Monthly Archives: April 2008

Pregnant and Fabulous

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Pregnancy used to be an excuse to let it all hang out—literally! Nine months of not worrying about tucking in your tummy, wearing high heels, or having to look fabulous. But celebs lately have upped the ante. They have been strutting around pregnant looking amazing proving that a tummy can be very attractive. Pregnancy is IN and looking great pregnant never…well , looked so great!

This post is one of my most popular. It’s because women still want to feel great even while accommodating an ever widening mid section. The celebrities featured here  are not only meant to inspire you, but also to give you great ideas on how you too can rock it while pregnant. All woman, pregnant or otherwise tummy endowed can get great tips on how to dress in flattering ways to enhance  a prominent tummy.  I will demonstrate how celebs including new Moms, Hale Berry, Jennifer Lopez, and Moms to be Angelina Jolie, Jessica Alba and Cate Blanchett, strategically use color, design, pattern and layers to in their ensembles to enhance their maternal silhouettes.

For more tips on how to strategically look slimmer, taller and dress to flatter many figure woes, you might just want to grab a copy of my bestselling Amazon book: Frumpy to Fabulous: Flaunting It. Your Ultimate Guide to Effortless Style. I’m just saying!

Tips!

First, bold color is an amazing fashion trend that works really well for pregnant women who are confident that they can rock a bold color unabashedly. Jennifer Lopez shows off this look in her blue Marchesa dress.

She looks radiant and lovely.  Cate wears a demure green dress and proudly shows off her new bump.

Jennifer also sports a white goddess dress and looks just as beautiful.

Angelina Jolie wears a Hermes ombre brown dress and you’d never guess she was hiding a baby bump under the amazing drape of her strapless dress.

Black is always bold and of course slimming. Hale, Angelina and Cate all use black to camouflage their new curves while still looking very sexy.

Angelina’s profile in her long black flutter sleeve dress is as beautiful as a painting—pregnancy at its finest.

Hale’s rocks black looks that are hot and divalicious!! Here she rocks a black leather jacket and a black/white tote and she just looks so bad (as in good bad!) proving that pregnancy can be absolutely sexy.

Prints are a great way to distract unwanted bulges, pregnancy induced or otherwise. JLo was the master of this during her pregnancy, wearing many Roberto Cavalli print designs to detract from her bump.

In this photo everything works—the hat, the cut of the dress and the fab print and the white shoes. Awesome!! Jessica Alba also sports a print in a more casual dress. What also works here is the empire waist—another fashion ‘trick’ for those with unwanted mounds in their mid-section.

Empire waits are flattering and hide without looking frumpy. Angelina in a gray Rachel Palley dress looks chic and stylish with kids in tow in her empire waist design.

Another great detractor tactic? Layers of course! Jessica Alba uses layers in a casual look that looks comfortable yet still very pulled together. And she adds a pop of color with her red shoes.

Hale wears a chain link print dress under a long print cardigan and it also works—love it!

I have to end with this shot of Kate Hudson. She revels in her new belly so much she totally leaves it exposed. It is such a sexy look. And it takes a woman like Kate with her free spirit to pull it off. You go Kate with her low riders and red plaid shirt.

I hope this post encourages women to embrace their tummies!!

Natalie Jobity, professional image consultant, AKA The Image Diva, Elan Image Management

Visit my Facebook Community page for ongoing tips, giveaways, and links to even more great (free!) stuff!

 

 

XOXO

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Dear Readers,

I am loving the new series Gossip Girl now in its second season. The stories of preppy and privileged upper east side high school students and their parents is intriguing and a study in class, social status and materialism–typically things I eschew. But somehow I am hooked on this show. Maybe it is the fashion–OMG the girls wear high end designer runway designs like they went on a rampage at Forever 21 but its the real mocoy. The show is setting new fashion trends–most notably head bands in a variety of fashions. Or maybe it’s the old plot of good triumphing over evil or in this case the poor (ok let’s be real upper middle class) triumphing over the uber elite. Whatever… I love it.

And guess what? They’re casting for extras in the Big Apple this season. Check out the deets below.

xoxo

 

Grant Wilfley Casting is currently looking for both SAG and NON SAG actors to portray upscale guests at the upper eastside’s wedding of the year.

