the trends with a pop of color in your shoes, make sure your repeat that pop of color in your clothing.

* If you have short, wide feet or thick ankles make sure your shoes do not have horizontal straps.

Do you have a favorite tip about choosing shoes? What’s your biggest frustration with your shoes?

Nancy Goldblatt, “The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore,” is a professionally trained Color 1, personal image consultant. She specializes in helping women whose size or shape has changed and who have lots of clothes and nothing to wear go from “Sad to Fab.” She teaches how to go shopping in your own closet first.

After a client works with the Wardrobe Wizard she will have line drawings of her best styles, a wallet of her best colors, and the ability to mix and match and shop with ease. Say goodbye to the panic of “nothing to wear.”

The Wardrobe Wizard is located in Baltimore, Md. Contact her at Nancy@WardrobeWiz.com/ She is available to work with clients in- person in the Baltimore-Washington area and online for people farther away.

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