Dressing for Comfort, Confidence & Style

Beauty & Wardrobe by Nancy Goldblatt, Color 1, Personal Image Consultant

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Lipstick, How To Choose A Flattering Color

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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.

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).

Looking Good In Cold Weather

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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)

Flattering Clothing for YOUR Body Shape:How to Choose

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When I was in my twenties  I bought a dress that I called “my princess dress.” One of my favorite childhood stories was “The Princess & The Pea.”     I secretly believed I must be a princess because I was so sensitive.   If you think about how Fiona from the movie Shreck looked  before she turned into an ogre, this was my image of a princess.   My princess dress looked like the dress Fiona wore.   It was dark blue velvet with a deep v neckline and princess darts.  It narrowed at the waist and had a soft flowing  A line skirt and it was long.   This was many years ago before Shreck had been made and my idea of what a princess wore came from my viewing Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.

I put that dress on many times, but was never able to wear it out of the house because instead of looking like a princess, I looked like a stuffed sausage.   The dress was my size but even when I exercised and toned up and lost a few pounds, I never looked good in it.   It hung in my closet for several years unworn.  Finally, I gave it to a friend of mine who had similar coloring to me and was the same height, and weight as me.   The minute she pulled it over her head she look like a princess.

Why did she look so wonderful in the dress and why did I look so awful in the dress? The answer is  body shape.  I have a  wide waist and narrow hips and she had a  narrow waist and wider hips.  The dress narrowed where I widened and widened where I narrowed.    My narrow parts were hidden and my wider parts were emphasized by the style of the dress.  My friend look fantastic because the dress shape dress was an extension of her  body shape.

Body shapes have both curved and straight lines but there will be a predominance of more curves or more straight lines. If your body shape is  more curved, clothing with waist definition will be more flattering.  If your body is straighter, like mine, clothing without waist definition will be more flattering..  Choosing clothing that widens where your body widens and narrows where your body narrows will  help you to feel comfortable and look your bestl everyday.

What do you have in your closet that you haven’t been able to wear?  Do you know why you haven’t worn it?

Nancy Goldblatt, “Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore,” is a professionally trained personal image consultant.  She works with individuals and groups in Baltimore and surrounding areas.  Contact her at nrgoldblatt@gmail.com or 410-235-5325. www.WardrobeWiz.com/

Secrets of Smart Clothes Shopping

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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

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 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.

The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore” has a Gift for You: A List of 7 of my favorite things –

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My gift to you for the New Year  is a list of 7 of my favorite things.  These are products or resources that I use to keep myself healthy and looking good.   ( I am not being compensated in any way for recommending these products and resources.)

1. Life Extension Foundation: www.lef.org/ publishes a magazine with great articles on vitamins and supplements and they sell supplements and have an extensive online website with articles and a discussion forum.  It costs $75 to become a member and qualify for member only discounts on blood tests and supplements.  You don’t have to be a member to subscribe to their informative magazine (cost is $12 a year) that has easy to understand articles.   Latest magazine has articles on “How To Combat Influenza Infection,” “How Vitamin C Protects The Skin,”  “Tea Promotes Weight Loss in Over Weight Individuals,”  and more.  Their excellent website and discussion forum are free.

2. Your Prescription For Health is a business based in Owings Mills, Md run by holistic pharmacists Brian Sanderoff and Raymond Hinish.  They have a radio program on  680 am every Sunday morning from 10-12 noon, eastern standard time.  If you do not live in the area you can listen on the web and or they podcast their show.  Brian and Ray work with Dr. William Pawluk, a conventionally trained Dr. who now works as a complementary Dr.  They frequently have guest experts on the show and you can also call in with questions. Your prescription for health discounts their supplements and vitamins and shipping is free if you spend $100 or more.  Their website is www.IllnessIsoptional.com/ The website has articles and protocols for various problems.  I believe Dr. Hinish also sends out a free e-newsletter to subscribers.