We are looking for people between the ages of 18 and 40, all ethnicities. You will need to be available all day on both Wednesday, April 23rd and Tuesday, April 29th. We never know how long the shoot will run so please make sure you can get out of any prior plans and will have no conflicts on either day. Please email a recent photo (snapshots not headshots please), your age range, and contact number to

GossipGirl@GWCNYC.com and include WEDDING in the header.


Effective Professional Presence

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Dear Readers,

Last month we discussed effective personal branding which is a great segue to a discussion on  presenting an effective professional presence. Have you thought lately how well you are doing with your professional image? Have you taken a critical assessment of your strengths and weaknesses and worked towards improving upon areas where you fall short. If not, consider this is my gentle nudge .  We are all works in progress and our success in the professional arena is no exception. Let’s take a short quiz.

1)    How often do you initiate a handshake when meeting someone in a business context?
      a.    Often, b. Sometimes, c. Never?
2)    How much time do you have to make a first impression when meeting someone new?
     a.    30 seconds, b.  one minute, c. 5 minutes?
3)    What percentage  of the impression others form about you is based on what you actually say?
    a.    55%,  b. 20%, c. 7%
4)    What percentage  of the impression others form about you is based on your appearance?
    a.    55%, b. 20%, c. 7%
5)    A great posture can take off 10 years and 10 pounds. True or False?

Answers: 1a, 2a, 3c, 4a, 5T

Below are  a few of the considerations to be mindful of when trying to  project a strong effective ‘Presence’. Your ‘Presence’  has everything to do with:

  • Your level of confidence
  • Your manners (are you gracious, kind and polite?)
  • Your poise (posture, stance, seated or standing)
  • The way you communicate including your non-verbal gestures
  • Your  voice (its tone, quality, inflection, strength)
  • Your energy (quiet, calm, hyper or high)
  • The attention you command (do people notice you when you walk into the room?)
  • And last but not least, the way you look

Remember over half of people’s initial impression on you is based on the way you look so want to make sure your professional image is on point. A few quick pointers on dress: 

For women:

  • Always wear a jacket to quickly establish presence in professional environments. It communicates confidence, command and authority.
  • Cheap handbags, acrylic scarves, plastic jewelry and cheap shoes will diminish everything else you wear.
  • For business, choose skirts and dresses no shorter than 2 inches above knee. Also wear a slip if the skirt is unlined
  • Get your hair professionally cut and colored. A bad/un-groomed hair style diminishes professional impact. Have back-up hairstyles for ‘bad hair’ days.
  • Especially in conservative businesses, stockings should be worn with skirts. Neutral or close to skin tone is best choice. Black, grey, and navy are acceptable if they match shoes or skirt.  For more on pantyhose tips check out my post on the subject :http://elanimagemanagement.com/html/elan-blog/?p=115

For men:

  • Short sleeve dress shirts do not project a professional image, even if worn with a tie
  • Never button the bottom button on a 2,3 or 4 button jacket
  • Ties should always reach your belt buckle
  • Dress socks should cover your legs when sitting down. Match them to your pants or shirt rather than your shoes.
  • Always wear and undershirt under your dress shirt—preferably a crew type.

Having an effective professional presence is critical in today’s competitive marketplace. You need to do everything in your power to stay ahead of your competition and your image is an asset you can manage and control. A successful image is the linchpin to an effective personal brand. To read my post on effective personal branding click: http://elanimagemanagement.com/html/elan-blog/?p=110

Copyright, Élan Image Management

A Great Bra for ‘Busty’ Women

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I see so many clients who avoid wearing halters, strapless dresses/tops, or spaghetti strap dresses all because they are ‘busty’ and cannot find a bra to support them in those styles.

Yes finding a great fitting bra can be difficult for the full-figured and harder still is finding a bra without traditional straps for support. Yet bra designs have come a long way. There are convertible styles, silicone lined designs (that stick to the skin), good ole underwire and strapless bras that actually stay put even for those with larger cup sizes.

What is still tricky though is finding a bra to wear with backless dresses. Last year a friend went into near panic because she picked a wedding dress with a low back and front, and being a D cup, could not wear a conventional bra. How to make sure the ladies stayed put all evening? She tried many styles, the backless bra with sticky sides, the convertible bra and nothing really worked. Eventually she had her dress altered so the back was not so dramatically plunging and with the use of bra clips was able to find a convertible bra solution that worked. But it sure was dicey there for a few weeks!

However there is an even better solution now. Earlier this month,  Maidenform unveiled the “Breakthrough Backless Bra.” According to the designer Elaine Cato, the concept of her original prototype –the  “6-in-1” –is that the back wings of the bra were tucked into the sides of the bra.  So essentially it is designed like the standard convertible bra but  had an added feature of  ‘pockets’ to tuck the back wing into. However, the tucked wings in the pockets created an unsightly bulging effect so it was not a slam dunk. The newly re-designed bra is supported by the shoulder straps and  is made of lightweight microfiber fabric that is “soft to the touch, with seamless molded foam cups that deliver smooth shaping under clothes. Combining that with a two-way stretch technology, the bra provides a maneuverable fit with excellent flexibility.” 

The bra is designed with the full figured woman in mind and comes in sizes 34B through 38DD. Now busty woman can proudly show off their backs with the security of knowing their ‘girls’ are properly supported.  Check out the pictures below of the ‘Breakthrough Backless Bra‘:

(excerpted from interview by Renata Espinosa with designer Elaine Cato for FWD)

NOTE: THIS BRA IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE SINCE I PUBLISHED THIS 3 YEARS AGO AND I DO NOT HAVE ANY UPDATED INFORMATION ON IT. THE CLOSEST BRA IS THEIR ONE FABULOUS FIT THAT IS A STRAPLESS CONVERTIBLE BRA.

Natalie Jobity, professional image consultant, AKA The Image Diva, Elan Image Management

Visit my Facebook Community page for ongoing tips, giveaways, and links to even more great (free!) stuff!

Celeb Fashion Face Off

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Dear Readers,

It is that time again! Which celeb rocks an outfit the best? People.com does a great job photographing celebs and matching their outfits in their ‘fashion faceoff’ feature. So I am here to give my opinion on who rocks it and who should drop it.

First up, Gwyneth Paltrow vs. Adriana Lima in a red hot Zac Posen dress. I must admit I had to stare at both photos really hard to be sure it really was the same dress! The fit loks completely different on the two women—on Gwyneth, a nice red number but on super model Adriana, really alluring and hot! Both dresses fall just at the knee and even though the neckline fits Gwyneth lower, on Adriana the dress really pops. She looks curvy and sexy with her red heels adding just the right punch. Gwyneth accessorizes with bangles and teal gladiator sandals with her blonde tresses blown straight, and she looks nice but I gotta give my vote to Adriana. She takes that simple snug fitting red dress to a whole other level! And I really think it is all in the way her bra fits so her breasts are really supported (and perky) whereas Gwyneth actually looks very flat chested to be frank. Just that nuance makes the dress look like a different dress. Ladies this is the power of a great bra!

Next, we have,Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame in a gold Burberry dress vs. actress Eva Amurri in a longer version of the same dress. Emma you are young and cute but you cannot show off your pasty legs like that! She tried to cover up with stockings but it does not work for me. Plus the dress fits her SO poorly. What is going on at the hips? And the addition of the ‘rocker’ type black studded  belt detracts rather than enhances. With such a short dress her body gets chopped up even more with the hard line the belt creates. And the color on her—again her skin is too pale to carry off such a white-washed gold color. It is not flattering—she looks ill! Her black shoes also do not work, maybe it is because the dress is so short and it is stark black against very pale legs with a gold dress but this is a fashion ‘Don’t’ all around. Eva, by contrast looks lovely. The color is on point on her more tanned olive complexion  and the dress fits her perfectly. See the difference a great fit makes? She goes sans belt and it works—we see her lovely figure and she creates the illusion of a more vertical silhouette than Emma does. Her black pointy shoes work well with her legs and the dress and her clutch is a good accent to her ensemble. Great job!

Last, we have Eve and actress Kate Walsh facing off in the same Dolce and Gabbana figure hugging dress. The rapper added leopard-print shoes and gold bangles (matching her locks) and keeps the look pretty simple making the dress the star. Kate Walsh is so beautiful so I am puzzled she would top off a great dress like this with a leather jacket. Huh? It looks sloppy, unsophisticated and like she threw her boyfriend’s jacket on because she was cold. Don’t like her hair and there is too much ‘push-up’ boob action going on. The dress is sexy enough it does not need much help. So my vote goes to Eve (except the ankle monitor she sports is a wee bit disturbing).

Look for more Rock it or drop it celeb face off’s in upcoming posts.

The Image Diva, Élan Image Management