3. X-Clear saline nasal spray  contains xylitol. In addition to keeping your mucous membranes moist,  it prevents nasal congestion and extensive research says the xylitol in the product prevents bacteria and germs from making you sick.  Find more about it at: www.Xclear.com/

4.  I am now taking 5000 mg of vitamin d3 for my immune system.  (Get it at your local vitamin store, its not expensive)   I learned about the importance of D3 first from listening to “Your Prescription for Health.”  Since I learned about it about a year ago,I have encountered many articles about the importance of vitamin D3.

5..  I originally began taking Magnesium Citrate for muscle tension.   I have discovered its also good  to prevent constipation and since its a natural muscle relaxant it helps decrease anxiety.   I take a powder product called MagnaCalm that I get from Your Prescription for Health.   There are lots of different Magnesium products available.

6.  My newest favorite television show is “The Dr. Oz Show.” Dr. Oz is a heart surgeon who was discovered by Oprah. He makes learning about health fun.   I have recently learned how high blood pressure can cause kidney disease and I now  know what “healthy poop looks like.”    He has the “No embarrassment Zone,” where audience members can ask any medical question.  He also has a “Truth Tube,” where people can discover their “real age,” based on their body measurements, weight and life style.   Watching his show has inspired me to begin a regular exercise program.

7. Dr. Daniel Amen is another Dr. who makes learning fun. He is a neuropsychiatrist who has been studying the brain and taking pictures of the brain for over 20 years.  He has written about 6 or 7 books and his newest book “Change Your Brain, Change Your Body,’ will be out in February 2010.  I originally discovered Dr. Amen on PBS.   “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life,” “Your Miraculous Brain,” and “The Brain In Love,” periodically get re shown on PBS.  They are also now on DVD.  He now sells his many books, dvd’s and cd’s on his website.  His website also has lots of free articles and tests.  The latest free tests are ADD and subtypes of ADD. (In addition to being “The Wardrobe Wizard,” I am a psychotherapist)    In my psychotherapy practice I have been using his materials to help me better diagnose and treat my clients.  His main website is www.amenclinics.com/ You can also go to www.brainspace.com to see before and after treatment  pictures of brains with different problems.  Subscribe to his free newsletter, you will learn lots of great information about taking care of your brain. What is good for the brain, is good for the rest of you.

My wish for each of you is a  “healthy and happy,” 2010.

What are some of your favorite things that help you to be your most beautiful inside and out?  Please share with others your favorite things in the comments section of this blog.

Paula Begoun, “Cosmetics Cop,” comes to Baltimore

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When Paula Begoun aka ‘The Cosmetics Cop,” came to Baltimore Thursday, Dec 4th and spoke at Barnes & Noble in Pikesville, Md., she stated, “For centuries women have wanted to look pretty, and wasting money is not pretty.”

Paula came to promote  version eight of her book  “Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me.”   I have been a fan of hers since she wrote “Blue Eyeshadow Should Be Made Illegal.” in 1986.   I currently subscribe to her  on-line  “Beautypedia.”  It costs  $24.95 a  year to subscribe  and new products are reviewed every two weeks.

I find it saves me money because it prevents me from impulsively buying new products.  Paula said her goal has always been to help women save money. She has saved me a lot of money over the years.

Before  I buy a new product I go  online to “Beautypedia,” to check  “the Cosmetic Cops” review.  Cosmetic & skin care reviews include both drugsstore, department store and other retail brands. I am still unsure about the product and  it’s a drugstore cosmetic, I buy it at CVS or Rite Aid because even if it has been opened  or used it can be returned or exchanged.  Paula emphasizes in her reviews that expensive products are not necessarily better than less expensive products.

Paula now wears two hats. She is still “The Cosmetics Cop.”  She and her staff evaluate thousands of brands of makeup, and skin care products.  She gives a smiley face with a check mark for outstanding products and a frowning face for products that aren’t well formulated and do not do what they promise.   She also has her own line of makeup and skin care products called “Paula’s Choice.”

I especially like her exfoliating AHA  and her BHA  products. I have  very dry skin  but in the summer time I get oily around the T zone.  I break out with pimples under the skin and even have had a few blackheads.  Nothing helped me until I used her 2% BHA product.  It cleared up my pimples without overly drying my skin out.   “Yeah, Paula’s Choice.”

If you like Internet research and want to get reviews of new products coming out, its worthwhile subscribing to Beautypedia’s online reviews or  if you prefer buying a book, get her latest version of  “Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me,” available in paperback from Amazon for $19.77.

How White Should Your Teeth Be?

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Have you whitened your teeth or are you thinking about whitening your teeth?

Do you wonder how white your teeth should be?

As we get older our teeth darken or yellow  from the foods we eat and the things we drink and smoke.

Whiter teeth can help us to look more youthful.  However, if you overdo the teeth bleaching, your teeth may end up looking like they are false.

teeth are too white for her skin, they practically are jumping out of her mouth

An easy way to determine how white your teeth should be is to look at the whites of your eyes.

If you bleach your teeth a whiter color than the whites of your eyes, this color will cause your teeth to become your focal point (the place people eyes go to first and keep being drawn back to).   If the color of your teeth is a brighter white than the whites of your eye this  will not only cause your teeth to look fake, but it may make your skin look dull or washed out next to the very bright white of your teeth.  By repeating the same or similar shade of the whites of your eyes in your teeth you can create visual harmony.

teeth are a good shade of white for her skin color and eye color

Our eyes find visual harmony relaxing and pleasing.   When you look visually harmonious you will look your most attractive and you will communicate instant confidence and intelligence.

Nancy Goldblatt, “The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore,” is a Color 1, Personal Image Consultant.

 She has been helping men and women look great everyday for over 20 years.  

She is available to work with you no matter where you live because she is now able to do “online consultations.” using digital photos. 

 She can be reached at 410-235-5325.  her website is www.WardrobeWiz.com/

   Unsure if her services are for you?  E-mail her at Nancy @wardrobewiz.com to set up a 20 minutes telephone consult to find out what she can help you with.

Avoiding Looking At Your Body In The Mirror?

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When was the last time you looked at yourself in a full length mirror? I am asking this because the more “over fat,”  you are or “out of shape,”you are the harder it is to look good in your clothes.

I must confess, that for some time now I have been looking at myself in the mirror only from the chin up. Yes, I use my full length mirror before I leave the house but  recently I only quickly glance at my self from head to toe.   The other day I had to get a pictures taken of my silhouette in fitted non-camouflaging clothing  for a sewing project I am doing. I am still in shock.

I have always had an apple shaped body with narrow hips, flat bottom and muscular legs. When I gain weight its usually in my stomach and waist area.  My previously flat derriere is no longer flat.   Because I know how to dress for my body shape I had even fooled myself, until I saw those pictures of me without camouflaging clothes.    I know I must take action for my health and of course I am concerned about how I look and finding clothes that fit me.  The areas I need to work on are my eating habits, exercise and sleep.

My eating habits are better than most of the other people I know, but they aren’t perfect.  I consider myself a flexitarian.  I eat mostly steamed vegetables plus small amounts of chicken and fish and dairy such as non-fat yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, almonds and walnuts.  My weakness is rice tortillas and gluten free cookies.   Also, because I am a night owl and stay up late at night, I tend to eat a snack before I go to bed.   I have read that this is not good because those calories are not burned off and eating right before bedtime disrupts sleep because the body is busy digesting food and can not completely relax.

I have been watching the Dr. Oz show lately.   Dr. Oz says  to be healthy a woman should not have a waist over 32.5 inches. If your waist is larger than this, it means your belly fat is beginning to crush your other organs, especially your kidney function.  One way to determine a good waist size is to take your height in inches and divide it in half.  According to Dr. Oz your waist size should be half your height or less than half your height.

What is your waist size in relation to your height? How do you make time for exercise?  What do you eat that isn’t good for you?  When was the last time you looked at yourself in a full length mirror with only your under ware on?

Because I needed a “jump start,” to start exercising again, I applied to be in a research study at Johns Hopkins Hospital Bayview in Baltimore, Md.  Its called “Shape Up.” There are two components to this study a nutrition component and an exercise component.  I am hoping to be assigned to both the nutrition and exercise parts.  The exercise would be at the Hopkins facility. As I write this, I am realizing that besides getting more sleep,and not eating before bedtime what I really need is, help with “building in” exercise to my daily life for a long term change in my habits.

How have you built exercise into your busy daily life?

I

Tim Gunn and Me At The Baltimore Book Festival

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About Nancy Goldblatt:

I am a professionally trained “Personal Image Consultant,” based in Baltimore, Maryland.  I call myself “The Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore.”  I specialize in working with women whose size or shape has changed or who have too many clothes and nothing to wear.    I help my clients by first teaching them how to shop in their own closets.  They get a wallet of their best colors and line drawings of their best styles.  Most of my clients are women but I also work with men.  After I work with a client they will knew what clothing to keep, and what to eliminate.  They will also know what items they should get altered and how to fill in the gaps in their wardrobe.  Best of all , they will get rid of the panic of ” those nothing to wear moments.”

The  weekend 0f Sept 25-27th, 2009 is the 14th annual Baltimore Book Festival. This reminded me of what happened several years ago, (I believe it was 2 or 3 years ago.)  when Tim Gunn,  of Project Runway, was one of the featured speakers. I am a fan of Tim’s and I was looking forward to hearing him speak.  At that time Tim had just gotten his own show and had written a book.  He was speaking at the  Baltimore Book Festival to publicize his new book.

Unfortunately, I had trouble finding parking and by the time I parked,and walked 5 or 6 blocks to the book festival, I had missed Tim’s talk. When I finally got to the area where he had spoken, I discovered there was a long line of people waiting for him to autograph the book they had just purchased.

The book was sold out, so I borrowed some one’s book and quickly looked through it. I felt disappointed because  I did not see any new information that I had not seen elsewhere.  I have a hunch the book may have been written quickly to capitalize on the popularity of Project Runway and Tim’s new show which had just begun.

I was disgusted with myself for not arriving earlier and my lower back was in spasm and I was looking for a place to sit down. I passed a small table with two chairs.  There was a sign that said something like “Sit down, and participate in a psychic experiment.”  The experiment  was sponsored by students from Maryland Institute of Art.     I asked for more information, but mostly I wanted a place to sit and rest.

The experiment was simple, there was a sender and a receiver. I would be the sender.  There was a volunteer receiver already seated.  All I had to do was sit down at the table and concentrate on an image in my mind and try to send the image to the receiver.  He had a pencil and paper and would draw what he received.  I decided to picture “the happy face symbol from the 1960’s.”  I choose this because I was feeling the opposite of happy and I wanted a distraction from my “pity party.”

I concentrated as hard as I could to mentally picture the “happy face symbol . ” The receiver began drawing after a minute or two.   I watched as he drew a line and then made it curve around.  At the end of the line he drew two sheep.  The MICA student asked me if that was the image I sent.  I said, “No, I was picturing a happy face symbol.”  

 I looked at the pencil drawing again and started laughing.  I was laughing because I  realized the line the receiver drew that curved around was the same shape as the long line of people waiting for Tim Gunn’s autograph.  I would not have called those fans of Tim, sheep, at least I would not have said it outloud.  But when I saw the picture “the reciever,” had drawn, I realized that’s what I had been thinking.  Those “Tim Gunn fans,” clutching their newly purchased books, standing in an extremely long line under the hot sun reminded me (at least on an unconscious level) of sheep.

As I laughed and shared why I was laughing with the MICA student and the receiver my spirits lifted as I realized what was really on my mind.  I was shocked that my unconscious mind would view them in this way because I am usually very non-judgemental.    I like to believe it was a combination of the hot sun, my aching back and the fact the book the people standing in line were clutching did not seem to have any new style information.  I am still a fan of Tim’ s.  I don’t know what he is like in person but on television at times he appears a bit formal and proper but his genuineness comes through.  I am ready now to get a copy of his book and do more than just skim it.